Yankees' Power Surge Faces Defensive, Pitching Challenges in Wild Card Race
August 29, 2025
The 2025 Yankees are a team with explosive power, leading MLB in total home runs, slugging percentage, and OPS, thanks to multiple players contributing to their offensive success.
They are on the verge of making MLB history with a potential record of nine players hitting 20 or more home runs, highlighting their lineup depth and focus on power hitting.
Despite their offensive prowess, the Yankees struggle with situational hitting, especially in late-and-close situations and with runners in scoring position, which hampers their ability to close out games.
Their reliance on analytics and a home-run-heavy approach has overshadowed fundamental skills, leading to mistakes like errors, poor situational play, and defensive lapses.
The team’s flawed philosophy and inconsistent fundamentals have been exposed against stronger opponents, particularly in high-pressure situations, affecting their overall performance.
Their pitching staff faces challenges beyond Gerrit Cole, with a rotation relying on less experienced starters and a bullpen with a higher ERA, leading to blown late-inning leads.
Defensively, the Yankees are below average, with poor infield defense and limited defensive runs saved, contributing to their inconsistency.
Manager Aaron Boone has faced criticism for his in-game decision-making and player management, especially compared to Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who maximizes roster versatility and confidence.
The Yankees are competing for the first wild-card spot in the American League, which is considered weaker than the National League, adding pressure to secure postseason positioning.
While they have shown the ability to beat weaker teams, their upcoming demanding schedule against teams like the Astros, Blue Jays, Tigers, and Red Sox will test their resilience.
Overall, despite their offensive firepower, the Yankees' struggles in defense, situational hitting, and pitching raise questions about their prospects for a deep playoff run.
Looking ahead, their postseason success will depend on improving late-game execution, situational hitting, and defensive stability, even though their roster has the talent to compete with the best.
Summary based on 3 sources
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Sources

New York Post • Aug 27, 2025
These Yankees are unbalanced — but they might have a winning October blueprint
Just Baseball • Aug 29, 2025
The Most Powerful Team You Can’t Figure Out: The Yankees Conundrum