7:00 AM ET
Now that the New York Yankees are bringing back Aaron Judge after the two sides sweated out a negotiation that concluded with the reigning American League MVP agreeing to a nine-year, $360 million contract, what’s next? This is a franchise that has had plenty of success in recent seasons: 99 wins and an AL East title in 2022, six consecutive trips to the postseason and three trips to the AL Championship Series in that span.
The Yankees, however, don’t merely play for success: The expectation is to win a World Series, and the Yankees haven’t even been to one since their last championship in 2009. Their three latest appearances in the ALCS all ended in defeat to the Astros and New York hit a combined .198 in them — including .162 with just nine runs in a four-game sweep in 2022. Re-signing Judge was the necessary first step to dethroning the Astros, but it is bringing back someone the Yankees already had. What else should they do to get better?
The simple answer: Spend more money.
