Ahead of the commencement of the 2023 MLB season, the New York Yankees are believed to have decoded the recipe for success. Fast forward to September, and the team has fallen out of the playoff race for the first time since 2016. Where did it all go wrong? A lot of things could be held accountable for the disaster. From bad roster construction to injuries to inconsistency, everything collectively fell out of place to lead the Yanks out of the postseason.
Having said that, the Yankees must pull up their socks to fall back into World Series contention in 2024. A lot of changes are incoming as the Bombers mull a deep-dive analytical analysis. While the current roster is strong enough to bounce back in 2024, the front office will be required to tie up the loose ends around the edges. Meanwhile, here are three such changes the Yanks must consider during the upcoming off-season.
1. Yankees Must Strengthen Starting Pitching Rotation
The New York Yankees pitching rotation collapsed even before the season kicked off. Frankie Montas and newly acquired Carlos Rodon landed in IL, which caused major holes in the rotation. However, the front office was equally responsible for the incomplete lineup. The decision-making team missed the point when they added injury-prone pitchers such as Rodon, Severino, and Montas to the team. Hence, in 2024, the team must add durable and strong starting pitchers to the active lineup. Apparently, Brian Cashman has already placed his eyes on Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. His market value could hit the roof, but for a $7 billion franchise, it should not be a problem.
2. Yankees Should Look For Quality Left-Hand Hitters
The iconic Yankee stadium is a hitter-friendly field which especially suits left-handed hitters. The team plays maximum games on this venue, which has a 314-foot right field wall. Still, the Yankees have somehow ignored this aspect and failed to acquire quality left-handed batters. Anthony Rizzo remained the only lefty this season, and he played fewer than 100 games due to a concussion. Hence, the Bombers must prioritize adding a lefty during the off-season. Cody Bellinger is someone who could interest the New York-based outfit. He was supposed to get traded during the August 1 deadline itself. But the Cubs pulled the plug at the last moment. Nevertheless, the Yanks can have another go at him during free agency.
3. Look For Hitters With Better Batting Average
The New York Yankees’ biggest shortcoming this season was the lack of offensive production. Having said that, the quantity of home runs was never a problem, as the team ranks fourth in the AL with their overall homer tally. However, often, the Yankee hitters have failed to secure bases. Everybody is looking to hit the ball out of the park. But who is looking to go for more traditional and hardworking ways of scoring runs? Apparently, no one. The Yanks batting average this season is .225, which is the worst in MLB. Hence, the Bombers should look for players with a high average. Analytics need not necessarily have to play a dominant role every time.
