5 Yankees with the most to prove in 2021

The Yankees desperately want to end their World Series drought in 2021. These five players must step up their game to make that happen. 

2021 is shaping up to be a pivotal season for quite a few players on the Yankees roster. The franchise has legitimate aspirations of winning a World Series title. They’ll need career years from several key contributors on the roster to turn those dreams into reality.

It’s obvious that big-name stars like Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole need to play well if the Yankees are going to enjoy a victory parade at the Canyon of Heroes. Yankees fans should keep a close eye on the following five stars as the players with the most to prove in 2021. Their performances this season could easily define their legacy with the team.

5. Domingo German

German’s 81-game suspension via MLB’s domestic violence policy was well documented. 2021 is where German could make up for his on-field absence with a resurgent season on the mound.

The Dominican right-hander has a lot of work to do on the field to convince the Yankees they can count on him again as a regular rotation contributor, but if he clears those hurdles he can really help this team in an area of need. The rotation is filled with question marks after Cole and Jordan Montgomery. Slotting German as a reliable middle-of-the-rotation arm would do a lot to solidify Boone’s pitching staff.

This is the season where German either reclaims his spot in the Yankees’ rotation, or loses his place as someone in the franchise’s long-term plans. It’s a make or break season for German. He doesn’t have All-Star upside for the Yankees, but if he can perform as an above-average starting pitcher it will give his career and his team a major boost.