Here’s why Yankees are on fire (again): Is all forgiven? | Klapisch

WASHINGTON — Give the Yankees credit for one of the most helter-skelter 3 1/2 months in recent memory. I can’t decide if this team is really a powerhouse or if they’re imposters who’ll break your heart in October (again).

We’ll know soon enough, but the ride has so far been dizzying. The All-Star break is here, and I have vertigo.

Even Cam Schlittler’s brush with the All-Star Game assignment turned into a convoluted mess.

In the span of three days, Schlittler went from being a no-brainer as the American League’s starter to opting out to being told by MLB that if he’s showing up in Philadelphia on Tuesday, he better be ready to take the ball.

That’s a lot of agita for a meaningless game. I’m starting to like the Home Run Derby a lot more.

What I take more seriously is the upcoming series with the Dodgers. That’ll go a long way in putting the Yankees’ current four-game winning streak in perspective.

Three of those victories were gift-wrapped by the Nationals’ bullpen — the worst in the majors with 27 blown saves. They single-handedly resuscitated Jazz Chisholm,Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, and even Ryan McMahon.

Sunday’s 5-3 victory against Washington was the third comeback in three days. The Yankees’ positive vibe might be artificial, given the poor quality of the opposition. But they’re three games behind the first-place Rays, prompting manager Aaron Boone to say, “We’ve given ourselves a chance.”

He’s right, there’s a lot to like right now. Here are some of the positives:

Ben Rice’s Swing:

The Yankees miss everything about Aaron Judge, but Rice is doing his best to clone the captain’s swing. It’s not just the 29 home runs that are so impressive, but it’s Rice’s ferocity in the batter’s box — and the way he makes pitchers pay for their mistakes.

Rice’s bat speed (72.5 mph) has helped him generate exit velocities up to 110.9 mph this yseason

Rice can’t carry the Yankees on his own. Same goes for Bellinger, a talented player who needs lineup support. But Rice has already exceeded the organization’s expectation and should be a force for years.

Fernando Cruz’s Splitter:

It’s an absolute monster weapon that’s bailed out the Yankees countless times this season. Cruz is generating a swing-and-miss rate of 56.1 percent, tops in the American League for one pitch.

He also leads MLB in average distance missed on an off-speed pitch, meaning when hitters swing and miss, they’re missing by more than 8 inches on average.

Cruz’s secret is delivering his fastball and splitter from the same release point. Hitters often think they’re swinging at his belt-high four-seamer, realizing too late it’s the splitter that just dive-bombed into the dirt.

Cody Bellinger’s First Base Defense:

Bellinger is the big leagues’ best left fielder, but he could be the answer at first base if Paul Goldschmidt continues to regress.

During the Rays series, Bellinger made two remarkable picks of throws in the dirt. I asked if he liked first base enough to play there regularly, if Boone ever asked.

“I played there in high school and my first two years with the Dodgers (2017-2018),” Bellinger said. “I enjoy being in the infield. The game moves so much faster. It feels so slow in the outfield by comparison.”

Here’s what would concern me if I were Boone:

Camilo Doval’s Lack Of Command:

What happened to this guy? The Yankees acquired Doval last summer, thinking they had a battle-tested closer who’d proven himself with the Giants.

One year later, Doval has pitched himself into irrelevance. His sling-shot delivery is designed purely for velocity. Doval seems more interested in how close he can come to 100 mph on the radar gun than in getting outs. Throwing strikes is an afterthought.

Doval’s “behind percentage” —the ratio of pitches thrown in 2-0, 2-1, 3-0 or 3-1 counts—has consistently ranked in the bottom third of the majors.

He simply can’t be trusted in high-leverage situations.

Paul Goldschmidt’s Decline:

I respect Boone for giving Goldschmidt every opportunity to find himself. Loyalty to veterans is a pillar of Boone’s roster management.

But there’s a growing body of evidence that suggests Goldschmidt should no longer be playing every day. Age is clearly catching up with the soon-to-be- 39-year-old first baseman.

He’s even making radical adjustments in the batter’s box.

Beginning in late May, Goldschmidt moved five inches closer to the mound — from about 26 inches deep in the box to 21 inches.

That, coupled with a shorter swing, allowed him to make contact in front of his body. The short-term results were surprisingly good, especially against breaking pitches. But opponents have changed tactics, too.

Goldschmidt is being fed a steady diet of fastballs. Pitchers are challenging him, knowing the modified positioning in the batter’s box gives him a fraction of a second less time to react.

The upshot? Goldschmidt fell into a profound 0-for-34 slump last week. The next move is his, but time is running out. His batting average peaked at .301 on June 18, but has since dropped 43 points.

Aaron Judge’s Imaging Results:

The season could hinge on what the doctors find in this week’s MRI. If Judge is healing from a fractured rib as well as the specialists hope, then the Yankees could have their captain back by mid-August.

If the imaging shows only modest progress, Judge’s return could be pushed to September. That would be barely enough time for the playoffs.

And then there’s the doomsday scenario in which Judge is forced to pull up stakes and try again in 2027. No one in the Yankees family dares to talk about that.

The thought is too dark to even contemplate.

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