Official Yankees 2016 Preview

With all players reporting to Spring Training, baseball is about be back in full swing. The 2015 New York Yankees fell short of making the ALDS after being shut down by Dallas Keuchel in the wild card game. While the 3-0 shutout was a brutal way to go out, the team as a whole showed great
signs of what is to come.


One of those signs is Greg Bird, who absolutely raked in replace of Mark Teixeira, who sidelined for the season in the midst of a career year. Unfortunately, Greg Bird went down with a torn labrum before Spring Training even began, and he will miss the entire 2016 season. Good news is that Mark Teixeira is back but being as injury prone as he is, losing a reliable backup hurts.

Along with Bird, Luis Severino made his rookie debut and he impressed. Posting a 5-3 record with a 2.89 ERA and 1.203 WHIP, Severino is vying for the top spot in the rotation. Which leads into crucial questions for the Yankees...

How will the starting rotation fare?

It all hinges on staying healthy, and early on there have already been yellow flags waving. Mashairo Tanaka, the ace of the staff last season, has been dealing with a nagging elbow injury dating back to the 2014 season. He threw a painless 31-pitch bullpen session last week, but would not commit to saying he’d be ready to go for Opening Day.

On the other hand, Nathan Eovaldi, who racked up a team leading 14 wins last season, has soreness in his throwing forearm. Eovaldi did not pitch after Sept. 5 last season due to a forearm strain that restricted him. Manager Joe Girardi spoke on Eovaldi’s soreness saying he’s

“not concerned” and Eovaldi will be pushed back on the schedule.

If everyone is healthy, the rotation has a recipe for success, and should look as follows:

1) Tanaka
2) Severino
3) Pineda
4) Eovaldi
5) Sabathia/Nova

How will the offseason acquisitions help?

The most notable Yankee free agent signings this season were Starlin Castrio, Aroldis Chapman, and Aaron Hicks.

Starlin Castro is a colossal upgrade from his predecessor, Stephen Drew. Castro has had success at the big league level and gives the Yankees both a good hitter against left handed pitching (.295 vs LHP in 2015), and an upgrade defensively.

The addition of Aroldis Chapman provides depth to an already potent Yankee bullpen. The Betances-Miller combo was one of, if not the most reliable in all of baseball. Chapman’s talent and blazing fastball can essentially make game six innings, taking the workload off of the starting rotation. Just this week, however, the MLB has decided to suspend Chapman for 30 games for a domestic violence incident in October. Chapman can still participate in preseason games, so expect to see him back sometime in early May.

Backup catcher JR Murphy was dealt this offseason to give way for top catching prospect Gary Sanchez. As a result of this trade, the Yankees acquired Aaron Hicks from the Twins. Hicks is a switch hitting outfielder that gives the Yankees a solid platoon player in the outfield. If guys like Beltran, Ellsbury, or Gardner need a day off, expect to see Hicks fit right in.

What will the lineup look like and how will Teixeira and A-Rod bounce back?

vs. RHP
1) Ellsbury 
2) Gardner 
3) Teixeira 
4) A-Rod 
5) Beltran 
6) McCann 
7) Headley 
8) Castro 
9) Didi

vs. LHP
1) Ellsbury 
2) Castro 
3) Teixeira 
4) A-Rod 
5) Beltran 
6) McCann 
7) Headley 
8) Hicks
9) Didi

Hicks adds a lot of flexibility, especially against lefties and gives Girardi the option of interchanging Ellsbury and Gardner. With Aaron Judge patiently waiting in the minors, you have to believe that Girardi will have a short leash in terms of productivity with those guys in the outfield. The addition of Castro is also key as I can foresee him being the two hitter against lefties and maybe even against righties if he plays well enough out of the gate.

The biggest questions for the Yankees lie in the most important spots in the lineup. A-Rod is coming off of a career revival, and Teixeira is as well although his season was prematurely ended. If both of these guys stay healthy, I think they can be productive players as they were last year. Their clout alone will force pitchers to give others in the lineup better pitches to hit. A- Rod claims he was “gassed” by August last season, so hopefully Girardi is good about giving him rest and switching Tex and Beltran into the DH spot.

Worst Case Scenario: The starting rotation can’t stay healthy, which leaves the upgraded bullpen out of work. Ellsbury posts another lackluster year, and the team can’t manufacture runs. A-Rod doesn’t enjoy another 30 home run season, and the Yankees miss the playoffs for the 3rd time in the past 4 seasons.

Best Case Scenario: Tanaka and Severino dominate at the top of the rotation all season. The bullpen gets put to use and makes teams play six inning games. Jacoby Ellsbury proves to be dynamic at the top of the order, and stays in contention for the batting title. A-Rod, Tex, and Beltran don’t let age catch up with them, and they all have over 70 RBIs. The Yankees win the AL East and their veteran know-how and dominate bullpen allows them to contend for 28.