Yankees' Hal Steinbrenner drops flaming hot take on 2025 roster

Yesterday at 07:54 PM

Yankees managing partner Hal Steinbrenner is convinced that the 2025 roster is an upgrade over last year's version.

“I think we have a better team now than we did a year ago today,” he said on YES Network Tuesday night.

On paper, the Yankees have made some key additions, but the claim is a bold one, considering they just lost one of the most dominant offensive combinations the sport has ever seen in Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.

The Judge-Soto pairing in 2024 was historic, and there's no guarantee the Yankees will ever see something like that again. Both players were elite, putting immense pressure on opposing pitchers every single night. Soto's ability to get on base at an absurd rate made life easier for Judge and the rest of the lineup. That element is now gone, replaced by a roster that has improved in certain areas but lacks the same offensive firepower.

Max Fried Strengthens the Rotation, But He's Only One Arm

The Yankees made a splash by acquiring ace left-hander Max Fried, who gives them a legitimate No. 2 behind Gerrit Cole. There's no denying Fried's impact, but as a starting pitcher, he only takes the mound once every five days. His presence raises the Yankees' playoff ceiling, but his effect over a full season won't replicate what Soto did every single night.

Goldschmidt Is an Upgrade, But He's No Star

Another move the Yankees made was replacing Anthony Rizzo with Paul Goldschmidt at first base. While Rizzo's steep decline made this an easy swap, Goldschmidt isn't the MVP-caliber hitter he once was. Last season, he slashed .245/.302/.414 with 22 home runs and a 100 wRC+, making him a league-average bat. He's certainly an improvement over the struggling Rizzo, but expecting him to be a game-changer might be a stretch.

Bellinger Adds Balance, But He's Not Soto

Cody Bellinger's addition in the outfield is another move that helps the team, especially defensively. He's a better glove than Soto and is a perfect fit for Yankee Stadium with his left-handed swing. However, he doesn't provide nearly the same offensive impact. Bellinger hit .266/.325/.426 last season with 18 home runs, a respectable line but nowhere near the on-base ability or raw production that Soto provided.

Third Base Remains a Major Question Mark

Even with these additions, the Yankees still have a glaring weakness at third base. Aaron Boone has named DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Oswald Peraza as the internal candidates for the job, but none of them project as a true solution. LeMahieu is coming off back-to-back down years, Cabrera is best suited as a utility player, and Peraza is still an unproven bat at the MLB level.

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If the Yankees want to validate Steinbrenner's claim that this roster is better, they likely need to make one more move. Adding an impact bat at third base would push them over the top and solidify their balance. Until then, it's a tough sell to argue that this team is definitively better without Juan Soto anchoring the lineup.