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Before New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals on the road over the weekend, believed five-time world champion and current yes Yankees analyst David Cone, the team had all the right pieces in place to run towards the autumn period.
Yankees was in the midst of their decline with a tight American league autumn period swirling around them at the time. Some Yankees fans were nervous that the reigning American league champions would not come to the post -season completely, and of course it is still an option.
But cone couldn’t be more optimistic about this group despite their mid -season.
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David Cone smiles after throwing the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the game between the New York Mets and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 in New York, New York. (Mary Decicco/MLB photos via Getty Images)
“I would be very surprised if they are not doing the mail season,” Cone told Pakinomist Digital over the phone.
“I think they finally have all the pieces in the right place right now. They went for a bit for most of the season without a third Baseman. They have solved that problem and jazz [Chisholm Jr. is] Back at other base. [Giancarlo] Stanton can play the right field they got their bullpen renewed with [David] Bednar in back-end right now. It seems that at least they got all the holes connected and they can move on from here instead of being weak in a particular area. “
Yankees are winners of seven of their last 10 matches, putting them on 67-57 in the year. They still chase Toronto Blue Jays for their old place that leads Al East, but at five games back in that regard, fans are more focused on the American league map race.
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Three teams from each league come in as well as division winners and New York, Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners are fighting for the top two US league maps.
Meanwhile, Cleveland Guardians, 64-60, three matches behind Yankees, which means it is not smooth sailing until October. Cone knows all too well what it takes to reach the lifting area that is the mail season, so he knows what Yanke is going to do to make sure they get there.
It starts with starting pitching.
Injured New York Yankees player Aaron judge looks at the excavation during the seventh round of a baseball match against Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, July 31, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
“They certainly need Max Fried to get started again,” Cone explained. “[Carlos] Rodon has been good. I also think a big lift of [Cam] Schlittler. A young power arm is a huge boost for the rotation. Will warren too. Then suddenly it feels like the kids are picking up the slack. It seems like a bit of maybe Max Fried regression to the mean, so to speak. He was so good in the first half he had to go for a couple of bad or to fight a little, and he has. Rodon at times at times, but for the most part everything is up to running. “
Then it is the power bats that helped bring Yankees back to the World Series in 2024, although Juan Soto joined the New York Mets this season.
“The last piece of the puzzle was Aaron judge. How serious was his injury, and can Giancarlo Stanton play the right field? Both are back, so these questions have also been answered,” Cone said. “I feel like they are set up as best they can be. They are lined to make a pretty decent run down the stretch. I expect them to play playback, even if nothing is a given because of the way Cleveland has played.”
But there are the fans who say that this year’s team just isn’t up to sniff at the 2024 troop, and it has certainly felt it at times this season. Yankees has had two separate six-game losing stripes, with poor basic elements of all facets that emerge in these spenn.
Although the defense played a factor in not winning the World Series against Los Angeles Dodgers, Yankees did not have as many questions that led until October.
David Cone throws the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the game between the New York Mets and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 in New York. (Mary Decicco/MLB photos via Getty Images)
However, cone sent a reminder to all Yankees fans: It doesn’t matter what you do in the regular season as long as you come to the end game.
Just take 2000 World Series-winning Yankees, he was part of for example.
“We won 87 games and were not so big down the stretch,” Cone said of 2000 Yankees, who went 87-74 during the regular season that won them the division. “But when the clock rang and we got to the post season, we knew what to do and there was a lot of confidence there.
“They are battle -tested in the post -season and came to the World Series last year. So it definitely means getting into the autumn period that they have this experience … I think this group also has that confidence. I think that is just getting there and they can be very dangerous in the post -season. They have experience, but I expect them to come there.”
Five-time World Series Master David Cone, who acts as a Yankees analyst, gave his takeover of the team’s chances after the season. (Getty Images)
With 38 games back on the regular seasonal schedule, which is filled with key departments and potential tiebreaker scenarios, Yankees’ endgame starts a little early to ensure the place they desperately want.
Could this week’s series sweep be the spark needed to fix the ship? Yankees has Tampa Bay Rays and Red Sox coming up.
