Why The New York Yankees Will Be Better In 2026

The Yankees went out embarrassingly last year in the Divisional Round against the Toronto Blue Jays and will look to bounce back this upcoming season. New York hasn’t made a bold move in the offseason, bringing back what looks to be the same team as last season.

Brian Cashman is banking on injured players returning at a high level, and while it’s a huge gamble, it could pay off. The lineup is exactly the same, but their pitching staff will matter most. Cashman is relying heavily on Gerrit Cole to return to his ace-level form after coming off Tommy John surgery last year in Spring Training.

Rotation When Healthy Is Deep

Obviously, as we all know, injuries in baseball can occur at any moment, and the Yankees’ rotation entering Spring Training last year was the perfect example. Even without Cole and Carlos Rodon to begin the season, their rotation still looks strong. It will be headlined by Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, and the new addition, Ryan Weathers. Behind them will be Luis Gil and Will Warren.

Fried was excellent in his first year with New York, and Cam Schlittler seemed to get better as the season went on and excelled in big moments. Weathers has had health concerns, but if he can stay healthy, he is a prime breakout candidate in 2026. Gil had problems with command last year, but with a full spring and offseason to fix his mechanics, he should be back to the dominant pitcher who won rookie of the year in 2024.

It’s a big if. But if Cole can get back to his former form and have a strong year, the Yankees’ rotation will be one of the best in baseball. Outside of Schlittler, they lack a strong right-handed arm at the top of the rotation. It’s not impossible to see a pitcher in his 30’s come off strong after TJ surgery, with Jacob deGrom and Justin Verlander being the most recent examples.

Bullpen Is Their Biggest Weakness

The Yankees’ bullpen was horrendous last year, and it could still be a major problem this season. They haven’t added a high-leverage arm to handle big-pressure situations and are instead relying on guys with good underlying metrics, hoping that Matt Blake can unlock their full potential. There’s still over a month until the regular season begins, and the Yankees need to make a move for another pitcher.

Now, if New York does stand pat, there’s a way the bullpen can be stronger without any more moves this offseason. When Cole and Rodon return, it could push Weathers to the bullpen. If they do return on time, moving Weathers to the bullpen would give Aaron Boone a left-handed pitcher with high velocity who could pitch late in games and give them multiple innings each time out. 

The biggest x-factor in the bullpen will be Jake Bird. The Yankees acquired Bird at the trade deadline last year in hopes that he would be the high-leverage arm they desperately needed, but he fell way short of expectations. His tremendous fall off last year could be linked to how much he was used with the Colorado Rockies. If he can get back to what he was in 2023, their bullpen will be a lot stronger. 

The Bench Is Much Stronger

When you compare the bench on opening day this year to last year’s, it is a drastic difference. The Yankees had no bench options last season, and it ranked among the worst in baseball. This year, they have a ton of guys who can be used late in games against left-handed pitching, and Boone has a lot more options to use on a nightly basis. Amed Rosario, Jose Caballero, and Paul Goldschmidt all mash against left-handed pitching, which New York didn’t have for 75% of the season in 2025.

Their actual starting lineup is the same as last year, and it profiles to be one of the best in the league once again. Aaron Judge leads the charge, followed by Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm, Giancarlo Stanton, and Trent Grisham. Not to mention, Ben Rice smashed the baseball last year and could be the player to take the biggest step this season. Getting consistent daily reps will help him a ton, and he still put up great numbers last year despite terrible luck.

Are They The Best Team In the AL?

Right now, I’m still hesitant to say the New York Yankees are the best team in the American League, because they need everything to go right on the injury front, which rarely happens for them. The Blue Jays did get better and had New York’s number last year, which has to change this year. Spring Training will tell you a ton about how their season will go as we follow the rehabs of Cole and Rodon.

Cashman still has assets he can move, and with a little over a month to go before the Yankees head out west to start their season against the San Francisco Giants, time will tell if he makes another move. We know they’ll always field a competitive team, but the biggest test they will look to pass for the first time in a long time will be in October, when the lights are brightest.