“YOU ARE THE WORSE COACH I EVER MET” Star player disparaging The New York Yankees head coach Aaron Boone .
Tampa, Florida (AP) – The New York Yankees finished the 2016 season with an 82-80 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. They lost the third-most games to injuries.
Before Friday’s spring training session, Yankees left-hander Nester Cortes stated, “Everyone knows what our problem has been the past few years.” Thus, we’re making every effort to take care of it.
Cortes participated in a sizable crowd that showed up for the Yankees’ minor league complex’s January offseason exercises.
COMMERCIAL
Continue reading below this advertisement
“We simply need to take it upon ourselves to improve and properly prepare during the offseason,” Cortes stated. That’s the crux of the matter.
Injuries cost New York 2,158 games. The only teams with more were the Los Angeles Dodgers (2,465) and the Los Angeles Angels (2,346).
New York star Gerrit Cole stated, “There were injuries that were definitely outside the normal realm of injuries that impacted us.” That said, as a group, we sustain injuries far too frequently. We must get better.
Additionally, Carlos Rodón (3-8, 6.85 ERA in 14 starts) got to Tampa early. Both Rodón and Cortes (5-2, 4.97) have thrown to batters numerous times and are recovering from ailments.
Injuries had an effect on sluggers Giancarlo Stanton (101 games), Anthony Rizzo (99 games), and DJ LeMahieu (136 games). On June 3, captain Aaron Judge drove into the right-field fence at Dodger Stadium, injuring a ligament in his right big toe. He missed 42 games as a result.
“I believe that in certain situations last year, we ended up in a bad position early,” stated Brian Cashman, general manager of the Yankees. In other instances, pure coincidence. However, I believe that some injuries were likely caused by, well, maybe not being in the optimal position to begin with. There were more injuries, such as Judge’s in right field at Dodger Stadium, due to competitiveness.
Cole, despite calling the 2023 season a failure, did identify some silver linings. The Yankees have now had 31 straight winning seasons. Only the 1926–64 Yankees, who had a 39-year run, had a longer stretch.
There was a lot of grit that showed, Cole added, despite spending a large portion of the year in a state of stress. “There was a little bit of a rallying factor around that when the greater goals faded away because we have a 30-something year run of finishing over.500.”
COMMERCIAL
Continue reading below this advertisement
Notes: RHP Lou Trivino was placed on the 60-day IL while he heals from Tommy John surgery, while RHP McKinley Moore was obtained off waivers by Philadelphia. Last April 10, the 25-year-old Moore made his major league debut. In three bullpen appearances, he gave up seven runs, five hits, and five walks over 3 1/3 innings, recording an 18.90 ERA. At Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Double-A Reading, and Class A Clearwater, he made 20 relief appearances and went 2-1 with a 1.33 ERA, striking out 37 and walking 22 in 20 1/3 innings.
