As we approach the start of MLB’s regular season much of the Yankees fanbase is underwhelmed with the team’s lack of splash moves this offseason.
The disappointment is justified. After the Yankees reset the luxury tax penalties, the fanbase was expecting the team to spend on the free agents at the top of the market. We all know the Yankees went a different route this offseason.
This has caused much of the fanbase to have lowered expectations in 2022.
Despite the disappointment of this offseason, there is an opportunity for the team to hit the ground running and completely change the perception of them in the first month of the season.
The first seven games of the season can set the tone for the season right off the bat. The Yankees start with a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox, then have a four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. All games will be played in the Bronx.
Those teams figure to be two of the main competitors in the American League East in 2022. If the Yankees can manage to just go 4-3 in those games, it sets them up to have a strong April.
The rest of the Yankees April schedule is as follows:
- Three games at Baltimore Orioles
- Three games at Detroit Tigers
- Three games vs Cleveland Guardians
- Three games vs Baltimore Orioles
- Two games at Kansas City Royals
These are all teams the Yankees should expect to be better than in 2022. Yankees fans know from recent years that no matter how weak the Orioles look, they are not someone to look past.
This core’s most successful regular season came in 2019 when they took care of business against Baltimore. The Yankees held their own against the formidable teams in their division in 2021. When looking at the biggest difference between the Yankees and the division winning Rays in 2021, the difference in how the two teams performed against the Orioles was staggering.
The Rays went 18-1 against Baltimore while the Yankees went 11-8. That is not going to cut it for the Yankees in 2022, especially in what might be the best division in baseball.
A hot start and taking care of business against weaker teams in April would be just what the doctor ordered for the Yankees in 2022.
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