MLB Notebook: New York Yankees Preview

The New York Yankees ended what, for them anyway, was an interminable World Series drought. They made the Fall Classic for the first time since 2009. But a franchise and fan base notorious for high expectations still seeks its first championship since that ’09 run. Entering this ninth year of the Aaron Judge Era, the Yanks have a pennant, four ALCS trips and seven playoff appearances. But in the Bronx, you need the ring.

Here’s an overview of the New York Yankees heading into 2025:

POWER

Judge is one of the great home-run hitters of all-time, averaging 52 homers a year over the last three seasons. That includes 58 a year ago in an MVP campaign. His slugging percentages soar into the high .600s and he drives in well over 100 runs. He singlehandedly makes Yankee power respectable.

Giancarlo Stanton is another top power hitter. While he can be streaky, his binges can carry an offense, as last year’s ALCS performance demonstrated.

Beyond that, nothing is certain. New York added Cody Bellinger to play centerfield and Paul Goldschmidt at first base. Bellinger has been up and down since his MVP year of 2019, and last year with the Cubs was a bit of a downer. Goldschmidt, another slugger with an MVP trophy on his shelf, had a terrible season last year in St. Louis. If the hitter-friendly atmosphere of New York agrees with Bellinger and Goldschmit, Yankee power will be fierce.

The middle infielders have some sneaky power. You don’t think of second baseman Jazz Chisholm or shortstop Anthony Volpe as power threats. But Chisholm broke out last year with 24 homers. And Volpe likely settles in between 15-20.

GETTING ON BASE

Judge is also spectacular here, with his OBPs going well above .400 and he’s consistently a .300 hitter. But beyond that, there are problems. The loss of Juan Soto to the crosstown Mets will be felt everywhere, but losing his .400+ OBPs is a big blow. The Yankee offense is just too unbalanced and reliant on power surges.

That makes the career revival of D.J. LeMahieu a vital key. Injuries have held LeMahieu back for several seasons, since a career year in 2019. He’s not done anything even noteworthy since 2022. If he’s healthy—and as of now, he’s set to open the season at third base–he could make a big difference. But with this recent track record, how do you trust that he’ll stay healthy? And how, after so many years, do you just assume he’s still good? LeMahieu is the biggest X-factor for this offense.

STARTING PITCIHNG

New York took a huge blow with the news that Gerrit Cole has to undergo Tommy John surgery. Their ace and recent Cy Young Award winner is gone for the year. If manager Aaron Boone is going to have a true #1 starter, Max Fried, over from Atlanta, will have to continue regaining his own form post-injury. This is a realistic hope. Fried is still only 31-years-old, pitched well in a comeback year last season and pitched at a Cy Young-caliber level as recently as 2022.

Carlos Rodon and Marcus Stroman both fall into the category of starters who will likely be good, but not great. That’s also the likely prognosis for Clarke Schmidt. While the fifth spot remains a mystery—it’s currently listed as Will Warren, who finished with a 10.32 ERA in five starts last year—the Yankees still have a good rotation without Cole.

BULLPEN

Devin Williams is the new closer in the Bronx. He’s been outstanding in Milwaukee and should continue to be so here. The caveat is that Williams has had issues in the postseason. But that’s something we can deal with when we write October playoff previews. Luke Weaver, Jake Cousins and Ian Hamilton and Tim Hill are all solid arms in setup. Boone has no problems in his relief corps.

OUTLOOK

Between their power and their pitching, the Yankees have more than enough to make the playoffs with room to spare. I still have to preview the Baltimore Orioles, so I’ll reserve judgment for now on who will win the AL East. But this New York season, like most others, will be decided in October. I don’t understand the betting markets comparative pessimism, with an Over/Under win total of 88.5 You can book the Yanks for at least 90 wins.