The New York Yankees beginning outfield of Aaron Decide, Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo amassed 112 dwelling runs in 2024. However with Soto defecting to the Mets and Verdugo possible being changed by Jasson Dominguez, the Bombers’ outfield appears extremely unlikely to be as highly effective because it was final season.
Nonetheless, a fast numbers crunch signifies in any other case. Contemplating the truth that Decide hit greater than half of these 2024 lengthy balls (58), the maths even factors towards a attainable improve in Yankee outfielder homers subsequent 12 months.
Assuming Decide can replicate his 2024 dinger output, Soto and Verdugo’s replacements solely must hit 27 homers apiece to match final season’s outfield squad. It’s not exhausting to ascertain Cody Bellinger and Dominguez, the presumed heirs to heart and left area, respectively, placing up at the least 54 round-trippers between them.
Even when Decide can’t hit one other 58 homers in 2025 — and let’s be trustworthy, he’s unlikely to — it’s not utterly loopy to think about Bellinger and Dominguez combining for greater than 60 dingers to select up the slack.
Bellinger, whose energy has considerably dwindled in his mid and late 20s, nonetheless hit 26 homers as not too long ago as 2023. Plus, the lefty swinger is prone to see an uptick in batted balls making the seats as he performs half his video games at Yankee Stadium, the place popups down the precise area line routinely go away the yard.
After which there’s Dominguez. Ought to he win the beginning left area job in spring coaching, he’ll convey alongside a bat that’s greater than able to contributing to a extra highly effective Yankees outfield subsequent 12 months. Right here’s conclusive proof:
In lower than half a season throughout the minors and MLB in 2024 (76 video games), Dominguez crushed 13 lengthy balls. Prorate that quantity throughout a full season, add further muscle as he passes his twenty second birthday in February, and the Martian can simply get to 27+ HRs in his rookie marketing campaign.
Yankees followers have lots to sit up for in 2025. And if all goes nicely within the new (presumably improved) outfield, they’ll shortly neglect all about Juan Soto.
