In 2023, the Yankees outfield became a swirling mixture of replacement-level players and mediocrity after Aaron Judge’s injury in Los Angeles. The organization scrambled to replace its most important player and didn’t have much of a plan beyond cross-your-fingers journeymen like Willie Calhoun, Franchy Cordero, and Billy McKinney.
The outfield lacked depth, and while some of the stopgaps performed admirably, it was painfully clear the Yankees weren’t prepared when Judge went down. To be fair, it’s always difficult when a team loses its best player, but there’s no denying the outfield was thin. Cody Bellinger is likely the team’s primary outfield target, but even if they secure a top outfielder, the Yankees would do well to also hunt for depth.