9-4 Without Aaron Judge and the AL Still Hasn't Figured Out How

Emerald City, the New York Yankees are straight-up terrifying right now. We all knew they were good, practically glued to the top of the American League standings with those Tampa Bay Rays. But get this: they're not just good, they're legit World Series contenders. And the absolute kicker? They're doing it without Aaron Judge, their best player in the entire league! They've gone a shocking 9-4 since June started, all while Judge is chilling on the injured list. How is the rest of the AL supposed to compete with that?

Offensive Machine Churning Without Its Star

This isn't the Yankees we've seen when Judge was out before. Historically, since 2020, they went 57-64 without Judge, compared to a .583 winning percentage with him. Throw that out the window! Judge got sidelined after aggravating a rib injury on a dive, something he's battled for a while. But without him, this lineup is somehow even better. They've been dropping 5.77 runs per game, up from 5.17 runs in the 59 games Judge played earlier this season! They haven't missed a beat against teams like the Guardians, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and the White Sox. In just 13 games, they've collectively smashed a .262/.332/.470 slash line, hitting 23 dingers, drawing 49 walks, and swiping 15 bases. And talk about unexpected heroes: Ben Rice is playing like an MVP candidate, Cody Bellinger is having one of his best individual seasons, and 38-year-old Paul Goldschmidt is slugging like it's 2017 when h

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e won NL MVP with the Cardinals.

And the Pitching Is Just as Scary

Their pitching staff is absolutely locked in too. Cam Schlittler is already a leading candidate for the AL Cy Young award. Gerrit Cole looks renewed after Tommy John surgery. Max Fried, on the IL with a bone bruise on his left elbow, is still Max Fried. And Carlos Rodón has been lights out in his seven starts since getting healthy. This combo of elite starting pitching and a lineup that's thriving without Judge? If Judge comes back in August and plays like himself, this team is going to be a nightmare. They'll compete for their 28th franchise championship. It's hard to imagine them failing before the Fall Classic with this squad. The American League is just weak right now. Only three teams have a positive run differential, and only five have winning records. The White Sox thought they could make a run, but the Yankees just toyed with them this week. Yeah, our Mariners lurk, the Guardians are a pain in the butt, and the Rays have beaten them head-to-head, but their excuses for not making the World Series will be razor-thin if Judge is healthy come October. This Yankees team is showing they're not just some lucky team beating a woeful AL field. They can hang with the Dodgers, Brewers, Braves, or whoever else rolls out of the NL. This is their best shot at a ring since 2009, no doubt. The good news for us, 12s, is we know anything can happen in this league, and hey, we just beat the Orioles 3-0 tonight. Gotta take those wins where we can get 'em!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.