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OAKLAND, CA - MAY 22: Members of the New York Yankees congratulate each other in the infield after defeating the Oakland Athletics 5-4 at O.co Coliseum on May 22, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images)
Stats Breakdown
·1 min read

Here come the Yankees

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The New York Yankees are the hottest team in major-league baseball. Winners of five straight, the Yankees have played their way out of the American League East basement and back into contention. Since May 6, their 12-5 ledger is tops in the junior circuit. New York is 21-22 on the whole and sits in third place in the division.

With 12 of their next 13 contests against division opponents, the Yankees can continue making up major ground in the East.

So what’s gotten them back in good standing and how can they sustain their recent success?

Over their past seven games, the Yankees, like the weather, are heating up.

Carlos Beltran is taking to the designated hitter slot, scalding the ball at a .435 clip. Beltran has six extra base hits and nine-RBI during that span. Didi Gregorius is hitting .381 and Jacoby Ellsbury is batting .348. Chase Headley has reached base safely in 13-straight games.

During this stretch, all five Yankee starters have made it through the sixth inning and all five have recorded victories. Nathan Eovaldi and CC Sabathia in particular have been impressive, with Eovaldi hurling six innings of one-hit ball against Arizona and Sabathia fanning eight over six against Oakland, for his win No. 100 in a Yankee uniform. Tanaka is also giving the club ace type length and guts on the hill.

Of course a big part of the reason why those starters only have to go six innings is the brilliance of the big three in the back end of the bullpen. Dellin Betances has six K’s over his past three scoreless outings. Aroldis Chapman is three for his last three in saves, including a perfect six for six since arriving on the closing scene. In his past three outings, Andrew Miller is holding batters to a .083 average.

All of this comes as the Yankees prepare to welcome back Alex Rodriguez and Luis Severino.

Typically Memorial Day weekend is the first true benchmark of where a baseball team is headed. Manager Joe Girardi appears to have his squad moving in the right direction.