Back on July 2, the New York Yankees swept a doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians to improve to 58-21, putting them on a record pace of 119 wins at nearly the halfway point of the season. They led the major leagues in both runs scored and fewest runs allowed, and not-so-hushed comparisons to the famed 1998 team that won 114 games began to pop up. Little did Yankees fans know that doubleheader would be the high point of the season -- at least other than Aaron Judge breaking the American League record with 62 home runs.
The Yankees went just 41-42 the rest of the way in the regular season to finish with 99 wins, knocked off Cleveland in a tough five-game division series, and then suffered a four-game sweep against the Houston Astros in the ALCS, going down in a wave of strikeouts and defensive miscues. What happened to the dominant team of the first half? Sure, there were some injuries, but those were mostly to the bullpen, and no doubt the team was simply playing over its head those first three months. But as the Yankees' World Series drought now reaches 13 seasons, it means another big offseason for general manager Brian Cashman, starting with the biggest question of the entire offseason for the entire sport: Will they re-sign Judge?
New York Yankees
Notable free agents: OF Judge, SP Jameson Taillon, RP Aroldis Chapman, RP Zack Britton, RP Chad Green, OF/INF Matt Carpenter, OF Andrew Benintendi, SP Luis Severino ($15 million team option), 1B Anthony Rizzo (opt out)
We'll get to Judge. The Yankees' interest in Taillon could be tied to Frankie Montas' health, after he ended the season with shoulder discomfort, while Severino's team option is a no-brainer. The Yankees will be happy to cut bait with Chapman and Britton, at least at their 2022 salaries -- a combined $30 million for 37 innings of work. Carpenter bounced back from baseball purgatory with a 1.138 OPS in 154 plate appearances, but with Giancarlo Stanton locked in at DH, he might look for more playing time elsewhere. Rizzo has been a nice fit at first base and had a solid season with 32 home runs and a 131 OPS+ -- he'll likely opt out, but maybe the Yankees can swing another two-year deal with him, especially since they need his left-handed bat.