Suzyn Waldman criticizes Yankees’ fundamentals and positional choices following World Series exit

07/28/22 - New York Yankees Radio Broadcaster Suzyn Waldman poses in the radio broadcast booth before the start of the Kansas City Royals vs New York Yankees game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, Thursday, July 28, 2022, in New York.
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Amanda Paula
Friday November 1, 2024

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As the Yankees face an offseason with pivotal questions surrounding their roster, longtime broadcaster Suzyn Waldman weighed in on key issues she believes contributed to their disappointing finish. Addressing the team’s shortcomings, Waldman cited a lack of attention to fundamentals and players being mispositioned as factors that led to critical defensive breakdowns.

“I think there is a fundamental teaching problem in this organization,” Waldman remarked, underscoring her view that players were often put in roles that did not align with their strengths. “You’ve got a right fielder playing center field and Alex Verdugo everywhere. And though Juan Soto is a phenomenal hitter, right field isn’t his strength,” she noted. This, she argued, was emblematic of broader defensive disarray.

Yankees’ defensive issues highlighted after World Series exit

Giancarlo Stanton of the Yankees along with Aaron Judge, Anthony Volpe and DJ LeMahieu react on the dugout fence during the ninth inning.
NYP

Statistics provided by Max Goodman reveal further concerns, particularly at first base, where Yankees players struggled. Yankees first basemen posted an OPS of .619 this season—the lowest in MLB by a considerable margin. The team’s offensive performance at first base has been in decline since Mark Teixeira’s departure in 2016, ranking near the bottom in several categories, including batting average and WAR. Additionally, the Yankees were 29th in wRC+ and 27th in batting average, failing to produce a single home run at first base from August through the end of the season.

As the Yankees regroup, all eyes are on star outfielder Juan Soto, who now faces free agency. Soto, who played a pivotal role in New York’s postseason push, expressed mixed emotions following the Game 5 loss to the Dodgers in the World Series. “It was definitely a tough game to be my last one, but I’m really happy with what we accomplished,” Soto shared. Though Soto’s future in New York remains uncertain, his impact has left a lasting impression, and he will likely draw interest from multiple teams in the offseason.

The Yankees will need to address these issues, particularly around defensive positioning and infield production, if they hope to contend next season.

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