The New York Yankees weren’t as sharp in the first half of July as they have been all season: that’s a fact.
However, their overall body of work in the first half of the season was simply majestic.
After failing to sign a big name in free agency and bring in a major piece via trade, the Bombers weren’t expected to have the league’s best record by the All-Star break.
In fact, some folks considered them the fourth-best team in the AL East division entering the season, behind the Toronto Blue Jays, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Boston Red Sox.
But the moves they made (basically, they re-signed Anthony Rizzo and brought in Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Jose Trevino), plus the scouting reports, the in-depth analytics department, the forward-thinking coaches, and improvements made by key players unlocked an incredible level of dominance that the Yanks hadn’t shown in recent years.
The result of the first half?
An MLB-leading 64-28 record (beating the Los Angeles Dodgers by three games), and six players in the All-Star Game.
Picture Perfect
This picture is the perfect proof of the Yankees’ stellar performance prior to the break:
One of the better Yankees photos of the last decade
(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/hXIjMeCCn8
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 19, 2022
Those are the six Yankees to attend the All-Star Game in Los Angeles on Tuesday night: Nestor Cortes Jr., Gerrit Cole, Clay Holmes (from left to right, at the top), Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Trevino, and Aaron Judge (at the bottom row).
Yankees fans got to see Cortes’ funkiness on the mound, Trevino logging a hit, and Stanton hit a game-tying blast in the fourth inning.
Those six players are a big reason why New York has been so much better than the rest.
NEXT: Aaron Judge Comments On His Teammate's MVP Moment