Five questions facing the Yankees as their second half begins

The Yankees resume their season Friday with a three-game series in Colorado. Here are five questions for their second half. 

1. When will Aaron Judge return?

This is not just a second half question for the Yankees; it’s THE second half question. Judge has not played since June 3 when he suffered a right big toe sprain in the eighth inning while crashing through an unpadded section of the visitor’s bullpen gate at Dodger Stadium. And no Yankee fan needs a primer on how their team has looked in his absence. The Yankees finished the first half on a 14-17 skid without Judge, hitting .218 with a .288 on-base percentage and averaging 3.8 runs per game in that 31-game stretch. The offense was feeble at times during that period, and it certainly played a role in the dismissal of hitting coach Dillon Lawson last Sunday. The offense may have needed a different messenger – and that is what Lawson’s firing essentially came down to, according to GM Brian Cashman – but a lineup without Judge isn’t going to experience prolonged success, regardless of the message giver, in this case new hitting coach Sean Casey. And while some in the organization will anonymously guestimate when Judge might return, the reality is, one club insider said, “no one really knows.” He paused and added: “Including him [Judge].” Indeed, neither the Yankees nor Judge have offered a timetable because they really don’t have one. Judge, as of the All-Star break, had not been cleared to do much in the way of baseball activity beyond taking light swings off a tee. The overwhelming expectation from both Judge and the Yankees is the reigning AL MVP likely will return at some point in the season’s second half. But it still remains anyone’s guess as to when that will be.

2. Does the hiring of Sean Casey represent a shift in organizational thinking?

It is far too soon to be able to say that, but the hiring of the personable and outgoing Casey is a shift in one respect: he was not hired because of his fluency, first and foremost, in analytics and data science, which has been the case with the vast majority of organizational hires in recent years. Though he no doubt is more than conversant with analytics – and is all-in on their usage – Casey was hired because of what many in the game consider his infectious personality, his passion for talking hitting and the success he experienced in the big leagues across 12 seasons. The latter should not be dismissed as insignificant because his experience as a big-leaguer will bring Casey, at least at the start and even with no previous coaching experience, credibility walking into the clubhouse, especially with veteran hitters. Players don’t require their coaches to have played in the majors but they do, generally speaking, want coaches who have a full understanding – and the requisite empathy as a result – of just how hard the sport is at its highest level. A mastery of that kind of understanding often is more appreciated by big-league players than a mastery of numbers.  

3. What will the trade deadline bring?

The Yankees, and this is a goal that’s existed for a few years now, would like to add a lefthanded-hitting outfielder. And, in the words of one staffer, “not another exit velocity specialist, an actual hitter.” In recent weeks Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger has been the name most linked to the Yankees, who indeed do have an interest. But there will be other teams interested as well so it will come down to how much Cashman is willing to give up from a farm system that has taken quite a few hits the last several years at the trade deadline. Also: don’t rule out the Yankees looking to add starting pitching depth and there have been some rumblings in the industry they might be interested in upgrading their catching situation – from the offensive side – if the right deal presents itself. Whether it be major surgery to the roster or minor, the Yankees are shoo-ins to do something before the deadline. They always do.  

4. Can the Yankees fix Luis Severino?

Severino, whose season did not start until May 21 as he began the year on the injured list with a lat strain, has been nothing short of a train wreck. After allowing a combined two runs and five hits over two promising starts to begin his year, Severino is 1-4 with a 9.48 ERA in seven starts since. After Severino’s most recent setback, July 6 against the Orioles when he allowed seven runs and a season-high 10 hits over a season-low 2 2/3 innings, Aaron Boone talked about the need to do a “deep dive” on the issues plaguing Severino. Only trouble is, the first time deep-diving on a bad Severino outing was mentioned was June 2 after he got torched in Los Angeles in an 8-4 loss. “I just need to figure out what’s going on,” Severino said following the 14-1 loss to the Orioles July 6. Boone was dismissive of a question after the same game about Severino’s hold on a rotation spot, but if there isn’t improvement after the lengthy stretch the pitcher will get between starts because of the All-Star break, those questions won’t just be coming from outside the organization.

5. What are the expectations for rookie Anthony Volpe?

The Yankees made a long-term commitment to Volpe late in the spring when they anointed the then-21-year-old as their starting shortstop and, to this point, they’ve honored it. Volpe, who turned 22 on April 28, has been a mixed bag in his first big-league season. That has been the case in both the field – where rival scouts and some with the Yankees still believe his future ultimately will be at second base – and at the plate. But, according to those on the inside, even with those struggles there was never any serious discussion about demoting Volpe to the minors. And there has been growth. The rookie, though still shaky at times with his range, increasingly is producing the highlight-reel play in the field and he closed the first half looking as if something clicked at the plate, going 17-for-52 (.327) with three homers and a .929 OPS the last 14 games. Volpe’s maturity in his approach to the game impressed Yankees’ players and staff from pretty much Day One of spring training and that hasn’t changed.

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.