Yankees notes: Hal Steinbrenner believes his club is better without Juan Soto

The New York Yankees lost the third-place finisher in the American League MVP race this offseason when Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets .

However, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner believes that his 2025 roster will be stronger than the 2024 team that advanced to the World Series even without Soto.

Advertisement Some people may disagree with me but some people will agree with me I think we have a better team right now than we did a year ago today, Steinbrenner told YES Networks Meredith Marakovits on Yankees Hot Stove, which aired Tuesday night.

Steinbrenner said the Yankees starting rotation improved after signing Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract.

Pairing Fried and Gerrit Cole at the top of the rotation gives the Yankees two of the best pitchers at run prevention in the sport, and it allows for less pressure placed on Carlos Rodon to produce like a co-ace, which he has not been in his two seasons with the club.

AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt are expected to round out the Yankees rotation.

The owner also believes his clubs defense should be better.

In celebrating their World Series title this offseason, some Los Angeles Dodgers players made a mockery of the Yankees lack of fundamentals, saying they knew that they would win the World Series if they forced New York to make plays.

Both Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt were added to the Yankees this offseason, and both should help solidify the clubs defense.

Also, the losses of Soto and Gleyber Torres should boost the group, as both were two of the worst defenders at their respective positions.

But losing Soto and Torres will undoubtedly hurt the Yankees offense.

Soto had the best season of his career hitting in front of Aaron Judge , and even with Torres having a down year in 2024, he posted a .780 OPS and .361 OBP in the second half of the season.

It will be difficult to replace both players offensive contributions, but Steinbrenner believes his new offseason acquisitions could help.

I think Bellinger and Goldschmidt are going to make up for a good deal of Juans offense, Steinbrenner said.

Bellinger had a 109 wRC+ in 2024, but he could see a boost in his numbers this season if he pulls the ball in the air .

Goldschmidt, who turns 38 this season, is coming off the worst season of his career after posting a league average 100 wRC+ with the St.

Louis Cardinals.

There are reasons to be optimistic that he can be better in 2025.

Advertisement The Yankees bullpen could also perform better this season with the addition of closer Devin Williams .

Between Williams and Luke Weaver anchoring the backend, the Yankees should have two of the best relievers in the sport.

The loss of Soto should not be understated.

Outside of Judge, no one in the projected lineup should come close to replicating Sotos production.

Here are other notes from what the Yankees owner said: Aaron Boones long-term future Aaron Boone is currently a lame-duck manager, as he enters the 2025 season in the final year of his contract.

The expectation, however, is Boone and the Yankees will agree to a contract extension at some point.

Steinbrenner said conversations regarding Boones future will happen sooner rather than later.

Ive always thought Aaron Boone was a very good manager, Steinbrenner said.

Thats his reputation in the industry.

We will be talking to him in the days and weeks to come.

Obviously, were trying to hit the priorities right now, which is the roster itself.

There will be conversations had with him about potentially staying longer than that.

Since Boones tenure began in 2018, the Yankees have posted the second-best record in the AL and the fourth-best record in MLB , trailing the Dodgers, Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves .

His 603 managerial wins rank seventh all-time in Yankees history.

Kirschner The plan for Jasson Dominguez Steinbrenner said he expects rookie and top prospect Jasson Dominguez to be the teams starting left fielder this season.

That would mean putting Bellinger in center field.

Ideally, (we) would not like to move Dominguez as much, Boone said on WFAN earlier in the day.

The Yankees thinking seems to be that the 22-year-old Dominguez shouldnt have too much trouble learning the intricacies of left field with a whole offseason and spring training to focus on the position even if he struggled there in an audition last year.

Dominguezs regular position throughout the minor leagues was center field.

Bellinger is also more familiar with the position than he is with left field.

The thinking is that Jasson Dominguez is a good enough athlete and smart enough to figure it out, and that it's better to pick a position and keep him there.

W/ CF, you have Grisham, who's strictly been a CF, and Bellinger is more familiar with CF anyway.

They don't want...

https://t.co/UkfwFnopBc Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) January 28, 2025 The Yankees also appear to want to cycle Trent Grisham into center field, likely on days that Bellinger moves to first base so that Goldschmidt either can DH or rest on the bench.

Boone also noted that prospect Everson Pereira a thumping righty hitter who can play center field will be healthy after internal brace surgery on his right elbow derailed his 2024.

Advertisement The Athletic s Keith Law ranked Dominguez as the 22nd-best prospect in the game heading into this season.

Going into 2024, Law ranked Pereira as the Yankees No.

2 overall prospect and No.

63 in the game.

Kuty Where the infield stands Boone said Jazz Chisholm Jr.

currently figures to be the teams starting second baseman, barring a trade or a free agent signing.

He added that the competition for third base projects to be between DJ LeMahieu , Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza .

LeMahieu, who will be 37 in July, was one of the worst MLB players last season on offense.

His 52 wRC+ was the 10th-worst in the game among hitters with at least 220 plate appearances.

LeMahieu won the American League batting title in the coronavirus pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but over the four seasons since, he has hit just .252 with a .698 OPS.

Hes also dealt with a variety of injuries.

Hes still owed $30 million over the next two seasons.

Hes going to have that opportunity, Boone said, and the reality is, DJ has been an amazing hitter.

Hes just been hurt.

So, hopefully, with some health, some of that bat can return because he can still really defend, and whether its an everyday level or if its against a lefty, I do think theres a role for him.

I think its going to be dependent on his health.

Kuty (Top photo of Juan Soto: Douglas P.

DeFelice / Getty Images).

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article.