
Yankees Rise as the AL Favorite Behind Elite Hitting and Deep Pitching
New York owns a 26–12 record atop the American League and looks like October favorites, powered by a potent lineup led by Ben Rice (.343/.455/.759, 1.214 OPS) alongside Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, with Giancarlo Stanton sidelined by a calf strain. The rotation has been elite even without two top starters, posting a 3.04 ERA and leading in fewest barrels per plate appearance (4.1%) and balls in the air (52.1%), and the bullpen should improve as Ryan Weathers slots in. With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón nearing returns and the rest of the AL showing cracks, New York stands as the team to beat this season.












