The New York Yankees have been known for being an offensive juggernaut over the years. Some of the greatest hitters in major league history have worn the Yankees’ pinstripes, from the days of Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle to the present day. However, in the case of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, it has been a matter of getting them on the diamond.
That has not been a problem this season as Judge and Stanton have been mostly healthy. The problem is that, outside of Gio Urshela, no one else in the lineup has posted an OPS+ above league average. Urshela barely even clears that low bar with his 103 OPS+ heading into Saturday.
New York Yankees offense worst in decades
Given those problems when it comes to finding any production outside of Stanton and Judge, it is not a surprise that the Yankees offense is struggling this year. They are the Brinx Bombers no longer, ranking 14th in the American League in runs, 12th in batting average, 13th in slugging, and 11th in OPS.
It is also not a surprise that the Yankees’ struggles when it comes to the lineup are amongst their worst in decades. Their 3.71 runs per game entering Saturday is their worst mark since 1972. The .228 team batting average and 7.4 hits per game are the Yankees’ lowest marks since 1968. Their 9.3 strikeout rate is the worst in team history.
Those marks go back to the pre-Steinbrenner days, back when CBS owned the franchise. They had purchased an aging team without much of a farm system to speak of, with the bottom quickly falling out after the 1964 season.
Right now, the Yankees’ pitching has kept them afloat. They have the best ERA in the AL, having issued the fewest walks and second fewest hits in the league while notching the most strikeouts. However, if the pitching staff falters, the offense is not there to make up for the difference.
The New York Yankees offense has been abysmal this year. In fact, their offense is the worst it has been in decades.