The Yankees entered the All-Star break with a 53-43 record but have seen their place atop the AL East slip away.
Although the Yanks have done a good job of pivoting away from Juan Soto and their additions have borne fruit, there are still plenty of holes to fill on this roster if the team hopes to win the division and make it back to the World Series.
Here are five storylines to watch as the Yankees begin the second half of the 2025 season…
Luis Gil's return
The 2024 AL Rookie of the Year has not thrown a pitch in a major league game this season and it has really hurt the rotation.
Combine that with the loss of Gerrit Cole before the season started and the recent season-ending injury to Clarke Schmidt, and New York could use the boost from a returning Gil.
However, how will Gil perform after nearly a year on the shelf?
The 27-year-old had his first rehab start this week, allowing one run on two hits and one walk over 3.1 innings (50 pitches/36 strikes) with Double-A Somerset. Gil was dominant in limited work, striking out six batters in what can only be seen as an encouraging start for the young right-hander.
As for Gil's timeline, manager Aaron Boone said the starter's buildup will be "more conservative." Until Gil is built up to throw 85-90 pitches, the Yankees won't see him on a big league mound. But once they do, it'll be like a trade deadline acquisition.
What moves will Brian Cashman make at deadline?
Speaking of trade deadline acquisitions, the Yankees have a laundry list of moves they need to make.
Cashman said that he is prioritizing pitching, both in the starting rotation and bullpen, but also admitted that they need a third baseman. Whatever moves Cashman makes, they'll need to be significant if the Yanks hope to return to the World Series.
Arizona's Eugenio Suarez could be a great fit at third, while starters like Zac Gallen or Merrill Kelly could also make their way to the Bronx from the desert.
Last season, Cashman's big move was bringing over Jazz Chisholm Jr., and it helped solidify the infield. This season, the longtime GM will have to do more.
Race for the AL East
The Yankees enter the second half of the season on a two-game losing streak and two games back of the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the division.
The road for New York won't be easy, though.
After a three-game set in Atlanta to start the second half, the Yanks will travel to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays for three games. The last time they were in Canada, the Yankees were swept in a four-game series. They will hope to avoid a repeat of that, but they'll need to find more offensive consistency to overcome their recent pitching woes.
Aaron Judge Triple Crown/MVP watch
One player the Yankees can count on this season is Judge.
Judge leads the league in just about every category, but his performance in the second half will be one to watch. He's currently on pace for 59 home runs, but we've seen the Yankee Captain get on a homer streak that can threaten his AL home run record (62).
There's also the MVP race to watch. The only potential player to threaten Judge going back-to-back is Mariners backstop Cal Raleigh. The 2025 Home Run Derby winner leads the majors in home runs (38) and is on pace to hit 64, which would set a new AL record. He also leads the league in RBI (82) while ranking second in slugging and OPS.
Judge leads the league in average (.355), OBP (.462), hits (125), OPS (1.195) and is second in homers (35) and RBI (81). If he can overcome Raleigh in homers and RBI, he'll be the first Triple Crown winner since Miguel Cabrera in 2012 and the first Yankee to do so since Mickey Mantle in 1956.
Max Fried's health/Cy Young aspirations
Fried has been everything the Yankees have asked for and more.
When Cole went down, Fried stepped up to be the ace and is in the conversation for the Cy Young award. The southpaw is first in the AL in wins (11), tied for fourth in ERA (2.43) and tied for eighth in strikeouts (113).
However, Fried left his last start early due to a blister and it could lead to some missed time for the ace. While that could hinder his Cy Young chances, the Yankees are hoping Fried is healthy and available for the postseason run. Fried has thrown 122 innings across 20 starts, and his career-high was 185.1 in 30 starts back in 2022. Fried is on pace to pass those numbers, which could lead to some issues for the oft-injured pitcher.
Perhaps the blister will give Fried the reprieve he will need to go deep into October. But we'll need to watch how the workload is affecting him.
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