3. Will Coors Field ignite Bombers offense?

While Rodon and the other New York pitchers could see problems with keeping runs off the board, the offense could benefit from playing at Coors Field this weekend.

Some big-time hitters need a good second half to help this Yankees team get into the playoffs until Aaron Judge’s return.

DJ LeMahieu could especially use this three-game set as a springboard for his second half. He’s hitting just .220 with seven home runs and 27 RBI, but that can change this weekend. The former Rockie has 1,938 plate appearances at Coors and is slashing .329/.387/.447 with a .834 OPS at that stadium. He’s hit 21 home runs at Coors -- second to Yankee Stadium -- and has 197 RBI in Colorado, the most he has in any stadium in his career.

Giancarlo Stanton (.203 BA/nine home runs/23 RBI) is hitting .286 with 10 home runs and 24 in 23 career games at Coors while on the flip side, Josh Donaldson (.152 BA/10 home runs/15 RBI) is hitting just .241 in seven career games in Colorado with one home run and five RBI.

This will also be Anthony Volpe’s first taste of Coors where his speed can lead to a lot of doubles and even triples under the right circumstance.

We'll see if the Yankee offense can get out of the gate on the right foot in Coors Field and keep it going in the second half.

4. Can Clarke Schmidt keep his spot in rotation

Schmidt is scheduled to pitch the middle game of this weekend’s three-game series and every start is important if he wants to stay in the rotation when Nestor Cortes returns.

Over his last seven games (six starts), Schmidt has pitched to a 2-1 record with a 3.34 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. In that time he’s given up 12 earned runs and struck out 22 batters in 32.1 innings. However, he’s been on the wrong end of the Yankees’ recent power outage.

Ignoring his 0.2-inning performance on July 9 in relief, Schmidt has given up three runs in the two previous starts but has not made it out of the sixth inning. That won’t get it done for this club if he hopes to stay on.

However, prior to that, he went on a stretch where he gave up two or fewer runs in four starts.

If Schmidt pitches like that moving forward, it’ll be hard for the Yankees to take him out of the rotation, especially if Luis Severino continues to falter.

Simply put, Schmidt pitches well on Saturday and he’ll continue to show his team why he shouldn’t be the odd man out in a few weeks.

5. Take a good look at possible trade pieces

It’s not uncommon for clubs to talk deals with a hosting team when they’re visiting their ballpark, and with the Rockies likely to be sellers at the trade deadline Cashman and the Yanks could use this trip to see how Colorado can improve the team.

While the Yankees’ bullpen is arguably the best in baseball, they can always make room for some depth pieces and the Rockies have one veteran reliever they can trade.

Brad Hand is on a one-year deal with the Rockies, with a team option for 2024, so he’s easy to move. His numbers may not be as great as you’d like, but his time pitching in Coors Field can balloon some numbers. In 29.2 innings pitched, Hands has struck out 35 batters but has a 5.16 ERA. Again, he may be worth the risk for the right price especially since he’s a veteran lefty with postseason experience.

Outfielder Jurickson Profar was on the Yankees’ radar this offseason to fill their left-field hole but they balked at adding him due to payroll restraints. He’s on a one-year contract with the Rockies, so he’d be a rental but his switch-hitting ability could be an asset to a team desperate for some outfield offense. His defense, however, leaves a lot to be desired this season. He’s a -9 in outs above replacement, his worst fielding season since 2018 when he was an infielder for the Rangers.

And then there’s All-Star Game MVP Elias Diaz who is having the best season of his career. The combination of Jose Trevino and Kyle Higashioka has not produced offensively this season, so perhaps the 32-year-old could be an upgrade for the team if the Rockies are willing to deal him.

He’s in the second year of a three-year, $14.5 million deal so if the offense-starved Yanks can swing a deal for the catcher perhaps it’ll be worth it.

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