All eyes on Boone and the Yankees in 2021
The New York Yankees endured a familiar ending to their season, crashing out in the playoffs before the World Series. It has been 11 years since the Yankees last lifted the crown, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 World Series by a 4-2 margin.
Since then, the Yankees have known nothing other than heartbreak and disappointment. They reached the ALDS in the 2020 campaign, but were beaten out by the Tampa Bay Rays in a close contest. The Rays edged out New York in nail-biting 2-1 game as Mike Brosseau dispatched Aroldis Chapman into the stands to decide the game at Petco Park.
Losing close games has been a staple of the Yankees since their 2009 triumph. In 2011, they were beaten 3-2 by the Detroit Tigers, while their 2017 defeat to the Houston Astros in the ALCS brought about the end of Joe Girardi’s tenure. Aaron Boone has been unable to buck the trend, suffering three-straight defeats in the post-season, including another ALCS loss to the Astros in 2019.
No team spent more on their payroll last season than the Yankees. There is growing pressure on Boone to deliver the World Series, especially considering the talent at his disposal on the roster. The next campaign will be make-or-break for the Yankees manager to determine whether he will remain at the franchise for the years to come as the patience of George Steinbrenner has been tested.
Bouncing Back From 2020
Boone faces a number of issues for the 2021 campaign, although the Yankees will certainly be one of the leading contenders in the MLB betting odds for next term. It’s part and parcel to see New York have low odds for the World Series, but, by shopping around at the top legal betting sites for the MLB, value can be found on Boone’s men either using a sign-up offer or bonuses available.
There are a number of ways to bet on the MLB, including outright markets and one-off games. Betting on the Yankees can be a difficult proposition considering more often than not they are the favorites to win their respective games. Therefore any value that can be found should be utilized.
The Yankees were the favorites in their series against the Rays, and Gerrit Cole delivered an assured performance in the opener before Giancarlo Stanton smashed a game-deciding grand slam to secure a 9-3 triumph.
However, New York suffered pitching issues outside of Cole as Tampa Bay smashed 12 runs in their next two matches as J.A. Happ and Masahiro Tanaka struggled. Luke Voit and Gleyber Torres came to the fore to tie the series, but the Yankees failed to fire in the decider to crash out of the playoffs. It has been all too familiar for the club, although they should be in the running again.
Their batting line-up is perhaps the most potent in the MLB. Voit enjoyed his best season, notching 22 home runs with an average of .277. The 29-year-old is a solid operator, but could be ready to take the next step. DJ LeMahieu was outstanding, averaging .364 over the course of the campaign. The Yankees face a battle to keep the AL batting champion on their roster for 2021 as he will hit the free-agent market.
The superstars Stanton and Judge endured injury-hit seasons, but they should be fit and ready for the new season with a point to prove after slightly underwhelming post-seasons.
Can The Yankees Banish Their Recent Demons?
Their issues revolve around the man in the dugout as well as the bullpen. Boone has proven to be a reliable manager in the regular season, but has lacked a clinical edge in the playoffs regarding his game management. In three years in New York, his teams have not been able to rise to the occasion in the big moments – notably in game five against the Rays and the ALCS in the 2019 defeat to the Astros.
The 47-year-old is not entirely to blame, although he has not proven to be an upgrade over Girardi in the post-season. Whereas, a team of the Boston Red Sox have been up and down to say the least over the last decade.
The problems on the mound have also led to failure. Outside of Cole last season, there was a distinct lack of quality. James Paxton and Tanaka are both free agents and could both leave for pastures new. It would leave a significant void in the starting options at Boone’s disposal.
Deivi Garcia showed promise in 2020 and may have a greater role next term, while Clarke Schmidt and Michael King are also in line for more responsibility. Perhaps more importantly, All-Star Luis Severino is on track in his recovery from Tommy John surgery to return by June. Severino will provide a vital number two to Cole to ease the burden and give the Yankees greater firepower at their disposal in the next post-season.
All eyes will be on Boone next season to see if he can finally get a talented Yankees team over the hump. Otherwise, it might be his last in charge of the franchise.
