The MLB All-Star Break is the perfect opportunity for teams, managers, players, and fans to reflect on how the season is unfolding. There were highs and lows throughout the first half of the Yankees' campaign, culminating in a 54-42 record that has them three games behind the Rays in the race for the American League's top spot. Things could be much better, sure, but they could also be a lot worse, all things considered. With that being said, 96 games is a large enough sample size to analyze the Yankees' performance, especially each of the club's positional groups. While some positions are exceeding expectations ahead of the century mark, others have left plenty to be desired. Here are the first-half grades for each of the Yankees' positions. Starting rotation: A-World Series hopefuls need reliable starting pitching to compete for a title. Fortunately, that's what the Yankees have this season. Even though the starting rotation has dealt with its fair share of injuries and even saw Luis Gil jettisoned from the mix early in the year, the unit has remained one of New York's strengths. Leading the AL with a 4.1 WAR, Cam Schlittler is a legitimate Cy Young candidate with a 9-5 record and league-best 2.05 ERA through 20 starts. Max Fried was sitting at a 3.21 ERA through 10 starts before landing on the IL; however, he should be back in the near future. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón have been reliable after late starts to the year, while Ryan Weathers and Will Warren have been serviceable more often than not, even if their recent performances have trailed off. Cam Schlittler has been instrumental in the Yankees' early success. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectAs of Tuesday, the Yankees' starters have a 3.58 ERA, which ranks fifth-best in the majors. Sure, they could add another veteran starter before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, but it's clear that the Bronx Bombers' starters have what it takes to compete with the best in baseball. Bullpen: BThe Yankees currently have the best bullpen ERA in all of baseball (3.04), but that doesn't mean the unit has been perfect. In fact, it's been a constant source of headaches throughout the season. When it comes to the good, relievers like Fernando Cruz and Brent Headrick have been reliable since Opening Day. David Bednar and Paul Blackburn have had their hiccups, but they've been turning things around lately. Unfortunately, not everyone has been as consistent out of the bullpen. Camilo Doval's arm has done more harm than good this season, while Tim Hill's recent run is giving the Yankees good reason to turn the page. There's also Ryan Yarbrough, who could give the opposition opportunities to score just as easily as he could pitch a few shutout innings. That's just too much volatility, especially when New York has legitimate World Series aspirations. Needless to say, bolstering the Yankees' bullpen should be near the top of general manager Brian Cashman's to-do list before the trade deadline. Infield: C+If it weren't for Ben Rice's breakout performance, the Yankees' infield would be graded much worse than it is. The 2026 Home Run Derby participant has already racked up career-high marks in HRs (29), RBIs (68), WAR (2.8), OPS (.971), and OPS+ (167) through 91 appearances, sparking hope that he'll be a perennial AL MVP candidate for years to come. Ben Rice has been the brightest spot of the Yankees' infield this season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectSecond baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. hasn't come close to replicating last season's All-Star performance, casting doubt over his future in New York as free agency looms this winter. José Caballero had a strong start to the year as the No. 1 shortstop, but his performance eventually tailed off before he was forced to platoon with Anthony Volpe, who's running out of time in the Bronx. Ryan McMahon has also been a disaster at third base, often giving the Yankees reasons to replace him, whether that's via trade or an in-house call-up like George Lombard Jr. Either way, the status quo at the hot corner can't remain. Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario have had their moments, but they aren't long-term answers given where they are in their careers. Even if they address only one of the middle-infield spots and 3B, any upgrade would improve the Yankees' outlook.Catcher: FAsk any Yankees fan what the team's worst position is, and they'll tell you it's catcher nine times out of 10. The 10th fan interviewed likely forgot about the position altogether. That's how bad it's been. Austin Wells hasn't come close to resembling the player who had 21 HRs and 71 RBIs last season, tallying just six and 13, respectively, through 66 games so far. He's batting .155 with a putrid .504 OPS, which highlights why the Yankees made an effort to target catching prospects Brendan Brock and Bear Harrison early in the 2026 MLB Draft. Ali Sánchez has been slightly better than Wells, but he isn't a full-timer, either, and isn't seeing the ball as well as he was in the middle of June (.154 batting average in last eight games, 13 at-bats). J.C. Escarra is with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after stinking up the Bronx as Wells's backup earlier this season, so giving him another shot—barring injury—is out of the question. It's hard to imagine the Yankees winning the World Series with any of their current catchers starting, giving Cashman & Co. another trade-deadline priority to consider. Trading for one of the top names might be hard, though, which could postpone a solution until the offseason. Outfield: B+The Yankees' outfield has been battle-tested throughout the season, with Aaron Judge and Trent Grisham each spending time on the injured list. Those issues thrust young guns like Spencer Jones and Jasson Domínguez into the spotlight, perhaps before they were ready for the assignment. Despite all of that, the group has still played well. He's still on the IL, and it isn't his best performance, but Judge was still slugging .533 with a .907 OPS and 17 homers in 59 games—much better than your average outfielder. Trent Grisham boasts a .327 batting average, .917 OPS and 13 RBIs in 27 games since May 22, proving that any early concerns were overblown. Cody Bellinger has been the healthiest of the trio, sitting at 11 HRs, 51 RBIs, 51 walks and a .345 on-base percentage in 94 outings. Cody Bellinger - New York Yankees (11) pic.twitter.com/Xf1imDcj5n— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) June 17, 2026The Yankees are hoping to have Judge back sometime in August, while Giancarlo Stanton's eventual return—if that even happens this year—could also provide a boost (even if he's more of a DH these days). Nevertheless, New York should be happy with how its outfielders have performed this season, giving hope that the unit will remain a strength down the stretch. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow