The New York Yankees’ offense is in significantly better shape now than it was during any point last season. Though the official games haven’t begun yet, the roster under manager Aaron Boone holds great promise. With powerhouses like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto leading the charge, there’s a palpable sense of optimism.
Judge and Soto aren’t just great hitters; they’re among the elite in the game. This distinction is quantified, to some degree, by Wins Above Replacement (WAR), which measures a player’s value compared to a hypothetical replacement-level player, in terms of wins.
Projections indicate that Judge and Soto are expected to rank among the top three in MLB by the end of the 2024 season.
MLB statistics expert Sarah Langs tweeted, “Juan Soto & Aaron Judge are projected to rank 2nd + 3rd in MLB in position player WAR, per Steamer. Yankees duos to rank top-3 in position player fWAR in a season: Charlie Keller + Joe Gordon, 1942; Lou Gehrig + Babe Ruth, 1926-28, ‘30-’32; Gehrig + Joe DiMaggio, ‘37.”
If Judge and Soto live up to expectations and maintain good health throughout the year, they’ll mark the fourth Yankees duo to rank in the top three in position player fWAR (with the “f” representing FanGraphs’ version of the stat).
This achievement hasn’t been seen in the Yankees franchise since 1942, a noteworthy milestone for a team boasting a rich history of all-time greats.
Of course, a potent offense relies on more than just two hitters. The aspiration is that the dynamic performance and production of this duo will create opportunities for other batters to step up and contribute to the offensive onslaught.
