How the New York Yankees Can Get Back to the Fall Classic
Back on top, Yankees add 27th championship via The New York Times
The 2021 season for the Bronx Bombers ended in, yet again, disappointing fashion. This time coming from the Boston Red Sox. To Yankee fans, this is becoming a every year affair. Marking the twelfth consecutive season without a World Series appearance. The Yankees are by far, the richest franchise in baseball and former owner, George Steinbrenner made that known. When you think of the Yankees, you think of a team who thrived on World Series championships. George Steinbrenner was after championships; not constant playoff loses. Hal Steinbrenner took over the team after George was getting up in age and couldn’t handle the team any longer. Since then, the Yankees have one World Series win coming in 2009 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Year after year, the Yankees come up too short in October. Here’s how the Yankees will have the best shot at once again, winning the Fall Classic.
The Baby Bomber Era
After Yankee greats, Andy Pettite, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Derek Jeter retired, the Yankees were left with question marks. That was until the “Baby Bombers” arrived. Luis Severino, Gary Sanchez, and Aaron Judge leading the group. 2017 ended with the Yankees losing in the ALCS to the Houston Astros. That year now leaving a sour taste in our mouths after the truth came out. However, the future looked bright for the Yankees. The “Baby Bombers” were supposed to bring multiple championships to the Bronx. Fast forwarding almost five years later, that has yet to happen.
The 2021 Season
The Yankees recent season was a roller coaster to say the least. Hot streaks, cold streaks, and everything else in between. A few years ago, the Yankees seemed to have everything under control. Yet, the find themselves seemingly moving backwards year after year. Whether it be injuries or just players not panning out. To put it lightly, the Yankees are wasting their franchise players talent. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton put the entire team on their shoulders and put together monster seasons. With getting little to no help from the rest of the team, the two superstars couldn’t get the Yankees past the hump. Yankees skipper, Aaron Boone, received a lot of criticism over the way he managed the team. Moves like questionable lineups, the way he managed his starts, and when he decided to go into the bullpen. Not to mention his choice to use a hurt Gerrit Cole over Jordan Montgomery or even Nestor Cortes Jr. in the Wild Card game. Boone never seemed to make the right choices in 2021. Not all the blame is on Boone though. Guys like Gary Sanchez, Joey Gallo, and Gleyber Torres severely underperformed for the Bombers. Luke Voit was out with injury for most of the season which led the team to trade for Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo was above average for the Yankees but the choice of trading for a 1B left the relationship between the Yankees and Luke Voit now in turmoil. The 2021 season was not a great one but left a few bright spots. Luis Severino, Jonathan Loaisiga, Clay Holmes, Nestor Cortes Jr, and of course, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
The 2021 Bright Spots
Luis Severino has been plagued by injuries. He was the ace of the Yankees before Gerrit Cole. Being out most of 2019 and all of 2020, Severino made return in 2021 to the bullpen. In 6 IP, Severino posted a 1-0 win loss ratio with a 0 ERA. Even with the small sample size, it’s great to see him back pitching in the Bronx with an expected return to the pitching staff in 2022
Jonathan Loaisiga was dominate all throughout 2021. He was the leader of the bullpen and never gave Yankee fans a reason to worry. In 70.2 IP, Loaisiga posted a 2.17 ERA. There’s no reason why Loaisiga will be a worry to the Yankees in 2022.
Clay Holmes was a bullpen piece the Yankees traded for from Pittsburgh in the beginning of the 2021 season. Holmes was an arm who had a great groundball rate and seemed to just be a quick addition to the bullpen. What we saw from Holmes as a Yankee was shocking. In 28 IP, Holmes posted a magnificent 1.61 ERA. The best part about Clay Holmes for the Yankees is that he is under team Control through 2025.
Nestor Cortes Jr. is a journeyman who seemed to never be able to find a home. That was until the Yankees got ahold of him in 2021. Cortes posted a 2.90 ERA in 93 IP and was an outstanding fourth or fifth starter in the Yankees rotation. Nobody expected much out of Cortes, but he proved he belongs in the Yankees pitching options in 2022.
Aaron Judge is the face of the New York Yankees. He has been wrongly deemed as injury prone his whole career and in 2021, he proved that. Judge played in 148 G posting a .287 BA with 39 HR. Judge was a force to be reckon with and is the leader of this team. Aaron Judge’s 2022 will be a contract year for him. He’s on record saying he wants to be a Yankee for life. There’s no reason why he shouldn’t be and be named the next captain of the New York Yankees.
Giancarlo Stanton has faced nothing but criticism ever since he put on pinstripes. He has always taken the high road and has always said the right thing. After his 2021 season, he deserves nothing but respect. If clutch was a stat, Stanton would be the leader every year. In 139 G, Stanton posted a .268 BA with 35 HR. Stanton also had numerous monster series when he would always be putting his club ahead or coming up at the perfect time. The most memorable would be his grand slam he hit against Boston onto Lansdowne Street.
The 2022 Blueprint
It’s no secret the Yankees need a shortstop. Carlos Correa and Trevor Story lead the way in free agent shortstops. The Yankees have a loaded farm system full of shortstops with their top prospect, Anthony Volpe, leading that position. Correa recently hired Scott Boras as his agent and brought his asking price down. However, that price is still a contract the Yankees would have to have on payroll for the next ten years. Story seems like the best option for the Bombers and would still be a huge upgrade from what the team had last year. It also gives the option for the Yankees to either move Story to 3rd when Volpe is ready or a possible trade piece. Signing Story to a much cheaper and shorter deal would give the Yankees flexibility to resign Aaron Judge. Story had a bit of a down year last year but is expected to do much better come 2022. In 142 G, Story slashed a respectable .251 BA, 24 HR, and had 75 RBI. Trevor Story will not come at a bargain however, it’s nothing Hal Steinbrenner can’t manage. Story isn’t a flashy Carlos Correa kind of guy but is still a great shortstop.
With the current situation between the Yankees and Luke Voit, they will most likely need a first baseman. Anthony Rizzo is always an option to come back to the club but the best option for the Yankees would be to trade for Matt Olson of the Oakland Athletics. With the farm being loaded with shortstops, Oswald Peraza, would be a perfect center piece to a trade. Olson tallied a .271 BA with 39 HR in 156 G with Oakland last year. He’s under team control for another two years and is only 27. Olson would be a significant upgrade from anything we’ve seen at first base in quite a few years. Olson is also a lefty bat which would bid well at Yankee Stadium with that short porch. Matt is also a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, so he is a proven defender over at 1st.
The Yankees starting rotation was dominate last season, there’s no questioning that. However, in a few instances such as injuries or rest, a team will never have enough pitching. Another proven starter to move into the rotation behind Gerrit Cole and Luis Severino would be huge. Carlos Rodon is the starter that comes to mind. Sliding into the rotation behind the Severino and Cole would leave Jordan Montgomery and Jamison Taillon as the 4th and 5th starters. With injuries that seem to haunt the Yankees, having a guy like Nestor Cortes to bounce back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen would be a huge advantage to the Bombers. Rodon in 2021, posted a 2.37 ERA in 132.2 IP. Having Rodon slide into the rotation would give us a real shot come October.
Centerfield seemed to be locked up by Aaron Hicks a few years back. However, with his ability to stay on the field being questioned year after year, the Yankees might want to look for options. In 2021, centerfield was made up of mostly Brett Gardner with a few appearances by Aaron Judge. As much as Yankee fans love Brett Gardner, number 28 won’t be coming back to the Bronx when Gardner is your everyday center fielder. The Yankees have shown interest in Rays’ Kevin Kiermaier and Japanese sensation, Seiya Suzuki. Kevin Kiermaier is a great option for the Yankees. Taking him away from a AL East rival would be huge in its own sense. Kiermair would improve the Yankees defense tremendously as well as giving the lineup a good contact first speedster. Seiya Suzuki is a great talent but with the game of baseball being different in Japan and Suzuki expected to be getting a 5-year $55 million contract, it’s too big of a risk for the Yankees to take.
The Yankees bench is another area of need. After the departures of Brett Gardner, Rougned Odor, Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade, and Andrew Velazquez, the bench is low to say the least. With the few minor league signings New York has made, Jose Peraza, Rob Brantly, and Ender Inciarte would be some of the options to add to the bench. To name a few more pieces the Yankees could look to add would be Andrew McCutchen and of course, Brett Gardner. There are plenty of options out there to add to the bench. A team can never have enough bench pieces, especially the Yankees. Flashback to 2019, the Yankees adopted the “next man up” mentality and always had bench pieces starting games due to injuries. Even in 2021, guys such as Greg Allen and Ryan LaMarre stepped up in big moments to cover the injury bug.
It's hard to tell what Brian Cashman and co. will do the rest of the 2021 offseason. It’s been too long since the commissioner’s trophy came back to the Bronx and time is ticking. With Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge in their primes, the time to win is now. Giancarlo Stanton is declining from his prime but is still putting up monster numbers. The Yankees need to be the Yankees again and spend. Time will only tell what the Yankees decide to do.