If you had told me before the season that the Yankees would be without Michael Pineda for the year, Mariano Rivera for all but three weeks, Brett Gardner for all but a month, Andy Pettitte for eight weeks in the middle of the season and C.C. Sabathia for three weeks around the All-Star Break, I would’ve predicted a .500 or slightly better record at midseason and an upward climb to catch the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays. Instead, the Bombers have the best record in baseball (52-33) and hold a commanding seven-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles (the Orioles?!) in the AL East heading into the All-Star Break.

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