With the offseason acquisition of ace pitcher Gerrit Cole from the Houston Astros, among others, the New York Yankees were viewed, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers, as the favorites to win the World Series before the pandemic shook the baseball universe and not only delayed the start of the 2020 season, but also cut it from 162 to 60 games.
With the shorter season, there is more space for randomness, luck, and “fluky” outcomes. However, the audience still expects the Yankees to lift the trophy come playoff time. Is that fair? Well, that’s up for debate, but according to a Hall of Fame pitcher, it will definitely add more pressure to a team like the Bombers.