Is it all coming together?

New York Yankees v Washington NationalsNew York Yankees v Washington Nationals / Brandon Sloter/GettyImages

The New York Yankees’ offense is still definitely searching for a higher level of consistency. While the Bombers are 11-4 in their last 15 games, their bats have averaged just 4.13 runs per game, and that’s including three games in which they scored 10 or more. For the most part, the pitching has stepped up massively.

We don’t know if or when there will truly be a breakout, but we do know this: the offense can and will take that massive leap if Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Volpe get going.

Gleyber Torres has been a revelation in the leadoff spot. Juan Soto and Aaron Judge are the best 1-2 punch in the league. Austin Wells could win Rookie of the Year. Jazz Chisholm is turning out to be one of the better trade deadline acquisitions. Anthony Rizzo only needs to be average. Alex Verdugo/Jasson Dominguez just can’t be an absolute detriment.

So that leaves Stanton and Volpe, both of whom have been slumping terribly as of late, but Saturday night offered a glimpse of what we haven’t seen in a while. Stanton’s unique power was on display and Volpe’s contributions were additive.

The result? A 10-0 victory against the Athletics. It’s not exactly a benchmark of success, but if the Yankees can operate like a well-oiled machine for even 40% of the playoffs, they have a high likelihood of going far.

Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Volpe waking up would be Yankees’ postseason dream

For Stanton, he’s been the Yankees’ playoff x-factor for years. His absence from the lineup in October has killed the offense. And his presence has driven it. In 2024, he was putting together a very good season until his most recent slump. His numbers still aren’t bad (hey, we’ll take a 114 OPS+ and 26 homers in 108 games) and he’s helped protect the other hitters around him, which is probably more important.

But over his last month of play, Stanton’s hitting just .206 with a .719 OPS. His postseason totals dating back to 2018 are .260 with a .963 OPS. Somewhere in the middle would be swell, with a few Stantonian blasts sprinkled in.

In Volpe’s case, he’s been dreadful offensively all year. He had a hot three-week start to the season and then caught fire again for a couple weeks in July, but he’s actually largely been worse compared to his rookie season. Maybe something’s coming to life, though, because he’s 5-for-11 with two runs scored. a homer, four RBI and just one strikeout over his last three games.

That 421-foot blast was the longest of his career, too. Volpe getting on base and/or providing power from the bottom of the lineup is essentially unrealized potential in this Yankees lineup. When he’s on the base paths, he’s a threat in many ways that the Yankees don’t necessarily possess overwhelmingly (but will need to in the playoffs). When he’s slugging from the 7-8-9 holes, he’s lengthening the lineup in a frightening manner and then turning it over.

These two have another week to turn this into something and ride a hot hand into October. If that happens, then a potential World Series run might feel realer than ever.