Inside The Pinstripes

Can New York Yankees Bounce Back From Crushing World Series Loss?

The New York Yankees need to turn the page after choking against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

Tyler Maher

Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) makes a fielding error during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium.
Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) makes a fielding error during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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Four months after their devastating collapse in the 2024 World Series, the New York Yankees are back to work.

The Yankees and their fans still have a bad taste in their mouths after losing four of their five games against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Fall Classic, especially after blowing a commanding 5-0 lead at home in Game 5.

While it's a new year and a new team, many members of the 2024 American League champions are back, including team captain and reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge.

Judge, 32, is eager to put last fall behind him, especially after slumping for much of the postseason and making a critical error in Game 5 that sparked the Dodgers' comeback.

However, he's already seeing some positive signs from his teammates at spring training, suggesting that New York is ready to turn the page from last year's disappointment and start fresh.

"(We're) definitely coming in hungry, if not hungrier, than years past," Judge told reporters on Monday. "Guys are motivated, guys are ready to go. Definitely some great energy so far."

After falling agonizingly short of their ultimate goal last year, the Yankees are eager to finish the job and earn World Series rings.

"Guys are ready to get back to work, get us back in that spot and rewrite the script," Judge said.

New York hasn't won the World Series since 2009, so the club is desperate to get over the hump in 2025. Many current Yankees have never won a championship before, as last year was the organization's first Fall Classic appearance in 16 years.

However, getting back to the World Series -- let alone winning it -- won't be easy, especially after losing AL MVP runner-up Juan Soto to the New York Mets over the winter. The Dodgers also improved, making them a good bet to defend their title successfully.

New York re-tooled by adding Max Fried, Cody Bellinger and others, but it still must compete in one of baseball's toughest divisions. AL rivals like the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros are all hungry for a pennant as well and could present a serious challenge come October.

The Yankees haven't won back-to-back pennants since winning four straight from 1998 to 2001. They have the talent and motivation to win it all, but time will tell if they're up to the task.

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Tyler Maher
TYLER MAHER

Tyler is a writer for Sports Illustrated's Yankees On SI. He grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

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