This season, the New York Yankees have seen over 24 players on the injured list. That is almost an entire roster.
The fact that the Yankees are in first place by a large margin only attached to their strong will and discipline. A recent sweep of the Boston Red Sox shows their dominance and how they can weather any storm, including injuries.
Players seem to show up out of nowhere and contribute towards run production and defensive prowess, a tall task for alternatives that are being pulled up from the minor-league level on a daily occurrence.
One player of the Yankees have missed recently is catcher Gary Sanchez. Sanchez was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a groin strain. The anticipation is that he will return sometime this week to take over for Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka.
Before being injured Gary Sanchez was hitting .229 with 43 runs, 24 home runs, and 58 RBIs. His offensive production fell off a bit after the All-Star break, but his home run totals have been fantastic and his defense has been much improved after a strenuous 2018 season.
In addition to Sanchez, multiple starting-caliber players are also dealing with injuries, but the Yankees will return several in August.
CC Sabathia, Giancarlo Stanton, Jonathan Loaisiga, David Hale, Luis Severino, and Edwin Encarnacion, I’ll have a chance to return by months end. Several could return early in September before a playoff appearance.
The Yankees have struggled significantly with injuries this season, but they have stepped up to the plate and supplemented the loss of several key players. Options like Gio Urshela and Cameron Maybin have both played fantastic baseball in the absence of Miguel Andujar and Giancarlo Stanton.
The Yankees are currently eight games ahead of the Tampa Bay rays and 14.5 games ahead of the Red Sox. They are in the right place heading into the remainder of the season and will likely eclipse the 100 win mark once more. Gaining back several influential players before the postseason will give them the boost they need to make a run at the World Series.