The New York Yankees had a great start to the 2024 regular season. It has really surprised a lot of people because of how things ended last year. The Bronx Bombers could not make the postseason for the first time since 2016. Moreover, in 2023, they finished with a horrible 82-80 record and were fourth in the American League East division. It was their worst season in the last 30 years. On top of that, they had the second-worst batting average in the league. The only team who had it even worse than the Yankees were the nine-time World Series champions, the Oakland Athletics.
Moreover, the NY side had to deal with a lot of injury issues that led the team to sideline several key players, like Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, and so on. Even early in 2024, the ace pitcher of the Bronx Bombers sustained a right elbow injury. Everybody knew that Gerrit Cole would miss more than the first two months of the 2024 regular season. Then, Aaron Judge missed several games in spring training as well. Hence, there were doubts regarding how well the Yankees can start the new season. But what happened since Opening Day has been nothing short of a miracle.
How Are The Yankees Doing So Well In 2024?
It is still very early in the ongoing season. But the start of the latest season saw the Yankees enjoy one of their best starts in history. Currently, the NY side is in second place in the American League East division. Moreover, they have won more games than the Baltimore Orioles who is sitting at the top of the AL East division. It is only because the O’s have a better percentage than the Pinstripes. The Orioles are .650. On the other hand, the Yankees are .643. Clearly, the Bronx Bombers have enjoyed a better start than the last season. But what made the big difference in New York’s lineup? Many fans believe it has been “The Soto Effect.” Juan Soto has enjoyed a start with the Yankees that draws comparison with The Great Bambino. At present, Soto is the top favorite to win the 2024 AL MVP.
On top of that, Aaron Judge was going through an early season slump. But lately, he had a surge in his performance. However, Joel Sherman of The New York Post believes the starting pitchers made the big difference this season without Cole. Moreover, Luis Gil has been one of the best pitchers in the American League in terms of ERA. He has the best ERA in the NY side this season so far. Adding to that, Nestor Cortes, Marcus Stroman, and Carlos Rodon have performed pretty well. Moreover, pitchers from the bullpen like Clay Holmes has been performing brilliantly since the start of the current season. Now, these strong performances from the bullpen and starters have complemented well with the Yankees offense.
The NY Side Looks Like Contenders For The World Series
A big plus for the Yankees has been the health and consistency of key sluggers like Anthony Rizzo, Oswaldo Cabrera as well as the catcher Jose Trevino. Moreover, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are gradually getting back to their natural groove. The Yankees need them to stay healthy throughout the season. Besides Judge and Soto, the addition of Alex Verdugo has been working really well, defensively as well as offensively. Moreover, Anthony Volpe, the new shortstop, is rising to stardom quite rapidly.
He looks like a future superstar for the Yankees. Talking about superstars, who’s better than Juan Soto? The Dominican slugger has been a “Generational talent.” If he continues to perform at the level he has been doing so far, he can take the Bronx Bombers really deep into the playoffs. When the pitchers and hitters are complementing themselves so well and the vibe is so good in the clubhouse, it is making the team look like real contenders for the “Big Dance.”
