The New York Yankees’ season came to an end on October 30 with a 7-6 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. The series lasted five out of a possible seven games, with the Dodgers winning four games to one. Entering the series, sportsbooks had Los Angeles as slight favorites; however, the expectation was that it would be a long series and a nail-biter down to the end. This expectation, however, was disproved early in the series.
Game one finished in heartbreaking fashion for the Yankees, as Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the tenth inning off of southpaw pitcher Nestor Cortes. Yankees manager Aaron Boone made the bold decision to bring Cortes in, rather than relief pitcher Tim Hill, to face Freeman, a distinguished hitter and former National League MVP. Cortes had a successful season as a starting pitcher in the regular season, pitching to a 3.77 Earned Run Average (ERA) in 174 innings. However, he had not pitched in over a month due to an elbow injury sustained in late September. On the other hand, Tim Hill had pitched many times in the earlier rounds of the post-season and had become one of the Yankees’s most reliable pitchers down the stretch.
The Yankees then dropped the next two games, followed by an offensive explosion in a possible elimination game four, forcing a fifth game. In game five, the Yankees jumped out to an early 5-0 lead. However, in the fifth inning, things took a turn for the worse when the Bronx Bombers made three crucial errors, costing them a potential 28th World Series.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner have many tough decisions to make entering the offseason. The recent loss of superstar outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Mets is a tough pill to swallow, even more so after it was revealed the Yankees had offered Soto a 16-year contract worth 760 million dollars, five million less than the fifteen-year 765 million dollar contract offered by the Mets. Both contracts would have been the largest amount of guaranteed money handed out in a contract in sports history. Yankees fans were unhappy with the 26-year-old’s decision to sign with their cross-town rival. Multiple accounts on the social media platform X posted videos of brutality cursing out Juan Soto and burning his Yankee jersey.
There is no shortage of New York baseball fans at Poly. James Nicolaidis ’26 said he “had a feeling [Soto] was going to be a Met, but it hurts that he betrayed us for the money. What really frustrates me is that he went to the Mets. Not only do I hate them, but I’m going to have to listen to the many Mets fans I know brag about having him.” Avid Mets fan Jason Rodino ’25 said, “I am extremely excited that the Mets got a player like Soto, and I look forward to seeing what other moves we make this offseason.” As the owner of a hedge fund valued at 34 billion dollars by Forbes, Steve Cohen’s acquisition of the Mets in August of 2020 has ushered in a new era of baseball, one headlined by winning and extravagant spending. Mets fans have now come to expect more spending on top of Soto’s record-setting contract, a culture shift that is quite different from their low-budget history.
For the Yankees, there is a silver lining. If they had signed Soto, his 760 million dollar contract would have likely left little to no money for the Yankees to spend on free agents. However, with Soto’s huge financial commitment no longer on the table, the Yankees essentially have total financial freedom and will likely make a flurry of moves in the upcoming weeks. A decent part of the fanbase seemingly shares this sentiment. Daniel Maggio ’27 commented, “At the end of the day if he did end up taking the 760 million the Yankees offered, it would have hurt us more than it would have helped us.” Soto, who is coming off a season where he sported career highs in home runs (41), slugging (.569), and wins above replacement (8.1), cannot be replaced by a single player currently available. New York expressed interest in signing upcoming free agent Teascor Hernandez (.272/.339/501) before losing Soto to be the next option for the outfield, and while he had a very strong year, he does not nearly match Soto’s ability.
Offseason spending has already started in the Yankees front office, as starting pitcher Max Fried was signed for 8 years, 218 million dollars. This puts the Yankees’s rotation as one of the best in the league.
Cashman and Steinbrenner also face tough decisions on the infield. Second baseman Gleyber Torres has likely played his final game in pinstripes, as the 27-year-old has unfollowed the Yankees on Instagram, approaching free agency. Torres had an up-and-down season, and while he found success towards the back end of the season, he struggled mightily on defense. Lifelong Houston Astro Alex Bregman (.260/.315/.453) could be a possible signing to replace Torres, but his involvement in the 2019 Astros cheating scandal has left a bitter taste in the mouths of fans and management. The Yankees recently chose not to pick up Anthony Rizzo’s third-year option, leaving first base empty. Rumors have been thrown around surrounding a possible trade with the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Cody Bellinger and infielder Nico Horner. Both have been above-average hitters for the Cubs and are elite defenders, something the Yankees desperately need. If Cashman chooses to go the cash route, Christian Walker (.251/.335/.468) is the best available option.
Despite having the third biggest payroll in Major League Baseball, the Yankees continue their 25-year drought without a World Series title. While fans were excited by the Yankees’s World Series appearance this year, they were stunned by their fast exit at the hands of the Dodgers. We are all left wondering yet again when, if ever, the Yankees’s enormous payroll will translate into a World Series win.
