All in With John Jastremski

It’s All In Front Of Them. It’s World Series or Bust for the Yankee

It’s been a very strange season in Major League Baseball, especially when you take a deep dive at the top teams in the sport.

There is no dominant one or two teams and basically every team atop the standings has a legitimate flaw or concern you can point to.

Exhibit A. The 2024 New York Yankees.

The Yankees have put together a season that has wow’d plenty at times.

The amazing 1, 2 punch of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto has resembled some of the great historic 1, 2 punches statistically in Yankee history.

Yes, they’ve put together numbers resembling the likes of Ruth/Gehrig and Mantle/Maris.

In addition to the dynamic duo, the team has two youngsters front and center to win AL Rookie of the Year.

The emergence of catcher Austin Wells and hurler Luis Gil has been a major boom for a team in dire need of an infusion of youth.

The Yankees at times have pitched brilliantly especially when the entire staff has been healthy. At their best, the Yankees have looked like the most complete team in the American League, a team littered with a whole lot of star power. At their worst, the Yankees have looked incredibly mediocre.

They played horrific baseball from mid June to mid July. It took them five months to realize Clay Holmes shouldn’t close games.

At times the lineup despite Judge and Soto’s brilliance has been frustrating to watch. 

I can’t sugar coat the fact that despite the best record in the American League, there seems to be a real big, “yeah, but” with this team heading into October.

It’s a legitimate “yeah, but”. The Yankees have not made the World Series since 2009.

For reference, the last time that happened, I was a senior in college.

Despite their flaws, 2024 sets up as the Yankees best chance to get back to the World Series.

The American League is there for the taking. I don’t believe in the central teams, the Orioles have played terribly down the stretch and even the biggest threat in Texas, the Houston Astros are not as loaded as they’ve been in years past.

If not now for the Yankees, then when?

With prime Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Gerrit Cole, you wont have a better chance to get back to the Fall Classic.

As my favorite Yankee manager Aaron Boone loves to remind me and the fan base, it’s all in front of them!

Its World Series or bust for the boys from the Bronx.

You can listen to my podcast New York, New York every Sunday & Thursday on The Ringer Podcast Network on Spotify/Apple Podcasts.