Will the Yankees be carrying a “great” team into the postseason? Or, an “average” team that was truly great in early action before falling back to earth with a thud?

The Yankees very well could carry the second-best record in baseball into October. Yet, their 2018 record has been front-loaded. Daily standings are essentially giving them credit for how they “used” to play baseball from April through mid-June. Betting markets are largely doing the same based on recent pricing.

Focusing exclusively on statistics accumulated since the All-Star break paints a fairly gloomy picture in terms of “championship form.” There are 15 teams in the American League. Here are the Yankees’ rankings in a few key stats:

Yankees’ AL batting ranks
(since All-Star break)

The loss of Aaron Judge certainly hurt. It wasn’t supposed to hurt this much. Without Judge, the Yankees are right at “average” from the plate in the American League since the break.

Yankees’ AL pitching ranks
(since All-Star break)

And now, slightly below average on the mound. If you’re not a stathead, WHIP is walks plus hits allowed per innings pitched. Yankees hurlers are putting men on base and letting them come around to score.

Has the schedule been particularly tough since the break? Opposite. Current opponent Tampa Bay is a “tweener” that’s hung around the .500 mark for awhile. Opponents on the rest of the post-break slate can be categorized as great (four games against the Red Sox) and lousy (16 games against Mets, Royals, Orioles, White Sox and Rangers).

Less than 20 percent of the post-All Star break schedule has come against teams that will be in the playoffs. Mostly doormats. Yet, the Yankees rank only in the middle of the American League in important indicator stats during that stretch.

Bettors should continue monitoring post-All-Star-break rankings moving forward. Make the Yankees earn your backing in August, September, and October.