For those who paid attention during spring training, there were clear signs the Yankees were headed for a win total between 81 and 85 games.
The rotation was drowning in questions. Greg Bird missed all of 2016 due to a shoulder surgery. Aaron Judge was Authentic Avalanche Womens Jersey battling just to be a starter. Gary Sanchez wasn’t going to replicate August and September of a year ago.
And that was before anybody got hurt.
Now, a little bit past the halfway point, it’s easy to see the 21-9 start was a mirage — even if it was accomplished while Didi Gregorius and Sanchez were on the disabled list for parts of it and Bird was awful before landing on the shelf with a bone bruise in his right foot http://www.officialcoloradoavalan... that put him on the DL on May 2 and might end his season.
While teams loathe pointing to injuries for the type of free fall the Yankees are in — 16 losses in 22 games — there is no denying the truth: there is a limit to all teams’ depth.
Since June 15 the Yankees have put CC Sabathia, Adam Warren, Aaron Hicks, Starlin Castro and Matt Holliday on the DL. Sabathia and Warren have returned. So, too, have Aroldis Chapman and Jacoby Ellsbury, who went on the DL before Sabathia and Warren. Gregorius started the season on the shelf, and Sanchez went down five games into the season and missed almost a month.
On top of the 6-16 skid going into Friday night’s game against the Brewers at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees went from being four games ahead of the Red Sox on June 11 to a season-high four lengths back.
“It’s the injuries, of course,’’ Sabathia said after lasting 2 2/? innings in his first game off the DL Tuesday, a 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays. “We haven’t had our full lineup in a couple of weeks now. That makes it tough.’’
Not since May 22 has Joe Girardi had all his regulars healthy enough to play together, and that [img]http://www.authentictigershop.com/images//mlb_jerseys_new/detroit_tigers/ti... included Chris Carter, who has been designated for assignment twice this year.
“It’s tough. We started off the season hot. Everyone was firing on all cylinders,’’ Judge said. “A couple of people went down. It happens every year, you go through a stretch like this. Everyone will get healthy and we will get back to where we need to be.’’
Looking at the numbers from the replacements for Bird at first base, Castro at second, Hicks in the outfield and Holliday at DH, the regulars’ returns have to be an improvement.
At first, where Bird was 6-for-60 (.100) in 19 games, the Yankees have started seven players and they have combined to hit .226 (48-for-212).
At second, where Castro (strained right hamstring) was named an All-Star, Ronald Torreyes and Tyler [url=http://www.indianapoliscoltsauthorizedstore.com/al-woods-jersey]Al Woods Womens Jersey Wade have combined to hit .250 (7-for-28). Castro is batting .313 in 73 games.
Replacing Hicks, who played three outfield positions, has been harder. Since June 27, Rob Refsnyder, Wade and Clint Frazier have batted .115 (3-for-26) with Frazier hitting the only homer. Despite a 3-for-25 (.120) slump in the seven games prior to landing on the DL with an oblique problem, Hicks is batting .290 with 10 homers and 37 RBIs in 60 games.
As for Holliday, who tested positive for the Epstein-Barr virus and hasn’t played since June 24, his substitutes haven’t done well, either. Judge, Sanchez, Tyler Austin, Miguel Andujar, Brett Gardner and Ellsbury have hit .211 (8-for-38) as the DH. Holliday is hitting .262 with 15 homers and 47 RBIs in 68 games.
Castro appears to be the closest to returning, and Holliday said Wednesday he doesn’t think he will [url=http://www.indianapoliscoltsauthorizedstore.com/al-woods-jersey]http://www.... require a minor league rehab assignment. Hicks went on the DL in late June and isn’t close, so he could be out until August.
Finally, Luis Cessa filled in for Sabathia and went 0-3 with a 5.93 ERA in three starts.
“A lot of times the division winners are determined by who survives the injuries the best,’’ Girardi said.
Judging by how those who filled in for front-line players performed, the Yankees won’t be one of those survivors. And that’s not counting the injuries that haven’t happened yet.