Perspectives: Getting Ready For the Playoffs?
By Paul Semendinger
September 24, 2026
***
I have been saying for months now that the Yankees have a fighter's chance to win the World Series this year because of their very strong starting pitching.
They just might do it.
But...
***
The things that will get in the Yankees way will be their lack of focus, their lack of fundamentals, and their overall poor, very poor, decision-making.
***
If the playoffs started today, who would play second base?
Who would play third base?
Who would play centerfield?
There is something very wrong with a team heading into the playoffs who does not know who is playing some key positions on the diamond.
A well-run team would have figured this out over the long season.
***
If this was the first time the Yankees didn't have their positions solidified heading into the post season, that would be one thing, but it's not.
This is a pattern.
None of this speaks well to the team's overall leadership or planning.
***
I have pointed out myriad instances where Aaron Boone, the supposed great communicator, has not been great at communicating with his players.
It seems, according to some reporters, that Aaron Judge isn't pleased with how Aaron Boone classified his injury nor with Boone saying that Judge wouldn't be playing in the Wild Card series. Judge says he intends to play.
This isn't the first time that Boone and Judge have had disagreements in the media regarding injuries and Judge's ability (or lack thereof) to play.
Wouldn't a great communicator be on the same page as his star player?
Wouldn't the last time they publicly disagreed have had them both reflect and make sure that they're on the same page going forward?
Wouldn't a great communicator talk to his player to see how he is feeling and his thoughts on returning before making statements to the media?
Again, the fact that this happens again and again speaks to a bigger organizational problem.
***
The Yankees are trying Anthony Volpe at third base ahead of the playoffs.
As far as I am concerned, Volpe can play third as often as he wants to in games that are meaningless, but it reeks of desperation for him to play a new position in critical games next week.
After insisting for a year and a half that Ryan McMahon is the answer at third, a week before the playoffs, the Yankees now think they have a better answer?
The guy they are considering has played six games at third base as a professional.
This is foolish on its face.
It's actually absurd.
***
I also thought that one of the reasons Volpe isn't playing shortstop is because of his weak arm.
Did third base get any closer to first base in the last week?
***
Giancarlo Stanton has not played in a Major League game since April 24.
April 24.
April.
24.
Does anyone believe that Stanton can possibly be ready for the playoffs?
Giancarlo Stanton should not be anywhere near the Yankees lineup at this point.
***
If Aaron Judge can play, with his own injury concerns, and the fact that he has barely played (7 games) since May, the only logical position for him would be as the designated hitter.
If Judge plays DH, Stanton does not have a position.
***
The last time Stanton played in the postseason, he batted .192 with no home runs over seven games.
***
Even if Stanton were ready, Paul Goldschmidt is a better player than Stanton at this point as the potential right-handed DH.
***
That being said, there is no scenario where the Yankees can play Goldschmidt, Judge, and Stanton and still have Ben Rice in the lineup.
And Ben Rice has to play. He leads the A.L. in homers.
I am sorry, there is no place for Stanton in the lineup.
***
Aaron Boone is also hinting that Trent Grisham might be ready for the playoffs.
Trent Grisham has missed most of September.
He also hit under .200 in August.
And in July!
***
None of the above makes any sense for a team that proports to be serious about winning a championship.
Man, if only there was the old 40 man September roster for these next few days. But it isn't, and with how they deal with pitching today, too many guys are still going to have to put and not get 4-5 days off in the pen. I'd like to shut down both Blackburn & Headrick. I'd like to have Schlittler go only 6, no matter how low his pitch count is. Once Rice gets his 100 RBIs, sit him too. I'd love to have a 3rd catcher here, let Beck & ERC get some piggyback innings, or just give them, along with Schmidt, Gil, & Lagrange the Sunday game.
2B: Chisholm-Volpe platoon. 3B: McMahon-Caballero platoon. OF: Grisham (if healthy)-Ramos platoon with Jones playing center vs. lefties, right vs. righties. Now, if Judge is in RF, then Jones is in CF all the time. If Judge is DH'ing, then Rice sits vs. lefties while Goldschmidt is at 1B. Vs. righties, Rice is at 1B (he has better numbers than Garcia).
Injury / health concerns also impact decisions -- CF and 2B.
There is something very wrong with a team heading into the playoffs who does not know who is playing some key positions on the diamond.
there is something very wrong with making the assumption that public uncertainty is a certain reflection of "insider" uncertainty.
whatever disdain we might hold for what has been repeatedly demonstrated to be organizational policy, there might be some value in withholding information with the aim of forcing adversaries into more complicated preparations.
sometimes spurious information causes an enemy to defend Calais and not just Normandy.
Aaron Boone's questionable decisions make it very hard to root for this team.