New York Yankees Are Practicing Load Management Thanks To Depth And Versatility

After an offseason where the New York Yankees were criticized for not aggressively pursuing superstar free agents such as Carlos Correa and Freddie Freeman, they have assembled a fun and exciting ball club that is built on depth and versatility. Even as the Associated Press has reported an Opening Day payroll of nearly $237 million, the Yankees’ current success begins with multiple ball players providing value whose salaries barely surpass this season’s league minimum of $700,000. Most importantly, the Yankees are experimenting with a variety of approaches that emphasize health and flexibility.

Fans of the National Basketball Association have long abhorred the phrase “load management.” It has become synonymous with all-star caliber players needing rest to reduce the risk of injuries and exhaustion. Load management has also been used as a tactical strategy in preparation for the rigors of postseason competition. Some have found it infuriating given the limited disposable income of fans and the exorbitant prices associated with attending sporting events.

The Yankees have embraced the load management philosophy, but it takes on an entirely different meaning in a sport with a designated hitter and 162 ball games over 187 days. Their model of load management begins with a multitude of different lineups thanks to roster depth where manager Aaron Boone has been strategically resting ball players without disrupting the ball club’s rhythm. The Yankees had 24 consecutive different lineups from Opening Day on April 8^th through May 3^rd. At the conclusion of the two-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees have used 28 different lineups over 30 ball games.

One of the noticeable differences with this year’s ball club is how the Yankees are playing an exciting brand of baseball defined by confidence and determination. They aren’t beholden to the three outcomes that have defined them in recent years: home runs, strikeouts, and base on balls. Through his lineup decisions, Boone is demonstrating how the Yankees have evolved into a multi-dimensional ball club that can quickly adapt to new circumstances. The tone surrounding the ball players has always been professional, but there is a new intensity that has been missing in recent years.

An important question the Yankees will ponder throughout the regular season is how to manage the work loads of ball players with injury histories such as Josh Donaldson, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton. They want to avoid late season fatigue, but also need to win their division and have either the best overall record or the second-best record among the three division winners in the American League. According to the new postseason format, the top two division winners in terms of records will receive first-round byes while the third division winner will play in a best-of-three series against the third wild card ball club.

Boone is deftly managing a rotation of nine ball players who are accustomed to being in the starting lineup every day along with a catching platoon. His daily decisions have been made easier given the excellence of DJ LeMahieu as a super utility ball player and Judge’s ability to play both right field and center field. The Yankees are hopeful Gleyber Torres can have a career resurgence playing second base this season complemented by a defensive upgrade at shortstop with Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes has gone from revelation to an integral part of the Yankees’ pitching rotation. A fan favorite who is only earning $727,500 on a one-year contract, Cortes’ five-pitch repertoire is best described as deception at varying speeds thanks to adjustments and hesitations in his pitching delivery. As the cutter and four-seam fastball have been his primary pitches this season, Cortes has produced a 1.41 earned run average in six starts while striking out 42 batters over 32 innings. Cortes also accomplished the impressive feat of an immaculate inning against the Baltimore Orioles earlier this season.

The Yankees’ catching philosophy emphasizes defense and pitch framing which also means they are no longer spending more than $6 million on an offensive catcher. While offense might appear to be sacrificed for defense regarding the catching position, the Yankees are strategically platooning Kyle Higashioka and Jose Trevino at a combined $1.655 million in 2022 salaries. Trevino was acquired by the Yankees in a trade with the Texas Rangers a few days before the start of the 2022 regular season. Presently, the Yankees’ pitchers have posted a 2.60 earned run average which is the best in the American League and second in all Major League Baseball trailing only the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2.25 earned run average.

The New York Yankees are a rejuvenated ball club as evident in their performance over the first month of the season. As consistency and health will play a vital role in the Yankees’ pursuit of a 28^th world championship, the immediate takeaways are a willingness to adapt to new challenges and managing workloads. Competition will be fierce in the American League East all season as the Yankees have already made significant adjustments with an emphasis on long term preparation.