David Lennon: The Yankees have proved they can win without Aaron Judge, as tough as it may be
The Yankees’ Aaron Judge slaps five with starting pitcher Carlos Rodón after a 2-0 win against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of a split doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
For the record, the Yankees didn’t celebrate clinching home-field advantage for the wild-card round with Thursday afternoon’s 2-0 victory over the Rays.
Then again, popping champagne between games of a doubleheader is probably frowned upon, so the restraint was understandable. Plus, the manager confirming a few hours earlier that Aaron Judge’s calf strain will almost certainly keep him sidelined for that likely first-round matchup against the Red Sox didn’t have the clubhouse in a very festive mood.
But here’s the reality. It’s not like the Yankees just had a fully-functional, three-time MVP erased from their roster with zero warning or preparation. They’ve been living a post-Judge existence for quite a while, playing 88 games without the Yankees captain, or 56.4% of this season.
During Judge’s two IL stints, present and former, the Yankees are six games above .500 (47-41). They were 13 games over (36-23) when he initially went down with the stress fracture of his right first rib on June 1, and the team’s offensive production cratered in the months that followed, dropping the Yankees to MLB’s basement in a number of key statistical categories.
There is no replacing Aaron Judge. We’ve been over this many times already. But it’s not like the Yankees can’t win without him, and they’re very familiar operating under that mentality, which should be somewhat beneficial on the eve of the playoffs.
That formula was on full display Tuesday in a tidy two-hour, two-minute victory that prevented the Rays from locking up the AL East. Carlos Rodon allowed only three singles over eight scoreless innings, striking out eight with zero walks, and Cody Bellinger -- occupying Judge’s No. 2 spot -- smacked a two-run homer for the winning margin.
Obviously the Yankees’ superpower is starting pitching. Their rotation’s 3.27 ERA is tops in the majors along with a .220 opponent’s batting average and a 1.14 WHIP that are both tied for second-best with the Brewers. Aaron Boone hasn’t confirmed any plans, but figure on the Cy Young frontrunner Cam Schlittler to go Game 1 vs. the Red Sox, with Max Fried and Gerrit Cole to follow in undetermined order.
If all three are needed to get past the Red Sox, based on the tight playoff schedule, the Yankees would then have to turn to Rodon for Game 1 of the ALDS at Tampa Bay, and perhaps a potential Game 5. That’s why Tuesday’s performance was so encouraging, especially since Rodon has a 1.89 ERA since returning from the IL on Aug. 18, including 12 walks and 39 strikeouts over seven starts (38 innings).
“We come to win every game, regardless who’s on the field,” Rodon said. “Obviously it’s tough when you don’t have the best player in the world on the field for you and I’m hopeful that he’ll be back. I think for us, it’s not about sending a message. It’s just about winning games.”
Minus Judge, the Yankees don’t have their 6-7 security blanket, or the clubhouse’s North Star. Can the rest of the lineup avoid any post-Judge angst come October? That’s where they’ll need to lean on someone like Cody Bellinger, a 10-year vet and former MVP himself who happens to be heating up just in time for the postseason.
Bellinger’s two-run shot Tuesday was his fifth homer in the last dozen games and he’s batting .341 (31-for-91) with 14 RBIs and an .889 OPS over the past 22 games. Particularly helpful, with the Yankees presumably hosting the wild card, is Bellinger hitting .313 with 13 homers and a .958 OPS over 62 games in the Bronx this season.
“We have a lot of talent in this locker room and got a lot of depth,” Bellinger said. “A lot of different guys have stepped up. Whether it’s their first year in the big leagues, or getting traded here, we’ve had a lot of guys come in, step up and continue playing winning baseball.”
Cue Ben Rice. He seems to have rebounded some from an earlier post-Judge funk, when his own numbers coincidentally took a dive without protection from the three-time MVP, so he’s getting dangerous again at the right time (5 HRs, 15 RBIs, .982 OPS in last 22 games). The deadline trade for Luis Garcia Jr. has been a genius trade by GM Brian Cashman, but this will be his first playoff appearance, and wearing pinstripes no less. Heliot Ramos also becomes a more critical piece with Judge out, and he’s only shown flashes of the righty pop Cashman had anticipated (along with being a questionable defender).
Beyond that, can Anthony Volpe’s redemption story carry into October? Will Jazz Chisholm Jr. capitalize on a last-ditch contract push, after missing two weeks with a sprained thumb, and rake his way to more millions in the postseason? The Yankees also are relying heavily on a pair of rookies at premium defensive positions -- George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones -- with the added pressure of their October debuts.
For a $340 million roster, the Yankees are saddled with an uncomfortable number of questions heading into the playoffs, and Judge’s absence only amplifies those individual concerns. But they’re not insurmountable, as difficult as it will be for the Yankees to knock off their two biggest AL East rivals in back-to-back series.
“We’ve played much of the year without him, and for the most part, we’ve done a pretty good job, so guys are used to it,” Boone said. “Obviously you always want your best player in the mix, but we understand we’ve got a job to do and an expectation to win. And I think that expectation doesn’t change -- with or without him.”
It just becomes that much harder.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
