The 2025 season for the New York Yankees has been a frustrating one. From looking like one of the best teams early in the season, with Aaron Judge dominating even more than usual, to now in the final month of the year, having some clear concerns.
In the AL East, the Yankees sit three games back of the Toronto Blue Jays for the division lead, while also being essentially tied with the Boston Red Sox for second place in the division. New York can still win the East, but it's an uphill battle.
Blue Jays announcer Buck Martinez, during the Blue Jays game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night, didn't hold back in criticizing the Yankees, as he outright said the Yankees "are not a good team."
Blue Jays Announcer Says Yankees Aren't a Good Team
"The Yankees," Martinez said, "They're not a good team. I don't care what their record is. They have a lot of wild pitches, they make a lot of mistakes in the field, and they don't run the bases very well. If they don't hit home runs, they don't have a chance to win."
It's some scathing criticism from Martinez, who also happened to watch the Blue Jays team he's calling games for drop two of three to the same Yankees team that he deemed to be "not very good."
With both the Blue Jays and the Yankees playing at the same time, his comment did come during the Yankees' 12-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers. It was a rough loss for the Yankees, but the team is still within striking distance of the Blue Jays and looks to also have a postseason spot secured, sitting five games up on the Texas Rangers.
But the issues that Martinez pointed out are real problems. At times, the pitching has been suspect, as the Yankees have given up the fifth most walks (505) in Major League Baseball this season.
Regarding the team's fielding, Jasson Dominguez and Anthony Volpe have been major liabilities in the field this season, with Volpe's struggles becoming a major talking point in recent weeks.
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The base running in New York isn't as much of an issue as it is for other teams, but it's still not the best. Martinez's claims about why the Yankees aren't good, while over-exaggerated, are still issues the Yankees face.
Offensively, there is no issue with the Yankees, but on defense, there are real concerns. Volpe at shortstop has been a liability, and with fans calling for Aaron Boone to bench him, a lot of frustrations with the current Yankees team can be pointed towards the offense and defense of Volpe.
But for Martinez to say that the Yankees are not a good team is a step too far. Not because the team isn't dealing with the issues he outlined, but rather that the Yankees, even with those issues, are still one of the best teams in baseball.
Their offense isn't easy to manage, especially with Judge back in the lineup and dominating as usual. Defensively, outside of Volpe, now with Judge back in the outfield, things look a lot better than they did in August.
Martinez's claim that the Yankees are not a good team is a bold and wrong take to have. They're only three games back of the Blue Jays, and with plenty of season left to catch Toronto, Martinez might've jumped the gun on his criticism of the Yankees.
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