Delaney Hibbits
Arts and Entertainment Editor
Since MLB opening day on March 28, the New York Yankees are officially 6-1 after sweeping the Houston Astros and taking the three-game series from the Arizona Diamondbacks. In less than a week, the Yankees had their best start in 22 years while tying their longest winning streak of the entire 2023 season.
Their first loss came from a shutout game on April 2 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, they rallied on April 3 and won during extra innings to take the series.
Despite a less-than-ideal 2023 season, the Yankees refuse to settle for anything but a World Series ring. During the off-season, general manager Brian Cashman was able to work out a deal with the San Diego Padres. In exchange for right-handed pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, Drew Thorpe and catcher Kyle Higashioka, the Yankees received center fielder Trent Grisham and Juan Soto.
With the Padres, Soto played in all 162 games and batted a .275 average. He also had 109 RBIs, 35 home runs and an on-base percentage of .410. Every team desires a player of his caliber, and the Yankees have one year to convince him to stay in the Bronx before he can sign elsewhere.
So far, Soto has been promising with multiple game-changing plays and at-bats. He is currently batting .345 with one home run, four RBIs and an on-base percentage of .441.
Two surprising players who have become key to these five wins are Oswaldo Cabrera and Anthony Volpe. Cabrera played in 108 games in 2023 yet struggled at the plate. He was batting .211 with 29 RBIs and 5 home runs.
However, Cabrera is the reason the Yankees won against the Astros on March 30. He hit a game-tying two-run home run that gave his team a chance to take the lead. Five games in, Cabrera is batting .346 with two home runs and seven RBIs. It is unclear if his hot streak is temporary or everlasting, but he seems to be playing in every game until he cools down.
Volpe, who caught everyone’s attention in 2023 as the shortstop rookie, had a difficult first year. In 2023, Volpe was hitting .209 with an on-base percentage of .283. Manager Aaron Boone continued to play Volpe and based his choice on his stolen bases, home runs, and RBIs.
During the off-season and spring training, fans noticed a change in how Volpe was playing. These alterations are working out well considering he has a .409 average with a .500 on-base percentage. On April 1, Volpe even had his first four-hit game with two doubles, two singles and an RBI.
The team is experiencing a certain high right now due to their consistent victories. On the other hand, there are a few negatives to mention regarding the roster. Infielder DJ LeMahieu is on the injured list with a fracture in his foot after fouling a ball off of it.
LeMahieu had a tough 2023 season since returning from a prior foot injury. After seeing his numbers in spring training, fans were excited to see what he could do in the leadoff spot. Unfortunately, his injury will prevent him from playing until sometime later this month if all goes according to plan.
Gerrit Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young winner, was in fantastic shape at the start of spring training. During a preseason start, Cole experienced discomfort in his throwing arm. After seeing a few doctors and specialists, it was revealed Cole has nerve inflammation and will be out on the injured list for a few months.
This news was heartbreaking for fans to hear considering how important he was to the team last year. In 209 innings, Cole had 222 strikeouts with only 48 walks. He had a 15-4 record with a 2.63 ERA.
Overall, the New York Yankees seem to have unlocked some early-season potential. Whether this energy follows them for the rest of the year or not is up to the players and management.
