Yankees held to 'C-' grade so far thanks to Jazz Chisholm and Cody Bellinger
Yankees held to 'C-' grade so far thanks to Jazz Chisholm and Cody Bellinger originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The New York Yankees are 11-9 on the season, and have played 20 games of the 162-game 2026 MLB season. It's still early, but there's been enough games played to get an idea of where the Yankees stand.
Sitting just 0.5 game back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East, the Yankees are in fairly good shape to win the division and have a great season.
But, for Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report , this opening stretch of the season has the Yankees receiving a "C-" grade for two reasons: Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Cody Bellinger .
Yankees get 'C-' grade thanks to Chisholm and Bellinger
"On the whole, though, the Yankees have been just OK," Miller writes. "... They need the likes of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Cody Bellinger to start hitting soon."
While the starting rotation looks like one of the best in baseball, even before Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon return, the offense leaves a bit to be desired.
Aaron Judge is as great as ever, but the Yankees need a lot more production out of Bellinger, who just signed a big extension, and Chisholm, who's seeking a big contract after the 2026 MLB Season.
More: Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece
Bellinger has a .246 batting average with a .689 OPS on the season. It's not terrible by any means, but for the price, over $160 million, the Yankees need more production out of him.
Chisholm is having a bit more struggles this season. He's hitting .174 with a .515 OPS. For someone seeking a massive deal this offseason, this is not the start he was looking for.
While the Yankees might not be dominating the league so far, nor are they in dire straits, the "C-" grade is for how this roster should be playing a bit better than they have been.
This Yankees team is a World Series-caliber unit, and this mediocre start, while not bad, isn't exactly what the Yankees were hoping for to begin the year.
