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The 2026 Major League Baseball season will begin shortly. At Passion MLB, as has been the case for years, we are setting the stage for the season by introducing the 30 teams of Major League Baseball.
Today, the Yankees are on the menu.
2025 Season
The 2025 season did not end as the New York Yankees had imagined, as after reaching the World Series in 2024, the Bombers were eliminated by the Toronto Blue Jays in the Division Series.
It was a disappointing end for a team that was tied for the most wins in the American League.
Additions and departures
The New York team will feature much the same lineup as last year, with a few exceptions, especially in the bullpen. Among them is the departure of Devin Williams, who sabotaged his share of games in 2025.
Relievers Luke Weaver, Jonathan Loaisiga, Jake Cousins, Scott Effross, Mark Leiter Jr., and Ian Hamilton have also left the Bronx. Austin Slater is the only position player who will not be returning.
On the other side of the spectrum, Ryan Weathers and Angel Chivilli will join the Big Apple's pitching staff, while the versatile Max Schuemann will try to break into the offensive lineup.
Strengths and weaknesses
With virtually the same lineup of position players, the Yankees can be expected to continue to have the best offense in all of Major League Baseball, led by captain Aaron Judge. However, this could depend on whether Trent Grisham can repeat last year's exploits, the health of Giancarlo Stanton, and the emergence of Ben Rice.
It will also be interesting to follow the progress of young Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones and the playing time they are given. One of the two could be traded for reinforcements before the trade deadline.
Spencer Jones leaves the ballpark
pic.twitter.com/KhmWGbNrQC
— MLB (@MLB) February 26, 2026
Health-wise, the Yankees' starting rotation is certainly in the top 10 in MLB with Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodon as the top trio. Next come Cam Schlittler, Weathers, and Clarke Schmidt. Will Warren and Luis Gil also add depth to this rotation. However, it remains to be seen what condition Cole and Schmidt will be in when they return to play.
In the bullpen, there is no doubt about closer David Bednar. It is after that where the question marks begin to appear with guys like Camilo Doval, Fernando Cruz, Tim Hill, and Jake Bird. This could prove to be the New Yorkers' weakness.
Expectations for the 2026 season
Expectations are always high in the Bronx, and the 2026 season will be no exception. The goal will be to return to the World Series and finally win their first title since 2009. However, this will not be easy with several strong teams in the American League East. If they want to succeed, the Yankees will have to tighten up their defense and rely on a bullpen that gets the job done in the late innings.
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