It’s late December, the very heart of the offseason, with little meaningful activity taking place during the holiday season for the New York Yankees. The most recent move by the Yankees involved a trade to the Cleveland Guardians of Estevan Florial for right-handed pitcher Cody Morris. The move was a highly underwhelming one after the let down of the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes.
The front office primed Yankee fans for an aggressive push to acquire Yamamoto, who ultimately chose the Los Angeles Dodgers. The fact that the Yankees had been pursuing Yamamoto so publicly made the let-down from his decision even more bitter. Yankee fans want action now, especially knowing how deep the Yankees pockets are proving this winter after the $300 million offer to Yamamoto. The National League Cy Young winner, Blake Snell, would be a welcome addition to the rotation. Alternatively, the Yankees could reunite with Jordan Montgomery, now a World Series champion. Fans are also aware that Corbin Burnes with the Milwaukee Brewers is available for trade and, if he agrees to an extension, would be a very nice addition to the team.
After a season that even Vice President and General Manager Brian Cashman referred to as “a disaster,” fans expect big things from the front office to improve the team and take it to the postseason. The Yankees have acquired Juan Soto, and now Yankee fans clamor for a team to support generational talents Gerrit Cole, Aaron Judge, and Soto in order to take advantage of their prime years and win a championship. It takes vision and risk to acquire the talent necessary to propel a team to the next level. Cashman is now challenged with putting together a roster capable of competing for a postseason berth. There is a sense of urgency for Yankee fans who want to see the team return to prominence; frankly, Yamamoto’s decision to go to the Dodgers is a bit of an embarrassment for a franchise that once was the top destination for elite talent.
The coming week will prove interesting as the Yankees must make a move to bolster the starting rotation if the move to acquire Soto is going to make any sense. To rely on the currently available arms would be a mistake, as Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes, Clarke Schmidt, and Clayton Beeter have not proven they are capable of producing winning baseball that leads to the postseason and a championship. Cashman’s challenged with reclaiming the Yankee mystique by building a team with the talent to perform at the highest level and on the biggest stage. It’s time to reclaim the image of the Yankees as a “fully operational DeathStar” capable of competing with champions and winning the biggest prize. It’s time for actions to speak louder than words and for the Yankees to create excitement and promise for fans entering the 2024 season. It’s time for a return, in fact, to glory.
What do you think they aren’t getting their groove back? Next column!