Overview
- The Yankees are 19-10 and in first place in the AL East by 1.5 games after a road win over the Rangers.
- New York’s starters have set the tone without Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón, with Max Fried and Cam Schlittler leading the club in wins and Schlittler posting a 1.77 ERA with 41 strikeouts.
- Gerrit Cole made a second rehab start last week following Tommy John surgery, and Carlos Rodón completed his first rehab outing over the weekend, with returns expected in the coming weeks if they avoid setbacks.
- MLB Network’s Mark DeRosa said the Yankees look like the class of the American League and pointed to the rotation’s depth, and Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller labeled the staff a World Series favorite.
- The lineup has leaned on power with 43 home runs, second-most in MLB, as Ben Rice breaks out and Aaron Judge heats up, though the bats can cool when the long ball dries up.