Opening Day is officially upon us for the 2024 MLB season, and for the New York Yankees, there is a sense of excitement surrounding the team after their failed 2023 campaign. However, it looks like the Yanks are already getting hit hard by the injury bug despite the fact the season hasn't even started yet, which isn't exactly an encouraging sign.
New York made some splashy moves over the offseason, namely trading for star outfielder Juan Soto, but they are going to need all their best players healthy if they intend on making a championship run this year. Unfortunately, with rosters needing to be set, the Yankees had to send several of their players to the injured list, including ace Gerrit Cole and one of their key bats in DJ LeMahieu.
Via Yankees PR Department:
“Prior to today’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves:
•Placed INF DJ LeMahieu on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 3/25) with a right foot contusion.
•Placed INF Oswald Peraza on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 3/25) with a right shoulder strain.
•Placed RHP Tommy Kahnle on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to 3/25) with right shoulder inflammation.
•Placed RHP McKinley Moore on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to 3/25) with right knee bursitis.
•Placed RHP Gerrit Cole on the 60-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
•Recalled RHP Luis Gil (#81) from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
•Signed RHP Nick Burdi (#57) to a Major League contract and selected him to the active roster.
•Added INF Jon Berti (#19) to the active roster.”
Yankees already getting hit hard by injuries
Losing Cole and LeMahieu hurts, but losing these other guys isn't exactly going to be easy to overcome either. Peraza was supposed to be the team's utility infielder, which is what necessitated the trade for Jon Berti, which the team put together on Wednesday. And in the bullpen, Tommy Kahnle is certainly going to be missed, while there was some excitement about McKinley Moore, even if he wasn't necessarily a lock to find his way into the pen.
Right off the bat, New York is going to need their depth to deliver. Berti was just traded for, and Luis Gil and Nick Burdi will both fill in for Cole and Kahnle. Assuming these guys can hold down the fort for the first few weeks, that will give the Yankees time to get their top players back on the field.
Of course, the biggest injury of this group is Cole's, and his absence had been known for awhile now, but he should be able to make a return in a few months. Whether or not the Yankees are going to be able to stay afloat will depend on how their depth performs, and we will get our first hint of how they are going to fare when they open their season against the Houston Astros.
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