Two seasons ago, the New York Yankees played in the World Series but lost to the Dodgers. Last season, they couldn’t get back there.
They’d like to make it happen in the 2026 MLB season, and to do that, they’ll need a roster with a lot of familiarity to take a step forward — one that will be helped by the injury return of Gerrit Cole and the trade they made for Ryan Weathers.
ESPN’s Eric Karabell included those two pitchers in his bold predictions for the Yankees’ season ahead.
He also brought up hitters Trent Grisham and Ben Rice.
The Grisham prediction is especially favorable for Yankees fans who might be worrying about him regressing to his previous career level. Karabell predicts him to hit 30 home runs and walk 90 times.
He adds that Rice will hit 30 homers, too, and that six Yankees in total will leave the yard 30 or more times.
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Karabell doesn’t specify the others, but it’d make sense for Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton and Jazz Chisholm to be on that list.
For Cole, Karabell writes that he’ll make his return in May and make 22 starts, winning 14 of those with a 3.20 ERA.
And the new guy Weathers — Karabell predicts a 3.50 ERA in 24 starts.
If all those things happen, the Yankees would be looking at a particularly special season. They’ve got tons of talent, and if Judge and Max Fried can get help, the Yanks will be dangerous at the end of the year again.
