The MLB and MLBPA have finally come to terms on a season and there will be baseball in 2020. The New York Yankees will take the field and will have a go for World Series number 28. As we wait for the season to begin, there are a number of storylines that every Yankee fan should follow.
Gerrit Cole pitching in pinstripes
One of the most obvious ones, but still an important one. Gerrit Cole signed the biggest contract for a pitcher in MLB history this offseason and every Yankee fan has been itching to see him take the mound at Yankee Stadium and pitch. With this huge salary over his head at all times, it’ll be interesting if Cole can live up to the hype.
It’s no question that Cole is one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball, but it’ll be tough to repeat last season’s numbers with the Houston Astros.
Will Judge, Stanton stay healthy?
The injuries between these two MLB stars are super frustrating for New York Yankees fans. We know how incredibly strong our lineup is with these two in it, so when Yankee fans see that they’re out for two weeks with a “calf strain,” frustration is the bare minimum emotion.
Even without Stanton and Judge in the lineup, the Yankees are lucky enough to have above-average players coming off the bench. However, having Stanton and Judge healthy for a full season would be monumental for the club.
Can Gio Urshela repeat last season’s success?
Third basemen Gio Urshela had an extremely good offensive season last year, ironically the year after he was traded for the lack of offensive production. Urshela batted .314 with 21 home runs and 74 runs batted in. He was one of the leaders in batting average for the American League as well.
There should be no concern with his defense, however offensively he’ll be interesting to watch. I personally believe that the Yankee coaching figured out Urshela’s swing and he’s a different player at the plate now, but it’s possible that it was a one-year success story.
Gleyber Torres taking over shortstop
The New York Yankees didn’t resign Didi Gregorius last offseason because they feel that Gleyber Torres is the future shortstop of the organization. As much as Yankee fans loved Gregorius (and for good reason), I believe this is the right move.
There’s concern about Torres’ defensive ability, however, I think these thoughts are ludacris. Torres showed tremendous ability over at second base and when Gregorius was healing from Tommy John surgery, he held it down over at shortstop. Nonetheless, it’ll be fun watching the young superstar take the field at shortstop.