Yankees Manager Aaron Boone and GM Brian Cashman - Alex Trautwig/Getty Images
The New York Yankees are set to begin life without Juan Soto in the Bronx. Spring training is just around the corner, and NYC Baseball will be sky-high come the 2025 regular season.
With all the excitement comes questions that cannot be answered without his presence.
Nevertheless, the Yankees could actually be a more complete team than they were during their 2024 World Series run. The team couldn’t match up with the Los Angeles Dodgers, even with Soto.
General Manager Brian Cashman and the organization upgraded the team this offseason, making the Yankees a more versatile and well-rounded squad.
How Cashman Has Put Team in Better Shape
It may have been challenging initially, but Cashman’s long tenure as GM is not a problem when you’re the New York Yankees.
For starters, the Bronx Bombers upgraded their starting pitching by signing former Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried.
Last season, the lefty was only (11-10) with a 3.25 era. Nevertheless, he recorded 166 strikeouts and has a fastball that tops out at 98 mph.
Now, the Yankees could have the deepest starting rotation in the league, with him joining Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Luis Gil. That may not have happened without saying goodbye to Soto.
They then went and may have found their franchise closer in All-Star Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers.
Williams was (1-0) with a whopping 1.25 era and 14 saves while having a fastball that tops speeds of 97 mph.
While gone are the days of Mariano Rivera. In comes a young reliever with All-Star talent looking for his light to shine even brighter in the Bronx.
Outfield in Better Shape
Next, Cashman and Company acquired Cody Bellinger at Goodwill in a salary-purging move by the Chicago Cubs.
The 29-year-old significantly upgrades the outfield, and as a versatile player, that’s music to Aaron Boone’s ears.
Additionally, Bellinger returns to the place where he grew up. He watched his father, Clay, bat for the Yankees as a child.
This means Aaron Judge can go back to his natural position in right field. Bellinger is in center field, and star prospect Jasson Dominguez will earn a full role in left field.
Infield in Better Shape
First baseman and former St. Louis Cardinals’ star Paul Goldschmidt could be the key to increasing the first base position as a whole.
While he may be 37 years old and not close to the player he was during his prime, he will still be a future Hall of Famer.
In addition, with a .245 batting average and 22 home runs he had in 2024, the Yankees will gladly take that. Their first base total OPS of .619 was dead last in the league.
Two years ago, the first baseman had his best season. He hit 35 home runs, a .981 OPS, and a .317 batting average.
If New York could get a scoop of that, they would go to the bank and cash that check.
Therefore, the Yankees will need to answer the question if they are aspiring to win even more than last year and if they’re in better shape without Soto.
But with all their pitching and veteran additions during the offseason, they seem to have upgraded to go for it all.
