Three Yankees' storylines to follow before Opening Day

In their first three spring training games, the New York Yankees gave us a sample of their unpredictable brand of baseball. The first game of spring saw them lose 2-0 in shutout fashion to the Baltimore Orioles. The next game, they crushed the Detroit Tigers 20-3. In their third game on Sunday, the Yankees fell 6-4 to the New York Mets, a reminder of how their potent offense can jump back to life from dormancy and vice versa.

While the offseason lull may have been drab by the standards of New York’s fan base, there is excitement building for the “run-it-back Yankees.” Let’s view three storylines to keep an eye on as Opening Day approaches. 

Spencer Jones goes yard in 2026 spring debut, but... 

This season, the Yankees will likely have two Aaron Judges in the outfield. It didn’t take long for Jones (Yankees no. 4 prospect), dubbed the “left-handed Aaron Judge,” to make a strong statement. In his first glimpse of 2026 action on Saturday, Jones took Tigers’ righty Keider Montero deep, launching a 95-mph fastball into the parking lot. 

After years of lackluster performances that had many questioning his major-league viability, the Yankee phenom broke out last season, hitting .274/.362/.571 with 35 home runs in 438 at-bats. This latest long ball was an indication that he can handle pitching on the major-league level; however, it did come with a familiar drawback. Jones went 1-for-3 with two strikeouts on the day, reminding us that strikeouts are still a major hurdle to his success.