New York Yankees: the most improved team in AL East?

The New York Yankees added Gerrit Cole this winter, but is that enough for them to be named the most improved AL East team so far this offseason?

The New York Yankees didn’t have a whole lot of areas to improve on this offseason, but their one hole they needed to fill was perhaps the most vital position when October comes around.

Entering the winter, New York didn’t really have a true ace on the staff. James Paxton and Masahiro Tanaka were solid during the playoffs along with Luis Severino but if they wanted to get past the Houston Astros they needed to add an ace.

And I think Gerrit Cole fits that bill.

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Cole is the most dominant pitcher on the planet right now, and I believe he transformed an already dangerous team into the 2020 World Series favorites.

And so the New York Yankees are the most improved team coming out of the American League East so far this offseason.

I know that Toronto Blue Jays fans are going to be mad at me when I say that the New York Yankees are the most improved club so far this winter. But although the Blue Jays have made more moves than the Yankees, just remember the phrase ‘quality over quantity’.

Yes, Toronto has added Chase Anderson, Tanner Roark, and Hyun-Jin Ryu to lead the rotation but there are still weaknesses in the club that will offset what could turn into a successful rotation. Ryu could be an ace, but he comes with a lot of risks and the Blue Jays still need help in the bullpen.

On the other hand, the Yankees don’t have any glaring weaknesses at all after adding Gerrit Cole because he has the ability to give them 7 innings every five days he steps on the mound, which will benefit the bullpen in the long run (which isn’t too bad either). Don’t forget that Brian Cashman also brought back Brett Garder, who was in the middle of the lineup in October and will bring leadership to the clubhouse–something that you can’t see on the back of the baseball card.

While the Blue Jays may have added more players so far this offseason, I think the New York Yankees will see a bigger impact with Gerrit Cole than the Blue Jays will see with their newly acquired trio of starters.