​With the MLB All-Star Break looming, the New York Yankees reach the unofficial halfway point of the 2026 season carrying a 51-42 record and sitting four games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East. Despite dealing with injuries and some uneven stretches, New York remains firmly in the mix for an AL playoff spot. As the second half unfolds, here’s a look at what’s gone right, what’s gone wrong, and what to expect as the season progresses toward October.
Heading into the season, expectations were high for Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler, two Massachusetts natives who rose through the Yankees’ farm system. Rice enjoyed a strong 2025, belting 26 homers with an .836 OPS across 138 games, and he has elevated his game again this season. He has already matched last year’s home run total, slugging 28 in 88 games and ranking among the American League leaders in homers. With Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton sidelined by injuries, Rice has become a steady presence in the lineup.
Schlittler, who debuted with New York last season, immediately showed promise. He made 14 starts and posted a 2.96 ERA with 84 strikeouts over 73 innings, and he shone in the Wild Card series against the Red Sox, delivering eight shutout innings with 12 strikeouts in his lone appearance of that series. With Gerrit Cole missing the season’s start and Max Fried currently on the injured list, Schlittler has stepped into the ace role the Yankees needed. In 19 starts this season, he owns an American League-best 2.01 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 112 innings, earning him a place alongside Rice on the All-Star roster. It’s fair to say that the team’s early success hinges heavily on the continued excellence of these two young standouts; without them, the Yankees wouldn’t be where they are now. They’ve delivered plenty of highlights, but sustaining that performance into the second half—and into October—will be crucial.
June brought some unwelcome health news, beginning with Aaron Judge’s diagnosis of a stress fracture in a right rib. Giancarlo Stanton has also been out since April 24 due to a right calf strain, and he hasn’t run since re-injuring his calf in mid-June. The absence of these two big bats has left the Yankees’ offense struggling, as the team hit a mere .222 in June—the fourth-worst mark in the league for that month.
Several early-season catalysts have cooled down. Ben Rice was one of baseball’s hottest hitters early on, but he slumped to a .196 average with a .657 OPS in June. Veteran outfielder Cody Bellinger, who opened the year strong, has also cooled, posting a .228 average in June and just .103 over seven games in July so far. With Judge and Stanton out, New York needs Rice and Bellinger—and the rest of the lineup—to step up and carry the offense at the top.
The rotation has not been exempt from its share of setbacks. After a promising early run, starting pitching has regressed, and the staff will need to rebound in the second half to keep the bullpen from bearing too heavy a burden. If Schlittler continues to perform at the level he’s shown, and if Rice and the supporting cast can rediscover their stroke, the Yankees should remain in the hunt in the AL East and for postseason consideration. The next several weeks will reveal whether the team can translate their early breakout into sustained momentum, navigate through the injuries, and push toward a deep run when autumn arrives.