TAMPA — Spring is going so well here the 82-win disaster that were the 2023 Yankees almost doesn’t seem real.
Nestor Cortes has regained his health. So apparently has Anthony Rizzo. Giancarlo Stanton looks like himself, only thinner.
DJ LeMahieu is a new man at the plate. Carlos Rodon thinks he found his old fastball, and the radar gun agrees.
Everyone around here is smiling and feeling good, and there’s a reason to. The holdovers are healthier, the newcomers very welcome.
There’s only positivity on the eve of the Yankees’ spring opener Saturday against the Tigers (and if you think it’s that way in every camp, consider the Mets now).
The optimism here feels genuine.
“I’m excited about the guys we have here,” Aaron Judge said. “After last season I think a lot of guys learned from what happened and wanted to make a lot of changes. Anytime you get hit in the mouth and you don’t make the postseason … it’s a big wake-up call for a lot of guys, including myself.”
Judge is the last guy who needed a wake-up call, he just needs to avoid running into concrete walls at full tilt. But as for the mortal greats on this $307 million team, there’s one upbeat story after another.
Here are the top-10 reasons the Yankees won’t repeat the 162-game mishap of a year ago:
1. Rodon seems to have turned the clock back to before the Yankees agreed to pay him $162 million over six years. He’s throwing 94-95 mph, even touching 96 and 97, up from 89-91 at this time a year ago. Everyone identifies him as the key guy, and it’s easy to understand why. He’s a supreme talent who posted a 6.85 ERA his first year in The Bronx. Maybe he just needed a year to get adjusted to life in pinstripes.
2. Cortes says he’s feeling good, and that’s big because if they get the 2022 Cortes, they have yet another top-of-the-rotation guy. Cortes is so dedicated to the cause he told me he spent the whole winter over here in Tampa, and from personal experience I can tell you that’s quite a sacrifice for a Miamian.
3. Stanton looks different in hopes of avoiding anything close to his 2023 season. The former MVP transformed his physique, which always looked museum-quality but was previously prone to injury. He hasn’t revealed his weight loss but it’s noticeable. For those interested (including me), he said this was the key: “Eat less.” Imagine that.
4. Rizzo feels like himself again. The Yankees made a mistake having him return from his concussion and apparently play for several weeks without much eyesight before finally sitting him down. This was on them. Rizzo is about the toughest guy in the big leagues and needs to be told not to play when he’s hurting, not asked. Anyway, he is feeling better now, which is huge.
5. LeMahieu looks back in form. LeMahieu is another stoic tough guy, and the two-time batting champion had to be hurting last year. He looks ready already. “There’s an explosiveness to him there wasn’t the last couple years,” Aaron Boone said.
6. Anthony Volpe is ready to step up to stardom. The super-dedicated 22-year-old surprised folks by winning a Gold Glove and showing good power as a rookie, but critics say he looked like he was uppercutting last year, leading to that .209 average the Yankees believe will be a one-year aberration. Someone in camp said his swing “looks flatter,” which is a plus.
7. Juan Soto is here — at least for 2024. The game’s third-best hitter (my own rankings: Judge No. 1, Yordan Alvarez No. 2, Soto No. 3) gives them the best 1-2 hitting combo punch in the game. Not saying they are going to repeat the Mantle-Maris combo of 1961 but it should be something. It better be since they traded half their rotation depth to get him. It’s too bad Soto may only be here a year but Alex Verdugo, another newcomer, and Gleyber Torres also are in their platform year, which brings extra incentive.
8. The catching situation is better than folks think. They’ve got the hitting guy (Austin Wells), the defense and game-planning guy (2022 All-Star Jose Trevino) and possibly the personal catcher for the game’s best pitcher, Gerrit Cole (Ben Rortvedt). It’s a complete set.
9. Their pen should be fine. For all the criticism of poor Brian Cashman, he finds relievers everywhere. Caleb Ferguson looks like an especially prescient pickup. Even Dodgers discards are good.
10. The rotation depth is an issue but feels slightly better because of the recovery of Cortes, the rejuvenation of Rodon and return of New Yorker Marcus Stroman, a consistent pro who seems thrilled to be a Yankee. Cole has checked out all the arms, even the kids, and reports they all look like they can help. That seal of approval is huge. Cole is not only the best pitcher, he’s a tough critic. If he thinks it’s OK, I may need to re-evaluate my concerns.