As the baseball season began, the usually cordial relationship between the Yankees and their franchise player, Aaron Judge, strained under the stress of contract negotiations.
Judge turned down a sizeable offer and chose to “bet on himself,” the operative phrase, and so far he is winning. So are the Yankees.
With his monster season, 33 homers at the All-Star break, and a few surprises, a retooled Yankees team has the best record in baseball and, until recently, was keeping the torrid pace set by their 1998 predecessors, who won a record 125 regular and postseason games.
Across town, the Mets’ new manager has proven a wise, old hand. Buck Showalter, 66, immediately gained the respect of his players and brought a professionalism and an edge to the Mets. When their best pitchers, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer, the combination that fueled their preseason optimism, were out, the Mets held first place despite a long hot streak by the world champion Braves.
The Mets have met every test so far.
In Boston, the Red Sox floundered early, then went 19-5 in June, but still were unable to gain ground on the Yankees in the AL East. Now 17 out in the loss column, there is little hope for a run at the Division title, but the Red Sox are in the thick of the wild card race, and with three spots available they could get their crack in October if they can get and keep their key pitchers healthy.
This is baseball for the second half of 2022, with Connecticut fans watching intently night after night, making an emotional investment for a postseason payoff.
But roughly 45% of the regular season is left to be played as the All-Star break ends and the trade deadline (Aug. 2) looms. Here is the situation, the outlook and some storylines for the area’s teams:
Yankees: Peak performance?
The record: 64-28, first place in AL East by 13 games.
The situation: After starting 7-6, the Yankees won 11 in a row and haven’t looked back. They were 52-18 after beating the Astros on June 23. Though they lost three of five games to Houston, and lost a series to the Reds, the Yankees finished up the pre-All-Star period with two resounding wins over Boston. Though every team in the AL East is at .500 or better, the Yankees are 30-15 in divisional play.
The stats: The Yankees lead the majors in runs scored (497) and home runs (157), and they are second to the Dodgers in runs allowed, 298.
The stars: While Judge is positioned to chase Roger Maris’ team and league record of 61 home runs, Giancarlo Stanton (24 home runs), the All Star Game MVP, and Anthony Rizzo (22) are having big power seasons. Gerrit Cole is 9-2, with a 3.02 ERA in 19 starts.
The surprises: Starter Nestor Cortes (7-3, 2.63 ERA), catcher Jose Trevino and closer Clay Holmes (4-1, 16 saves, 1.61) were All-Stars no one saw coming, but the biggest shock of all is Matt Carpenter. Thought to be washed up, he was rescued from the minor leagues and has delivered 13 homers and 34 RBI in 13 games.
The threat: If the Yankees are un-catchable in the East, the Astros, who eliminated them in the 2017 and 2019 playoffs are running away with the West and are only 4 ½ behind the Yankees for the best record and No. 1 playoff seed.
At the deadline: With Luis Severino injured and the bullpen showing signs of weariness, the Yankees could use a starter or reliever. They could off-load struggling Joey Gallo and look for a lefty-hitting outfielder. Could Michael Conforto be ready to help as a free agent signing in September?
Circle the calendar: A doubleheader in Houston Thursday is another chance for the Yankees to quiet the Astros-have-their-number talk.
The bottom line: The Yankees haven’t won the World Series since 2009, and with their record as it is, there will be intense pressure to live up to it in October. The 1998 Yankees handled that pressure, how about 2022? Have they peaked too soon?
Mets: Amazin’ summer and fall?
The record: 58-35, first in NL East by 2 ½
The situation: The Mets won their first three games, and nine of their first 12, setting a tone. By June 1, they were 35-17 and led the division by 10 ½ games. The Phillies, and then the Braves got red hot and closed the gap, but by taking a series in Atlanta last week the Mets held on to first place.
The stats: The Mets have a middle-of-the-pack 92 homers, but are fourth in the majors in runs scored with 437. Despite the injuries, their 3.61 staff ERA is tied with Atlanta, second only to the Dodgers in the NL.
The stars: After a disappointing first season in New York, Francisco Lindor, with 16 homers and 54 RBI, is more like the player he was in Cleveland. Pete Alonso didn’t win the Home Run Derby for a third straight year, but he has hit 24 in real games for the Mets. Before and after his oblique strain, Scherzer (6-1, 2.22 ERA) has pitched like an ace. How do you like the trade for Edwin Diaz, 20 saves and 75 strikeouts in 37 ½ innings, now?
The surprises: Missing deGrom all season and Scherzer for six week put a strain on the starting rotation, but Chris Bassitt, Carlos Carrasco, David Peterson and Taijuan Walker are a combined 29-14.
The threat: The Braves are still lurking in the East, but if the Mets get to the playoffs, as division champ or wild card, the ultimate team to beat is the Dodgers (60-30).
At the deadline: The Mets can use bullpen help, and have been linked recently to the Cubs’ David Robertson, a playoff-seasoned arm. If and when the Nationals move young superstar Juan Soto, the Mets might be one team with the combination of young major leaguers and exciting prospects to win the sweepstakes.
Circle the calendar: Subway Series games against the Yankees in Queens July 26-27 and in the Bronx Aug. 22-23 will be absolutely insane.
The bottom line: If the Mets can get deGrom back (yes, a big if), they will have the most powerful 1-2 starting pitching punch for October’s short series. If not, they are still a formidable force in the NL.
Red Sox: Never count ‘em out
The record: 48-45, fourth in AL East, two games behind Toronto for the third wild card berth.
The situation: The Red Sox were 10-19 on May 8, but surged, reaching the break-even point at 27-27 on June 5. After a frustrating month chasing the Yankees, the Red Sox missed a chance to gain ground, or at least make a statement, by losing four of seven in two series in July as injuries forced them to use several unproven starters.
The stats: The Red Sox, with 430 runs, have little trouble scoring. They have made 50 errors, 19 more than Seattle, which leads the wild card and has the fewest in the majors, and allowed 40 unearned runs. To the naked eye, their defense has looked worse than the numbers.
The stars: Rafael Devers, with 22 homers and 55 RBI, has been all anyone can ask for. Xander Boegarts is hitting .316 and Trevor Story, the big offseason pick-up, has 15 homers and 58 RBI.
The surprises: Rob Refsnyder, who has been bouncing around the majors and minors for years, is hitting .338 since joining the Red Sox. Reliever John Schreiber (1.60 ERA) has been a heck of a find.
The threat: The Red Sox are going to have to have a much higher winning percentage in the second half to keep pace with the Rays, Blue Jays, Mariners, Guardians and, yes, even the Orioles.
The deadline: Chris Sale’s latest injury, the broken finger, will keep him out until September. For the Red Sox, whose playoff odds are currently calculated at 30.9%, to stay in the wild card race, they need starting and relief pitching help soon.
Circle on the calendar: Starting Friday, the Red Sox play three vs. Toronto and four vs. Cleveland. They’ll be in the middle of a series at Houston at the trade deadline. They finish the season with three at Toronto, where, if current Canadian policies stay in place, several key unvaccinated players could be an issue.
The bottom line: This just doesn’t feel like a Red Sox year, but they have proven through the years that they are not to be counted out. They shouldn’t mortgage the farm, but are close enough for it to be worth making marginal acquisitions to try to get in the wild card, where anything can happen.
