Five bold predictions for the Yankees in 2018

Opening day is quickly approaching and the excitement surrounding the Yankees heading into 2018 is at an all-time high. With the addition of Giancarlo Stanton to what was already a powerhouse of a lineup, the Yankees are once again a World Series or bust club. Expectations that George Steinbrenner lived by year in and year out when he was as at the helm. The Yankees are obviously no stranger to these expectations. They are well deserved considering it’s hard to imagine the Yankees not making the postseason in 2018 with the product they will put on the field. Here are five bold predictions that could be the difference between the Yankees being a solid contending team or being far and away the best team in baseball.

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1. Both Aaron Judge AND Giancarlo Stanton will each hit 500 foot homers in 2018.

This feat doesn’t seem too crazy until you look deeper into the numbers. Stanton has only hit one 500+ foot home run in his career. Aaron Judge has never hit one although he’s played much less time than Stanton. Judge did flirt with a 500-foot homer in 2017 when he hit one nearly over the left field bleachers on June 11th. The measured distance was 496 feet on that blast. It should be quite the power showing in the Bronx this season. Don’t be surprised if Judge and Stanton combine to break Statcast with the distance and exit velocity of their majestic home runs.

2. Masahiro Tanaka will finish 2018 with a sub three ERA.

Photo Credit: Boston Herald

 Last year saw a lot of ups and downs for Tanaka but he stepped up when the Yankees needed it most with an incredible postseason run against offensive juggernauts like the Indians and Astros. In three starts he pitched 20 innings and posted a .90 ERA, giving up just two earned runs while striking out 18. While the regular season was rough, Tanaka came through when the lights were the brightest and he’ll feed off that postseason success to have his best season yet and possibly win a CY Young Award.

3. Gleyber Torres wins Rookie of the Year.

There has been a lot of hype about Torres since the Yankees acquired him in the Aroldis Chapman deal. He absolutely tore it up last spring. So much so that Yankee management wanted him to be the Opening Day shortstop since Gregorious was injured at the time although it never happened. He had great success last year between AA and AAA before he injured himself sliding into home plate requiring Tommy John Surgery. The Yankees struck gold with the Torres acquisition. He’ll likely be their second baseman for years to come.

4. Gary Sanchez wins a gold glove.

This one is as bold as they come. Sanchez was dreadful behind the plate last year. He has a cannon of an arm but his defense leaves a lot to be desired. He led the American League in passed balls with 16 which of course is not a category you want to be atop of. However, with all the attention brought upon his defense as well as the Girardi benching last season, he’ll be determined to improve significantly. He’s is already one of the biggest assets the Yankees have. Imagine he can add Gold Glove caliber defense to his incredible offensive production. Scary to think about.

5. The Yankees will win at least 110 games.

It’s not often you see a team win that many games. The Yankees have only done it twice. They won 110 in 1927 and 114 in 1998 so it would be quite an accomplishment if the 2018 squad can pull it off. If all of the above predictions come true, I cannot imagine the Yankees winning less than 110 games. There’s been talk about this years Yankee lineup not only being one of the best in Yankees history but in baseball history. Of course, the results are what matter not how the lineup looks on paper. Regardless, the Yankees shouldn’t have much of an issue capturing the division or at the least a Wild Card spot but the potential is there for so much more.

Article by: Shawn Maguire

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