The New York Yankees are off to a hot start in 2024. They began the season with a four-game sweep of the Houston Astros. They followed that up with a series win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. While still very early, the Yankees, 6-1, sit atop the American League East. Outfielder Alex Verdugo spoke glowingly in his description of the 2024 Yankees.
“We’re dangerous,’’ said Verdugo when describing the team, according to USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale.
The Yankees missed the postseason in 2023, going 82-80. The 2024 team thinks “nothing can stop them from playing in October, avoiding consecutive non-playoff years for only the second time in the wild-card era,” wrote Nightengale.
Yankees Still Have Not Hit Their Stride
The New York Yankees, as is the case every year, entered the season with high expectations. However, before the season even began news broke that ace Gerrit Cole would miss significant time with an elbow injury.
With Cole out, the rotation is led by Nester Cortes, Carlos Rodón and Marcus Stroman.
“We know he’s the best pitcher in baseball. So, we know what we have coming back when he’s healthy,” Stroman said, according to Nightengale. “So, if we can hold the court for the next two months, and give our team quality starts when he gets back, it’s going to be a massive boost. It’s adding motivation and everyone’s going to feel even more confident.’’
However, even after Cole’s return, the Yankees star-studded offense, highlighted by Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, will have to show up daily if the team wants to make a World Series run. While the Yankees offense is clicking, it’s not firing on all cylinders just yet. Manager Aaron Boone doesn’t think the team is “on fire by any means,” according to Nightengale.
“Take a look at the heart of the Yankees’ vaunted batting order. Judge is hitting just .179 with a .630 OPS. DH Giancarlo Stanton is hitting .150 two extra-base hits and one RBI. First baseman Anthony Rizzo is hitting .222 with just one RBI. Verdugo, who hit his first homer Wednesday is hitting just .160 with a .494 OPS,” wrote Nightengale.
Yankees Are Finding Ways to Win
Despite Judge, Stanton, Rizzo and Verdugo still looking to hit their stride, the Yankees have been able to come up with timely hits and rely on clutch defense to win games.
On opening day, Juan Soto made a great throw from right field to cut down the tying run at the plate in the ninth inning. In the series finale, Verdugo came up with a sliding catch, with a runner in scoring position and a one-run lead, to end the game and complete the sweep.
And Soto becomes the first-ever Player of the Week to also win Play of the Week, which began in 2019.
At the plate, Juan Soto has been leading the way for the Yankees. Soto is slashing .345/.441/.443 in seven games this season. The 25-year-old, who the Yankees acquired from the San Diego Padres in a seven-player trade, has been as advertised. Soto has one home run, one double and four RBIs already. Soto delivered an RBI single against Josh Hader on March 31 to give the Yankees a lead in the ninth inning.
While all the Yankees stars are not playing to their potential just yet, players like Anthony Volpe and Oswaldo Cabrera have been on a tear to start the year. Cabrera is slashing .346/.393/.615 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Volpe is slashing .409/.500/.682 with one home run, four walks, six runs and three RBIs.
The Yankees season is still young. The players understand the division can’t be won in April, but know what a fast start can do to jump-start a year.
“There’s no breath in the division,” Rizzo said, according to Nightengale. “You’ve got to come out fighting, and we have. You can’t win the division in April, but you can dig yourself a deep hole. We’ve been on both sides”
