Progress report: New York Yankees

NEW YORK YANKEES

• 2023 finish: 82-80 (4^th in AL East)
• Manager: Aaron Boone (7^th season, 509-361)
• Leading the front office: Brian Cashman, senior vice president and general manager (27^th season)
  

DOLLARS AND SENSE

• Largest luxury tax hit: OF Aaron Judge ($40 million)
• Top returning position player: Judge (5.3 WAR in 2023, per fangraphs.com)
• Top returning starting pitcher: RHP Gerrit Cole (5.2 WAR)
• Top returning reliever: RHP Clay Holmes (1.5 WAR)
  

ROSTER WATCH

• Key additions: OF Juan Soto (trade), OF Trent Grisham (trade), OF Alex Verdugo (trade), RHP Marcus Stroman (free agent), LHP Victor Gonzalez (trade), RHP Cody Poteet (free agent), LHP Caleb Ferguson (trade).
• Key losses: RHP Michael King (trade), Kyle Higashioka (trade), RHP Randy Vasquez (trade), RHP Jhony Brito (trade), LHP Wandy Peralta (free agent), 3B Isiah Kiner-Falefa (free agent), RHP Keynan Middleton (free agent), RHP Frankie Montas (free agent), RHP Luis Severino (free agent), RHP Zack McAllister (free agent), OF Franchy Cordero (free agent), RHP Domingo German (free agent), DH Jake Bauers (trade), RHP Albert Abreu (free agent).
• Baseball America top-100 prospect(s): OF Jasson Dominguez (16), OF Spencer Jones (46), OF Everson Pereira (67), SS Roderick Arias (68), RHP Chase Hampton (72).
  

KEEP AN EYE ON

• Having missed playoffs for the first time in six years, the Yankees swung the offseason’s biggest trade, acquiring outfielders Juan Soto and Trent Grisham from the Padres for pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez, catcher Kyle Higashioka and pitching prospect Drew Thorpe. The 25-year-old Soto is making $31 million in his walk year and poised to take advantage of the short porches at Yankee Stadium as he likely seeks a record contract after the season. In the meantime, Soto (35 HRs, .932 OPS) and Aaron Judge (37 HRs, 1.019 OPS) will team up as the most dangerous tandem in baseball.
• After briefly flirting with Blake Snell, the Yankees pivoted to right-hander Marcus Stroman (10-9, 3.95 ERA) to begin to restock the pitching depth it cost to net Soto. Stroman as a 3.65 ERA over nine years in the majors and will slot in behind right-hander Gerrit Cole (15-4, 2.63 ERA), the reigning AL Cy Young winner. The rotation, however, will look a lot better if left-hander Carlos Rodon (3-8, 6.85 ERA) can put a disastrous first year in New York behind him.
• Of course, it’s not just about missing the playoffs one season in the Bronx. The Yankees have not been to the World Series since winning it all in 2009, a 14-year hiatus from the Fall Classic that represents the franchise’s longest drought since losing in their first World Series berth in 1921.

PECOTA projection: 94.2 wins

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole walks on the field during a baseball spring training workout Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Tampa, Fla.

(Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press)

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2024 season previews

AL EAST

• Baltimore Orioles
• Boston Red Sox
• New York Yankees
• Tampa Bay Rays
• Toronto Blue Jays

NL EAST

• Atlanta Braves
• Miam Marlins
• New York Mets
• Philadelphia Phillies
• Washington Nationals

AL CENTRAL

• Chicago White Sox
• Cleveland Guardians
• Detroit Tigers
• Kansas City Royals
• Minnesota Twins

NL CENTRAL

• Chicago Cubs
• Cincinnati Reds
• Milwaukee Brewers
• Pittsburgh Pirates
• St. Louis Cardinals

AL WEST

• Houston Astros
• Los Angeles Angels
• Oakland Athletics
• Seattle Mariners
• Texas Rangers

NL WEST

• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Colorado Rockies
• Los Angeles Dodgers
• San Diego Padres
• San Francisco Giants