With the roster essentially set after a frenetic start to December and a sluggish January, the Yankees are almost ready to fly their pitchers and catchers down to Florida to begin the tradition in 2024.
In a bit of good news, two of their most important players, Carlos Rodón and Nestor Cortes Jr., reported voluntarily before they were needed to in order to get some extra repetitions in under team supervision. That will work.
Following a few more weeks of buildup, anticipation, and a good feelings press tour completed by Cash man and Aaron Boone, the Yankees will begin to take shape in earnest in the middle of next month, at which point the”Championship or Bust?” dial will be turned back to “Championship?” for another pressure-packed year.
Fortunately, there should be no contract extension gloom hovering over this spring training as there did for Aaron Judge in 2022; everyone knows Juan Soto will let things play out first.
Pitchers and catchers arrive to camp in Tampa on February 15, marking Marcus Stroman’s debut in the uniform of his childhood ambitions. Unfortunately for Stro, his first days will likely be spent in navy pullovers rather than gleaming pinstripes, but that reveal will come soon enough.
Other early topics to watch include Austin Wells’ possible breakout, Jose Trevino’s recovery from the wrist injury that threw his All-Star follow-up off track, and Rodón and Cortes Jr. forging a new route after a season marked by pain (early and frequently).
With only three weeks until the first round of Yankees arrive, numerous unsigned top-tier free agents, like Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, are still looking for a home. If Brian Cash man’s budgetary worries are to be believed (as they should be), there will be no shocking surprises when the bullpen gate opens in mid-February. Hector Neris, a lesser-known bullpen name. A Wandy Peralta reunion? This might be the lone addition to the existing group.
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