The New York Yankees have been nowhere near the World Series in over a decade. They are the most successful side in the league’s history. But the last time they won a World Series was back in 2009. The captain Aaron Judge’s absence proved to be catastrophic for the NY side as they could not win many games in 2023. And even when Aaron Judge returned to the lineup, the team could not recover from the damage that the captain’s absence caused in the middle of the season.
Hence, the Yankees plan to sign Juan Soto this offseason to come back stronger next season. Moreover, they also eye another lefty hitter, Cody Bellinger, and the Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. But to buy these superstars, the Yankees need a bigger payroll, which they don’t really have.
Yankees Need To Increase Their Already Hefty Payroll
As per Fangraphs, in 2023, the Yankees payroll was around $273 million. Already, the Yankees have five players with long-term contracts. They are Aaron Judge (9 years worth $360 million), Gerrit Cole (9 years worth $324 million), and Carlos Rodon (6 years worth $162 million). And other two players with big contracts are Giancarlo Stanton (13 years worth $325 million) and DJ LeMahieu (6 years worth $325 million). Besides these big contracts and players, there are also young players. And to make things worse some of them were on the Injured List. For instance, Jasson Dominguez underwent Tommy John Surgery. He might return to the lineup around June or July. Moreover, the Yankees traded Jake Bauers to the Milwaukee Brewers.
In return, they received two minor-league prospects for outfielders: Jace Avina and Brian Sanchez. Moreover, the Bronx Bombers hope to improve their outfield depth with more such trades. They may also have their eyes on the Korean slugger Jung Hoo Lee, who’s just 25 years old. Hence, the question remains if the Yankees can work things out with their hefty payroll for players. Certain players like Lee won’t cost much. But to land Yamamoto, Bellinger, and Soto together for the long term, the Yankees must increase their payroll, keeping the MLB Luxury Tax in mind. If the NY side is able to sign the superstar Japanese pitcher then they will have a great start to their offseason moves. Then only time can tell if they can get the bigger names like Bellinger and Soto.
Why Couldn’t The NY Franchise Go The Distance In The Last Few Years?
Since 2009, the Yankees never reached the World Series either. Why can’t they go the distance? It is the question the fans constantly wonder about. But it is not only because of the injuries that really hurt every team, including the NY franchise. There are a lot of things that happen before a season starts that matter.
For instance, in the current offseason, the Yankees want to sign three superstars who can cost them a fortune. But they need such players to bolster their lineup for the next season. The last season proved that the Yankees need another superstar to play alongside Aaron Judge. Moreover, this year, he sustained a toe injury that kept the captain out for over a month.
