AL Notes: Key Injuries And Health Casts Shadow On Yankees To Start Of The Season

The New York Yankees appeared to have positioned themselves as a serious contender in the American League after acquiring star outfielder Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres at the Winter Meetings, but as they prepare for opening day in Houston on Thursday, injuries to Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole and infielder DJ Lemahieu have once again called into question the Bronx Bombers ability to stay healthy enough to compete for top spot in the AL East.

Cole was shut down earlier this month with inflammation in his elbow and has avoided Tommy John surgery, but likely will not be available for the first two months of the season. Lemahieu is dealing with a foot injury and will likely start the year on the IL.  Without his ace, manager Aaron Boone will try to keep the Yankees head above water until Cole returns. The rotation has four starters (free agent Marcus Stroman, lefties Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes, and youngster Luis Gil) coming off injuries in 2023, along with healthy righty Clarke Schmidt, and the bullpen has only Clay Holmes and Jonathan Loaisiga as recognizable names with a half dozen no-name relievers.

Injuries to Lemahieu and infield prospect Oswald Peraza had GM Brian Cashman scrambling to find a utility infielder before the start of the season, and on Wednesday the Yankees acquired Jon Berti in a three-way trade with the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay for catcher Ben Rortvedt.

New York more than ever will be depending on their offense to carry them. Behind the plate, veteran Jose Trevino returns from wrist surgery and will platoon with youngster Austin Wells. Gleyber Torres bounced back from a subpar 2022 with a 25-homerun campaign last season, and shortstop Anthony Volpe hit 21 as a rookie, but the Yankees are looking for Volpe to improve on his .209 average and sub .300 on-base percentage.

More than anything, the Yankees need sluggers Anthony Rizzo,  Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton to stay in the lineup and provide protection for Soto, and for wunderkind Jasson Dominguez to return after the All-Star break.

Rizzo dealt with post-concussion issues and hit only 12 home runs, Judge hit 37 last season as a follow-up to his record-breaking 2022 campaign, but missed nearly one-third of the season with a toe injury, while Stanton dealt with a plethora of issues that had him hitting under the Mendoza line for the first time in his 14-year career. The 21-year-old top prospect hit four homers in eight games before suffering an elbow injury and undergoing Tommy John.

New York went 82-80 last season, mostly due to their lack of offense in Judge’s absence, but also because of the cavalcade of injuries to the heart of their lineup. The addition of Soto is a potential game-changer, but it could be wasted if that happens again.