New York Yankees

2023 report: 82-80

Fourth place, AL East

Team OPS: .701 (twenty fourth in MLB)

Team ERA: 3.97 (ninth in MLB)

What Went Right

It’s a brief checklist. Gerrit Cole was the one true fixed for the Yankees this 12 months, posting an AL-best 2.63 ERA over 33 begins. After ending second within the Cy Young Award balloting in 2019 and 2021, he’s the sturdy favourite to lastly take house the {hardware} in November. Aaron Judge was a power when wholesome and Gleyber Torres helped choose up **some** of the slack for the offense this 12 months. While the rotation struggled exterior of Cole, the Yankees’ bullpen had the bottom ERA within the majors at 3.34. Clay Holmes, Clark Schmidt, Ian Hamilton, and Michael King all figured closely into their success. King additionally confirmed some upside as a possible beginning pitcher late within the season, posting a 1.88 ERA and 48/9 Ok/BB ratio in 38 1/3 innings throughout eight begins. Youngsters Austin Wells and Jason Dominguez additionally confirmed some promise in a small pattern in September.

What Went Wrong

Almost every little thing. At 82 wins, the Yankees completed with their lowest win complete in a full 162-game season since 1992. Carlos Rodon was imagined to type a potent 1-2 punch with Gerrit Cole after inking a six-year, $162 million contract, however he handled forearm, again, and hamstring accidents whereas posting a brutal 6.85 ERA over 14 begins. Aaron Judge missed practically two months with a torn ligament in his huge proper toe and the Yankees’ lineup was positively feeble with out him. Only the Athletics (.223) posted a decrease crew batting common than the Yankees’ .227 mark for the 12 months. Top prospect Anthony Volpe struggled to remain over the Mendoza Line for a superb portion of his rookie marketing campaign. Anthony Rizzo posted his lowest OPS (.706) in a full season, partially the results of enjoying via the after-effects of a concussion. Not good. Veterans like Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu additionally didn’t produce consistent with their respective monitor data. The Yankees minimize bait on each Josh Donaldson and Aaron Hicks in the course of the summer season and Harrison Bader was let go on waivers in August after he largely struggled to remain on the sphere. Rodon wasn’t the one disappointment within the rotation, as Luis Severino allowed 23 house runs in simply 89 1/3 innings whereas posting a 6.65 ERA. After making the All-Star crew in 2022, Nestor Cortes scuffled with a 4.97 ERA in 12 begins earlier than being shut down with a left rotator cuff pressure. Frankie Montas required shoulder surgical procedure in March, throwing simply 1 1/3 innings within the remaining week of the season. Domingo German had an up-and-down season, highlighted by the twenty fourth excellent sport in MLB historical past in June, however he didn’t pitch after July 31 as a result of an incident within the Yankees’ clubhouse which led to him being positioned on the restricted checklist whereas in search of remedy for alcohol abuse.

Fantasy Slants

**In some respects, the Yankees’ season was about what might have been. What if Aaron Judge didn’t slam his proper huge toe into the fitting subject fence at Dodger Stadium in June? The Yankees have been 10 video games over .500 on the time of the damage. One factor’s for positive: Judge nearly definitely would have justified the early first-round price ticket in fantasy leagues. When wholesome, Judge put up comparable manufacturing to his historic MVP marketing campaign from 2022, launching 37 homers whereas amassing 75 RBI and 79 runs scored in simply 106 video games. However, an uptick in strikeouts minimize into his batting common and he didn’t run in any respect because of the toe damage. Judge shouldn’t be anticipated to require surgical procedure on the toe in the course of the offseason, so hopefully some prolonged relaxation will get him nearer to full power. He’s nonetheless a simple first-rounder in combined leagues from right here.

**As famous above, Gerrit Cole was the brilliant mild in a darkish 12 months for the Yankees. The 33-year-old led the American League in ERA (2.63), WHIP (0.98) and innings pitched (209) whereas permitting his fewest house runs in a full season since 2018. Interestingly, Cole pulled this off regardless of posting his lowest strikeout proportion since his remaining season with the Pirates in 2017. Even with the wonderful management, his xERA (3.48) didn’t absolutely again up what he completed this 12 months. He’s very deserving of his first Cy Young Award, regardless that it will be a shock to see a sub-3 ERA subsequent 12 months. Still, he is perhaps the most secure beginning pitcher on draft boards going into 2024.

**On the power of a powerful exhibiting in spring coaching, Anthony Volpe received a spot because the Yankees’ Opening Day shortstop, although maybe expectations have been a bit out of whack. It was straightforward to see the fantasy attraction, however his manufacturing between Double- and Triple-A final 12 months didn’t precisely leap off the web page. The excellent news is that he held his personal defensively as a rookie whereas placing up 21 homers and 24 steals for fantasy managers, however he batted simply .209/.283/.383 over 601 plate appearances. Among certified MLB hitters, solely Zach McKinstry, Enrique Hernandez, Myles Straw, Javier Baez, and Tim Anderson have been worse than Volpe’s .666 OPS. In addition to his struggles in opposition to right-handed pitching (.624 OPS in comparison with .817 OPS in opposition to lefties), Volpe struck out 27.8 p.c of the time and didn’t stand out by way of high quality of contact. There’s nonetheless room for him to develop going into his age-23 season, however he’s a fringy middle-infielder choice in customary combined leagues till the batting common improves.

**The Yankees might need underachieved this 12 months, however Gleyber Torres quietly had his finest season since his breakout 2019 marketing campaign. An enormous purpose for this was an enormous step ahead in his plate self-discipline. Torres minimize his strikeout fee from 22.6 p.c to 14.6 p.c whereas additionally rising his stroll fee to 10 p.c. Not surprisingly, his batting common benefited from the change in strategy, however his zone contact fee additionally soared to a career-best 87.8 p.c. Torres may by no means attain the heights of his 38-homer marketing campaign once more, however he’s hit at the very least 24 homers in every of the final two seasons whereas additionally reaching double-digit steals in three straight seasons.

**It was an up-and-down 12 months for Clay Holmes, however he completed on a excessive notice. After a brutal stretch from mid-to-late August, he allowed only one run in his remaining 13 appearances — with eight saves — whereas profitable AL Reliever of the Month for September. The rebound in all probability helped win many a head-to-head playoff format. Holmes noticed a tiny improve in walks this 12 months, however he continued to rack up the strikeouts whereas limiting arduous contact and retaining the ball on the bottom. He’s more likely to be drafted on the cusp of the top-10 fantasy closers subsequent 12 months, however the expertise stay rock stable.

**Jasson Dominguez was a breath of contemporary air upon his promotion to the majors in September, taking Justin Verlander deep in his first profession at-bat and including three extra homers in simply 33 plate appearances earlier than happening with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his proper (throwing) elbow. He required Tommy John surgical procedure with an inner brace restore, which can doubtless hold him sidelined till round midseason subsequent 12 months. “The Martian” slashed .254/.367/.414 with 15 house runs and 37 stolen bases over 109 video games within the minors this season, which doesn’t precisely blow anybody away, however he was simply 20 years outdated and noticed improved manufacturing because the 12 months moved alongside. Dominguez stays a reputation to observe in fantasy leagues, however he’s going to be extra of a wait-and-see choice in redraft codecs till he nears completion of his rehab course of.

Key Free Agents

Luis Severino, Frankie Montas, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Wandy Peralta, Keynan Middleton

Team Needs

It doesn’t sound like several modifications are coming with Aaron Boone or Brian Cashman, however Yankees managing common accomplice Hal Steinbrenner has promised a third-party audit of the group and the crew’s decision-making. Judge, the Yankees’ crew captain, has stated he desires to be concerned in offseason discussions and even remarked that the crew is perhaps taking a look at “the wrong numbers” by way of their analytics.

That course of apart, the Yankees have some apparent wants, most notably a left-handed hitting outfielder. Impending free agent Cody Bellinger has been talked about most ceaselessly, although the worth tag might be appreciable after his spectacular turnaround with the Cubs this previous season.

In addition to lineup wants, search for the Yankees to fortify their rotation. A reunion with Jordan Montgomery is a chance, however the Yankees must also be one of many important suitors for standout Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. General supervisor Brian Cashman was considered one of many baseball executives who scouted the 25-year-old in particular person this 12 months. Of course, they’re going to face loads of competitors from the opposite deep-pocketed groups across the league.