MLB power rankings
Yankees at No. 11 despite spate of injuries
Win a game, lose a player: It’s no way for any team to get through a season.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, that’s been their reality of late.
The Yankees won five of six games last week but ran their list of shelved players to 13, with the longest and most impactful injury hitting Saturday: an oblique tear for slugger Aaron Judge.
It might be July before Judge is back slugging baseballs cartoonish distances, perhaps the most severe test of the Yankees’ depth yet.
Despite winning their first two meetings against Boston and three of four from Kansas City, the Yankees remain out of the top 10 in USA TODAY’s power rankings. That’s more a reflection of their All-Star troupe of the infirm: Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Luis Severino, Dellin Betances, Gary Sanchez and Aaron Hicks among them.
A 10-game road trip beginning Monday will test their depth and their resolve, even if the Angels, Giants and Diamondbacks don’t present the most daunting obstacles on paper. The Yankees should regain Sanchez’s services this week in Anaheim, California. Stanton (biceps) and Hicks (back) might not be far off once they return home.
A winning trip would certainly give the Yankees the feeling they can weather almost any storm. At the least, it will inch them 10 games closer to being whole again, a most elusive goal this season.
How our eight-person panel voted this week (records and statistics through Sunday):
1. Astros (–): Best race they’re involved in might be Alex Bregman versus Jose Altuve for MVP.
2. Rays (–): Even a brief Blake Snell absence has a huge effect on the pitching staff.
3. Dodgers (+5): With 10 homers, Joc Pederson nearly halfway to last year’s total of 25.
4. Brewers (-1): 81 home runs should ensure another MVP award for Christian Yelich.
T-5. Mariners (-1): Still feels like an aberration.
T-5. Phillies (+1): Four regulars — Andrew McCutchen, Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins, Maikel Franco — with an OPS better than .900.
7. Twins (+3): Have won seven of 10 on the road.
8. Indians (+7): The bullpen might be the team’s undoing.
9. Cardinals (+2): Paul DeJong has a hit in 18 of his first 21 games.
10. Pirates (+7): Injurious collision with Erik Gonzalez and Starling Marte gives way to Cole Tucker’s inspiring debut.
11. Yankees (+2): Aaron Judge’s extended absence (oblique) might be more harmful than the previous dozen losses combined.
12. Mets (-6): In Queens, MRIs is short for “Mets’ Ridiculous Injury Situations.”
13. Braves (-4): Josh Donaldson (four homers, .900 OPS) turning it on.
14. Nationals (-2): Sean Doolittle on a brisk 81-game pace.
15. Padres (-10): Wil Myers (.898 OPS, 23 hits) is looking reinvigorated.
16. Cubs (+2): Tyler Chatwood sporting a 3.00 ERA.
17. Red Sox (-1): And away they go?
18. Athletics (-4): Rotation magic elusive this year: Starters have a 5.19 ERA.
19. Rangers (+5): If they don’t contend, might nonetheless rate as the most annoying team to face.
20. Diamondbacks (+2): Luke Weaver providing early return on the Paul Goldschmidt trade.
21. Rockies (+4): Daniel Murphy already on a rehab assignment.
22. Reds (+1): Take a bow, Derek Johnson: 3.16 ERA ranks second in the NL.
23. Tigers (-4): 10-10 might not seem like much, then you remember the 2018 squad was never at .500.
24. Blue Jays (+2): La Hora de Vladito is upon us.
25. Angels (-5): Cody Allen (6.14 ERA) has failed to record an out in his past two outings.
26. Giants (-5): Buster Posey’s first home run comes 64 at-bats into the season.
27. White Sox (+1): If Tim Anderson hits .418 all year, he can do as he pleases with the bat.
28. Orioles (-1): Have lost nine of 10 home games.
29. Royals (–): Punishing slate of games — the Yankees, Rays, Astros and Phillies among them — begins with three losses in New York.
30. Marlins (–): Played the “fire the hitting coach” card really early in the season.