One of the teams determined to return to the World Series in 2025 is the New York Yankees. However, this time, they aim to bring the Commissioner’s Trophy back to the Bronx, hoping to end a 16-year championship drought. Despite these lofty aspirations, the team’s expectations for the start of the season are uncertain, as three key players alongside Aaron Judge suffered injuries during spring training. Now, the Yankees must find ways to fill these significant voids.
With Juan Soto no longer on the roster, Judge is expected to step up as the leader the Yankees need to navigate through these injuries. Giancarlo Stanton is also expected to miss a portion of the season, while Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil could be sidelined for the entire year.
Despite the challenges, Judge remains optimistic. Speaking with the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, Judge discussed the team’s outlook for the 2025 season and the goals the Yankees have set.
“You miss Gerrit Cole, one of the best pitchers in the game… Luis Gil, who emerged as probably our second-best starter last season… and Big G (Giancarlo Stanton) not being in there,” Judge said.
Judge added: “You can’t replace a Cole. You can’t replace a Luis Gil. But I think we’ve got some young guys who are going to step up. We’ve still got a good ballclub here.”
Judge on the new guys stepping up
The first part of the season could be challenging for the Yankees without their main stars, but big additions have given Aaron Judge confidence that they can make a difference while the others recover. He specifically highlighted the young players on the roster, who are hungry to prove themselves and have the potential to deliver a strong season.
“I really think it’s a great opportunity for some of the young guys to step up. You can’t be a young guy forever,” Judge said. “When you add guys like Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger to the mix, and you throw in someone like Max Fried, you’re looking at a solid core.”
With veterans providing leadership and the young players eager to showcase their talent, Judge is confident heading into the regular season. He believes this combination could be key to achieving the team’s goals.
Judge praises youngsters
While the Yankees made significant offseason additions, they’re also placing significant focus on their young players as they face upcoming challenges. Judge was full of praise for five teammates he’s expecting big things from in the 2025 season.
“We have Jazz Chisholm, Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells. What Ben Rice is doing, the adjustments he’s making are incredible to watch. And I love seeing Will Warren’s progress. He’s a guy who’s continuing to take that next step,” Judge told Heyman.