Over The Monster’s series previewing the 2025 Red Sox’s rivals takes a visit with the Yankees
What’s this team’s deal?
A team loaded with talent had their best chance to snag a World Series title since 2009…and they blew it. Well, blowing it isn’t the right verbiage when the 2024 New York Yankees lost the World Series in 5 games, but the top of the 5th inning of Game 5 epitomized the collapse of a team that actually showed their might to win the AL Pennant.
The Yankees then went on to lose a generational talent in Juan Soto who would have made the Bronx Bombers’ lineup one of the best for years to come. How does a team overcome those punches in the span of just a few months? How do you stand tall to the pressures of a market that expects — no, demands — victory at all costs? Do you do the unthinkable and rebuild for sustainability? No, you’re the damn New York Yankees. You throw money and assets wherever you can in order to win. The 2025 Pinstripes hope to prove that they can stay atop the mountain and then some.
How good are they?
Look, I’ll give them this. Adding Max Fried hurts everyone else. A lot. A 1-2 punch up front of Cole and Fried is absolutely nasty. The question marks come if Carlos Rodon can find any modicum of consistency and the back end of their rotation has any form to begin with. Is Marcus Stroman still a viable MLB pitcher? Is Clarke Schmidt actually here for more than just a no. 5 slot? What about Luis Gil, can he repeat the May 2024 Gil who has a 0.70 ERA and be a monster behind the front two or is he another question mark? For as strong as they are up front, they still need answers in the back.
Trading for Devin Williams from the Brewers might have been one of the best moves of the offseason for any team. Offloading Nestor Cortes to get one of the highest caliber closers in the league? My GOD, I’m even salivating at this trade and extremely jealous of it. Williams’ change-up is one of the nastiest in baseball, a true put-away pitch that rivals anything they lost from Clay Holmes going to the Mets and then some. If Luke Weaver can be Luke Weaver again, they have incredibly talented late-inning and high-leverage innings guys and should be extremely confident in for those situations.
Their lineup is still formidable…but this is where they have a lot of eyes and a lot of questions. Watching Juan Soto go to Queens was admittedly some fantastic schadenfreude, and the Yankees had to scramble to fill the giant hole in the lineup. Letting Gleyber Torres, Alex Verdugo and Anthony Rizzo go set in motion a flurry of moves and decisions. Cody Bellinger is absolutely in the prime of his career at age 29…but he hasn’t hit more than 26 homers a season except for one monster 47 dinger year in 2019 for the Dodgers. Could the short porch in right help a left-handed batter who undoubtedly is a pull hitter when it comes to power? It better for the Yankees sake. Signing Paul Goldschmidt was the next move to shore up first base, and while he’s coming off a career-worst 98 OPS+ season, he’s been one of the league’s strongest hitters for a long time. Yet, he’s 37 and most definitely in the back half of his career. It’s incumbent that he also rebounds to defy Father Time. Jasson Dominguez is slotted to be the everyday left fielder, but can The Martian stay on the field and live up to his nickname?
Combine those guys with Aaron Judge and a healthy Giancarlo Stanton and there certainly is a lot of pop to contend with, that is if all the projects go right. Oh one more project, Jazz Chisolm has to be a third baseman again despite being an every day outfielder for the past two seasons and playing second before that.
Who’s their most likeable player?
Look, would I be lying if I said I really truly liked a Yankees player? Absolutely, it’s in my blood as a New Englander to not give them any time of day. Would it be funny to say Gerrit “Kermit the Frog” Cole because Rafael Devers is his daddy? Also absolutely, 100%.
But from an objective baseball standpoint, it has to be Aaron Judge. What he’s done for the game of baseball (when he’s not hurt) — breaking home run records, captaining a historic franchise, racking up Silver Sluggers and MVP votes — is admirable and he’s one of the faces of the game.
Who’s their least likeable player?
Without a doubt this has to be Anthony Volpe for me. This kid was a super hyped-up prospect who EVERY Yankee outlet and fan touted as the next Derek Jeter. What does his Major League career have to show for it? An 86 OPS+ and 33 errors in 2 full MLB seasons.
I could have said Jazz Chisolm here but honestly, I don’t hate the personality. If he makes the Yankees actually fun to play against—as annoying as it would be as an opponent—great. If he becomes a culture cancer against the “Yankee way” and destroys them from the inside—even better. Can’t hate on it much either way.
Schedule against the Red Sox
Somehow, we don’t see the Pinstripes until June! We take them on 13 times, with a one-game edge to New York for home games. Also, unless a game gets flexed, no Sunday Night Baseball for any of them, despite all these series taking place on the weekend.
Fri-Sun, June 6th-June 8th — Boston @ New York (3 games)
Fri-Sun, June 13th-June 15th — New York @ Boston (3 games)
Thu-Sun, August 21-August 24 — Boston @ New York (4 games)
Fri-Sun, September 12-September 14 — New York @ Boston (3 games)
The Sox were 6-7 against the Yankees in 2024, despite winning the first two series last season. The second half collapse was a killer, including losing 3 of 4 in mid-September in the Bronx.
Season Prediction
FanGraphs has the Yankees projected at 87-75, good enough to win the AL East by two games but worse than their 94-68 mark in 2024. Who would be the team two games behind them in this projection? The Red Sox. I think this should be an electric rivalry with a lot on the line for both teams for the first time since 2021. I think the win totals for each team is slightly low, but the overall theme is the same. Both teams are true competitors against each other. Give me the Yankees at 89-73, carried more-so by their pitching than their offense this season.