It was bound to happen at some point during the offseason, but on Wednesday the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees connected on a blockbuster trade to send superstar generational talent Juan Soto as well as outfielder Trent Grisham to New York for a package of various pitching prospects. Soto is arguably one of the best all-around hitters in baseball in terms of his combination of plate discipline, power, and on-base ability. But, is this the move that will help the Yankees return to their glorious purpose of winning a championship? To answer that, we have to look at the starting lineup and pitching staff and how it looks at this point in the offseason for 2024.

Potential Starting Lineup

1. DJ LeMahieu (3B)The Yankees made it official over the Winter Meetings that veteran infielder D.J. LeMahieu would be the starting third baseman heading into the 2024 season. Since arriving in 2019, LeMahieu has had some stellar and reliable seasons in pinstripes when healthy. Last season he played in 136 games, slashing .243/.327/.390 with 15 home runs and 44 RBI. LeMahieu is at his best when he is a solid contact hitter who gets on base. He’s a quality leadoff man and table setter who should give the hitters behind him plenty of opportunities to drive in runs. He enters year four of the six-year $90 million contract he signed with the Yankees before the 2021 season. There is likely to be some more regression as he turns 36 next season, but LeMahieu continues to turn in quality defense and offense, meaning the Yankees are going to find a place for him in the lineup, whether it be third base, second base, or first base.
2. Juan Soto (RF)It’s hard to believe that Soto barely turned 25 years old a couple of months ago. Since his debut in 2019, he has become one of the most highly regarded hitters in baseball, and he still has room to grow. The Yankees, in search of a catalyst to bolster their lineup, have made a splash to take advantage of at least one season of Soto. Soto has led the league in walks the past three seasons, a factor that the Yankees will have to take advantage of with the scoring opportunities he will give to the likes of Aaron Judge. An additional 20+ home runs come along with Soto as well as durability after he played in all 162 games for the Padres in 2023.
3. Aaron Judge (CF)Injuries limited Judge to 106 games in 2023, but it was still a productive year for the feared slugger. Judge slugged .613 with 37 bombs and 75 RBI with a .267 AVG. In total, he had 98 hits on the year along with 88 walks against 130 strikeouts. Should he stay healthy, no doubt that Judge will again be the aircraft carrier of the lineup, and should have plenty more RBI opportunities having Soto hit in front of him. Remains to be seen if he is slated to play center field next season, but no doubt that Judge will be happy to have the offensive help.
4. Anthony Rizzo (1B)It was a bit of a down year offensively for Anthony Rizzo in 2023. He hit a passable .244/.328/.378 but saw his power numbers drop significantly with a dozen home runs. His defensive abilities are still top notch but it’s paramount for the Yankees that he has a bounce-back year. Rizzo had a career-low 37.7% hard-hit rate in 2023, meaning that despite a career-norm in batted ball profile, he was unable to hit the ball with authority, which would have resulted in more hits and better quality hits. He enters his final guaranteed year with a team option/buyout for 2025.
5. Gleyber Torres (2B)2023 was the best season for Gleyber Torres since his 2019 season. He set a career-high in games played (158) while also batting .273/.347/.453 with 24 home runs. He’s a solid contributor to the lower half of the lineup who drastically improved upon his strikeout and walk totals last season. He could have plenty of RBI opportunities batting in the five-hole, so he’ll have to prove his clutch-hitting abilities. Entering his age 27 season, Torres still has room to grow with the Yankees but he is also entering his final year before becoming a free agent, an added incentive to perform well in 2024.
6. Giancarlo Stanton (DH)It remains difficult to gauge Giancarlo Stanton’s contribution potential as injuries have continued to diminish his playing career. He played in 101 games last season and still pumped out 24 home runs, but he limped his way to a career-low .191 AVG and had a .275 OPB. His slugging numbers are still solid, but the threat of an abundance of strikeouts along with the health concerns still hangs over him. When he is healthy and in a groove, Stanton is one of the mightiest and scary hitters in the game.
7. Alex Verdugo (LF)Soto wasn’t the only outfielder acquired by the Yankees as they also traded for Alex Verdugo from the Boston Red Sox. Since joining the Red Sox in 2020, Verdugo has turned in solid numbers for his career. He’s nothing flashy and isn’t going to drive an offense, but he’s a helpful supporting piece on both sides of the ball. Verdugo can play all three outfield positions, giving the Yankees some options. He has played at least 140 games each of the last three seasons pumping out about a dozen home runs and driving in 50+ home runs. He’s a high-contact bat that can draw walks and the fact he bats left-handed helps balance the Yankees lineup further.
8. Austin Wells/Jose Trevino (C)As part of the trade to the Padres, the Yankees sent Kyle Higashioka to San Diego, leaving an opening for a new regular catcher. Austin Wells would be the natural fit as a 2020 first-round pick for the Yankees that made his debut last season. In 19 games he batted .229/.257/.486 with four home runs, six doubles, and 13 RBI. He’s only 23 and could end up with a bulk of playing time in 2024, but it’s still a bit of a gamble handing him the keys right away. Hence, the importance of having Jose Trevino on the team still. Trevino entered his age 31 season and after winning a Gold Glove in 2022, was limited to 55 games in 2023. By all means he is a glove-first type of catcher that will hit for a .245 AVG, and throw out a couple of home runs. At the time being catcher probably had the weakest bat in the lineup, but with the support of the rest of the lineup, it can be accounted for.
9. Anthony Volpe (SS)Despite hitting a meager .209 with a .283 OBP, Anthony Volpe still turned in a quality rookie campaign that was highlighted by power, speed, and defense. He played in 159 games and won the Gold Glove award at shortstop in the American League, a historic feat in and of itself. Additionally, he tossed out 21 home runs and had 24 stolen bases to go along with 24 doubles and three triples. The bat has plenty of potential but the 23-year-old has to prove he can improve on his strikeout numbers and put the ball in play more. The bottom of the lineup will give him somewhat of a protective buffer with less pressure where he can act as a pseudo leadoff man for the top of the order.

The Yankees offense is more threatening with the addition of Juan Soto. However, as is often the case in baseball, one extra bat isn’t enough to magically change the rest of the offense. Soto’s addition is great and he will likely do a lot of damage, but the rest of the offense has to keep pace and contribute. On paper, they look good right now, but the intangibles of what the regular season will bring can’t be accounted for. Players will have down years, slumps, injuries, etc. and other moves could happen to adjust the offense.

Additionally, the Yankees still have concerns with the reliability of their pitching staff, particularly with the starting rotation. It’s well known they are pursuing Yoshinobu Yamamoto and are willing to progress further past luxury tax thresholds to sign him and retain Soto. There is plenty of talent on the Yankees roster, but much of their success is based on hope and a prayer that everything will proceed according to plan in a tough division.