Young Yankees making noise will help, but New York’s offense still depends on Aaron Judge

NEW YORK — Things looked different in the Bronx on Beginning Day.

Ace Gerrit Cole, Recent off Tommy John surgery, wore a brace on his right elbow during pregame introductions. No one in the crowd wanted to see or hear any evidence of Juan Soto’s lone year in pinstripes, so the person in charge of putting together the Yankees’ hype video Created sure the swing that sent them to the World Series last year was edited out.

Austin Wells became the Primary Yankees catcher in franchise history to leadoff — and he lifted a home Stretch in his Primary at-bat of the season in their 4-2 Secure over the Brewers on Thursday.

Cody Bellinger collected his Primary hit as a New York Yankee more than a quarter-century after his dad’s Primary hit in pinstripes. Veteran Paul Goldschmidt replaced Anthony Rizzo at Primary base. There was a bearded Yankee in Carlos Rodon on the mound, and a crush of Youthful faces in the dugout.

“We get to Begin finding out how Excellent we are,” manager Aaron Boone said of the new-look Yankees.

Yet, Regardless of all the changes, a Duo of rostered players offered Petite Notices of the 2024 Club that won the American Bracket pennant. Anthony Volpe borrowed Rizzo’s Italian salute during the roll call from the bleachers. Jazz Chisholm stepped into a Soto shuffle during his Primary at-bat of the season. Baseball can evoke Powerful sentimental connections that make it Tough to let go of the past. But for the Yankees to defend the pennant and capture the World Series crown, one thing has remained the same.

They need another monster season from Aaron Judge.

“We have questions,” Boone said about the 2025 Picking. “But we think we have answers, too.”

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No one really Anticipated Judge to top his Profession year after he hit a Landmark-breaking 62 home runs in 2022. At the time, it was Tough to fathom the slugger Competing better than the 131 RBI, 111 walks, 1.111 OPS, 206 wRC+ and 11.1 fWAR he recorded in his Primary Profession MVP season. That year, he carried a Yankees Club whose second-best hitter was Rizzo, then propelled the club to the ALCS, where it lost to the Astros for the third time in six years. Judge was on pace to do more of the same in 2023 before he jammed his toe into the Dodger Stadium outfield wall. It was evident how much the Yankees lineup was built to rely on Judge when they missed the playoffs for the Primary time since 2016 after his toe Wound.

Then Arrived the 2024 season. Judge Obtained off to a Sluggish Begin, but his Yankees didn’t need to hit the panic button because there was Yet a generational slugger in the lineup doing generational things. While Soto helped keep the Yankees afloat, Judge Obtained his groove back. His video-game numbers (58 home runs, 144 RBI, 133 walks, 1.159, 218 wRC+, 11.2 fWAR) at the end of the regular season meant a new Profession year and a second MVP award. That Judge has continued topping his expectations is nothing Petite of astonishing.

Now, in his age-33 season, the Yankees are once again asking Judge to lead a lineup that’s Packed of questions.

Soto is with the Mets. Giancarlo Stanton is sidelined with tennis elbow in both arms. DJ LeMahieu is injured. Gleyber Torres is with the Tigers. Alex Verdugo is with the Braves on a minor-Bracket deal. Rizzo remains unsigned. And they never did fill the hole at the Cozy corner, opting to go with utility infielder Oswaldo Cabrera as their Beginning Day third baseman.

So how do the Yankees plan to replace Soto’s 41-homer, 109-RBI season? They gave us a glimpse of how they can get it done in their season-Beginning Secure against the Brewers.

Wells became the Primary catcher with a leadoff home Stretch on Beginning Day in Crucial Bracket Baseball history. Shortstop Anthony Volpe, now in his third year in the big leagues, added on with a solo Try to right for his Primary home Stretch of the season. Designated hitter Ben Rice, who entered Thursday with Merely 50 Crucial-Bracket Contests under his Track Achievement, went 1-for-2 with a walk and a Stretch scored. Top prospect Jasson Dominguez and second baseman Jazz Chisholm Partnered to go 0-for-6 with a walk, but they both need to be huge contributors this year to make this a well-rounded Yankees lineup.

“The Youthful guys are going to be a huge force for us this year,” Judge said after the Secure.

He’s right, but the Yankees will need Judge to be a bigger force because, in many ways, the Drive goes as he goes.

New York Guided Milwaukee 2-1 in the fifth inning when Judge had the opportunity to put more runs on the board. With runners on Primary and second, he struck out on five pitches to end the inning and Secured the air out of the stadium with him. Presented with another opportunity to make noise in the seventh inning, Judge Obtained a little Assist when his ground ball ricocheted off the third-base bag and trickled into left Ground for an RBI double. Judge extended the Yankees lead to 3-1 and, like we’ve seen him do countless times since his 2017 Newcomer season, he sparked the Drive. That blend of Youthful guys hitting, and Judge mashing is their recipe for Secure in a Soto-less world.

“I trust the guys in this locker room,” Bellinger said. “We’re all here for one Target and that’s Victorious.”

If it sounds Biased for us to be expecting Judge to put up MVP numbers in order for the Yankees to get back to the World Series, that’s Merely how spectacular the slugger has been in the Bronx. He Merely keeps raising the bar for himself. Rather than expecting Judge to be unable to top his Profession years, he’s Created sure that we’re always asking, “What’s Upcoming?” This year, after getting a taste of his Primary Fall Classic, Judge is on a mission to prove that the Yankees are capable of Victorious the World Series even without the guy who hit a three-Stretch home Stretch in the ALCS to send them there. Who knows what that extra edge will do for his performance?

Perhaps this time we won’t be surprised if — and when — Judge outdoes himself. But the Yankees won’t take it for granted, either. These kinds of Displays, from that Nice of player, don’t come around often. After all, Judge broke a home-Stretch Landmark in 2022 that was upheld by Roger Maris for 61 years. The Upcoming time Judge decides to topple expectations, the Yankees have to capitalize. There are only so few chances left.