Aug 23, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with the media before the game between the Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Yankees Get Barely-Passing Midseason Grade

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Michael Rosenstein | Last updated Jul 12, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Will the real New York Yankees please step forward? At one point, the club was on cruise control with a firm grasp on first place in the American League East. Then the Yankees hit a summer slump and got caught by Toronto Blue Jays, falling into second place in the division.

As we approach the All-Star break, it's worth taking stock of how the Yankees got here. With that in mind, ESPN.com's David Schoenfield graded all 30 MLB clubs and gave New York a "C."

"The Yankees have hit their annual midseason swoon -- which has been subject to much intense analysis from their disgruntled fans -- and that opening weekend sweep of the Brewers, when the Yankees' torpedo bats were the big story in baseball, now seems long ago," Schoenfield wrote Wednesday.

"Going from seven up to three back in such a short time is a disaster -- but not disastrous. Nonetheless, the Yankees will have to do some hard-core self-evaluation heading to the trade deadline," Schoenfield continued.

"The offense wasn't going to be as good as it was in April, when Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham and Ben Rice were all playing over their heads. So, do they need a hitter? Or with Clarke Schmidt now likely joining Gerrit Cole as a Tommy John casualty, do they need a starting pitcher? Or both?" Schoenfield concluded.

On Wednesday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he will be "looking for upgrades" after designating DJ LeMahieu for assignment. But as currently constructed, FanGraphs still gives the Yankees a 42.7% chance of winning the AL East, which is surprisingly better than the Blue Jays' chances (40.0%).

FanGraphs also gave New York a 47.0% chance of clinching an American League wild card. However if the Yankees want to have a legitimate shot at winning the World Series for the first time since 2009, they will have to do better than a "C" average.

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