Yankees Futures Indicate They’re Expected To Win American League In 2020

The New York Yankees came very close to winning the American League pennant this past season, but close doesn’t count. Especially not for a franchise as storied and prosperous as the Yankees. New York expects to compete for championships, but competing for championships is supposed to mean that a championship is claimed every now and then. New York’s last American League and World Series championship came in 2009, when the Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Angels in the American League Championship Series and then the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. After adding Cy Young candidate Gerrit Cole to the roster, are they ready to finally return to the World Series for the first time in 11 years?

NEW YORK YANKEES ODDS

TO WIN WORLD SERIES: 101.5
TO WIN AL PENNANT: +150
REGULAR SEASON WIN TOTAL: +350

OFFSEASON CHANGES

Other than Cole, the Yankees did not make a lot of high-profile acquisitions in the offseason, going for a lot of short- and middle-relief pitchers plus some other tinkering around the edges. They had to save their money for the really big fish they landed in Cole. The Yankees successfully plucked Cole from the free agent pool for over $300 million and not only strengthened their team but weakened the Astros. This gives them the shutdown ace in their starting rotation which they figure to need if they want to get past the Houston Astros and win the American League pennant. They’re hoping that Cole is the final piece of the puzzle for them.

IF THINGS GO RIGHT…

The Yankees will win it all. The Yankees have the ace with Cole, and they have a deep, young, loaded, hungry batting order in a ballpark – Yankee Stadium – which is hitter-friendly. The Yankees’ back end of the starting rotation might be a little weak, and middle relief figures to be a concern as well, but no team is likely to outslug the Yankees this season. They dealt with a myriad of injuries last season and still led the league in runs scored, finished second in home runs and third in OPS.

With Cole being able to pitch twice in a short playoff series, the Yankees might have enough firepower and frontline starting pitching to overcome whatever weaknesses or limitations they might display.

IF THINGS GO WRONG…

The Yankees will once again fall short of the World Series. Moreover, things are already happening which are hurting the Pinstripes. It was announced in late February that slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who barely played in 2019 because of extensive and prolonged injuries, will not be ready for Opening Day. He will very likely miss multiple weeks at the start of the season. Sure, they’ll be fine for now but this is what they dealt with in 2019 with many of their star hitters missing chunks of the season.

The other piece of really bad news for the Bronx Bombers is that starting pitcher Luis Severino, a core member of the rotation and a key piece in any playoff push or October series, will have Tommy John surgery, which takes him out of the equation for this season. That is a massive blow, and something the bullpen will have to be able to deal with during the season. The Yankees will have to go bullpen by committee in a number of games this season due to the Severino injury. If more injuries mount, the Yankees’ dreams of winning the American League pennant will die again.

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