Yankees spring training is under way in Tampa, Fla. Here are five major storylines to follow before opening day on March 30:
1. Who will win the job in left field?
One of the more intriguing positional battles in the majors will come at Yankees camp. Aaron Hicks is the favorite to retain the position, but given his struggles a season ago (.216 batting average, eight HRs), he’s not guaranteed the spot.
His main competition is second-year utility man Oswaldo Cabrera. The fan favorite played 44 games in 2022, posting a solid .247/.312/.429 slash line.
One other player for New York to consider in LF is Giancarlo Stanton, who hit 31 HRs but only batted .211 last season.
2. How will Yankees configure their infield?
Anthony Rizzo is locked in as the starting first baseman, but nothing else is set in stone.
Gleyber Torres is penciled in as starting second baseman again while rookie Oswald Peraza is the favorite to start at shortstop after supplanting Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the postseason. DJ LeMahieu is the favorite to start at third base, but Josh Donaldson and Kiner-Falefa are also in the mix.
The wild card is Anthony Volpe, the team’s top prospect. A strong spring by Volpe could force the Yankees to include him on the roster.
“I think Anthony is going to be a great player in this league,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, per NJ.com.
3. What is status of injured players?
Starter pitcher Frankie Montas is set to undergo shoulder surgery and could miss the entire season. Another Yankees starter, Nestor Cortes, dropped out of the World Baseball Classic recently due to a right hamstring strain. He won’t pitch for at least two weeks, according to MLB.com.
In the bullpen, Michael King is recovering from season-ending elbow surgery last fall. It is uncertain when he will be ready.
4. The ‘co-ace’ dynamic
The Yankees signed Carlos Rodon to a six-year, $162 million contract in the offseason with the hope he would form an elite one-two punch with Gerrit Cole. Rodon and Cole are two of baseball’s best power pitchers.
In 178 innings for the Giants last season, Rodon had 237 strikeouts. Cole had 257 strikeouts in 200.2 innings for the Yankees in 2022.
Rodon has a fiery personality that he may have to dial back to be effective in the tough New York market.
This will be the first time in Cole’s Yankees career that he has a bonafide “co-ace.”
5. What’s next for Aaron Judge?
Judge had a historic 2022 season, hitting an American League-record 63 home runs and earning MVP. In the offseason, he signed a nine-year, $360 million contract after briefly flirting with his hometown San Francisco Giants.
It’s virtually impossible to have a better season then he had in 2022, when he had 131 RBI, scored 133 runs and hit .311. But Judge is the team captain now, and in New York, the impossible is expected. He hasn’t been part of a pennant winner or World Series champ. Yankees fans want both.
