It takes every player to win a World Series, but the Yankees know that several individuals on their roster could make or break their chances of even reaching the postseason’s final stage. While the team has the talent to go all the way, there are significant red flags they’re trying to resolve over the last month of the regular season.
At the moment, they are grappling with inconsistencies in both their starting rotation and bullpen. The offense has been solid, but early-game deficits have put them in tough spots, reducing their chances of winning. Among the roster, two players stand out as crucial to the team’s success or failure.
Carlos Rodon: Key to the Yankees’ Starting Rotation
One of the most pivotal players for the Yankees’ postseason push is starting pitcher Carlos Rodon, who has had a rollercoaster of a year but has shown flashes of brilliance.
Rodon, the 31-year-old lefty, signed a six-year, $162 million deal during the 2023 offseason, but he’s struggled to live up to expectations. After posting a 6.85 ERA last season, he’s brought it down to 4.19 ERA over 152.1 innings this year. His strikeout rate is strong, sitting at 10.16 per nine innings, with a 77.1% left-on-base rate and a 32.2% ground ball rate. However, Rodon’s glaring issue has been the 1.54 home runs he’s giving up per nine innings, an unsustainable number that has hurt his efficiency.
After logging 11.2 WAR between the 2021–2022 seasons, Rodon has only posted 1.6 WAR combined since joining the Yankees.
With the rotation in disarray, the Yankees desperately need Rodon to step up and solidify one of the postseason starting spots. Despite his struggles, he’s been relatively healthy this season, and his velocity remains strong, with his four-seam fastball sitting at 95.5 mph. However, that same fastball is allowing a .261 batting average and a .525 slugging rate, which has hurt his overall performance.
Rodon’s slider has been a strong point, and he has begun to incorporate his change-up more, but he cannot rely solely on his slider to carry him through tough situations. The fact that he has only 2.2 innings of postseason experience makes this an even more daunting challenge. But the Yankees signed him to be the No. 2 pitcher in the rotation and now is the time for him to deliver when it matters most.
Aaron Judge: Offensive Powerhouse or Postseason Struggler?
On the offensive side, superstar slugger Aaron Judge is the next catalyst for the Yankees’ postseason hopes. When Judge is at his best, the team can overcome pitching struggles, but he has been ice-cold over the past two weeks. Despite this dip, the 32-year-old is still putting up one of the best seasons in MLB history.
With about three weeks left in the regular season, Judge has the chance to hit 11 more home runs, which would break his own record. He would need to average a home run every two games to reach that impressive milestone.
Judge has played 138 games this season, slashing .323/.455/.702 with 51 home runs and 124 RBIs. While he has been a monster during the regular season, his postseason numbers have been less impressive. In 44 playoff games, Judge has hit just .211/.310/.462. His regular-season production is legendary, but what separates the good from the great is performing in clutch moments.
The Yankees need their best player to lead the offense in the postseason and set the tone for the rest of the team. Judge’s ability to elevate his game in October will be crucial to any deep run the Yankees hope to make.
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Both Carlos Rodon and Aaron Judge hold the keys to the Yankees’ postseason success. Rodon must bring consistency to a rotation that has been shaky all season, while Judge needs to shake off his cold spell and deliver in high-pressure moments. If both players can rise to the occasion, the Yankees have the talent to make a serious push for a World Series title. If not, the team’s postseason dreams could be cut short.