Across 94 games, the Yankees have learned for the second straight season how difficult it is to win in the big leagues with megastars saddled with serious injuries.
Last season, it was position players Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson landing on the DL for extended stays and keeping the Yankees out of the postseason for the second time in Joe Girardi’s tenure.
This season, injuries have decimated the starting rotation, where four of the five Opening Day starters are on the DL with very serious injuries.
Combine that with Carlos Beltran’s injuries, which have contributed to a miserable season, and the Yankees getting nothing offensively from third base and you have the recipe for a second straight dark October.
Here are the first-half grades:
Alex Rodriguez: The Post misses him on the back page, but the one area where the suspended third baseman could have impacted the season was as a distraction and he has been underground. Grade: A
Dellin Betances: Entered spring training as a fading prospect and turned into the most dominant relief pitcher in baseball and an All-Star. Grade: A
David Robertson: Asked to fill Mariano Rivera’s shoes and has been every bit as good as the greatest reliever of all time. Converted 23 of 25 save chances. Should have been an All-Star. Grade: A
Masahiro Tanaka: Season could be over because of a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, but in 18 starts (12-4; 2.51 ERA) the right-hander created a buzz throughout baseball and showed why the Yankees invested $175 million in him. Grade: A
Jacoby Ellsbury: May never live up to the $153 million price tag, but that’s a financial matter. On the field he has played a terrific center field and hovered in the mid-.280s at the plate. Excellent base stealer for a team with cement feet. Grade: B
Adam Warren: The best thing to happen to the right-hander was losing the spring training battle to be the fifth starter. Moved to the pen and became a cog in the team’s best department, while appearing in 42 games. Grade: B
David Phelps: Versatile right-hander opened the season in the pen and moved into the rotation May 5. He has made 13 starts, going 3-4 with a 3.96 ERA. Grade: B
Hiroki Kuroda: His 116 1/3 innings are second on the team, and he has assumed the staff ace role with Tanaka gone. Pitched better the last two starts. Grade:Â B
Brett Gardner: Gold Glove candidate in left and might be a better center fielder than Ellsbury. Consistent at the plate and on the basepaths. Grade: B
Mark Teixeira: Said in spring training if he remained healthy, he would hit 30 homers and drive in 100 runs. He goes into the All-Star break with 17 and 48. Average (.241) isn’t what it should be, but run production is. Extra credit for defense at first. Grade: B
Derek Jeter: His last Post report card isn’t in the mold of others. Has stayed healthy (playing in 83 of 94 games) and is hitting .272, which is 40 points below career average. Grade: C
Brian Roberts: Was signed to play second base and hit in the lower third of the order. Injury history made him a question mark. Not the player he used to be but serviceable and has avoided the DL for the first time since 2009. Grade: C
Yangervis Solarte: Was the feel-good story of the opening six weeks and then fell so far he was sent to Triple-A. There was a reason the infielder spent eight years in the minors without a taste of the big leagues. Grade: C
Matt Thornton: A 3.10 ERA is deceiving. A more telling number is the .244 average (11-for-45) left-handed hitters are compiling against the lefty reliever. Grade: C
Ichiro Suzuki: Yes, he is batting .297, but he plays a corner outfield spot and his next homer will be his first. If you play the corner in the AL and don’t have power, a .320 average would help. Grade: C
Shawn Kelley: Spent almost a month on the DL and watched Dellin Betances take over his late-inning gig. Has pitched better of late and taken some of the load off an overworked bullpen. Grade: C
Brian McCann: Has gotten warmer at the plate in the last eight games, but can’t ignore the first three months when he batted .221. Pitchers gush about pitch-calling, but five years and $85 million was supposed to buy more. Grade: C
Brendan Ryan: Was signed to a two-year deal for $5 million to back up at short and second. Opened the season on the DL. Provides eye-popping defense but carries a soft stick. Grade: C
Chase Whitley: Rookie right-hander made a very good early impression as a starter, but has faltered lately. If he stays in the big leagues, it will be as a reliever. Grade: C
Carlos Beltran: A bone spur in the right elbow cost him three weeks on the DL in May and June. Suffered a concussion last week and was put on the seven-day DL. On the field, he is hitting .216. Grade: F
Kelly Johnson: To be fair, he is a second baseman who was signed to play third against right-handed pitchers. Forced to play first when Teixeira was on the DL, then sat while Solarte sizzled. Still, the .214 average can’t be ignored. Grade: F
Joe Girardi: A year ago, he kept a wounded team in the hunt until late in the season. This year at the All-Star break, the Yankees are in play again despite more injuries. Grade: B
Brian Cashman: The Masahiro Tanaka signing was wonderful. Jacoby Ellsbury was given too much money and too many years, but he is a productive player. Signing Brett Garner to an extension was very smart, while Carlos Beltran and Kelly Johnson were mistakes. Grade: B