The loss of Juan Soto was hard on the New York Yankees. Obviously the team pivoted quickly and acquired outfielder Cody Bellinger and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. But can they make up for Juan Soto? Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner definitely thinks so. Hal Steinbrenner’s confidence in his former MVPs stepping up to fill Juan Soto’s shoes is certainly bold, but it’s a bit of a stretch when you look at the numbers.

Soto’s production last season was no joke—41 home runs, 109 RBIs, and a stellar .989 OPS. Losing that kind of offensive power is tough to replace, especially when the two players Steinbrenner is counting on were both, at best, league-average last year. It’s a big ask, and while there’s potential for improvement, there’s no guarantee they can replicate Soto’s production, let alone surpass it.

Aaron Judge might face the wrath of the pitchers

In the event that Steinbrenner is disappointed by the performance of both Bellinger and Goldschmidt, then much is bound to come back on Aaron Judge. It could go to an extent where pitchers start shifting their focus completely to Judge, according to The Athletic. Hence, with not very much protection around him, Judge might find himself seeing many more pitches outside the zone, with teams opting to pitch around him.

Other teams are likely to employ this tactic against the Yankees more once they get wind of it. Judge is a great player, but sometimes the best hitters in the game can be minimized anytime since the complete game plan is designed to neutralize them. If Goldschmidt and Bellinger could show the pitchers that they really are threats in the lineup, things might change. Do you think Bellinger and Goldschmidt can live up to Steinbrenner’s expectations?

Cody Bellinger trade was the biggest move the Yanks made after their Dominican player’s exit

The New York Yankees did not sit quietly after Juan Soto’s departure. Just nine days after being left at the altar by Juan Soto, they snatched former MVP Cody Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. In exchange? The team sent right-hander Cody Poteet to Chicago, and oh, they even snagged $5 million to sweeten the deal. The expectation is that Bellinger like his father will help the Yanks to win a World Series.

Cody’s father, Clay Bellinger played for the Yankees and also helped the team win in 1999 and 2000. Now his son is locked in as the Yankees’ everyday center fielder, with the added bonus of occasional games at first base. And that means Aaron Judge, the two-time MVP himself, is shifting back to right field. This off-season has been a game of musical chairs for the Yankees as they fine-tune their roster.

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The club has already added left-handed starter Max Fried, and bolstered their bullpen by grabbing All-Star closer Devin Williams from Milwaukee, and now with Bellinger on board, they’ve turned up the heat in a big way. It’s like they’ve taken the sting from losing Soto and turned it into a full-throttle roster overhaul. Do you think Bellinger can take the Yankees to the World Series?