Let’s take a look at the New York Yankees’ 2024 season, the questions the team must answer this winter and the early outlook for 2025.
Read more: 2024 MLB offseason previews: What’s next for the Guardians, Mets, Red Sox and more?
Result after the season
After winning the AL East and securing the American League’s top record, the Yankees cruised through the postseason with relative ease — until they ran into a buzzsaw against the Dodgers in the Fall Classic, losing in five games.
The Yankees topped the Royals in four games in the ALDS before defeating the Guardians in five hard-fought games of the ALCS. Giancarlo Stanton’s power was evident in the first two rounds, as he hit five home runs in the Yanks’ first nine playoff games, plus two in the World Series.
The Yankees arrived at the World Series for a No. 1 vs. No. 1 matchup with the Dodgers, but the heavyweight bout failed to live up to the hype. The Dodgers’ pitching outpaced New York’s, but more importantly, the Yankees’ offense fizzled at exactly the wrong time, as they fell 3-0 before a blowout in their Game 4 win. Aaron’s problems in particular Judge in the postseason – two hits, two walks and seven strikeouts in 15 at-bats prior to his home run in Game 5 – will stick in the memories of Yankees fans all winter long.
Things that went well
Throughout the regular season, the dynamic duo of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto gave the Yankees a productive pair of hitters that rivaled any teammates in recent memory. All told, the two outfielders combined for 99 home runs, 253 RBI and 250 runs. They ranked first (Judge, 1.159) and third (Soto, .989) in OPS.
The right one in particular was dominant. His OPS was even better than the 1.111 he produced in his 2022 MVP season. The slugger’s 144 RBI and .322 batting average were also career-bests. Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani stole headlines with his 50-50 season, but Judge was baseball’s best hitter this year.
Things that went wrong
In July, former Yankee Luis Severino joked that he wasn’t afraid to face the Bronx Bombers because the team only had two good hitters. At the time, Severino was largely right. While Judge and Soto did the heavy lifting, several New York position players had disappointing seasons.
The team traded for Alex Verdugo as starting left fielder last offseason. His year-over-year OPS dropped nearly 100 points to a modest .647. Second baseman Gleyber Torres experienced a similar drop of almost 100 points in his OPS (.709). Young shortstop Anthony Volpe didn’t decline, but he didn’t improve either after a mediocre rookie season. The 23-year-old finished the season with a paltry .293 OBP despite frequently moving out of the leadoff position. First baseman Anthony Rizzo was perhaps the biggest disappointment of them all, as he struggled to stay healthy for the second straight year, finishing with eight home runs and a .228 batting average in 92 games.
Off-season plans
Like many veteran teams, the Yankees have several players headed to free agency, leaving many tough decisions looming for general manager Brian Cashman.
The biggest decision will be in the outfield, in the form of Juan Soto. Cashman’s offseason plan must start and end with making his best pitch to keep the 26-year-old superstar, who will likely command more than $500 million this winter. Verdugo is also a free agent, but the organization has a great replacement in prospect, Jasson Domínguez. Slugger Giancarlo Stanton returns as the DH.
The infield also has significant holes to fill, as Torres is a free agent and Rizzo’s club option will likely be declined. The other spots are in better shape, as Volpe returns at shortstop, Jazz Chisholm Jr. can play third and Austin Wells and Jose Trevino form a solid catching tandem. Chisholm’s presence provides a lot of flexibility as he can also play in second or midfield.
New York had a very effective pitching staff this year and most of the major teams are under contract through 2025. Gerrit Cole will return as the team’s ace, and he will be supported in the rotation by Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt , Marcus Stroman, Luis Gil and Nestor Cortes Jr. Having six starters for five spots is a big deal for manager Aaron Boone.
The relief corps was also a big part of the team’s success in 2024, but is in flux with Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle heading to free agency. Luke Weaver returns after a stellar season (2.89 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 11.0 K/9 rate) and was so effective in the postseason that he likely has the closer’s role sewn up to open 2025. Cashman will need to retain Holmes and Kahnle or bring in similarly competent replacements for setup roles.
In summary, Cashman needs to re-sign Soto, solve two infield spots and add multiple pitchers to the bullpen. After the team’s first World Series appearance in 15 years, an eventful winter lies ahead.
Prospects on the horizon
New York’s prospect pool took a hit this season as some of the organization’s top young players failed to make significant progress. This is still a respectable group with one headliner.
Domínguez was on the brink of a permanent promotion when he played eight games with the Yankees in 2023 before Tommy John surgery knocked him out until midway through this season. He returned to the majors in September and is a strong candidate to open 2025 with a starting role in New York.
Spencer Jones hasn’t made much progress this year, but remains full of potential. The hulking midfielder spent the entire season in Double-A after finishing 2023 at that level. He will need to improve his contact skills after collecting 200 strikeouts this year.
A couple of pitchers could also contribute next year. Will Warren has already thrown 22 2/3 innings in the majors, and while he posted an ugly 10.32 ERA, he recorded a solid 29 strikeouts with only 10 walks. Chase Hampton could also reach the Majors next season, albeit likely late in the season after pitching just 18 2/3 minor league innings during an injury-affected 2024 season.
Goals for 2025
The Yankees are typically a “World Series or bust” team, and 2025 will be no different. The organization has made postseason appearances in seven of the past eight seasons and won the AL pennant for the first time in 15 years in 2024. While the outcome of the Fall Classic was a blow to New York, the expectation for the Yankees will still be to win it all in 2025.
With Soto signed to a long-term contract, contributions from Domínguez and the health of the pitching staff, Boone should have what he needs to stay afloat in the ultra-competitive AL East. Should Soto leave, Cashman will have to be resourceful in replacing the superstar’s offensive contributions. There is no other player on the open market that can match Soto’s production, and acquiring a star at his level via trade for a second straight year would be extremely difficult.
Fantasy focus
Judge will be a top three pick in every 2025 fantasy baseball draft, and in some leagues he will be selected first overall. Soto will also be a first-round pick, especially if he stays with the Yankees. Chisholm is the other position player to have his name called in the early rounds, but there will be a big gap between him and the next Yankees hitter.
On the pitching side, Cole will present managers with a conundrum. The right-hander has been a top-five pitcher in recent years but will be more valued as a low-end ace heading into his age-34 season. Rodón, Cortes, Schmidt and Gil will all be selected in the Round 10 series, just like Weaver or whoever emerges as New York’s closer.
