The Houston Astros won it all for the second time in franchise history behind 106 regular season wins in 2022. They’ve been good since, but they have gradually lost difference-making talent and they’ve undergone a lot of roster turnover this offseason.
Despite that, the Astros are still a playoff-caliber team with a realistic path to making the postseason for the ninth-consecutive year. That’s an impressive streak, but to make any real noise come playoff time, Houston might need some help.
The New York Yankees are enduring a nightmare spring training, one that is coming with a new injured starter on a regular basis.
Slugger Giancarlo Stanton has tendinitis in both elbows, that have been labeled as severe injuries. It’s still unknown when he’ll be able to return to action, but if surgery is required to fix the issues, he’d miss the season. The mere mention of that scenario implies that it hasn’t been ruled out.
New York’s veteran third baseman, DJ LeMahieu, missed significant time in 2024 due to injury. He is currently sidelined with a calf issue.
Reigning American League Rookie of the Year winner Luis Gil has been shut down with a high-grade lat strain. The Yankees hope their ascending, young pitcher can return some time this summer.
The New York Yankees are enduring a nightmare spring training, one that is coming with a new injured starter on a regular basis.
Slugger Giancarlo Stanton has tendinitis in both elbows, that have been labeled as severe injuries. It’s still unknown when he’ll be able to return to action, but if surgery is required to fix the issues, he’d miss the season. The mere mention of that scenario implies that it hasn’t been ruled out.
New York’s veteran third baseman, DJ LeMahieu, missed significant time in 2024 due to injury. He is currently sidelined with a calf issue.
Reigning American League Rookie of the Year winner Luis Gil has been shut down with a high-grade lat strain. The Yankees hope their ascending, young pitcher can return some time this summer.
Then there is Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, who will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the entire 2025 campaign.
New York has enough depth to absorb difference makers like Stanton and Gil missing considerable time, but Cole’s injury changes the landscape of the American League.
Few contenders in the AL could match Cole and Max Fried at the top of their rotation. The Astros were on the short list of teams that could before spring games began.
Now that Cole will miss the year, Houston would have the pitching advantage over the Yankees in a postseason series. With Gil also expected to miss several months, the Astros’ rotation represents a major advantage over New York as things stand today.
Before spring training began, most viewed a Yankees World Series rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers as close to a foregone conclusion. New York’s brutal run of significant injuries has opened the door for every contending team in the AL.
In the Astros’ case, pitching is king in October and they suddenly have the edge against the Yankees in that matchup. That advantage could carry Houston to victory over New York in a short series, if the injury-ravaged Yankees make it that far.