3 Yankees who need to step up after tough start to 2024 season.
The New York Yankees are off to a fantastic start to the 2024 season, currently sitting 12–4 on the year and hosting the best record in baseball. They enjoy a 2.5-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East, but they have a difficult series coming up against the Toronto Blue Jays, who currently rank in last place but have a few quality playmakers and have won four of their previous six.
With that in mind, the Yankees need to start firing on all cylinders, and they have a few players who need to step up, notably in the infield.
Three Yankees Who Need to Step Up:
1.) Anthony Rizzo
At first glance, starting first baseman Anthony Rizzo isn’t having a bad start to his year, but his glove has been problematic, and that is unusual for the form of Gold Glover.
Over 16 games, Rizzo is hitting .274/.357/.355, including one homer and seven RBIs, with a 20% strikeout rate and 8.6% walk rate. He’s hosting 115 wRC+, meaning he’s 15% better than the average MLB hitter, a number that he would like to keep improving on over the next few months.
In terms of his slugging metrics, Rizzo hosts a 33.3% hard-hit rate and hasn’t barreled ball this year with a 0.0% barrel percentage. His average velocity has dropped significantly to 86.6 mph, and he has a career-low launch angle of 13.9°.
Ultimately, Rizzo is showing signs of regression with age, and while he could still be shaking off the rust after ending his 2023 season prematurely due to concussion symptoms, the Yankees are hoping for more.
Defensively, he has a .969 percentage, 0 defense runs saved, and -1 out above average over 145.2 innings. This is unusual for a player known for his ability to scoop balls out of the dirt and make difficult plays look easy. However, he made two errors against the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, which played a big part in the Yankees’ 8–7 defeat.
