Ninety-four wins can be comforting. They can also be misleading.
That number still hangs in the air around the New York Yankees this winter, a reminder that last season’s team was good, deep, and often dominant when healthy. It is also a quiet warning. Ninety-four wins did not bring a parade, and it did not answer the questions that surfaced every time the roster was stress-tested.
So far, the Yankees’ offseason has felt more like maintenance than momentum. Trent Grisham is back on a qualifying offer. Ryan Yarbrough and Amed Rosario returned. Tim Hill’s club option was picked up. Useful moves, sensible moves, but not the kind that shift the balance of the American League.
A Roster That’s Solid, Not Settled
Aaron Boone is not wrong when he says the Yankees already have a really good team. He said as much to SNY, acknowledging both the strength of the roster and the reality that it is not finished yet. Most of the core from a 94-win club is still here, and continuity matters over a 162-game season.
But Boone’s comments also hint at a front office walking a tightrope. The Yankees are operating in a market where prices are steep, patience is tested, and leverage is scarce. It takes more than just intent to make a deal, and Boone knows it. The question is whether patience is turning into hesitation.
The Starting Pitching Clock Is Ticking
The most glaring issue remains starting pitching. The Yankees need innings, stability, and ideally upside, particularly early in the season with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt all out with injuries. Right now, they have questions stacked on top of questions.
Yarbrough helps absorb innings, but he is not a rotation anchor. The Yankees need someone who can take the ball every fifth day and change the tone of a series. That type of pitcher usually costs money or prospects, and so far the Yankees have balked at both.
Waiting only works if the board eventually tilts in your favor. Spring training is not that far away, and Boone knows it.
Bullpen Depth Is Not a Luxury
The bullpen, once a Yankees calling card, feels thinner than it should for a team with championship aspirations. Picking up Tim Hill’s option keeps a left-handed look in the mix, but it does not address the broader concern.
The Yankees have reportedly been unwilling to meet the market for arms like Devin Williams or even retain Luke Weaver at his price. That restraint might look smart in July or painfully obvious in October. Relief pitching volatility is real, but depth is not optional anymore.
Outfield Uncertainty Lingers
The outfield picture is still unsettled, even with Grisham back. He provides power and familiarity, but not certainty. The Yankees have been linked to bigger swings, names like Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger.
The interest makes sense. The hesitation does too. The Yankees appear to be waiting for the market to blink first, hoping that prices soften or leverage shifts. That strategy can work, but it carries risk when multiple needs remain unresolved.
Good Enough Is Not the Goal
The Yankees won 94 games in 2025 because they were deep, disciplined, and resilient. That foundation is real, and Boone’s confidence is not empty talk. This is still a very good baseball team.
But the goal is not to be good. It never is in the Bronx. If the Yankees want to win the World Series, they need to turn this winter from cautious to decisive. The margins are small at the top, and standing still is rarely neutral.
At some point, the Yankees will have to decide whether this roster is close enough, or whether close enough is exactly how seasons slip away.