For the first time since the 2024 World Series, the New York Yankees are stepping back into Dodger Stadium—and this time, they’re arriving with more than just unfinished business. They come in as leaders of the American League East, riding their hottest stretch of the season, and carrying one of the top records in all of baseball.
The Yankees are 5-1 on their current West Coast road trip, taking two-of-three in Colorado before sweeping the Angels in Anaheim for their fourth series sweep of the season. They’ve now won five straight games—matching their longest winning streak of the year—and are 9-1 over their last 10. With a 17-7 record in May, this team is peaking as summer begins.
At 35-20 (.636), the Yankees sit 15 games over .500 for the first time this season. They hold a 7-game lead in the AL East—their largest divisional lead since the end of the 2022 regular season—and own the third-best record in the Majors, trailing only the Phillies (35-19, .648) and Tigers (37-20, .649). Their +113 run differential is the highest in baseball.
In short: the Yankees aren’t just playing like a contender—they’re playing like a team determined to rewrite last October’s script.
No Soto, No Problem
The Yankees’ superstar right fielder may have swapped boroughs, but the Bronx Bombers haven’t skipped a beat—and that’s largely because of the absurd offensive tear being led by the Captain.
Aaron Judge is having one of the greatest offensive starts in modern baseball history. Through 54 games, he’s reached base in 51 of them. He’s slashing an obscene .391/.488/.739 with 18 home runs, 47 RBI, and 153 total bases—more than any player since Hank Aaron in 1959. Only Ruth, Gehrig, and Ted Williams have been on-base machines like this through a season’s first 54 games. On the road? Even better: he’s hitting .417 with a 1.224 OPS in 28 away games.
Protection in the lineup? Oh, it’s there—and then some.
Paul Goldschmidt has returned to MVP form. He’s hitting .347 with a .404 OBP and ranks among the AL’s top-5 in nearly every offensive category. Against lefties? He’s batting .542 with a 1.571 OPS. With runners in scoring position? He’s hitting .458. He’s reached base in every one of his 28 road games and leads the team in multi-hit games.
Cody Bellinger, back in his NL West stomping grounds, has rediscovered his swing—and his swagger. He’s hitting .346 over his last 20 games, with nine of his last 17 hits going for extra bases. He’s clutch with RISP (.318), ruthless against lefties (.999 OPS), and solid defensively wherever he’s placed.
Trent Grisham, a defensive wizard, is also supplying pop—12 home runs already, with nine either tying or giving the Yankees the lead. He’s reached base in 18 of his last 20 games and ranks in the AL top-10 in HR, SLG, and OPS.
And don’t sleep on Ben Rice, the second-year DH/first baseman/catcher hybrid. He’s slugging .521 with 11 bombs and ranks sixth in MLB in hard-hit rate, leading the Bombers. He’s putting up top-tier exit velocity and showing he belongs in the heart of this order.
Rotation Turning Doubt Into Domination
Remember when people wrote off the Yankees’ rotation after Gerrit Cole went down for the year? Yeah—about that.
Max Fried and Carlos Rodón have formed one of the most dominant one-two punches in baseball—and they’re showing no signs of slowing.
Max Fried will take the mound Friday night in the series opener at Dodger Stadium, pitching on extended rest after dominating Colorado in his last outing (7.1 IP, 6H, 1ER, 7K). The 31-year-old southpaw is a perfect 7-0 with a 1.29 ERA across 11 starts. He’s allowed 2 earned runs or fewer in every outing, including 1 or fewer in eight of them, and the Yankees are 10-1 when he pitches.
Fried has been more than just steady—he’s been Cy Young-caliber. Since 2019, only Gerrit Cole has more wins in the Majors (Cole: 79, Fried: 78). Now in his first season in pinstripes after signing an 8-year deal, the California native and three-time Gold Glove winner is not only leading the Yankees rotation—he’s helping redefine it.
Carlos Rodón, meanwhile, is finally healthy and Rodominant again. He earned his seventh win of the year on Tuesday in Anaheim after throwing 7.0 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts, tying his season high. Over his last eight starts, Rodón is 6-0 with a 1.27 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 49.2 IP. He’s gone at least 6.0 innings in seven of those starts and allowed zero earned runs in five.
After a frustrating 2023 season filled with injuries and inconsistency and a slow ramp up to the 2024 season, Rodón has turned the page in emphatic fashion—pounding the strike zone, missing bats, and giving the Yankees a legitimate second ace.
Clarke Schmidt and rookie Will Warren have more than held their own in the rotation, offering length and adaptability, but this staff rises and falls on the back of its top two arms. And right now, they’re lifting the Yankees to World Series heights.
In the month of May, New York’s pitching staff has been nothing short of dominant—leading the league with a 2.77 ERA and an MLB-best 257 strikeouts. The rotation, in particular, has been lights-out, boasting a Major League-best 2.15 ERA and a league-leading 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings.
Shutting It Down: Luke Leads the Way
The Yankees bullpen has gone from quietly solid to elite—and Luke Weaver is the clear catalyst.
The right-hander has emerged as one of the most dominant relievers in baseball, allowing just 2 earned runs in 24.2 innings this season across 23 appearances. He owns a microscopic 0.73 ERA, an opponents’ batting average of just .122, and a WHIP of 0.69. No other reliever in the Majors with at least 24 innings pitched has allowed fewer runs.
He’s recorded eight saves, including a recent stretch where he became the first Yankee since Aroldis Chapman in 2021 to pitch on three consecutive days. His 15.0-inning scoreless streak to start the year was the second-longest in Yankees history—trailing only Mariano Rivera. And speaking of Mo: Weaver’s 103 strikeouts last season were the most by a Yankees reliever since Dellin Betances in 2018.
When the game’s on the line, Weaver’s the one getting the ball—and slamming the door.
But it’s not just him.
Mark Leiter Jr. has been the bullpen’s unsung workhorse—quietly one of the most consistent and efficient relievers in the league. He’s been scoreless in 22 of his 25 appearances this season and is riding a 9.0-inning scoreless streak heading into the LA series. Over his last 13 outings, he’s posted a 1.46 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 12.1 innings, earning a win and recording crucial outs in the middle innings.
Leiter Jr. ranks top 10 in MLB relievers in K/9 (13.10) and strikeout rate (35.9%), and has notched multiple strikeouts in 11 games this season. He’s become Boone’s go-to bridge when a starter exits early or the middle innings get dicey.
Acquired from the Cubs at last year’s trade deadline, Leiter has found his groove in pinstripes. He’s currently among the most reliable right-handed arms in the American League—and is a big reason why this bullpen shuts teams down, inning after inning.
Together, Weaver and Leiter Jr. have formed the foundation of a bullpen that doesn’t just protect leads—it owns the late innings.
Field of Dreams: Defense Making the Difference
Over their last 15 games, the Yankees have played some of their cleanest baseball of the season—leading the Majors with a .996 fielding percentage in that span. On the mound, Max Fried continues to control the run game better than anyone, leading the league in pickoffs.
The outfield defense is anchored by Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger, both former Gold Glove winners, alongside a should-be Gold Glove winner Aaron Judge, who continues to provide steady, reliable play in right field.
In the infield, the Yankees feature three past Gold Glove recipients: Paul Goldschmidt at first base, DJ LeMahieu, who has earned the award at multiple positions, and Anthony Volpe, who captured his first in 2023. Collectively, they’ve helped form one of the more fundamentally sound defensive units in the league—limiting mistakes and consistently turning in high-quality outs.
Looking Ahead: Lights, Camera, Statement
The Dodgers may be the hosts, but the Yankees arrive like the headliners. It’s a rematch of October 2024—but this time, with a deeper lineup, a tougher rotation, and a bullpen led by one of baseball’s most unhittable arms.
The Bronx Bombers have returned to Hollywood—not for the red carpet, but to rewrite the script.
And if this month’s stretch is any indication…the sequel might just belong to New York.
