New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner didn’t mince words when reflecting on his team’s absence from the playoffs last season, marking the first time since 2016 they had missed out on postseason action.
“Last year was an embarrassment. We’re all embarrassed,” Steinbrenner expressed to reporters, as noted by Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record.
The disappointment of the previous season has fueled a shift in mindset as the team gears up for Spring Training. Steinbrenner emphasized that there’s a palpable determination among the players to redeem themselves after finishing with an 82-80 record.
“They feel like they have something to prove to the fans,” Steinbrenner stated.
The sentiment of embarrassment echoed throughout the team, with outfielder Aaron Judge echoing similar feelings. Judge highlighted the wake-up call the team experienced and stressed the collective commitment to ensure a repeat of the previous season’s disappointment doesn’t occur.
“Kind of a wake-up call, and I think just collectively as a group we all kind of looked at each other and said this can’t happen again,” Judge remarked, as reported by Ronald Blum of the Associated Press.
To revamp their roster and reclaim their position atop the AL East, the Yankees made significant moves during the offseason. Notably, they secured the services of three-time All-Star Juan Soto and signed starting pitcher Marcus Stroman.
They are banking on rebound performances from players who struggled in 2023, such as injured pitchers Carlos Rodón and Nestor Cortes, along with Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton.
Despite ongoing concerns regarding injuries and their inability to secure certain pitching acquisitions, like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Yankees’ offseason changes instill confidence in a more successful campaign in 2024.
Although the Yankees fell short with 82 wins last season, alongside the Boston Red Sox as the only AL East teams to miss the playoffs, they’re presently viewed as the consensus favorites to clinch the division title in 2024.
