The New York Yankees played the entire 2025 season without Gerrit Cole and still went into the ALDS. This year, they are currently leading the AL East with a 43-27 record despite missing their biggest names. Aaron Judge is sidelined for an estimated 6-8 weeks, Giancarlo Stanton reinjured himself in rehab, and Trent Grisham is still far away from hitting the field. The fans are expectedly concerned about how the team would steer through such growing injury concerns. However, Aaron Boone is confident about the team still making a cut without the major names.

“I want to get those guys back, but the one thing I’ve maintained with you guys all year is I feel like we’re a deeper team than we’ve been in a lot of years and capable of withstanding some significant people being out of the lineup or out of the rotation,” SNY Yankees quoted Boone.

The Yankees have the depth to withstand a few injuries. Aaron Judge’s injury is probably the worst for the fans, but stats say the Yankees have better alternatives.

The Yankees are currently standing with a 43-27 record and leading by over 1.5 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays. Moreover, they are the first team in MLB this year to reach 40 wins. Judge was surely a major contributor in the first two months, hitting 17 homers and 38 RBIs. But in 2026, the Yankees’ best slugger was not Judge but Ben Rice.

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The 27-year-old is currently slashing .293/.387/.611. Rice’s .998 OPS is currently the third-best in the league, and he also dwarfed Judge in 2026 in terms of home runs (19). Thus, while the Yankees relied heavily on Aaron Judge in the previous season, 2026 is looking different. Cody Bellinger is also looking strong at the plate and his current .265/.361/.462 slash line is perhaps his best with the Yankees.

However, Aaron Judge’s injury last year was a brutal gut-punch for the Bombers. Last year, after Judge hit the IL, the Yankees’ average crashed to .230. Additionally, Stanton’s injury is fading away without Aaron Judge. “Giancarlo Stanton reinjured his calf strain and will have a light week of activity,” Bryan Hoch quoted Boone. Also, Trent Grisham is continuing with baseball activities through his “moderate” hamstring strain. Both of them would now take time to return to the field.

Still, Aaron Boone’s confidence in excelling without the veterans probably stems from the younger blood he has in his stable.

The Yankees’ young brigade has an opportunity to prove

Without Stanton, Judge, Grisham, and Austin Wells, the Yankees’ next-gen talents now have a golden opportunity to prove themselves. The Yankees called up Spencer Jones to take over Judge’s place, and he is steadily proving himself. While his current average shows just .233, he is hitting .316 in his last 7 games. His biggest issue is a 41% strikeout rate, which owes to his hard-hitting tendency, but if he could bring runs, the Yankees would be happy enough.

Jasson Dominguez is also finding his rhythm back. He is hitting .364 against the lefties, and expectedly, his HR count would go beyond his current 2. On the pitching side, Cam Schlittler is showcasing some sheer dominance on the mound, recording a 1.82 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. Not every aspect is looking seamless, though.

Anthony Volpe is still struggling both at the plate and in defense. At shortstop, Boone also has the chance to shuffle between Jose Caballero and Volpe. This depth chart is what gives the Yankees manager the confidence despite losing the biggest names.