It’s officially March, and that means baseball is back! Spring training is underway, and the countdown to opening day begins. The 2024 season is looking especially optimistic for the New York Yankees. During the offseason, they made trades and additions to their 40-man roster that have fans excited for the outcome of the upcoming season. Juan Soto highlights their acquisitions. The Yankees gave up a haul to obtain the generational talent that is Juan Soto. The 25 year old has already won 4 Silver Slugger awards and an MVP seems like the very likely next step. They also brought in Trent Grisham, Alex Verdugo and righty pitcher Marcus Stroman who should enhance the strength of the outfield, lineup and bullpen.
The Yankees previously had a righty heavy lineup and limited pitching due to their numerous injuries last season, so these additions give fans hope for the games ahead. Soto, Grisham and Verdugo are all lefties. Clearly the Yankees front office tried to fix what was a glaring issue. First baseman Anthony Rizzo and pitchers Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodón, are all making comebacks this season after suffering injuries. They all will have something to prove as the stakes for this season are higher than last.
Aaron Judge, who broke the record for most home runs ever for an American League batter, was only able to appear in 106 games. A fluke injury sidelined him for a large chunk of the season. He still managed to hit 37 home runs and finish top-15 in the MVP race. A hopefully healthy season for him will be huge for the Bronx Bombers.
Gerrit Cole, one of the best pitchers of the current generation, finally won his coveted Cy Young award. After five top five Cy Young finishes, he secured the hardware in 2023. Cole led American League starters in Earned Run Average(ERA), quality starts, innings pitched and wins above replacement(WAR). Cole will be relied on every five days to put the Yankees in a position to win.
The Yankees played their first few spring training games against the Tigers, Phillies and Blue Jays. Winning two out of the three games played, the Yankees scored a total of 34 runs, each member contributing when they stepped up to the plate. Soto hit a three-run home run during his second at bat in his first game in pinstripes, showcasing what he can provide offensively for the Bombers. Early on in spring training he has already given fans a lot to look forward to.
The Yankees number one prospect, Spencer Jones, went five-for-five during the weekend with a 470-foot home run in his first at bat of the spring. Jones’ home run was a moonshot, giving a sense of hope for the young players in the farm system and for the future of the 27 time world series champion team.
Another element for fans to look forward to is their trip to Mexico City, where the team will play a two-game series against the Diablos Rojos del México, who hold the most titles in the Mexican Baseball League. During this time, the Yankees will also be playing two split squad games against the Pirates and Mets in Florida. The two games in Mexico City scheduled for March 24th and 25th, will be the final games of the spring season. With the team being split up in two different parts of the world, it should be an enticing two days of baseball to watch the Bombers compete.
This spring is off to a great start for the Yankees, but the question is, will it be enough to lead them to 28 world series titles? With the additions to the team, star players coming back from injuries and based on the current spring performances there is a lot of reason for Yankee fans to be excited. This team looks ready to compete.