Aaron Boone is concerned about the New York Yankees! New York’s offseason acquisitions, specifically Juan Soto, were curated to address their offensive issues. But a recent move that their rival Baltimore Orioles made might cast a shadow over their optimism. With the O’s acquiring ace pitcher Corbin Brunes has posed “a little bit of a problem.“

The Orioles, who emerged fresh off their 101-win division title, have been devoid of a true ace in their rotation. The club plans to address this woe by acquiring the 29-year-old from the Milwaukee Brewers. While this move bolsters their starting pitching significantly, their rotation featuring Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez makes the trio rank among the best in the league. This sounds an alarm for the Yankees skipper. 

Unveiling What Alarmed Aaron Boone?

Yes, this scenario has fueled Boone’s concern. His words at the Pinstripe Pride, an autograph signing at the American Dream mall attested to it. “That can be a little bit of a problem. That was my first reaction. He’s obviously an amazing pitcher going to a great team. We’ll see a lot of him and look forward to competing against the best, though,” said the 50-year-old Boone. But what’s the basis of this “problem”?

While the Yankees were, at one point interested in Burnes, they declared his asking price as too high. As a consequence, they prioritized depth additions elsewhere. Now, they must face a Cy Young Award-winning contender within their own division multiple times per season. Burnes has displayed a great deal of dominance against the Yanks in the past. Proof? His scoreless eight-inning outing in his only career start against them. But along with doubt, Boone did show some confidence. 

He acknowledged the potential threat that Brunes poses but also expressed confidence in the Yankees’ renewed rotation. After all, the newly acquired Marcus Stroman anchors it well. He however emphasized on staying healthy, which had been a major setback for the club last season. He further added words of optimism, “I’m really excited about some of the guys, like Carlos (Rodón) and Nestor (Cortes) coming off injury-riddled seasons.” That said, one can hope the Yankees to turn up as confident as ever in 2024. 

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Will the New York Yankees Be Able To Match Up?

The success of the Yankees’ upcoming season has its foundation on its players’ health and the performance of their renewed rotation. Now, if Rodón and Cortes deliver to their potential as expected, New York’s pitching staff could actually rival anyone in the league. But the risk of injuries or underperformance exposing their lack of depth cannot be ruled out. With that, the Orioles gain an advantage over them, proving that Burnes’ acquisition was after all a problem for their championship hopes.

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Granted that there are certain threats surrounding their rivals’ new acquisitions. But the Yankees seem to have treaded with caution this off-season. The optimism reflects in catcher Austin Wells’ words, “I think it’s going to be a great year for the Yankees pitching staff”. Watching how the 2024 season will unfurl for the Yanks would truly be interesting.