Honestly, the Yankees’ offseason feels like it could’ve been a lot louder if the front office had pushed harder. But it’s really not as bleak as it seems. They did land Cody Bellinger on a five-year, $162 million deal last week. And he’s stepping into a clubhouse that already includes Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario, David Bednar, and Camilo Doval!

On top of that, Gerrit Cole is expected back from injury, which alone changes the outlook of this team. With that mix, it’s hard to argue the Yankees aren’t built to contend for a World Series run. That said, this roster looks pretty similar to what we saw last year, and that’s where the questions start creeping in. Can this group actually flip the script in 2026?

Brian Cashman certainly thinks so, and he’s not alone. 2x World Series champ AJ Pierzynski has voiced his confidence, too, but with caution!

“They’re going to be a high-strikeout, high-home run, all-or-nothing kind of team, and there’s nothing wrong with that in today’s game,” Pierzynski shares via Foul Territory.

Well, the Yankees have long been known for their boom-or-bust identity, tons of strikeouts, tons of home runs. That’s been the trade-off with their heavy focus on power and exit velocity, especially with Aaron Judge setting the tone. For instance, in 2025, that trend didn’t change much. Their strikeout rate hovered around 23 percent, well above the league average of 22.2, keeping them firmly in the hard-hitting category.

While Judge’s league-leading exit velocity produces regular-season highlights, that same all-or-nothing approach proved fatal against the Blue Jays’ disciplined pitching in the postseason, where manufacturing runs becomes more critical than raw power.

Now, when it works, it looks unstoppable, but when it doesn’t, especially in October, it can come back to bite you. Just look at how things unraveled against the Blue Jays last postseason.

From Pierzynski’s point of view, though, with the core of the lineup basically unchanged, there’s no reason to expect anything different this year. The power surge should still be there, and Yankee Stadium’s short right-field porch is tailor-made for that kind of offense. So why not?

The bigger question might not be whether the Yankees can score runs, but whether they can prevent them. Cashman has made it clear he believes this is a championship-caliber roster, saying he’s more than willing to challenge anyone who thinks otherwise. The offense may very well steamroll teams again, but the defense? That’s the part that probably deserves a closer look.

Defensive Failures Caused the Yankees’ 2025 Debacle

The numbers from last season really tell the story. The Yankees finished first in MLB in total runs scored and home runs in 2025. But on the flip side, their pitching and run prevention lagged as they were only 14th in ERA. That gap between offense and defense defined their year.

Fielding didn’t help either. Costly errors piled up, with Anthony Volpe leading the team with 19, and opponents took full advantage. Teams were able to extend innings and pile on runs, and despite all that firepower at the plate, the Yankees still couldn’t push past the ALDS.

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Still, looking ahead, there are some positives. Gerrit Cole is expected to be ready from the start of the season. Devin Williams is no longer on the roster, creating another hole in the bullpen. But it feels very possible the Yankees will miss having a frontline arm like Dylan Cease or a lockdown closer like Edwin Diaz over the grind of a long season.

Cashman may be confident in his roster’s power, but until the Yankees address their defensive and pitching woes, their championship aspirations will remain just that.