We’re 25 games into the New York Yankees’ regular season, and you know what that means: It’s time to start overreacting.
If you’re a Yankees fan like me, you’ve probably done a double-take more than once this month. Marcus Stroman looks completely lost, posting an 11.57 ERA through three games before hitting the IL with a knee injury. Trent Grisham is somehow hitting .320 with a 1.093 OPS. And Aaron Judge? He’s casually leading the league in batting average (.415), OBP (.513), and OPS (1.247).
All of this adds up to a 15–10 record, tying the Yankees with the Detroit Tigers for the best record in the wide-open American League. On the surface, it’s everything you could ask for — especially considering they’re doing it without Juan Soto.
But dig just a little deeper, and the cracks start to show.
Of the eight players who’ve logged at least 22 games, only three — Judge, Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt — are batting over .288. Several key players have underwhelmed:
- Catcher Austin Wells, expected to break out, is hitting just .181.
- Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. is 10-for-79 in May (.121 average).
- Outfielder Jasson Dominguez, once billed as the next Judge, has just two home runs and a .390 SLG.
But the real concern? It starts with Anthony Volpe and Cody Bellinger.
Panic Meter: Anthony Volpe – 9/10
Volpe’s rise has been nothing short of storybook. He’s played in a World Series. He's won a Gold Glove. He’s the local kid living the dream.
But the Yankees need more than a feel-good story — they need production. Volpe is hitting just .198 through 25 games. Last year at this point? He was at .299 with a .793 OPS.
Yes, he makes elite defensive plays. Yes, he looks like a young Derek Jeter in the field. But when there are runners in scoring position and you need a hit, the Yankees can’t afford a black hole in the lineup.
If the team truly sees him as the next franchise shortstop, they’ll need to see a serious jump at the plate. Volpe is having a hard time even making contact right now, and that has to have fans and the team itself concerned about whether he'll ever put it together offensively and become more than just a nice role player.
Panic Meter: Cody Bellinger – 6/10
After the departure of Soto, Cody Bellinger was brought in to hold down center field. He had two bounce-back years in Chicago, and this felt like the right move.
But so far, he’s been mostly invisible. Bellinger is hitting .177 with 2 HR, 12 RBI and 21 strikeouts in 22 games. His defense has been solid, even game-saving at times, but offensively, he hasn’t found his rhythm.
Should fans be worried? Not quite. He hit just .239 through 23 games last year before turning it around, and there’s hope he heats up with the weather — especially for an Arizona native like Bellinger.
The Yankees are sitting at the top of the standings, but this team is far from complete. If Volpe and Bellinger can find their swing — and if players like Dominguez and Chisholm start delivering on their promise — the Bronx Bombers could become seriously scary.
But for now? We overreact. Because that’s what April baseball in New York is all about.