Part 7/13:
While the Yankees’ offense is often the focus, their pitching staff—particularly the starting rotation—also came under scrutiny. The team invested heavily in big-name starters like Gerrit Cole, Jordan Montgomery, and others, but failed to receive consistent performances from critically paid players like who were expected to anchor the staff. Their struggles, along with the emergence of unknown or overlooked pitchers on other teams (notably Toronto’s breakthrough), exposed the Yankees' inability to withstand playoff pressure.