“The most recent episode of ‘Oh brother, this guy reeks!’ features the Yankees.”
The New York Yankees entered the All-Star break trailing the first-place Baltimore Orioles by just one game after a tough loss in Camden Yards on Sunday. Despite the seemingly minor gap, the situation feels more dire due to the Yankees’ prolonged slump over the past few months, with little positive momentum to build on.
Injuries and slumps have plagued the team, but one bright spot has been Gerrit Cole’s gradual return to form. So far, he has made five MLB starts and pitched 23.1 innings this season. While his overall stats aren’t impressive — a 5.40 ERA and a 1.457 WHIP, allowing more than a hit per inning — his progress has been steady. Given Cole’s excellent track record and the difficulty of coming back from a long injury, patience is warranted.
Gerrit Cole loves throwing to this guy. He also loves throwing to Jose Trevino, who is on the IL … https://t.co/adsG5X7lCD
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) July 17, 2024
Signs of improvement are already visible. In his last start against the Orioles, Cole pitched six innings, struck out seven, and allowed only one earned run. Although the Orioles are struggling, Cole’s ability to limit the American League’s deepest offense to a single run is promising. He appears to be nearing his top form.
As the Yankees get healthier, the hope is that wins will become more frequent. With a talented roster and Brian Cashman expected to be aggressive before the July 30 trade deadline, the Yankees need to address their infield and pitching gaps. With prime seeding at stake, complacency is not an option.
However, one potential new “upgrade” linked to the Yankees might cause some concern among fans.
Yankees connected to DFA’d White Sox catcher Martin Maldonado
The Chicago White Sox have designated 37-year-old catcher Martin Maldonado for assignment, making him available to the Yankees and other contenders. Maldonado, well-respected in the league, is known for his strong rapport with pitchers and his ability to form tight bonds with bullpens.
Before joining the White Sox, Maldonado spent 4.5 years with the Houston Astros, where he reached the pinnacle of competition and worked with top pitchers, including Gerrit Cole. Cole, who played with Maldonado during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, has a notable fondness for him, a sentiment shared by many Astros pitchers and former Houston manager Dusty Baker.
Despite his respected status, Maldonado’s performance at the plate has been poor for years. This season, in 135 at-bats for the White Sox, he has a .119/.174/.230 slash line with four home runs and 11 RBIs. His strikeouts are high (51 this season), and his defensive skills are no longer sufficient to compensate for his lack of hitting.
While a team with a strong offensive lineup might benefit from Maldonado’s experience, the Yankees, currently struggling to generate runs, are not in that position. Stars like Juan Soto and Aaron Judge are performing well, but the rest of the lineup, aside from the emerging Ben Rice, has been underwhelming. Maldonado would likely exacerbate the Yankees’ problems rather than solve them. Younger catcher Austin Wells is a better option, even as a temporary replacement for the injured Luis Trevino.
Maldonado has had a commendable career, but it’s likely time for MLB teams, including the Yankees, to move on. They cannot afford to let Cole’s fondness for Maldonado influence their decision.
Be the first to comment