With Opening Day simply days away, the damage bug has taken a piece out of the Yankees.
The Bombers, vying for a return to the World Sequence and an opportunity to complete the job after getting outplayed by the Dodgers in final 12 months’s Fall Basic, can nonetheless be one in every of baseball’s greatest groups — particularly within the American League — following an offseason of great change. Juan Soto’s defection to the cross-town rival Mets headlined the Yanks’ departures, however they acquired the likes of Max Fried, Devin Williams, Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt in hopes of returning to the promised land.
“You can’t replace a guy like Juan Soto,” Aaron Choose, the reigning MVP coming off a disappointing postseason, mentioned early on in camp. “But you bring in guys like this who are All-Star, MVP caliber players, we did a pretty good job.”
Whereas the Yankees arrived at camp happy with their pivot, they’ve endured a painful spring since.
Gerrit Cole gained’t pitch this season after present process Tommy John surgical procedure. Giancarlo Stanton is out indefinitely after reporting to camp with tennis elbows, which he performed via final 12 months. Luis Gil gained’t take the mound till no less than the summer season due to a lat pressure. DJ LeMahieu is recovering from a calf pressure. Jake Cousins confirmed up with a forearm pressure and gained’t be prepared for Opening Day. Clarke Schmidt has handled a pair of minor accidents that can power him to begin the season on the injured record.
A handful of different aches and pains have eaten into the Yankees’ depth and raised purple flags, significantly within the bullpen and rotation.
Whereas the previous remains to be in sturdy form, the latter is not the power it gave the impression to be when camp opened. Dropping Gil opened a rotation spot for Marcus Stroman, who reported because the Yankees’ sixth starter following an offseason of commerce rumors, an actionless postseason and a disastrous second half in 2024. With Cole additionally out and Schmidt delayed, Carlos Carrasco, a 15-year veteran and standout non-roster invitee with a 5.32 ERA during the last 4 seasons, and Will Warren, a rookie coming off a bumpy debut season, are anticipated to fill out the again of the rotation.
As for the DH spot, there’s no telling when Stanton will return after he skilled “very high” ranges of ache in his elbows, which he described as “severe.” Stanton has obtained three rounds of PRP injections, however Brian Cashman has referred to as surgical procedure a “last resort, ” as operations would knock Stanton out for the 12 months.
The slugger’s absence has made it potential for the Yankees to hold three lefty-swinging catchers. Austin Wells is entrenched because the starter behind the plate, whereas Ben Rice and J.C. Escarra are the opposite backstops. They’ve all loved sturdy springs offensively. That mentioned, Choose will probably get some DH days as properly.
Third base, an issue that dates again to final season, appears like it’s Oswaldo Cabrera’s job to lose, although Oswald Peraza and Pablo Reyes might consider. LeMahieu was additionally within the combine previous to his damage, because the Yankees entered spring coaching with underwhelming choices on the place. It’s potential they bring about in exterior expertise earlier than Opening Day, however the Yankees have been reluctant so as to add to a payroll that’s already over the very best luxurious tax threshold.
“There’s always the marketplace,” Cashman mentioned over the winter, however that has but to yield any new third base candidates, a notable right-handed hitter or new rotation depth.
The recent nook isn’t the Bombers’ solely downside that predates their wave of accidents this spring.
Their post-Soto lineup — lacking a confirmed leadoff man and a bit quick on guys who get on base — is closely reliant on former MVPs Bellinger and Goldschmidt. Each have eased issues with stellar springs, however Bellinger has been inconsistent over the previous few years and Goldschmidt is 37, coming off the worst season of his profession, and has been coping with a sore again.
Hal Steinbrenner is hopeful that the duo could make up for a “good deal” of Soto’s manufacturing, however that’s a troublesome ask.
“I’m excited about the lineup,” Choose mentioned. “I don’t know how it’s all going to work out, who’s gonna bat where and all that, but up and down this lineup we’ve got guys who are gonna have good at-bats.”
That is still to be seen, because the Yankees’ offense will even require strides from younger hitters like Wells, Rice, Anthony Volpe and Jasson Domínguez. Volpe, specifically, is getting into a pivotal third season, as he’s solely proven transient flashes along with his bat whereas largely struggling via his first two campaigns.
“I expect him to really tick up on the consistency part of things offensively this year,” Boone mentioned.
Domínguez should additionally present that he can deal with left area because the Yankees look to enhance defensively. The Martian has not put that query to mattress following just a few gaffes final September, as he made just a few extra mishaps early on in spring coaching.
Nonetheless, the Yankees stay assured he can adapt to the nook.
“There’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to handle left field,” Boone mentioned.
