by Nine games in, and yes, the Yankees are winning, but let’s be real — there is a real problem hiding in plain sight at the bottom of this lineup.
The Yankees are not losing because of this right now.
That is the part that makes this conversation a little weird.
They are winning games. The pitching has been strong. Timely hits have shown up when they needed them. So nobody is lighting the building on fire yet. For the exception of, Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton.
But nine games into the season, there is no way around what the numbers are saying.
A big chunk of this lineup has opened the year under .200, and it is not just one cold bat. It is multiple spots. That matters.
The Yankees currently have five hitters under .200
Through nine games, these are the Yankees hitters sitting under the Mendoza Line:
Ryan McMahon
McMahon has had one of the roughest starts on the roster. We are talking about a batting average hovering near the floor, almost no impact contact, too many strikeouts, and not enough damage to balance any of it out. Yes, he has drawn a few walks. No, that does not erase how ugly the at-bats have looked overall.
Austin Wells
This is another one that jumps out fast. Wells has not gotten going yet, and the production just has not been there. Very few hits, very little offensive impact, and too many empty trips. For a player the Yankees need more from, this is a slow start that fans are absolutely noticing.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
This one feels louder because of expectations. When Jazz is right, he brings energy, athleticism, and game-changing ability. But through nine games, the average is under .200, the power has not shown up yet the way people hoped, and the swing-and-miss has been part of the story.
Trent Grisham
Grisham has had a couple flashes here and there, but the overall line is still sitting under .200. A walk here, a little speed there, maybe one extra-base knock, but not enough consistent offense to make the stat line look any better than it is.
José Caballero
Caballero might be getting the most heat because of the situation around him. He got an opportunity with Anthony Volpe out, and so far, he has not done much with it offensively & defensively. That is just the truth. When you get a window like this, people want to see you force the issue. Right now, that has not happened.
This is where Yankees fans start getting irritated
And honestly, you cannot even blame them.
It is one thing when one guy is cold. Baseball is built on slumps. That happens. But when you start looking at the lower half of the order and seeing multiple bats under .200 at the same time, it drags the whole feel of the lineup down.
You can survive it for a week.
You can maybe survive it for two weeks if the stars are carrying you and the pitching staff is dealing.
But long-term? No. That is how good starts get wasted.
The Yankees have been able to cover for it so far because the top of the roster has done enough and the arms have kept games under control. But you do not want to keep asking the same few guys to do all the heavy lifting every night.
Caballero and McMahon stand out for different reasons
Caballero stands out because this feels like an audition.
If Volpe is coming back, then the pressure is obvious. You had a chance to make noise, hold down the position, maybe even force a tougher decision. Instead, the bat has been quiet, and that is going to make it very easy for the Yankees to hand the job right back when Volpe is ready.
McMahon is different.
He is not just filling in. He is supposed to be part of the solution. He is supposed to be an everyday player. That is why his start feels heavier. The Yankees committed to him, and right now they are getting almost nothing from the bat. Defense can help keep you in the lineup, sure, but eventually you still have to hit enough to justify the spot.
Small sample size? Yes. Still a problem? Also yes
This is the part where people start yelling small sample size, and they are not wrong.
Nine games is nothing in the full picture of a season. A good weekend can change a batting average fast in April. One hot streak and suddenly the numbers do not look nearly as dramatic.
But that does not mean you ignore what has happened.
You acknowledge both things at once.
It is early.
And it has still been bad.
That is the fair way to look at it.
The good news for the Yankees
The good news is the Yankees have not let this become a season-defining issue yet.
That is important.
They have banked wins while several hitters are ice cold. That gives them room. It gives them time. It gives them a chance to let some of these guys breathe and hopefully level out before the problem starts costing them games on a regular basis.
But let’s not act like nobody sees it.
People see it.
Five hitters under .200 through nine games is not just a random note you bury at the bottom of a stat page. That is a real early-season storyline, especially when several of those names are getting regular at-bats in important spots.
The Yankees are winning, so nobody is panicking yet.
But if this bottom half does not wake up soon, the conversation is going to get louder fast.
And honestly, it should.
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