The Baltimore Orioles acquired former Cy Young winning pitcher Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday in a massive trade. Baltimore had the best record in the American League in 2023, and now they have their sights set on making a deeper playoff run during the 2024 campaign. The New York Yankees happen to play in the same division as the O's, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone dropped a truth bomb on the trade, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
“That could be a bit of a problem,” Boone said.
However, Hoch reports that Boone believes the Yankees' starting rotation can compete with each team in the American League East if they manage to stay healthy
Burnes, 29, won the National League Cy Young award in 2021. He's a three-time All-Star and is regarded as one of the best pitchers in the entire sport. Even though 2023 was a down season for Burnes, he still turned in a 3.39 ERA and league-leading 1.069 WHIP across 32 stars.
Can the Yankees upset the Orioles in the AL East?
The Yankees still have an ace of their own in reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole leading their rotation. New York also signed Marcus Stroman this offseason. Additionally, Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes should bounce back in 2024 if injuries don't prove to be too problematic.
The Yankees also upgraded the offense with Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo joining the lineup. New York should have a chance to compete in the AL East, but there's still plenty of talent in the division. The Orioles will obviously be among the favorites in the American League, while the Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, and Boston Red Sox are all capable of making postseason runs.
It will be intriguing to see if the Yankees make any more notable additions before the 2024 season gets underway.
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