With the return of Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham, plus the elite Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees have a very solid case to be considered the best outfield in baseball, much like last year. Their pitching staff might still need reinforcements, though. Let’s dive into Friday’s news!
Do the Yankees have the best outfield in baseball going into 2026?
By re-signing Cody Bellinger, the Yankees have committed to running back the same outfield trio that dominated baseball in 2025. That group finished first in OPS, home runs, and WAR, headlined by reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge and backed by a combined investment north of $90 million. On paper, it’s one of the deepest and most talented outfields in the sport, but the real question is whether last year’s production is sustainable.
Trent Grisham’s return on a one-year qualifying offer raised eyebrows, yet the underlying data explains the optimism. His swing decisions and batted-ball profile took a meaningful step forward, particularly with more pull-side air contact that plays perfectly in Yankee Stadium. While a full repeat of his 2025 power surge is unlikely, projection systems still see him as an above-average contributor thanks to strong expected metrics and a track record of loud contact.
Bellinger’s value is less about chasing peak production and more about reliability and versatility. A solid bat paired with plus defense and the ability to cover multiple positions gives the Yankees lineup flexibility without needing to chase pricier alternatives. With Judge still setting the standard and solid depth behind the starters, projections have New York near the top of the league in outfield WAR again. The ceiling may not be “best in baseball,” but the floor remains comfortably high.
The Yankees have some pretty serious pitching problems they need to fix
The Yankees’ approach to the 2026 pitching staff feels less like a plan and more like a prayer. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are both expected to miss significant time early while rehabbing from major surgeries, yet the front office appears to be treating their returns as inevitabilities rather than uncertainties. For a team with championship expectations, hinging the season on medical timelines is a dangerous gamble.
The addition of Ryan Weathers does little to quiet those concerns. While his elite velocity is enticing, his inability to stay healthy has kept his workload light for multiple seasons. Betting on a pitcher who hasn’t logged a full starter’s workload in years only amplifies the fragility of an already thin rotation.
What stings most is watching safer, frontline options land elsewhere. Freddy Peralta and MacKenzie Gore both came off the board to rival contenders, leaving the Yankees with missed opportunities and shrinking alternatives. The bullpen only deepens the anxiety, having lost key late-inning arms to the Mets. Without reinforcements, New York risks entering the season with glaring holes in both starting pitching and relief—an untenable position for a supposed contender.
The Yankees are doubling down on Anthony Volpe again and inviting disaster
Despite mounting evidence that Anthony Volpe struggled mightily in 2025, the Yankees are committing to him again as their everyday shortstop. What was once framed as patience with a young cornerstone now feels like stubborn optimism. A shoulder injury clearly derailed Volpe’s season, but the resulting performance dip was severe enough to raise legitimate concerns.
Offensively, Volpe was a drag on the lineup, producing well below league average across a full season. The defensive value that once justified offensive growing pains also vanished, as his arm strength and range suffered, turning a former Gold Glove-caliber presence into a liability. The drop in overall value was dramatic, transforming him from a key contributor into a near replacement-level player.
The lack of a credible fallback plan makes this decision even riskier. With top prospect help still a ways off and Volpe not guaranteed to be fully healthy by Opening Day, the Yankees are once again betting that rehab and development will solve everything. If it doesn’t, they could be staring at a season-long weakness at one of the most important positions on the field—right as their championship window demands certainty.