The biggest argument surrounding the New York Yankees’ off-season rendezvous is that the front office didn’t pay great attention to pitching details. As it stands, the starting rotation lacks depth to cover injury concerns. The five-man rotation consists of Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes, Marcus Stroman, and Clarke Schmidt.
While Gerrit Cole remains in his prime, Rodon and Cortes are highly susceptible to injuries. Nobody knows how Stroman will soak the New York City pressure. And Schmidt just finished one full season as a starter in 2023. Owing to the inexperience and lack of depth, Yankees podcasters cast serious doubt on the franchise’s intentions to strive for excellence in AL-East.
Yankee Podcaster Predicts Baltimore Orioles To Defend AL-East Title In 2024!
Last week, the Baltimore Orioles raked up AL-East with a season-defining trade. The reigning AL-East champions landed former CY Young pitcher Corbin Burnes from Milwaukee Brewers in a surprise trade deal. With that, the Orioles have all the bases covered ahead of the next season, leaving the New York Yankees guessing about their internal flaws. Interestingly, the Yanks tried to trade Burnes. But rumors suggest the Brewers are uninterested. However, Corbin’s trade to the Orioles perhaps suggests that the Bombers didn’t try hard enough. Regardless, with spring training being two weeks away, Yankee podcaster Jake Storiale dropped truth bombers on NYY’s AL-East winning odds. Jake didn’t mince his words and offered a reality check to the franchise leadership.
Jake Storiale said he does not think the Yankees can finish second or third in AL-East, let alone win the division title, given they don’t sign Blake Snell this off-season. The podcaster explained his point, saying that, barring Gerrit Cole, the rest of the rotation will step into the new season with a lot of question marks. Rodon and Nestor are highly prone to injuries. And Clarke Schmidt is still shaping himself after a first full season in majors. Jake also believes the starting rotation will collapse in case of a couple of spring training injuries due to a lack of depth. Lastly, Storiale raised doubts about the Yanks’ philosophy of being competitive and building an Evil Empire brand. He says the Yank Foundation is winning, and the club has drifted from that mindset in this past decade, which eventually led to a downfall.
Where Do The Yankees Stand On Blake Snell Pursuit?
As Jake Storiale mentioned, the New York Yankees will lose the AL-East title to the Orioles in the 2024 season if they fail to land Blake Snell. He feels Snell is the best counter to Corbin Burnes. However, Hal Steinbrenner seems to have given up on the sweepstakes already. After Yanks offered a generous offer, Blake countered it with a ridiculous ask.
Blake Snell asked for a nine-year $270 million contract, which the Yankees obviously denied. The pitcher later refused to lower his ask, and subsequently, Steinbrenner pulled the plug. Having said that, Snell is still without a contract as spring training inches closer. The Yanks stand a chance. But for the pursuit to come to fruition, Snell must lower his delusional ambitions.
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