Everything’s on the line for the Yankees: 4 of the most intriguing players to watch in September

Even though the Yankees entered Labor Day with a half-game lead over their rivals in first place and the best record in the AL, there were still many questions surrounding the 2024 season.

As they receive additions from the injured list, are they getting closer to the team that started 40-19?

Or are they more likely to be the .500 (39-39) club as of June 1 (through Sunday), even with the dynamic, historic lineup of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge and ace Gerrit Cole, who has shown more Cy Young Award-worthy traits of late?

From there, it’s a sprint to capture the AL East. And around September 24-26, the Yanks’ final regular-season series against the second-place Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium.

In the meantime, here are four fascinating Yankees players — one outside hitter, one inside hitter, one starter and one reliever — with interesting stories in this final month of the regular season.

Yankees observers were somewhat stunned by the team’s immediate decision to keep Jason Dominguez in Triple-A.

Dominguez could still be a part of the September campaign and the playoff roster, but the organization’s current stance is to only sign him if he gets a chance to play regularly.

For now, Verdugo is still seen as a left back, despite regularly playing at the back of the lineup.

Verdugo posted poor numbers for an offensive player in the second half of the season, but he offered Gold Glove-level defense and averaged .353 (12-for-34) over his last nine games.

Meanwhile, outside hitter Trent Grisham is in danger of losing his roster spot because Dominguez is fast and defensive-minded and Duke Ellis was called up on Sunday.

During the Yankees’ last two playoff appearances, in 2021 and 2022, LeMahieu was not included in the postseason roster due to injury.

This time there is a possibility that he will be omitted due to a management decision.

With an OPS of .526 in 66 games through Sunday, the veteran has lost his regular role and now serves as a right-handed hitter in defense of left-handed corner outfielders Anthony Rizzo and Jazz Chisholm.

What happens when versatile and defensively fast right-handed Jon Berti returns?

Berti, who is expected to arrive in about a week after a lengthy recovery from a strained calf muscle, could prevent LeMahieu from earning playing time, while Oswaldo Cabrera will serve as the all-purpose player.

There is another versatile interior player with good defense in the minor leagues – Oswald Peraza.

LeMahieu has two years left on his $30 million contract after this season, but his future is uncertain at best.

Coach Aaron Boone said there is a “very good chance” that Luis Gil (back strain) and Clarke Schmidt (lat strain) will return to the rotation this weekend at Wrigley Field.

This leaves the Yankees with six starters and will only need four in the postseason.

Will Gil eventually move to the bullpen, given his incredible arsenal and the fact that he has already far exceeded his previous personal single-season innings limit?

This is his first full year after Tommy John surgery, and perhaps the original intention was to employ Gil as a bullpen weapon until October.

However, he has proven to be valuable enough in the starting lineup that the club should keep him in the rotation, hoping he can use this month to return to his first-half form.

Acquired on the final day of the trade period from the Cubs, Leiter Jr. was armed with a unique splitter.

The Yankees hoped that this type of pitch would allow the right-handed player to retain his swing and miss skills (ideally in 2024) and neutralize left-handed hitters on a team without a dominant left-handed reliever.

Well, in eight appearances since Aug. 11 (through Sunday), Leiter has posted a 9.82 ERA with five walks and 11 hits — four of them home runs — in 7.1 innings for a stunning OPS of 1.239.

The right-handed hitter has been working in low-risk positions recently to get back on track.

The Yankees, meanwhile, just got Scott Effross back, who had a rough season debut on Sunday, giving up two runs in two-thirds of an inning against St. Louis.

Veteran right-hander Lou Trivino is back in Triple-A action, and Ian Hamilton (lat strain) is expected to return to rehab from last week’s injury (back spasms) and could soon return to a leading role in Boone’s bullpen.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New York Yankees players to watch in the final month of the 2024 season