The New York Yankees are charging into 2025 with their eyes on the World Series, but the road to the Bronx is looking bumpier than expected. After a stellar 2024—winning the AL East with 94 victories and making a deep postseason run—the Yanks are dealing with a roster shakeup and a brutal injury bug as Opening Day looms. The latest chatter has them hunting for a third base upgrade, and it’s no wonder why: their infield’s a question mark, and the pressure to deliver a championship is sky-high. Let’s break it down and see what’s cooking as the Bombers gear up for their March 27 opener against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Third base is the hot topic right now, and the Yankees are reportedly itching to add some firepower there, according to The Athletic. Oswaldo Cabrera’s penciled in as the starter, and he’s a solid option—versatile, with a bat that showed some life last year. But the team wants more pop to complement him, and they’re looking at Oswald Peraza to share time at the hot corner. Peraza’s got the tools, but he’s coming off a rough 2024 in Triple-A and needs to prove he can hang with big-league pitching. Then there’s DJ LeMahieu, the veteran who can still play third, but he’s sidelined with a calf injury that’s got him on the shelf for now. At 36, LeMahieu’s a two-time batting champ, but last season was a nightmare—he hit just .204 in 67 games, battling foot and hip issues. The Yanks see him as a potential full-time fix if he can get healthy, but they’re not banking on it, and that’s why they’re scouring the market for an upgrade.
The injury woes don’t stop there, and it’s giving Yankees fans some serious déjà vu. Gerrit Cole, the ace who went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA last year after his own elbow injury, is out for the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That’s a gut punch to a rotation that was supposed to be a strength. Giancarlo Stanton’s on the injured list too, with no clear return date, leaving a hole at DH. And the list keeps growing—Luis Gil’s down with a lat strain, Clarke Schmidt’s battling shoulder soreness, and Jonathan Loáisiga’s still recovering from elbow surgery. Posts on X paint a grim picture, with fans tallying up a laundry list of banged-up players, from Ian Hamilton to JT Brubaker. It’s a rough way to start the year, and it’s forcing the Yankees to get creative as they finalize their roster.
Despite the setbacks, the expectations in the Bronx are clear: World Series or bust. After last year’s run to the Fall Classic, the front office doubled down, extending manager Aaron Boone’s contract and signaling that anything less than a title won’t cut it. Boone’s yet to hoist a championship trophy in New York, and the pressure’s on to deliver. Losing Juan Soto to the Mets this offseason didn’t help—fans are still stinging from that one, especially after the Yanks made multiple offers to keep the slugger in pinstripes. Soto’s departure left a gaping hole in the lineup, and the team responded by signing free agents Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt to bolster the offense. Bellinger’s versatility and Goldschmidt’s veteran presence are solid additions, but replacing Soto’s production is a tall order. On the mound, Max Fried steps in as the new rotation leader with Cole sidelined. Fried, who won 11 games with the Braves last year, will take the ball on Opening Day, with Carlos Rodón tapped to start against the Brewers.
The Yankees’ front office isn’t sitting still—they’re tinkering with the roster right up to the wire. They’ve got a spring game against Atlanta today, March 19, and with Opening Day just eight days away, every at-bat and bullpen session counts. The third base situation might see a resolution soon, whether it’s through a trade or sticking with the Cabrera-Peraza tandem. There’s been buzz about Nolan Arenado as a potential target, but his $74 million contract through 2027 and no-trade clause make that a long shot for now. For a team that’s been to the World Series but hasn’t sealed the deal, every move matters—especially with Aaron Judge still swinging a big bat and a revamped rotation trying to hold it together.
The Yankees have the pieces to make another deep run, but the injuries are a dark cloud hanging over camp. If they can get healthy and find that third base spark, they might just live up to the hype. For now, though, it’s a race against time to get the roster right—and a reminder that in the Bronx, it’s always about the ring.
