The Yankees Are 9-4 Without Aaron Judge and the Emerald City Has to Be Ready For It

Alright, fam, we gotta talk. I know it's June, and we're locked in on our M's, but something wild's brewing back east we can't ignore. The New York Yankees, the AL's supposed top dog, are doing something spooky. They're making a serious push for the World Series, and get this: they're doing it without Aaron Judge, their best player. Yeah, without Judge.

Judge's Out, But the Bombers Are Still Blasting

Since the start of June, these guys have gone a ridiculous 9-4 without their MVP-level slugger. Remember that rib injury he aggravated on a dive earlier this season? Turns out it's been an issue for a while. Losing the best hitter of his generation usually tanks a team, right? Historically, since 2020, the Yanks were 57-64 when Judge missed a game, compared to a .583 winning percentage with him. But this year? Against the Guardians, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and White Sox, they haven't skipped a beat. They're averaging 5.77 runs per game without him in this stretch, compared to 5.17 runs in the first 59 games when he was in the lineup. In these 13 games, the lineup has collectively slashed .262/.332/.470, cranking out 23 home runs, drawing 49 walks, and swiping 15 bases. Seriously, who does that?

Stacked Lineup and Ace Arms Keep Them Rolling

It's not just some fluke. Ben Rice is playing like an MVP candidate, Cody Bellinger's having one of his best seasons, and 38-year-old Paul Goldschmidt is slugging like his 34-year-old NL MVP sel

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f. And let's not even get started on their arms. Cam Schlittler is a legitimate AL Cy Young candidate. Gerrit Cole looks totally renewed after his Tommy John surgery. Even with Max Fried on the IL with a bone bruise in his left elbow, you know he's still Max Fried when he comes back. Carlos Rodón's been strong in seven starts since getting healthy. This pitching staff, combined with a lineup that will eventually get a healthy Judge back, is just built different. It's only mid-June, but barring more major injuries, they're gonna cruise through what looks like a pretty weak American League. Only three AL teams have a positive run differential, and just five have winning records. The White Sox looked like they *might* upset, but the Yanks just toyed with them.

So What's Next For Our Mariners?

Okay, yeah, we got our own T-Mobile Park magic happening. We just shut out the Orioles, 3-0, last night! And hey, the source says "the Mariners lurk"! We know the Guardians are a pain, and the Rays have beaten up the Yankees head-to-head. But if Judge comes back healthy in August, these Yanks are built for a deep run. They're eyeing their 28th franchise championship. This isn't just a lucky squad, they can hang with the Dodgers, Brewers, Braves, anyone from the NL. It's their best shot at a ring since 2009. So while we’re watching Julio Rodriguez crush dingers and Cal Raleigh call gems, we gotta keep an eye on New York. If we want a shot at the Fall Classic from the Emerald City, we gotta be ready to face the best version of *them*. Go M's!

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