The New York Yankees have a much better roster and lineup following the blockbuster trade for Juan Soto. The Yankees’ management will now have to choose the lineup order for 2024. The Yankees’ primary batting order appears to be composed of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, who will bat second and third in the lineup, respectively. But what about the rest of the lineup is still up for debate. Many of the players in this lineup are the same ones who did not perform well in 2023. If the Yankees are to have any chance of winning the division, much less a World Series, then every player has to step up their game.
DJ LeMahieu bats first against lefties, and Alex Verdugo bats first against righties. Given that they both hit for contact and seldom strike out, they both fit the profile of leadoff hitters. With Judge and Soto in the lineup, it will be especially important for them to avoid swing and miss in order to put pressure on opposing pitchers. Before facing the outstanding hitters of the Yankees, pitchers will have to pitch to them and attempt to get them out. Verdugo and LeMahieu may both have a fantastic rebound year because they should see a lot of quality pitches to bat.
Judge and Soto will be the core of the Yankees lineup and there is not much that needs to be said about them. Both will more than likely have strong seasons as they are arguably the two best hitters in baseball. Not to mention they will force opposing managers to either send out a lefty or righty relief pitcher to get one or the other out. This advantage should significantly help the Yankees late in games and consistently produce runs.
Gleyber Torres, Anthony Rizzo, and Giancarlo Stanton should take up the 4-6 spots in the lineup. Torres offers much-needed experience and additional balance to the lineup. He would thrive in the clean-up spot, as he is good at driving in runs and is coming off a strong 2023. Rizzo before the concussion was one of the best hitters in baseball. He has made a full recovery, so one can expect a strong year from him. Stanton has to take a step up, as rumors are growing that the Yankees may pay him to be traded away.
Stanton is getting paid a lot of money, and as of last year was a net negative to the Yankees. He must perform, and chances are he will since he has less pressure to execute with the acquisition of Juan Soto. He needs to recover his swing and focus on staying healthy. If he can do both, watch out for a potential Comeback Player of the Year. The seventh spot could rotate between LeMahieu and Verdugo depending on the starting pitcher. In the 8-9 spots will be Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe. Both showed flashes of their potential last year and have great upside. If Wells and Volpe take their probable developmental steps forward, the Yankees’ lineup will be a dangerous 1-9. They both offer power at the plate and youthful energy which will significantly help to balance the lineup.
The Lineup 1-9
- Alex Verdugo LF
- Aaron Judge CF
- Juan Soto RF
- Gleyber Torres 2B
- Anthony Rizzo 1B
- Giancarlo Stanton DH
- D.J. LeMahieu 3B
- Austin Wells C
- Anthony Volpe SS
What is great about the lineup is how it splits almost evenly between lefties and righties, mostly alternating. Teams will struggle to navigate through the lineup and maintain focus with the many different ways the Yankees can hurt you. This team is no longer just power- and righty-reliant. These Yankees can hurt you with discipline to walk, hit home runs, make contact, and have good two-strike approaches. They’ll also run the bases well, making the lineup dynamic and three-dimensional. It would be hard for the Yankees to have a poor offensive showing, as the team addressed most of the major concerns. The lineup looks more akin to a traditional World Series-winning lineup with a now strong left-handed presence. As long as there are no shock injuries or horrific performances the Yankees should make the postseason at a minimum.
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