Opening Day is here, and the New York Yankees dropped a hype video that had their fans ready to see them take on the Houston Astros with new superstar Juan Soto pairing up with Aaron Judge in the lineup.
Opening Day is upon us. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/LhWkO6BmZH
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 28, 2024
The Yankees are trying to bounce back from a disappointing 2023 season, which was mired by injuries and ended with New York winning just 82 games.
The Yankees enter the season with a significant amount of changes to their roster. The headliner is Juan Soto, of course, who was acquired in a trade with the San Diego Padres. Fans were clamoring for the Yankees to pull of a trade for Soto even before it seemed realistic. Eventually, the Padres' financial situation made it clear that Soto would eventually get moved, and due to the pitching the Yankees had in the organization, they were able to capitalize and complete a deal. He is only under contract for one year, but he will still be vital to the Yankees' success this season.
Other notable newcomers are Alex Verdugo and Marcus Stroman. Alex Verdugo is a familiar face from his years with the Boston Red Sox after he was sent there as part of the return in the Mookie Betts trade. Verdugo usually hits around league average overall and brings solid defense. If Verdugo struggles, top prospect Jasson Dominguez could get playing time when he is healthy enough to play. Dominguez flashed his talent in the week of games he played for the Yankees in 2023.
The Yankees signed Stroman in January, and while some fans were hoping for Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, he has been a dependable pitcher over the years. He will be a key piece in the rotation, especially with Gerrit Cole slated to miss 1-2 months.
Speaking of injuries, DJ LeMahieu is starting the season on the injured list as well. In the meantime, Jon Berti or Oswaldo Cabrera will likely fill in at third base while LeMahieu recovers from his foot injury.
The Yankees will have to withstand the injuries to Cole and LeMahieu in the early parts of the season.
Yankees' early season schedule
The Yankees will open with a four-game series in Houston against the Astros, which presents a chance to make a statement right away that this season is different. Then, they will go to Arizona and play the Diamondbacks for three games before playing their first home stand against the Toronto Blue Jays and Miami Marlins.
After the first home stand of the season, the Yankees have games against the Cleveland Guardians, Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers and Baltimore Orioles to close the month of April. It is not the easiest schedule for the Yankees in the first month, but there are a lot of opportunities to prove that they are a contender right away.
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