Oct 11, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, left, and general manager Brian Cashman watch batting practice before game one of the ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Yankees' Final Grade Before Playoffs? Meh

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Michael Rosenstein | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The New York Yankees are down to their final four regular season games. As the postseason approaches, ESPN's David Schoenfield handed out his final grades for all 30 clubs before the playoffs begin.

The Yankees, who have clinched a playoff spot and remain in the mix for the American League East division title, received a B.

"It has been a wild ride for the Yankees — it seems like forever ago that Gerrit Cole went down in March with Tommy John surgery," Schoenfield wrote. "Aaron Judge is having another historic offensive season, topping a 200 OPS+ for the third time. ...

"The Yankees lead the majors in home runs by a big margin — who had a 30-plus-homer season from Trent Grisham on their bingo card? — and Giancarlo Stanton popped up midseason looking like Miami Marlins Stanton," Schoenfield continued. "Max Fried and Carlos Rodon have also been a great one-two punch for the rotation.

Mark Smith-Imagn Images

"But mixed in with all these positive results have been a bunch of negatives as well: Sloppy defense and baserunning and, most concerning as we head into October, a wildly inconsistent bullpen that ranks 22nd in the majors in win probability added," Schoenfield noted. "If the bullpen can get hot — and there is indeed the depth and talent for that to happen — the Yankees will be tough to beat in the postseason."

The only American League clubs to receiver higher grades are the Toronto Blue Jays (A-), Seattle Mariners (B+) and the Cleveland Guardians (B+).

Also getting a B were the Detroit Tigers and the Athletics. The Boston Red Sox, you ask? C+. New York has a three-game lead over the Red Sox in the American League Wild Card standings.

Entering play Thursday, FanGraphs gives the Yankees a 46.1% chance of winning the division. The struggling Blue Jays check in at 53.7%.

But New York has a 14.5% chance of winning the World Series. The only club with better odds? That would be the red-hot Mariners (16.7%), who have won the AL West for the first time since 2001.

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