It's hard to classify this offseason as anything other than a major disappointment for the New York Yankees. Juan Soto's decision to spurn the club to move to the Mets got things off to a bad start. A pair of high-profile injuries to Giancarlo Stanton and Gerrit Cole only made things worse for GM Brian Cashman and his front office staff.
Fans in the Bronx are ready to put the offseason in the rearview mirror and get on with the regular season. Losing Cole for the entire campaign drastically reduces the ceiling of manager Aaron Boone's team. Completely writing the Yankees off is still an overreaction.
The team still has several high-profile strengths they can rely on in the ultra-competitive AL East. If the Yankees go back to the playoffs this year they can point to these three strengths as the biggest reasons for their success.
1. A deep and talented bullpen
The team's decision to trade for closer Devin Williams has somehow flown under the radar given everything else that's happened in the Bronx. It's safe to assume it will garner more attention as Williams uses his airbender to close games when the 2025 campaign begins.
Remember, the Yankees gave away quite a few games due to Clay Holmes' inability to hold leads in the ninth inning last year. Luke Weaver stabilized things when he transitioned to the closer's role but Boone took quite a while to pull the trigger on that move.
Now Weaver moves back into a more versatile late-inning role that better suits his stuff. The Yankees need to be careful not to overwork him early in the year but he should give New York the sort of late-inning duo they haven't had since the prime days of Mariano Rivera.
The return of Jonathan Loaisiga from injury could also be a factor for the Yankees in the seventh or eighth. He likely won't be up and running for Opening Day but his arrival in the majors should arrive pretty quickly.
Another candidate to improve his performance over last year is Mark Leiter. The franchise's brain trust thought he could give them a boost down the stretch last year but he struggled to adjust to the rigors of the AL East after he arrived at the trade deadline.
The absence of a dominant left-hander could be an issue for the team's bullpen but that is a weakness that can always be remedied with an in-season trade. Yankees fans can expect their relieving corps to cover up a lot of issues for the team's rotation in 2025.
2. The middle infield
Boone still has some tough decisions to make about his infield, but the starters at second base and shortstop seem pretty clear. Anthony Volpe is absolutely going to start the season as the team's startring shortstop absent any sort of injury. Jazz Chisholm will be at second base unless he moves to third to accomodate a new acquisition.
If Volpe and Chisholm get the chance to man the middle infield all season long it should be a nice combination for the Yankees. Volpe already plays Gold Glove defense and really helps his pitching staff with his arm strength. Chishom is not quite as consistent as a fielder, but his athleticism should help improve New York's infield defense next season.
Both infielders should be counted on to boost their offensive output in 2025. Volpe will be entering his third season as a starter and needs to find a happy medium between focusing on contact and trying to pull everything with power. His speed on the basepaths gives him a chance to turn a single into a double everytime he gets on with his abilty to steal second.
Chisholm has an interesting mix of speed and power but needs to find a way to square more balls up if he's going to take a meaningful step forward. Getting 20-25 homers out of him at second base could be a big boost to Boone's everyday lineup.
If both Volpe and Chisholm can play 125+ games as above-average starters it will help keep the Yankees in postseason contention.
3. The outfield
Not enough has been written regarding how good the team's outfield has a chance to be in 2025. Aaron Judge is a clear MVP candidate any season he can stay healthy. New York will likely enter the regular season with two new starters playing alongside him in the outfield.
Cody Bellinger is not going to revert back to an MVP candidate himself but his left-handed swing should play well with the short porch in right at Yankee Stadium. If he can give the team 25 home runs and play good defense in center he'll be a major positive.
Jasson Dominguez may be the biggest wild card for the team as it heads into the season. The rookie has enormous potential but his defensive misadventures in left field are an issue worth watching. He's another player who can give the team 25 home rums or more if he handles the rigors of a regular MLB season well.
If the Yankees do win the AL East next year it's safe to say their outfield will carry a hefty portion of the team's offensive load. Judge isn't the only outfielder who can do that for Boone's squad.