Coming off a 99-63 season in 2022 wherein Aaron Judge set an American League record for home runs in a single season, all the New York Yankees could expect was a season just as good. Despite the bitter note the season went out on—a 4-0 sweep at the hands of the Astros—there was hope for perhaps an even better season in 2023. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.
The good:
There was plenty of talent on the Yankees’ roster in 2023, headlined by their two biggest stars, Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge. Judge was coming off a record-setting year in terms of power numbers, and Cole turned in a 2022 in which he led the American League in strikeouts with 257. Both put together similarly elite years in ’23, with Cole almost a lock for the American League Cy Young Award and Judge sporting a similar home run percentage to last season’s number. Another bright spot was rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe, putting together a 20-20 campaign in which he hit 21 home runs and stole 24 bases. In a thinner rookie class, Volpe would’ve been in the running for Rookie of the Year, but unfortunately has been overshadowed this year.
The bad:
Where do we start? Judge missed 60 games this year with a foot injury, and the New York offense floundered without him. The average On Base Plus Slugging Plus (OPS+) for a major league hitter is 100, meaning besides Judge—who had an OPS+ of 175, the Yankees’ only above-average hitter was infielder Gleyber Torres with an OPS+ of 118. Every other player had an OPS+ below 100, showing that nearly every Yankees hitter was below average. Cole was the only consistent bright spot on the team, with 7.5 wins above replacement. Judge was next with 4.5, and after was reliever Michael King, with 3.3. Despite Volpe’s 20-20 season, the rookie only put together a .209 batting average. Former All-Star Luis Severino, whose career has been riddled with injuries, finally put together a complete season but finished the year with an ERA of 6.65. One of the biggest blows, however, was the regression of some of New York’s veteran bats. In his age-34 season, first baseman Anthony Rizzo posted his lowest on-base percentage—.328—since his rookie season. Rizzo is a 3-time all-star and has finished fourth in MVP voting twice in his career. Unfortunately, it seems as though Father Time is catching up to him. Former MVP Giancarlo Stanton compiled a minuscule .191 batting average, and even though Stanton is more known for his power than his pure hitting ability, a .191 average isn’t worth keeping in a starting lineup. Third baseman and former MVP Josh Donaldson only managed a .142 batting average and was put on waivers in August. He was claimed by the Milwaukee Brewers and is currently on their playoff roster. Rizzo, Stanton, and Donaldson’s salaries were a combined $70 million and the three were worth -.2 WAR, meaning they had negative value to their team.
MVP:
Cole. The Yankees’ ace went 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA and is a shoe-in for the AL Cy Young award. Cole led the AL in winning percentage, ERA, starts, shutouts, innings pitched, WHIP, and hits per nine innings. He provided New York with some stability in an otherwise rocky rotation, getting them a chance to breathe every five days.
One word:
Disappointing. New York finished the season with an 82-80 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. After going 99-63 a season ago, this year’s result was neither expected nor admired. With both general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone on the hot seat, next year will be pivotal for the future of the New York Yankees.
