New York Yankees; Playoff Push or Downhill Spiral?

 

 
The New York Yankees have been known as one of the most dominating franchises in sports history. With 27 championships, the team currently sits 1.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. 

Can this be a team that pushes themselves into a deep playoff push for the 2015 season? Let’s take a look: 

The good news: The biggest question coming into the 2015 season was how healthy the team could stay. With guys like Alex Rodriguez and Mark Texeria in the lineup, it seemed like only a matter of time before their age catches up to their talent. 

As players like Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury continue to elevate expectations, the Yankees have become one of the most feared teams in the American League. 

The starting rotation hasn’t been too shabby as well. With Nathan Eovaldi already at 14 wins (and only 2 earned losses) for the season, the Yankees have proved to be a team that can somewhat stay consistent when it counts. 

The bad news: With powerful lineups like the Kansas City Royals and the Blue Jays, the Yankees pitching will be forced to keep games close in the postseason. Pitchers like C.C. Sabathia have not been reliable this season, and the Yankees will need to find an answer quickly. 

Another issue is that Mark Texeria has continued to baby his injury. The Yankees are attempting to keep Tex safer than sorry, but there is no telling if he will come back stronger.