New York Yankees Joel Sherman The Yankees issues to watch before real October test arrives By Joel Sherman Published June 23, 2026, 7:00 a.m. ET Aaron Boone walks back to the dugout after making a pitching change as the Yankees played the Reds on June 21, 2026. Jason Szenes for the NY Post The Yankees are going to be a version of the Knicks this regular season.
They are going to have hiccups through the schedule — as they did over the weekend against the Reds — that will put on repeat all the familiar questions. It will be akin to the endless loop with the Knicks: They gave up too much for Mikal Bridges. Can they win with a small guard as their lead player? Will Karl-Anthony Towns (pick one) be tough enough, able to stay out of foul trouble consistently or willing to accept his role?
Ultimately, the Yankees will probably finish the regular season with a very good record, a lot of strengths and having built and played depth along the way, but also with a track record of playoff failures plus those lingering regular-season issues that will cast doubt on their postseason chances (sound familiar?).
And then, like the Knicks, the only judgment on their season will be whether they can get/stay healthy and play their best in the playoffs.
