New York Yankees: Stock up, stock down
With a record of 3-7 over their last 10 games, the Yankees find themselves 10.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League East division lead and battling it out for one of the Wild Card spots. Here are the Yankees who have seen their stock improve in 2023 and some who have seen it drop.
Stock Up
Aaron Judge, outfielder: Winning the 2022 AL MVP Award and becoming the new owner of the American League home run record is hard to top. But in 2023, Aaron Judge was off to a blistering pace before hitting the injured list.
If his stats weren't enough to prove his stock was still trending upward, look at his team's performance since he has been hurt. With a 4-8 record, including a current four-game losing streak, the Yankees are struggling without the slugger in the lineup. They have scored more than five runs only once in his absence.
The Yankees need him back in the lineup in the near future if they hope to keep pace for a playoff appearance in 2023.
Gerrit Cole, pitcher: The other superstar wearing a Yankees uniform is also the other player whose stock is trending up.
After his worst season as a member of the Yankees in 2022, Cole has had a great start to his 2023 campaign with a 7-1 record and a 2.75 ERA. Cole has been able to get batters out without relying on the strikeout as much, showing that he can still be effective despite his lowest K/9 since 2017.
Cole has been the sole bright spot in the Yankees rotation. No other starter has an ERA below 4.30 and Carlos Rodon and Frankie Montas have yet to pitch in the regular season. Cole has his work cut out for him trying to anchor the pitching staff.
Stock Down
Aaron Boone, manager: Boone has been on the hot seat before but this season it might be the hottest, with the team struggling to keep pace in the AL East since losing Judge to injury.
While injuries have played a big part in their recent struggles, the roster is just not very well put together and their glaring holes have been exposed without the former MVP in the lineup. Boone has looked over his head at times.
With the fanbase always vocal in New York, Boone's days could be numbered if these struggles continue.
Brian Cashman, general manager: Cashman, like Boone, has found himself on the hot seat before, but this season could be the final straw. Big offseason signing Carlos Rodon has yet to pitch in the regular season for the Yankees and last year's big trade deadline acquisition Frankie Montas is expected to miss a majority of the season.
Pair those swings and misses on the pitching staff with the fact that the offense is heavily reliant on Judge and the holes on the team Cashman built are being exposed.
Paying Josh Donaldson, Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu a combined $68M this season and only getting 19 home runs and 44 RBI in return is another big reason for the Yankees' recent struggles.
With no World Series titles since 2009, Cashman's time as the Yankees general manager might finally run out.
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