2023 was a disappointing year for the Pinstripes. The New York Yankees finished with an 82-80 record and failed to make the postseason for the first time since 2016 while wasting a Cy Young campaign from starting pitcher Gerrit Cole.
The Yankees’ lineup dealt with a multitude of injuries last season. Star outfielder Aaron Judge only played 106 games due to a toe injury that kept him sidelined for an extended period. Others, such as first baseman Anthony Rizzo and utility infielder DJ LeMahieu, also missed time. Even though rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe and second baseman Gelyber Torres each provided timely at-bats, they could not carry a struggling lineup or make up for a rotation that performed poorly outside of Cole.
2024 will require New York’s mainstays to rebound and their new additions to live up to expectations. If all goes according to plan, the Yankees could be in for a “told you so” sort of year.
The Lineup
Back in December, the Bronx Bombers traded for superstar outfielder Juan Soto. The former National and Padre is one of baseball’s premier hitters and figures to boost the Yankees’ lineup immediately. Soto is coming off a season in which he ranked in the 100th percentile in walk percentage. His plate discipline will be important, and the 25-year-old’s ability to simply get on base could help set up sluggers like Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
The Yankees also added outfielders Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham. They acquired Verdugo in a trade with the Boston Red Sox, and while his skill set is not elite, he does possess a scrappy approach that could benefit a team that will need every win it can get. Grisham came over in the Soto deal and, much like Verdugo, the Yankees expect him to bring high-energy play in the field and, at a minimum, intelligence at the plate.
Many of New York’s returning players will have a lot to prove after they holistically struggled last season, batting .227 as a team. Judge will be Judge, health permitting. But Rizzo, Stanton, LeMahieu and catcher Jose Trevino are all major question marks. Even a player like Torres, who was solid in 2023, has to show that last season was not a happy accident.
Youngsters like Volpe, utility man Oswaldo Cabrera and catcher Austin Wells will surely contribute, as will others like infielder Oswald Peraza and outfielders Jasson Dominguez and Everson Pereira when they inevitably either get healthy or receive big league plate appearances. However, expecting them to carry the offense would not be fair. The vets must prove they can still consistently produce at a high level.
The Starting Rotation
The Yankees’ starting rotation will be working from a deficit to start the season. Cole will be out for an extended period as he deals with nerve inflammation in his right elbow. It is a huge loss for New York. The California native went 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA last year en route to winning his first Cy Young.
Cole’s initial absence will force other rotation members to find their comfort zone early in the season. New addition Marcus Stroman is coming off of a season in which he earned a 3.95 ERA but struggled in the second half of the season. Clarke Schmidt was decent but has only been a starter for one entire season. Additionally, Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodon missed most of last season and were not supremely effective when they pitched. Further, New York’s fifth starter to begin the year, Luis Gil, is largely unproven at the big league level.
The Bombers rotation clearly has talent, but consistency and availability will ultimately decide how well they fare.
The Bullpen
The 2023 Yankees had the best bullpen ERA in baseball. As one of last year’s lone bright spots, it would be fair to assume that the pen will enjoy similar success this season. But after losing Michael King in the Soto deal and allowing Wandy Peralta to walk in free agency, New York’s bullpen may experience some turbulence.
Clay Holmes will return as the club’s closer, and the emergence of Ian Hamilton last year put him in line to be this season’s setup man. New additions like Caleb Ferguson and Victor Gonzalez must complement younger pieces such as Clayton Beeter and Ron Marinaccio, along with if general manager Brian Cashman has found more diamonds in the rough with Nick Burdi, Dennis Santana and Jake Cousins.
New York has put together solid bullpens in each of the past few seasons. While this year could represent some initial challenges, they will likely be able to scrape together another serviceable campaign. They are already behind the eight-ball, with Jonathan Loaisiga announced as out for the season this past weekend.
The Verdict
On paper, the 2024 Yankees have a chance to make a postseason run as one of the AL East’s most feared teams. Doing so will require them to play with a chip on their shoulder. Such a mentality would serve them well against a hungry young Baltimore Orioles squad with sights on winning their second straight division crown.
The lineup will need the vets to stay healthy and the younger members to experience encouraging stretches. New York’s rotation should have enough to survive Cole’s early absence, but they’ll have to receive consistent showings to properly set up a developing bullpen.
Recent Bronx Bomber teams failed to meet expectations. It is fitting that this season’s reload will only be successful if they finally live up to their talent level. All signs look like they are pointing in the right direction, starting the season off 10-2 with three series wins, but as everyone knows, it’s a long season, and time will tell where they stand after a full 162.
