I have been writing for The Observer since February of 2023, and the third article I wrote was “Where do the New York Yankees stand heading into 2024?” I remember writing this article, asking former and fellow sports writer and editor Andrew McGuinness if I could write it and spending hours in my dorm doing research for it to make sure it was perfect and that all the facts were correct. To summarize, the article sums up why the Yankees did not make the playoffs, which was mostly due to injury.
Well, I suppose I will take everything I said in that piece back.
The American League East division is made up of five teams: the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays. As I was glancing at the statistics and standings in the AL East division, the first thing I noticed was how the Yankees took the first spot, dominating the other teams.
Last year, the New York Yankees finished their season with 82 wins and 80 losses. This season, the Yankees rounded out their season with an impressive 94 wins and 68 losses. Now comes the question of “What happened that caused such an improvement?”
One of the newest and biggest assets for the team is left handed hitter (we love a left handed hitter) Juan Soto. The New York Times writes, “Soto’s career-high 41 home runs are the most by a Yankees lefty since 2012 (Curtis Granderson, 43). His .419 on-base percentage ranked second in MLB; only Aaron Judge had a higher OBP.” Soto was a big help to the team in terms of moving baserunners, getting on base and generally being a strong offensive player.
We also see the return of Aaron Judge. In my last article, I talked about how Judge was out due to a torn ligament in his right big toe, but he returned this season and immediately made an impact on offense and defense. The New York Times comments, “Judge will win his second career MVP, and it won’t be all that close — sorry [Bobby] Witt [Jr.] Judge led the league in home runs (58), RBIs (144) and walks (133) and finished third in batting average (.322). He did it all while playing out of position and moving to center field to give Soto right field.” These statistics grow even more impressive when considering Judge’s return from an extended hiatus following last season’s significant injury.
While the Yankees have many strengths, there are also some flaws. I am a right fielder so learning this fact was shocking: “Soto has his flaws as a player: he’s a poor defender (only six right fielders have graded worse in outs above average).” There's a lot to unpack in this quote, but what really surprised me here was how he is considered a poor defender. I am curious as to why the Yankees don’t play Soto as the designated hitter and have someone else play right field.
I am very intrigued by how the Yankees managed to stage such a comeback after struggling so much last season. With so many talented players, especially Judge and Soto, who seem to be a dynamic duo offensively and defensively in the outfield, the Yankees seem to be on the right track to take the World Series.
Personally, I think that they definitely have the potential to win the World Series. The two powerhouses on the team, Soto and Judge, seem to be doing an amazing job leading the team to victory. I am excited to see how the Yankees progress moving forward.
