Biggest Spring Training Questions For The Yankees

Irrespective of the clash in perspectives between Bombers’ brass and the Bronx faithful, preparations for the 2026 season officially begin on February 11th, when pitchers and catchers report to Tampa. Their first workout at Steinbrenner Field is scheduled for February 12th. Position players report on February 15th, and the first full-squad workout is scheduled for February 16th.

PECOTA projects New York as the American League East favorites, albeit by an infinitesimal margin. If the Yankees are to win their division again, they’ll have to provide adequate answers to these questions, beginning with a certain Dartmouth College alumnus.

Will There Be More Servings Of Rice?

First baseman Ben Rice has become a fan favorite – and for good reasons. Rice’s 2025 contact metrics rival the best players in baseball right now. His lefty/righty splits leave much to be desired, however – which is why Paul Goldschmidt has returned to the Yankees on a one-year deal.

The idea is to deploy Goldschmidt against southpaw pitchers, who were at the 2022 National League MVP’s mercy last year. Platooning the two isn’t such a bad idea in practice, but there are plenty who are clamoring for Rice to be the full-time starter at first base. Those desires are justifiable; after all, among all players at his position in 2025, Rice ranked fourth in slugging percentage, sixth in Weighted Runs Created Plus, and first in hard hit rate.

In fairness to Aaron Boone and the front office, having plate appearances shared between Goldschmidt and Rice worked last year. Rice had his aforementioned production and registered an .860 OPS against righties, and Goldschmidt produced a slash line of .336/.411/.570 against left-handed pitchers.

But with the veteran Goldschmidt’s clubhouse presence, Rice may not get the number of plate appearances he wants. The Dartmouth Driller’s output will go a long way in determining the Yankees’ fate this year.

Will Bellinger Continue To Bash Baseballs In The Bronx?

Cody Bellinger’s free agency seemingly took eons to reach a resolution, but he’s reunited with his Yankees teammates. Only two weeks ago, Bellinger inked a five-year, $162.5 million contract that includes a $20 million signing bonus and a full no-trade clause. The deal includes opt-outs after the 2027 and 2028 seasons, with no deferrals.

Back in October, the heavily-decorated 30-year-old was effusive about the clubhouse culture and his experience in his first year donning pinstripes. “I had an unbelievable time putting on this uniform,” Bellinger said. “Yankee Stadium, the fans, the organization, the culture that these guys have created in this locker room. It really is special. It’s such a fun group; it was a fun group to be a part of. We came up short and that part stinks for sure, because we had a really, really good group here”, Bellinger said.

Some pundits and fans have espoused concerns about whether Bellinger’s pact will age well, but there’s a lot to consider here. Bellinger remains a versatile player who can play the outfield and first base, and he still possesses an excellent throwing arm. He had a .909 OPS at Yankee Stadium last year, and he mashed against lefties last year.

Especially given what occurred in free agency, the Yankees are objectively better with “Belli” than they are without him. The question is whether he can replicate or exceed his 2025 season results.

Got Enough Arms?

Gerrit Cole missed all of last year following Tommy John surgery. One can only speculate as to how great a rotation of Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Cam Schlittler, and Luis Gíl would have been 12 months ago, but perhaps those dreams can become a reality in 2026.

Cole is expected to return in May or June. He threw approximately eight bullpen sessions late in 2025. Rodon underwent a procedure on his left elbow to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur. He should be toeing the slab again sometime in April or early May.

While “Cole Train” and “Los” work to get back on the mound, the Yankees will deploy Max Fried, Luis Gíl, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and new face Ryan Weathers. Fried finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting in 2025 and Schlittler became a second-half rookie sensation. Warren posted a 3.69 ERA in his final 12 starts of last season, and he is now complemented by Weathers, whom Brian Cashman traded for a month ago.

Weathers is a former first-round pick with a career 4.93 ERA, although his underlying metrics suggest he’s far better than what the peripherals suggest.

For what it’s worth, his last two seasons have resulted in a 3.74 ERA and 3.25 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His average fastball velocity of 96.8 miles per hour is in the 86th percentile of all Major League pitchers, per Baseball Savant, which propels him into elite territory.

Weathers’ durability remains a concern; he has not made more than 18 starts in a season, which he did during his rookie season with San Diego. Weathers made only eight starts in 2025 due to a combination of injuries, but Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake obviously sees enough upside to morph Weathers into another reclamation project – something the Yanks have excelled at in recent years.

Can The Bullpen Stop Blowing Leads?

What was once a perennial strength for the Yankees turned into a massive liability last year. Devin Williams and Luke Weaver both regressed mightily, blew tons of saves, and ended up going across town to the New York Mets in the off-season.

Tim Hill, Ryan Yarbrough, and Paul Blackburn have all returned. David Bednar, who effectively became the team’s closer late in the season, is also back. Bednar and Fernando Cruz are both reliable, but the same cannot be said for the other relievers. The Bronx Bombers’ bullpen ranked 23rd among all reliever stables in ERA, and they had 21 blown saves. If the Yankees want to win the pennant again, they cannot have another bullen teeming with Swiss cheese.

End Of My Yankees Rant

Plenty more questions are abound for the pinstripes. Can Trent Grisham emulate last year’s career-best offensive output? What will shortstop look like once Anthony Volpe is healthy?

Will the rotation hold up? Is it possible for Austin Wells to finally have a breakout season? Can the Yankees play better in divisional games and in the middle of the summer? Will Aaron Judge and David Bednar lead Team USA to the World Baseball Classic championship?

The season will obviously decide the answer to all of those questions. Good answers will dictate the outcome, and it’s time to find out if a passing grade will be given.