TAMPA — The stench of the 82-80 season still hangs over the Yankees’ airspace, but the smell of spring and its promise of a clean slate is about to provide a welcome distraction.
It will take more than quality offseason roster trades and an encouraging spring training for the Yankees to completely quell what happened in 2023.
But they have to start somewhere, and as pitchers and catchers report to camp on Wednesday, they will look to start turning the page on their worst season in 31 years in franchise history.
The first full-team practice is scheduled for next Tuesday, but the Yankees have already entered Tampa over the past few weeks and months, capitalizing on the disappointment of a season that general manager Brian Cashman described as a “disaster.” The number of players doing so has increased. Please try to prevent it from happening again.
“[In] We’re going to be working hard on all fronts, as you do every year, but obviously this year is even more important and meaningful given what we did last year,” Cashman said last month. “I think every player, every staff member, everybody in the front office, everybody in the ownership understands that and knows that. No matter how you characterize it, the performance we had last year No one wants to experience a decline and failure. We are better than that. And our fans deserve better than that. And we will continue to play for the 2024 season. We intend to operate in a better direction.”
The Yankees have revamped their lineup, strengthened by the addition of Juan Soto, who will join one of the game’s worst offensive lines from a year ago.
The superstar has only one year left on his contract before he becomes a free agent, and the Yankees will likely try to keep Soto long-term next offseason, but with only one year of guarantee, he won’t be able to play this season. The pressure to pitch at full power increases.
The blockbuster trade with the Padres (which also included outfielder Trent Grisham) came a day after the Yankees acquired Alex Verdugo from the Red Sox, leaving the outfield with two left-handed hitters on either side of Aaron Judge. Judge will be shifted to outfielder Trent Grisham. center field.
However, the other half of Cashman’s dream offseason was dashed when Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto chose the Dodgers’ 12-year, $325 million contract over the Yankees’ 10-year, $300 million offer.
Fed up with the soaring prices of other high-end pitchers in the free agent and trade markets, the Yankees pivoted by signing Marcus Stroman to a two-year, $37.5 million contract to fill out their rotation. .
Even though the Yankees’ luxury tax payroll exceeded $300 million for the first time in franchise history thanks to offseason additions, questions remain about the status of the rotation.
That possibility hinges on Stroman’s health and ability to bounce back, behind Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortez and (to a lesser extent) current AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole.
“I think we’ve grown,” said Cashman, who also traded for two left-handed relievers from the Dodgers, Caleb Ferguson and Victor Gonzalez. “Regardless of last year, I think the team was better than it finished. But despite that, we have revitalized many areas, especially the offensive side, which was a difficult situation for us last year. So I think we’re improving. But it doesn’t matter what I think, it matters how we play. But we’re excited about the possibilities. ”
After a nightmarish season, the offseason began with the Yankees vowing to make big changes.
In addition to roster changes and the addition of a new bench coach (Brad Ausmus) and hitting coach (James Rowson) to replace the departed coach, the rest of the changes appear to be happening behind the scenes. (including 1 year). -Long-term partnership with analytics firm Zelus to see if the Yankees are happy with their internal numbers).
Now, manager Aaron Boone is entering the final year of his contract for the second time in his tenure, bringing some new talent into the clubhouse and looking to get the most out of a roster that didn’t reach its potential last season. It is our mission. .
“I think the guys that were here were very hungry and had a sore throat from what they went through last year,” Cashman said. “And no one wants to go through that experience again.”
