Disappointment: Yankees Will Need To Revamp

To lose the Fall Classic, Aaron Boone and the Yankees fell in Game 5 of the World Series after holding a 5-0 lead and 6-5 lead - Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports

NEW YORK, NY — Now it’s over and the Yankees begin the offseason process with decisions, an emphasis is attempting to re-sign Juan Soto. The free agent will be awarded a contract that is expected to surpass $600 million whether it be from the Yankees or another organization.

Regardless of the Yankees being in on the Soto sweepstakes, a future Hall of Famer, they have numerous other contracts to resolve, a roster that will be different when they assemble again in Tampa, Florida.

Spring Training with this short offseason is nearly 100 days from now.

The Dodgers are World Series champions, a possible dynasty with long term contracts in place, need I say the names that outplayed the Yankees and delivered them a franchise 8th championship. A World Series that was projected to culminate with a decisive Game 7 is in the books.

The flaws of the Yankees at the wrong time of year, something that can’t be overlooked and a successful season overall after missing the postseason in 2023. But was it a success without a World Series title? They came close but came up short, results on the field in Game 5 was “exhibit A” of a team being guilty and playing badly.

Now they have run out of excuses and have an entire Winter to look back and analyze what went wrong in a series with the Dodgers. A series that many said would be highlighted with the home run balls out of the park from Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge.

It was far from MVP talk with two presumed MVP’s of the National and American League, Ohtani with a shoulder injury and the swing not reminiscent of his stroke. Judge continued his postseason woes (3 HRs, 9 RBI) numbers that did not reflect in outcomes and committed his first error of the season in Game 5, contributing to a disastrous 5-run fifth inning with one-out for the Dodgers. They became the first team in World Series play to overcome a 5-0 deficit and win it all.

A World Series that ended in the Bronx with disappointment. The Yankees reverted to a struggling team in Game 5, reminiscent of their mid season swoon of fielding errors and base running mistakes. Except for the home run ball it was evident the Yankees were not in a class with the Dodgers.

Perhaps manager Aaron Boone and a decision to remove his ace, Gerrit Cole earlier than expected in Game 1, a bullpen implosion with bad maneuvering, and the Freddie Freeman walk-off grand slam in the 10th which set the tone in Los Angeles. Certainly it was a gut wrenching Yankees loss. And coming home to the Bronx down 0-2 in the series.

And before anyone blames the manager with bullpen management and percentage moves, remember it’s the players. Remember Boone doesn’t throw, catch, or hit. Then again analytics has changed the game to an extent of a manager having little say about the lineup and how pitching matchups are aligned.

Regardless, it’s disappointing in the Bronx. A parade in downtown Los Angeles for the Dodgers. And looking at the Yankees for next year, this 2024 season concluded, questions all around. Was the league mediocre?

The Royals and Guardians, losers to the Yankees in the ALDS and ALCS, and perhaps not in a league as the Dodgers are and proved with two-thirds of their starting rotation injured, manager Dave Roberts using the bullpen game almost to perfection in their postseason run.

Know this, though, a Yankees season is never successful or complete without a World Series championship, this time failing since their last title in 2009. The Yankees left the Bronx early Thursday morning with their heads bowed in silence. Over 48,000 fans were just as silent exiting the ballpark.

And if the Yankees look to return and capture their 28th World Series championship there needs to be more emphasis and improvement with base running, less of that errorless baseball. Younger and work around some of the veterans, a similar mode that other teams follow including the Dodgers.

Or follow the Guardians mode of less emphasis on the home run, get on base with walks and hits, six innings from the starting rotation and allow the bullpen to take over. Though the Guardians pen and best in baseball ran out of gas at the wrong time of year, imploding in the ALCS.

Of course with or without Soto, more of playing baseball without relying on the home run ball. It just can’t be Judge, the MLB home run leader (58), or Giancarlo Stanton. More production from the bottom of their lineup that decided to wake up in Games 4 and 5.

Overall it was another outstanding year for baseball, attendance on the rise, ignoring that the game has changed with fundamentals and playing old fashioned small ball in a different perspective. Analytics are obvious with more percentages and reliance on numbers instead of instincts, scouting reports, and a manager using his best in situations.

The Yankees strategy has relied on the analytic approach, though GM Brian Cashman will deny their reliance on numbers.

One higher up in the organization informed me the strategy won’t change, a feeling the Yankees will go out and spend on available players via free agency and try to lock in Soto and try to avoid going over that luxury tax with no salary cap in baseball.

The strategy of the Guardians, six innings from the starters and leaving the rest to the bullpen, worked. The Yankees fell short in Game 5, they failed and obviously the bullpen will be revamped with a different look and have a closer in right-hander Luke Weaver (7-3, 2,89 ERA, 84 IP, 103 strikeouts) the sinker his repertoire pitch.

And Carlos Rodón needs to be more consistent when following Cole in the rotation. In Game 2, he was succumbed again to the home run ball (3) and could not locate the fastball.

However it is more than the pitching. More than the Yankees leaving too many runners on base and failure to score runs at the right time. It’s an entire roster that will look a bit different in 2024. And it has to be if the Yankees want to celebrate on their turf instead of the Dodgers.

A long season of futility, success to a point, and dealing with adversity. The manager is staying in the Bronx, so are Judge and Stanton. But there are many others such as Soto, and Gleyber Torres, who are uncertain to return.

Younger and more athletic the Yankees need to be. An offseason now of transition and building to what they hope is a return to the World Series in 2025. With or without, Soto will be the center of attention.

Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and contributor at LatinoSports.com – X (Twitter) @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso

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