Yankees Report Card: Our grades for all the players for first half of 2021 season
The Yankees’ midterm report card is in, and their grades reflect a third-place club struggling to find its way into contention.
And it wasn’t supposed to be such a desperate fight at this point.
Summing up an inconsistent first half, where the Yankees performed well below expectation, manager Aaron Boone put it bluntly.
“We have a long way to go, and I don’t consider that we’ve turned this thing around yet,’’ Boone said. But, "from a confidence standpoint, I know in that room that we believe we can do this.’’
Here’s how they’re marked at the All-Star break:
Aaron Judge, OF
Grade: A
The club’s only consistent lineup presence.
Gerrit Cole, RHP
Grade: A
Sensational through May, struggled as the tack crackdown began, finished with his best start.
Jonathan Loaisiga, RHP
Grade: A-
Healthy and finding his stride as a high-leverage weapon.
Nestor Cortes, LHP
Grade: A-
With a unique style and fearless approach has earned his way into the rotation with a couple of important outings at a critical time.
Chad Green, RHP
Grade: B+
A very solid first half ended in an awful, final appearance with Sunday’s loss at Houston.
Gio Urshela, 3B
Grade: B+
The plus is for his plus defense, including occasional appearances at shortstop.
Lucas Luetge, LHP
Grade: B
Grade has slipped recently after a wonderful start for an off-the-radar reliever who stuck as a non-roster spring training invitee.
Corey Kluber, RHP
Grade: B
Settled in after a bumpy start, threw a no-hitter and landed on the IL (shoulder strain), with a September ETA.
Luis Cessa, RHP
Grade: B
Still has one of the toughest bullpen jobs, getting the most irregular work but handling it well overall.
DJ LeMahieu, IF
Grade; B-
The Machine malfunctioned for long stretches but has lately picked it up with a 27-game on-base streak.
Aroldis Chapman, LHP
Grade: B-
Was earning an A-plus until an epic collapse, culminating in being out of the closer’s role this past week.
Jordan Montgomery, LHP
Grade: C+
Has the ingredients to improve but must find that elusive consistency.
Giancarlo Stanton, DH
Grade: C+
Points for mostly staying on the field. Invisible for too-long stretches.
Domingo German, RHP
Grade: C+
At one point, was the club’s second-best starter. Starting to find his way again.
Darren O’Day, RHP
Grade: C+
On the IL again, and will miss significant time due to a strained left hamstring.
Gary Sanchez, C
Grade: C
Was lost at the plate for too long.
Kyle Higashioka, C
Grade: C
Back to being mostly Cole’s personal catcher after taking over main catching duties for a couple of weeks due to Sanchez’s slump.
Tyler Wade, IF-OF
Grade: C
Useful anywhere defensively. Does not get a lot of chances.
Michael King, RHP
Grade: C
Showing his stuff plays better out of the bullpen.
Gleyber Torres, SS
Grade: C-
Overall offensive production has been way down, defense has shown improvement with occasional lapses.
Jameson Taillon, RHP
Grade: C-
Last four starts has shown the consistency to save his grade, in his first year since second Tommy John surgery.
Rougned Odor, 2B
Grade: D+
Hit or miss at the plate, and too much of the latter.
Miguel Andujar, LF-3B
Grade: D+
Can’t seem to gain any traction and now back on the IL with a strained left wrist.
Luke Voit, 1B
Grade: D
A rough first half for the 2020 MLB home run champ with two IL stints (knee surgery, strained oblique).
Wandy Peralta, LHP
Grade: D
Started well upon arrival in the Mike Tauchman trade, then lost his chance at high-leverage usage.
Brett Gardner, OF
Grade: D
Passing grade for his defense, leadership, and necessity in center field due to the team’s injury situation.
Clint Frazier, OF
Grade: F
Quickly lost his grip on a long-coveted starting job, massively underperforming before latest IL stint.
Justin Wilson, LHP
Grade: F
Began on the IL. A non-factor to this point.
Aaron Hicks, OF
Grade: F
Another lost season. Out for the year following wrist surgery.
Nick Nelson, RHP
Grade: F
In brief appearances as a reliever or spot starter, nothing has gone right.
Aaron Boone, manager
Grade: C
Contract is up at year's end. How his club performs in the second half will determine his pinstriped future.
Brian Cashman, general manager
Grade: D+
It's the final grade that counts, with a chance to improve fortunes at the trade deadline.
Incomplete
Zack Britton, LHP
Tim Locastro, OF
Brooks Kriske, RHP
Chris Gittens, 1B
Albert Abreu, RHP
Deivi Garcia, RHP
Pete Caldera is the Yankees beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Yankees analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.
Email: caldera@northjersey.com Twitter: @pcaldera