The New York Yankees want badly to get back to the World Series. It’s been 15 years since the Bronx Bombers hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy. Only the 18-year gap between 1978 and 1996 was longer in Yankees history between World Series titles. Do the Yankees have enough to get over the hump, and get past the likes of the Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and up and coming Baltimore Orioles? Let’s take a look at five HUGE Yankee storylines.

• Juan Soto, Juan Soto, and Juan Soto

  Everything that happens for the Yankees this season will likely revolve around their off-season acquisition of Juan Soto. A free agent to be, Soto has the power and moxie to make it work in the Bronx. He’s only 25 and already has 160 homers to his name. In the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium, he could easily hit 50 home runs this year. If he stays healthy, expect big things from Soto who will command a monster contract next off-season.

• Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton Must Stay Healthy

  One reason the New York Yankees struggled in 2023 was the plethora of injuries the team suffered all year.  From Giancarlo Stanton to Aaron Judge, to Anthony Rizzo and Josh Donaldson, the Yankees couldn’t field a consistent lineup every day. And when they did, guys were hurt. The Yankees need Stanton and Judge to be healthy all year long. Stanton lost a lot of weight in the winter, and looked great in Spring Training.  As for Judge, he had an early scare with a abdominal injury, but quickly returned. If these two power sources can stay in the lineup with Soto and Rizzo then the Yankees will have a middle of the order that nobody will want to pitch to.

• The Growth of the Young Guys

  Baseball is skewing younger and the New York Yankees are no exception. Anthony Volpe is coming off a gold glove year his rookie season. He also hit 21 homers and drove in 60, despite hitting .209 last year. Expect Volpe whose excelled at every level in the Yankees organization to improve on the batting average in 2024. His fellow Somerset Patriots roommate Austin Wells is going to split time behind the plate at least to start this season. Wells has power, but many have questioned his defense. He has gotten better, and pitchers enjoy tossing to him.  Jasson Dominguez would have been here with these two were it not for the elbow injury he suffered last September that will cost him all of this season.  After those two names like Spencer Jones, Ben Rice, and pitchers Clayton Beeter and Will Warren will be players to watch.

• Starting Pitching Without Gerrit Cole

  With Gerrit Cole out for the first two months of the season at least, as he recovers from a nerve injury in his pitching elbow, it will be critical for the rest of this rotation to step up. The New York Yankees invested a lot in Carlos Rodon in 2023, but injuries and inconsistency ruined his season. Same can be said for Nestor Cortes. If both Rodon and Cortes can get back to their 2022 form, it can only help the Yankees. Plus Marcus Stroman is going to be key. A controversial player at times, Stroman still has the goods to be a top end starter.

• Gerrit Cole, himself

  Will the New York Yankees see Gerrit Cole this season? It’s a reasonable question because elbow injuries are very tricky. Just ask Jacob deGrom. Cole suffered nerve inflammation in his pitching elbow, and won’t throw for upwards of four weeks. The Yankees hope he can avoid Tommy John Surgery. It’s a major gamble, but if the 2024 Yankees are going to compete for playoff spot, and win the AL East, they need Cole to return and return to form this year.

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