Scouting Reports For Potential Yankees ALDS Opponents
The 2024 season for the New York Yankees was incredibly turbulent and exhilarating, with a rapid start followed by a weeks-long plummet before another peak in play.
The pros in pinstripes earned their 21st division title in the divisional era (since 1969), which only trails the Braves and Dodgers. They also attained the best record in the American League for the first time since 2012, and the 43rd time overall.
Before scrutinizing their chances against a future playoff foe, however, it is important to understand how they got back to the playoffs after an unacceptable 2023 campaign.
How Did The Yankees Get Here?
The Yankees rebuilt their outfield by trading for Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo before Christmas. Soto and Aaron Judge became a historic tandem, and even combined for 99 home runs, which is the third-most all-time among Yankee duos.
General manager Brian Cashman also reinvigorated third base by trading for Jazz Chisholm back in late July. Chisholm's contributions to the Yankees cannot be overstated, either.
Through their first 70 games, the Yankees were 49-21 and looked like the best team in the Majors. Then they took a nosedive and won just 11 of their next 35 games - a horrid stretch of play that only the White Sox surpassed.
For the final 57 contests, the Bronx Bombers amassed a 43-23 record, second-best in the American League behind the Tigers. Their kickstart in the second half of 2024 was ignited by an unusual suspect in DJ LeMahieu, and the team righted the ship.
On Opening Weekend, the Yankees showed just how good they can be at the peak of their powers, as they swept their frequent October antagonist, the Astros.
The Yankees won ten of their first twelve games and were 52-29 through 81 games. From there, they proceeded to finish the second half with a 42-39 mark.
Irrespective of their fairly underwhelming .519 winning percentage from June 25th to the end of September, the Yankees are back in the postseason with a vengeance.
Which Teams Could the Yankees Play In The ALDS?
As aforementioned, the Yankees finished with the top mark in the American League. As a result of that, they get a bye into the ALDS and home field advantage through the ALCS, should they advance that far.
Being the top seed in the AL means that the Yankees will play the winner of the Baltimore Orioles-Kansas City Royals wild card series, which begins on October 1st, at the time of this writing.
The Background On Baltimore
The Orioles are in the playoffs for the second straight season for the first time since 1996-1997, which were Cal Ripken Jr's twilight years and the formative years of the last Yankees dynasty. They are looking for their first playoff series win since they swept the Tigers in the 2014 ALDS.
Much of Baltimore's success can be attributed to 2023 AL Rookie of the Year winner Gunnar Henderson. Perennial Cy Young contender Corbin Burnes, who they traded for right before spring training, is also a big reason for their return to October. Their new owner isn't afraid to spend, either.
Of course, the Birds of Baltimore have talent galore outside of Henderson and Burnes. A neophyte owner with exuberance and a thick wallet tends to attract top-flight talent.
Former first overall pick Adley Rutschman has quickly matured into one of the finest catchers in baseball and has already been to two All-Star teams. Right fielder Anthony Santander picked a perfect time to hit a career-high 44 home runs, as he is a free agent at season's end. He registered an OPS above .800 in a full season for the time, too.
Colton Cowser and Cedric Mullins round out the remaining two-thirds of an outfield that amassed the ninth-highest combined WAR among all outfields.
Baltimore's Achilles heel has been its bullpen. After signing former juggernaut closer Craig Kimbrel to a one-year, $13 million deal, the team eventually designated him for assignment less than two weeks ago.
Baltimore's collection of relievers finished the regular season 23rd in ERA and 13th in FIP among all bullpens. That being said, they do have the talents of Keegan Akin, Yennier Cano, and Jacob Webb as high-leverage arms.
What's Cool With Kansas City?
Kansas City is back in the playoffs for the first time since their championship 2015 season. The Royals also won the AL pennant in 2014 - their first postseason appearance since 1985 but lost the Fall Classic to the Giants. The pivotal pieces for the Royals back then - Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Greg Holland, and Wade Davis - are all either approaching retirement or have since called it quits.
The 2024 iteration of the Royals enjoyed one of the greatest non-MVP seasons ever from their shortstop, Bobby Witt Jr. They also saw a resurgent campaign from longtime catcher and 2015 World Series MVP Salvador Perez. Kansas City lost 106 games last year and seemed far off from being a contender.
Witt, who had a slow start to his career, won the batting title this year and finished with the fourth-highest OPS in Major League Baseball. His team also employed an uncharacteristically opulent approach to free agency, as the Royals spent over $100 million on new acquisitions.
Kansas City's two biggest prizes in free agency were starting pitchers Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. They both finished top 20 in the majors in ERA alongside fellow teammate Cole Ragans, a former 2016 first-round pick from North Florida Christian High School. Ragans was traded to the Royals in June 2023.
The investment in their rotation paid off immensely, as the Royals starting pitchers finished second in ERA, fourth in FIP, second in WAR, and fourth in WHIP among all rotations.
As is the case with their wild card opponent, Kansas City's primary deficiency is its bullpen; the lineup has underachieved in recent weeks, too. The hurlers in Kansas City's stable of relievers produced a 20th-ranked ERA and the third-lowest strikeout rate among all bullpens in 2024.
The return of first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, who had been on the IL since August 29th with a broken thumb, will bolster a recently anemic Royals lineup. Kansas City's hitters generated the fewest runs in the majors in September and lacked depth all season long. Outside of Bobby Witt, Salvador Perez and the aforementioned Pasquantino, no Royals hitter had an OPS above .760.
So Which Team Will The Yankees Face?
Baltimore enters this series against Kansas City with a little more postseason experience and lineup depth. The Birds have more star power as well, but Kansas City did not get here by accident.
This series will come down to a battle of superstar catchers and shortstops, and also underachieving bullpens. Calling it a rematch of the 2014 ALCS is a misnomer, too, since Salvador Perez is the only player on either squad who remains from that season.
Baltimore's more versatile and well-rounded lineup could give them the edge, but Kansas City's $77 million investment in Lugo and Wacha could also turn the tide for them.
A Royals upset would hardly be astonishing, but Baltimore is deeper and played in a far more difficult division. The Orioles will win in three games, and they will be the Yankees' ALDS opponent.