Yankees need these 5 things to happen in second half to finish with best AL record

The Yankees' first half couldn't have been scripted better. Their pitching was phenomenal, Aaron Judge is at the top of the AL MVP race, homers are flying out of Yankee Stadium daily, players are stepping up left and right in clutch moments to pull out wins. 

All of that equals the best record in MLB. 

But as baseball fans have seen over the years, anything can happen. The Yanks realize this, too, which is why all focus is on maintaining their lead in the division, finishing with the best record in the AL, and continuing to play well heading into October:

Help At Trade Deadline

Brian Cashman will have his phones (yes, plural) ready to go these next couple weeks. The Yanks are expected to make some upgrades to shore up their roster with the small holes they do have. 

Where? Well, the starting pitching market, specifically Luis Castillo and Frankie Montas. Castillo had a strong seven-inning outing in the Bronx last Thursday, so the Bombers saw up close and personal the impact he can have on a rotation that has sputtered recently. 

There's also the outfield situation. Andrew Benintendi is now unlikely to wear pinstripes due to not being vaccinated against COVID-19 (the Yanks still have games to play in Toronto), so Ian Happ, the Chicago Cubs' All-Star center fielder, comes to the front of the list. He's a switch hitter with solid outfield skills who would allow Judge to move back to right most nights. 

And then there's the Juan Soto situation: Do the Yanks want to truly go all-in and get the Washington Nationals superstar? Lots will happen before Aug. 2, but to ensure the Yanks keep humming along, Cashman will have to bring in some reinforcements.

Judge Keeps Pace

The Yankees' success has been largely linked with Judge's ability to mash baseballs at a high clip this season. 

When he was mired in a bit of a slump for 25 games, the Yanks went 13-12 in those contests before he started to click right before the break. His production is linked with winning, so the Yanks will need him to keep that going. 

And there's no reason to expect Judge not to do that. He looks very comfortable at the dish, finding his pitch and making teams pay for giving it to him in his wheelhouse. That patience and raw power has been a delight to see for Yankee fans on a nightly basis. 

Will there be spurts of bad play? Sure. There's lots of games left. The Yanks just need him to keep his current pace, come through clutch and continue to be their leader on and off the field. 

Continued Health

At this rate, Aaron Boone knows his team can just continue as normal to clinch the division title. They've performed well against division opponents and everyone else for that matter. 

But we've already seen what we should expect more from him in the second half: Sitting his star players and making sure everyone is well rested. 

There's no reason to play Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and others if the division lead remains in the double digits. Health, at this point, is the most important thing for the Yankees. 

The pitching staff is of even greater importance because guys like Nestor Cortes, Luis Severino and Jameson Taillon are on pace for innings totals they haven't reach in quite a while. Managing them well, and making sure that caution is always used no matter the circumstance, will be a major key for the coaching staff. 

Lock In Through Tough August Stretch

When you take a look at the schedule, you'll find that the Yanks have somewhat of a gauntlet beginning in August with the surging Seattle Mariners coming to the Bronx. Then, they face these playoff contenders in order: St. Louis Cardinals, Mariners in Seattle, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, and Mets before beginning a west coast road trip with the Oakland Athletics. 

They'll have to face the Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers and their division foes more, but that's a pretty rough stretch schedule-wise for most teams. The Yanks, of course, haven't performed like most teams this year. But they will need to lock in during these couple of weeks to make sure they remain dominant. 

Eyes On The Prize

Again, the Yanks are in terrific position to make the postseason, but they can't let their first half surge fog their vision on what's most important. 

You can already hear it from the players and Boone that all this winning is great -- if they can hold the hardware at the end of the season. Having that mindset is key in the second half, because it ensures your foot stays on the pedal.