It was a wild season in The Bronx, to say the least. Despite some strong production from Aaron Judge for most of the year, injuries and poor production from several key starters held back the Yankees and kept them out of the postseason for the first time since 2016. Here’s our recap of the Yankees’ 2023 season.
Related: 2023 MLB Season Recap: New York Mets
The Offensive Numbers
| Stat | Figure | MLB Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Runs Scored | 673 | 25th |
| Home Runs | 219 | 9th |
| OPS | .701 | 24th |
| Whiff% | 27.1% | 22nd |
| Hard Hit% | 41.8% | 2nd |
The Pitching
| Stat | Figure | MLB Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Starters’ ERA | 4.44 | 18th |
| Relievers’ ERA | 3.34 | 1st |
| Strikeouts | 1,439 | 12th |
| Whiff% | 25.7% | 17th |
| Chase% | 29.3% | 12th |
The Good
The 2023 campaign is a perfect example of why the Yankees gave OF Aaron Judge over $350 million last winter. Despite the fact that Judge missed two months, the slugger finished tied with Austin Riley for tenth in the MLB in home runs (37).
The superstar outfielder shined both at the plate and in right field, but an incredible catch at Dodger Stadium on June 3 proved to be a turning point in the Yankees’ 2023 season. The Yankees captain crashed into the right field wall and tore a ligament in his toe.
When the Yankees entered play on June 4, New York was 36-25 and sat 2.5 games ahead of Toronto for the last AL Wild Card. When Judge returned from the IL on July 28, the Yankees were 54-49 and sat 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.
The other notable performer from 2023 for the Yankees was Gleyber Torres. Torres hit .273/.374/.453 with 25 home runs and 55 extra-base hits.
Rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe‘s .666 OPS wasn’t sexy, but the 22-year-old did record a 20-20 campaign in his first MLB season.
As for the Yanks’ pitching staff, New York’s bullpen ranked first in ERA among relievers. Closer Clay Holmes (2.86 ERA, 71 K, 24 SV in 63 IP) proved to be a steady presence, while Wandy Peralta, Ian Hamilton, Nick Ramirez, and Tommy Kahnle all delivered strong results.
The rotation didn’t live up to potential — which we’ll get to in the next section — but Gerrit Cole did. Cole struck out 222 over 209 innings, owned the second-best ERA (2.63) in MLB, and led all pitchers in pWAR (7.5) this season. The Yankees ace will likely win his first Cy Young in November.
Aside from Cole, the Yankees did receive decent results from Clarke Schmidt. Michael King, though, might have been the second-most impressive pitcher for the Yankees. Primarily a reliever, King received a chance to start late in 2023 and ran with it.
The 28-year-old went 1-4 with a 2.23 ERA and a 51:9 K:BB ratio through 40.1 IP as a starter.
The Bad
The Yankees offense, aside from Judge, did not produce what was needed. New York received subpar seasons from Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu, the former of whom was beleaguered by hamstring troubles.
The same could also be said for Anthony Rizzo, who had a strong first two months before a .172/.271/.225 stretch between June 2 and August 1. The veteran first baseman was then shut down with post-concussion issues that reportedly stemmed from a May 28 collision with Fernando Tatis Jr.
Simply put, the Yankees lacked difference-makers in the lineup — particularly when one was needed when Judge was absent. But, that wasn’t the only problem for the Yanks.
The rotation was supposed to be a strength due to the Yankees’ depth. However, that did not prove to be the case.
Left-hander Nestor Cortes was limited to 63.1 IP and didn’t put up 2022 numbers. Luis Severino got pounded by opposing hitters, particularly against the fastball. Then, there was Carlos Rodón.
Rodón was signed in the winter to create a dominant 1-2 punch with Cole but the lefty didn’t pitch until the summer thanks to forearm and back issues. He made his first appearance on July 7 but owned a 6.85 ERA from that date onward — second-worst in that span behind Hunter Brown (min. 60 IP).
What to Look For in 2024
The good news is that the Yankees are still very much a contender in the American League. Nonetheless, the Bronx Bombers will need to beef up the roster prior to Opening Day.
The Yankees have two glaring holes in left and center, one of which is thanks to the fact that Jasson Dominguez will be out for at least most of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery. Could this be a potential landing spot for Cody Bellinger, who had a strong 2023 for the Cubs? Or, potentially OF Juan Soto?
Aside from the lineup, the Yanks will need better results from the big guns in the rotation. 2023 was an injury-riddled one for Nestor Cortes, while Carlos Rodón had about as bad of an opening act in The Bronx as one could have.
New York does have Clarke Schmidt and Michael King as viable options, but adding an additional starter or two as insurance would not hurt.