During a Wednesday radio interview with BT and Sal, longtime Yankees broadcaster Suzyn Waldman expressed her biggest concern as the team gears up for its first potential World Series appearance in 15 years. Waldman didn’t hesitate to identify the Yankees‘ offense as the primary issue that could hinder their postseason run.
Reflecting on the team’s recent playoff disappointments, Waldman pointed to the 2022 postseason as a prime example. She recalled how the Yankees barely mustered enough offense to get past the Guardians before being swept by the Astros in the ALCS, where they posted a collective OPS below .600 in those four games.
Waldman emphasized that in previous playoff eliminations, it was the Yankees’ offensive struggles, not pitching, that were most often to blame. She noted that the team’s lack of run production had been a recurring issue since they fell short in October.
“That they’re not gonna hit,” she said. “When this team has lost, why has it lost? Because there’s not enough offense…It hasn’t been the pitching. Why have they been knocked out of the playoffs? Because they haven’t hit. The offense has been the problem, not the pitching.”
Addressing Aaron Judge’s postseason performance, Waldman pointed out that his stats in October haven’t matched his regular-season dominance. She underscored the importance of Judge stepping up, while also stressing that the rest of the lineup needs to contribute consistently to avoid being too reliant on their star players.
Waldman also observed a shift in the Yankees’ approach in recent weeks, with the team employing more small-ball strategies like bunting and advancing runners. She highlighted that depending solely on power hitters like Judge and Juan Soto won’t be enough in the postseason, a sentiment she believes the Yankees coaching staff shares.
In Waldman’s view, the key to the Yankees’ success in the ALDS and beyond will be their ability to adjust offensively and produce runs more consistently. She reiterated that the team’s past playoff exits have been largely due to their inability to generate enough offense when it mattered most.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
