Every major league team has star players who underperform to start a season, just as every team also has at least one guy who outperforms expectations by a wide margin. The New York Yankees have had a bit of both so far in 2026, but what sets them apart from many other teams is that their success is not being spearheaded by their best players. If you told someone before the start of the season that Aaron Judge and Max Fried, the two most valuable players for the Yankees in 2025 on each side of the ball, wouldn’t be the best hitter and pitcher on the Yankees in 2026, they would (understandably) call it nonsense. But that is the reality for these Bronx Bombers, so here are the three biggest Yankees surprises to start the season.
The Three Biggest Yankees Surprises to Start 2026
Note: All stats entering June 2
3. Brent Headrick’s Subtly Superb Season
Going into this season and even last season, New York’s bullpen was/is clearly the team’s weakness. Instead of going after free agents to fill the holes left by Devin Williams and Luke Weaver departing in free agency, the Yankees opted to let some of the guys they already have get a shot. One of those guys, who has been one of their best relievers in 2026, is left-hander Brent Headrick.
The 28-year-old, hailing from Illinois, has quietly become one of manager Aaron Boone’s most reliable arms out of the ‘pen. Joining the Yankees last year after spending two years with Minnesota, Headrick has 27 innings under his belt to the tune of 29 strikeouts, 10 walks, and an ERA of just 2.00. Though it’s only June, it already appears that Headrick is and will be one of the key pieces of New York’s bullpen down the stretch and into the fall.
2. Ben Rice’s Breakout
For Yankee fans who actually watched Ben Rice all of last year, this one isn’t really too much of a surprise. Though his numbers from last season were certainly impressive, swatting 26 homers with an .836 OPS, those who saw how much hard contact Rice was making knew that once his bad luck ran out, he’d be one of the Yankees’ most feared hitters.
The Rice is Right.
Congratulations to Ben Rice on being named AL Player of the Week 👏 pic.twitter.com/16uiPjswb9
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 1, 2026
Not slowing down since being one of the Yankees’ top performers in April, he isn’t just one of their most feared hitters: he’s one of the most feared hitters in the entire league right now, leading the American League in RBI (44) and all of MLB in slugging (.658), OPS (1.056), and OPS+ (191). He’s also already surpassed his total brWAR from last season, racking up a total of 2.3 in brWAR so far as a first baseman/DH. Having one Aaron Judge in your team’s lineup is scary enough, but practically having TWO of them is just unfair for opposing pitchers.
1. Cy for Cam?
This one shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Cam Schlittler hasn’t just been New York’s best pitcher: he’s been one of the most effective and dominant pitchers in the entire league in 2026. If his debut last year wasn’t impressive enough with a 2.96 ERA and 84 strikeouts over 11 starts (73 innings), then he’s taken his game to the whole next level. Over his first 12 starts this year, he has a record of 7-2 with 81 strikeouts, leading the AL with his 1.50 ERA, a 1.92 FIP, 275 ERA+, and a mark of 3.2 brWAR.
Cam Schlittler, 101mph ⛽️
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 4, 2026
Again, unsurprisingly, his Baseball Savant page is also off the charts with some insane statistics. Statcast measures his expected ERA to be 2.54 (still in the top 8% of all qualified pitchers), average velocity at 97.6, and chase rate at a whopping 36.7%. He also ranks 3rd in all of MLB in terms of both BB/9 and HR/9, in total surrendering just 13 walks and three home runs so far, respectively. There isn’t much else to say other than the biggest of all Yankees surprises is that they may have MLB’s next best pitcher on their hands.
Main Photo Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
