The New York Yankees reached Memorial Day with a bittersweet taste in their mouths. On one hand, they are first in the American League East division and have the best record in the junior circuit. On the other hand, they are coming off two straight losses against the Tampa Bay Rays, a division rival.
“We’ve got a bad taste in our mouth,” Yankees star Aaron Judge said Sunday after the lost to Tampa. “Everybody in here is ready to go every single day. I know it’s been quite a few games in a row, but we’ve got a lot to prove.”
He was referring to the Yankees’ off day on Monday. The team has played 24 games on 23 days, so while the rest day is welcomed, Judge says that his teammates are ready to go and are still hungry.
That hunger and drive has allowed the Yankees to reach an incredible 33-15 record by Memorial Day.
The Yankees have been good all-around the diamond
However, Judge is happy with how the season has went for the Yankees so far. “We’re in first place,” he said. “That’s the only thing I’m going to look at, where we are in the standings. It’s better than being in second place, that’s for sure. So we’ve got a good ballclub here that’s been grinding out these first two months. We got hit with a couple injuries the last couple of weeks, but that’s not going to change what this team is about and what we can do.”
The Yankees have looked extremely solid, and despite a recent rash of injuries, it’s hard to deny that they are getting elite play from all departments. The rotation has a 2.82 ERA, best in the AL, and theur 3.15 bullpen ERA is the third best. They have also scored the third-most runs in the AL, at 4.6 per game. They look better than last year defensively, too, especially at two crucial positions: shortstop and catcher.
Judge, in particular, is on pace for an incredible season. He is hitting over .300 (.309/.376/.669) with 18 home runs, comfortably leading the league.
Despite the recent losses, the Yankees are looking good.