What’s This Team’s Deal?
This team has won one World Series since the year 2000. I haven’t looked into what happened in the hundred years before that.
In 2025, after winning a three-game Wild Card series against the Red Sox, New York went down to the Toronto Blue Jays 3-games-to-1, allowing 37 runs in those four games. They have chosen to shake nothing up and bring back the same manager, the same GM, and almost the exact same team in 2026.
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How Good Are They?
When their entire team is healthy, they could be “Best in the American League” good, but will that happen? Nearly all of their best players have some risk attached to them.
Starting with the staff, Gerrit Cole is working his way back from Tommy John Surgery before last season, hoping to return by June 1. Carlos Rodon had surgery on his elbow at the end of last season to remove bone spurs. Rodon hopes to return in April, but will not pitch in a Spring Training game. Ryan Weathers has excellent stuff, but has had trouble staying on the field, yet to eclipse 95 innings in a season over his five-year career. If those three are healthy, alongside ace Max Fried and playoff nemesis Cam Schlittler, look out. But that’s a big “if”.
At the back end, both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver bolted across town to the Mets, leaving a ‘pen that could use a couple more arms. David Bednar is a strong closer, but is backed up by Camilo Doval and the 36-year-old Fernando Cruz as high-leverage arms. Doval had a 4.82 ERA and a 12.6% walk rate after being traded to the Yankees last July. And while Cruz’s strikeout numbers are elite (13.8 K/9 in his career), he had a 4.52 career ERA before 2025. Tim Hill, Jake Bird, Paul Blackburn, Ryan Yarbrough, and Cade Winquest are not likely to scare anybody.
On the hitting side, DH Giancarlo Stanton self-reported that he “can’t open a bag of chips” last month due to continued pain in both of his elbows. Second baseman Jazz Chisholm went 30-30 a year ago and should have plenty of motivation in a contract year, but has had issues staying on the field throughout his career.
Shortstop Anthony Volpe had shoulder surgery last October and could miss multiple months of the season, although some might argue that this could help the Yankees, considering Volpe made 13 throwing errors and hit .212 a year ago.
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With 3-time MVP Aaron Judge, a returning Cody Bellinger, and Ben Rice hitting two through four in the Yankee lineup, there is plenty of firepower returning. The Yankees hit 274 home runs a year ago, 30 more than any other team in baseball.
Of course, we all know who Aaron Judge is when it truly matters, which was on display once again during an abysmal World Baseball Classic performance. Judge’s .236 career batting average in the playoffs, with a 31.1 K%, makes it fair to ask whether he or Clayton Kershaw is the least clutch great player of this generation.
Most Likable Player:
None.
Least Likable Player:
Gerrit Cole. After a year away, I wouldn’t want anyone to forget how unlikable Cole is.
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Schedule Against The Red Sox
The Yankees will come to Fenway for a three-game mid-week set April 21-23, as well as a four-game weekend series from June 25-28. Boston will head to the Bronx for a couple of weekend three-game series, June 5-7 and August 28-30.
Season Prediction
88-74, 3rd in AL East. Too many arm injuries, along with a subpar bullpen, hold the Yankees back in 2026. New York will finish behind the division-leading Blue Jays, as well as the Red Sox. If that lines things up for a Wild Card rematch in 2026, the games would be at Fenway this time.