The Yankees are without some of their best hitters like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Aaron Hicks, but they continue to win games.
So what's been the secret for this makeshift ballclub that has been without some of their All-Stars? Timely hitting.
It was showcased in the form of Gio Urshela, a player who recently has had the flair for the dramatic, on Friday night in Tampa. In the sixth with the Yanks down by one, he had a clutch, two-out single to take the lead and New York didn't look back from there. There was also DJ LeMahieu's walk-off single against the Mariners earlier this week -- a moment that wouldn't have happened if Urshela didn't go deep to tie the game.
Hitting coach Marcus Thames has loved what he's seen at the plate when it comes to the Yankees having runners in scoring position. It was an area they needed to clean up after last season, and their work to do so is paying dividends.
"That's how you win games," hitting coach Marcus Thames told The Post's Ken Davidoff. "If you get guys out there, you've got to find a way to get them in. Pass the baton to the next guy if they don't get their pitch to hit, see what we have to do. Guys have been doing a pretty good job at it."
The Yankees are hitting .272/.355/.422 with runners in scoring position coming into tonight's contest with the Rays. That's an impressive slash line, especially considering those aforementioned sluggers haven't been at the dish. In fact, those players are normally all-or-nothing hitters, rather than a hitter like LeMahieu who wants to simply make contact no matter where the ball lands.
But when health finds its way to the Yankees again, Thames knows they'll also step up when runners are on second and third due to their work down in Spring Training.
"Guys are out there just trying not to do too much," he said. "Do what the game calls for. [With a] guy at second base, no outs, we don't want you to give up an out, but if there's a chance to move a guy over to score a run, [do it]. … That's just been the mindset of guys. It's been working so far."
Luke Voit is an example of a power hitter making the best of RBI chances already. He has a great slash line of .344/.463/.719 with runners in scoring position.
"I think that's the mentality of our team," Voit said. "If I don't get the job done, if Sanchez doesn't, then Gleyber or Gio. The next guy. It's been pretty fun because I feel like there have been situations where the first two guys don't get it done, it's two outs, two strikes, and somehow still gets a hit. It's been pretty impressive."
That next-man up mentality has been on display a lot more recently, as they've won five of their last six games. And at the end of the day, it doesn't matter whose the hero getting the clutch hit.
Manager Aaron Boone and the rest of the team is only worried about the win being tallied to their record.
"It feels like we've done a good job as a whole," Boone said. "Different guys have had good at-bats. That's been huge in allowing us to win ball games."