New York Yankees 2023 Preview: Odds, Win Total, Predictions

The New York Yankees’ 2022 season was filled with headlines, from Aaron Judge’s 62 home runs to Gerrit Cole’s 250 strikeouts. Yet, despite the fanfare, the team didn’t make it to the World Series, getting eliminated in the ALCS by the Houston Astros, who went on to take home the title.

In 2023, the Yankees are coming in with something to prove. It’s been 13 years since the team won the AL pennant, and manager Aaron Boone is sitting firmly on the hot seat. 

Could this be the year they go all the way?

New York Yankees Offseason Transactions

In one of the biggest stories of the offseason, the Yankees re-signed star slugger Judge to a nine-year, $360 million contract on Dec. 7. During the 2022 regular season, Judge batted .311 with a 1.111 OPS and 62 home runs, an AL record for the most in a single season. Going into 2023, he’s been named team captain, the 16th player in Yankees history to hold the title.

Yankees Aaron Judge hits his 62nd Home Run, setting the American League single-season record

📹@YESNetwork pic.twitter.com/l5umbCzz21

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) October 5, 2022

After an incredible year with the San Francisco Giants, free agent starting pitcher Carlos Rodón signed a six-year, $162 million contract with the Yankees this offseason. During the 2022 season, Rodón went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 237 strikeouts in 31 starts, so he is a great addition to an already brilliant pitching rotation — if he can stay healthy.

On Nov. 15, 2022, the Yankees re-signed first baseman Anthony Rizzo to a two-year, $40 million contract with a $17 million club option for the 2025 season. The veteran slugger hit .224 with an OPS of .818 and 32 home runs in 2022, so keeping him in New York provides an excellent backup to Judge in the batting lineup.

New York Yankees Odds

• Odds to Win AL East: +105
• Odds to Win American League: +350
• Odds to Win World Series: +750

All odds are as of March 10.

New York Yankees Win Total

The Yankees’ win total for the 2023 season is 94.5.

New York racked up 99 wins last season and 92 the season before, so with some new additions and a tighter rotation, I think 94.5 is not only possible but very likely. 

New York Yankees Predictions

Prediction: The New York Yankees will win the AL East.

The Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays are both likely to have good seasons in 2023, but neither roster can match the Yankees — or at least not on paper.

Judge is ready to back up his historic 2022 season, and Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, and Josh Donaldson will be right behind him. DJ LeMahieu had a decent season last year, though consistency was an issue toward the end. Hopefully, that will get ironed out during spring training.

One question mark on the roster is Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who I predict will be traded before the deadline. The shortstop’s shaky defense last season saw him benched for three of the Yankees’ final four postseason games, and I don’t know how forgiving New York will be this year. Rookie  Oswald Peraza is waiting in the wings to take Kiner-Falefa’s place, so spring training performance is crucial.

The Yankees’ pitching lineup is fierce — Cole, Nestor Cortes, and Luis Severino all had amazing seasons in 2022, so adding Rodón to the roster makes New York a team to watch. Frankie Montas is expected to miss at least the first half of the season after undergoing surgery last month on the labrum in his pitching shoulder, so Domingo German and Clarke Schmidt are both in contention for the fifth position in the starting rotation.

After their abrupt elimination from the playoffs in 2022, the Yankees won’t be messing around this season. Could this be the year that breaks their AL pennant drought? It’s not out of the question.