Rainy day recap: clubhouse leaders for a first place team
We here at Bronx Pinstripes are as bummed as you that the Yankees have played less than six innings of baseball this week. So in an effort to keep all of our spirits high let's take a look at who is leading the charge for this first place club on the mound and at the plate. Keep in mind this list applies for hitters with more than 100 at-bats and pitchers who have made more than five starts or 10 relief appearances
Batting average/home runs/RBI/OPS/runs:
Aaron Judge - .307/11/35/1.035/33
I so badly wanted to give the batting leader title to Gleyber Torres, but he has only racked up 71 at-bats thus far. The rookie has shined in limited action and currently sports a .324 average. Judge, however, is having an MVP-caliber season through the first 40 games and ran a clean sweep on the major offensive categories. He continues to impress with his plate discipline (36 BB in 150 AB) which serves as the perfect compliment to his enormous power. Some thought Judge may be in for a sophomore slump, but he has shown thus far a strong commitment to improving his swing and making the necessary adjustments that will lead to another monstrous overall season.
Doubles:
Miguel Andujar - 13
Andjuar struggled out of the gate this season after being called up, but has since recovered nicely and has become a staple in the lineup and at third base. The 23-year-old has shown the ability to hit the ball into the gaps on a regular basis. He also has maintained a solid average, hitting .284 in 134 at-bats while also blasting three home runs and driving in 14. It will be very interesting to see how Andujar fits into the plan for the rest of the season once Brandon Drury returns to the roster.
Stolen bases:
Aaron Hicks - 5
Who cares about stolen bases when this lineup has the potential to break home run records? We all should. It became abundantly clear in the ALCS last year that the team cannot solely rely on the long ball to win games after more than a few tightly contested outings against the Houston Astros. Aaron Boone will have to implement some form of small ball strategy during the course of the season for the team to be ready to execute the necessary fundamentals required to win a World Series. There won't be anybody swiping 30-40 bases on this roster, but don't be surprised if the team total starts creeping up towards the end of the regular season.
Wins/ERA/K's:
Luis Severino - 6/2.14/70
Sevy is on a mission this season. The flame throwing righty has firmly established himself not only as the club's ace but as a serious Cy Young contender. Severino has shown the ability to maintain his fastball velocity deep into games, but isn't afraid to throw his secondary pitches to finish hitters and keep the opposing lineup off-balance all game long. The 24-year-old is having a breakout season and as long as he stays healthy should be atop the leaderboard in all major pitching categories all season long.
Saves:
Aroldis Chapman - 9 (DUH)
Chapman has been great so far this season (not breaking any news there) but it remains imperative for this bullpen to be able to rely on its closer to shut the door. Dellin Betances has worked himself out of contention to close out games, so that leaves David Roberston as the secondary option whenever Chapman needs a blow. The reason to note that Chapman is 9/10 to start the year is because of just how long a baseball season truly is. There will be several times the Yankees need him to go for more than an inning or pitch a fourth day in a row when the playoffs are around the corner. The closer role for this team, in particular, is crucial to their success because of just how unpredictable the starting rotation outside of Severino has been.