Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- A New York team that looked like it might turn the corner has stumbled badly in back-to-back games against a division opponent.
- Multiple players are now clear trade-deadline liabilities, and the front office faces pressure to act before Monday.
- The next moves could determine whether this franchise stabilizes its playoff chances or falls further behind in a crowded race.
Every time it seems like the Few ostensible contenders need a more thorough overhaul than New York. might finally be turning things around, they find away to shoot themselves in the foot — in some cases several times. The vibes were strong after four wins in five games against the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox, and with Cam Schlittler dominant once again on Wednesday night, there was a sense that maybe this team would have enough to get by with Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton and others on the IL.
And then the bottom fell out in spectacularly embarrassing fashion. A 4-0 lead on Wednesday became a bullpen meltdown and an eventual 6-5 loss. And on Thursday afternoon, despite ample opportunity to score a single run and escape with a win, a punchless offense once again failed to deliver, leaving the door open long enough for the White Sox to snatch a 1-0 victory.
New York simply cannot afford to let this season get away, bad injury luck be damned. If Judge is coming back at some point this season, every year of his prime is precious, and other pieces like Gerrit Cole aren't getting any younger. It's also clear that several members of this roster do not have a place on a postseason contender — and Brian Cashman needs to rectify that as soon as possible ahead of Monday's trade deadline.
C Ali Sanchez
In some ways, you have to feel badly for Sanchez. It's not his fault that Austin Wells has slumped through a career-worst season at the plate, or that New York foolishly committed to JC Escarra as its backup catcher. He was brought in as organizational depth over the offseason, and that's where he should've remained.
And yet ... man. It would be one thing if Sanchez simply didn't provide anything offensively. But in addition to his punchless at-bats, he also keeps making baffling mistakes — the latest being the errant throw down to third with the Yankees one out away from victory on Wednesday night. No matter who New York brings in, they need to do something to stabilize the catcher situation and send Sanchez back to Triple-A.
OF Jasson Dominguez
It's time. The physical tools remain tantalizing, and maybe Dominguez will figure it out after a change of scenery. But he's regressed as a hitter this season despite a long stretch of playing time in the wake of injuries to Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger. And even more damningly, he remains a frustratingly low-IQ player, both in the field and as a baserunner. The lightbulb just hasn't come on, and while that would be excusable if he were hitting, it's crippling when he's also struggling at the plate.
Both Dominguez and Spencer Jones appear to have run their course in New York, and the Yankees would do well to see what they can get for each while they both hold some modicum of value. Maybe moving both at the deadline overly compromises their depth with both Judge and Bellinger out, but we've seen what we need to see.
UTIL Amed Rosario
Alongside Sanchez, Rosario is the player whose role is most likely to get an upgrade at the deadline. He had his moments early, but he's been dreadful at the plate for going on two months now, and at this point in his career he's too limited defensively to get away with that lack of production. The Yankees need to find a bat who can play every day somewhere in the infield, and once the outfield gets healthy, that will almost certainly put Rosario out of a job.
LHP Ryan Yarbrough
If Yarbrough were the long man of this Yankees staff, fair enough; he still generates tons of weak contact, and that role has its value. But Yarbrough isn't even providing length anymore: He's thrown more than two innings just six times in 27 appearances, and most of those haven't been particularly competitive. He needs to be soaking up usage and bailing out his bullpenmates higher up the ladder to have any real use moving forward, and it doesn't seem like he's capable of that anymore. New York should have at least one former starter moving to the bullpen at the deadline, at Yarbrough's expense.
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