As the 2023 MLB season approaches, the New York Yankees have several big questions that need answers before Opening Day.
New York Yankees, one of the most decorated sports franchises in the world, have been deprived of a World Series title for over a decade. Each year, they make numerous chances to elevate the roster, but somehow, the Houston Astros always ends up being the better team. Clearly, there is no specific answer to the Yankees’ limitation as each new year, a problem arises.
Last season, the team’s performance suffered heavily due to excessive injury issues and a lack of bench strength. Only a handful of players led the team, while the rest struggled. However, this year, the fans hope for a change in fate. The front office has taken all necessary steps in the off-season to build the best of the best roster. Still, they have some issues lingering over their heads as the opening day closes in.
How Long Will It Take For Yankees To Announce Shortstop Winner?
The New York Yankees hosted one of the most exciting spring training battles this year. Top prospect Anthony Volpe joined seniors Oswald Peraza and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in a race to clinch the starting shortstop position on the roster. While Volpe shined with his bat, his defensive skills raised a few questions. Isiah was traded last year to fill the shortstop role but failed miserably. He had to be demoted, and a 22-year-old, Oswald Peraza, was promoted to the major league.
Peraza impressed with his sizeable minor league stint. Coming to the spring training, the battle has been going on long enough, and Oswald Peraza looks the clear winner. However, the delay in announcement raises many eyebrows regarding confusion within the camp. With just two weeks to opening day, it’s high time the Yankees come to a consensus on a single name.
Lack Of Depth To Support Key Players
The Yankees have a tendency to rely heavily on their star players. Last year it was Aaron Judge who, despite scoring 62 home runs, faced heckling and criticism from the crowd. Even this year, the responsibilities lie on the shoulders of these key players. However, a roster is not made of just 4-5 players. The rest of the squad has to step up to support their start performers to the least. The Yanks have their bases covered with the return of DJ LeMahieu. However, the outfield is a mess. They already lost their center fielder to an oblique injury, and Aaron Hicks is committing error after error in left field. Hence, doubts over a stable outfield are going to linger on the front office’s heads for a long time.
Pitching Rotation’s Health
The New York Yankees pitching rotation has been dismantled entirely. They acquired Carlos Rodon with a lot of hope, but those hopes shattered quickly as he ended up on the injury list due to a forearm injury. Further, Frankie Montas, Nestor Cortes, and Luis Severino all are gracing the injury list. As a result, presently, the only healthy starter is Gerrit Cole. The pitching significantly contributed to the Yankees’ loss last season in the ALCS. Looks like it’s going to haunt them for a longer period of time. Currently, they have to look at their depth and find the best possible starters for the opening day.
