The Yankees exited the first half of the 2026 season as not just one of the best teams in the American League but also one of baseball’s best offensive and pitching clubs. However, the depth of the Yankees was tested after Aaron Judge suffered a significant injury during the spring.
The Offense
| Stat | Number | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Runs Scored | 462 | 8th |
| Home Runs | 142 | 1st |
| OPS | .741 | t-6th |
| Whiff% | 27.1 | 28th |
| Hard Hit% | 41.4 | 3rd |
The Pitching
| Stat | Number | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Starters’ ERA | 3.58 | 5th |
| Relievers’ ERA | 3.10 | 2nd |
| Strikeouts | 832 | 10th |
| Whiff% | 25.7 | 10th |
| Chase% | 29.9 | 18th |
The Good
Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was on pace for at least another 50-home run season before a rib injury landed him on the IL. Seventeen home runs over 59 games, plus a .385 wOBA that, as of July 17, was among the 15 best in the Majors this season.
Judge was just fine by and large. But the real show-stealer over the first half was Ben Rice. Rice had a terrific 2025 campaign but in 2026, the 2026 All-Star took a major step forward. A .408 wOBA that ranked fourth-best among hitters with 250+ plate appearances this season, plus 28 home runs.
Only three hitters, Kyle Schwarber, Munetaka Murakami, and Byron Buxton, had a higher HR% than Rice over the first half.
Rice, a terrific Minor League hitter before his debut in 2024, has fit in perfectly at Yankee Stadium and has quickly developed from a promising left-handed hitter to a superstar in a matter of two years.
As for the pitching, Cam Schlittler‘s star continues to blossom. It’s incredible to see the transformation, not just in mechanics and velocity, but also in how Schlittler performed at a high level last year and this year.
Schlittler struck out 137 batters over 118 IP, fourth-most in the Majors as of the break. That, coupled with a sparkling 2.05 ERA and other metrics, makes Schlittler a legitimate favorite to win the AL Cy Young in his first full MLB season.
Aside from Schlittler, the Yankees’ depth in the rotation has been tested at times. The good news, though, is that Ryan Weathers was one of baseball’s best strikeout pitchers over the first half. And Gerrit Cole came back and pitched relatively well after a spring rehab assignment.
The Bad
Aaron Judge’s presence in the Yankees’ lineup can’t be understated. After Judge went down with a fractured rib in June, the Yankees’ lineup as a whole took a dip in the production department.
Here are just a few examples. From June 1 through the break, Cody Bellinger slashed .226/.289/.336 (.625 OPS). Jazz Chisholm Jr. slashed .193/.282/.412 (.695 OPS). Ben Rice, who hit 12 home runs in that span, was the real glue that helped keep that offense afloat.
The injury bug didn’t stop there in the first half. While the Yankees were able to see Gerrit Cole come back in the spring, Max Fried went on the IL after he suffered a bone bruise in his elbow. It was a very tough loss, as Fried pitched excellently before the injury, especially with respect to limiting well-hit contact.
Fried conceded just one home run over 61 IP this season, as the lefty had the best HR/9 (.15) among starters with 50+ IP.
Thus far, the Yankees have been unable to see that 1/2 punch of Cole and Fried make an impact together since the latter signed with the Yanks in December 2024. But as noted above, luckily, the Yankees’ rotation has not been much of a problem this season despite injuries to both Fried and Carlos Rodon.
Looking Ahead
The Yankees still have significant daylight ahead of the Red Sox and other teams chasing in the AL Wild Card race.
Still, the fight for the AL East continues on but the Yanks will still have to do that without Judge in the immediate future. Not an easy task.
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