Although the New York Yankees lost arguably the best player in baseball in Juan Soto, their roster may be even better than the one they had last year, according to Johnny Damon.
Damon knows a thing or two about winning a World Series with the Bronx Bombers, actually helping the Yankees win their last title back in 2009. He also knows what it’s like to jump from one team to a hated rival, leaving the Boston Red Sox for the Yankees in 2006.
Although losing Soto to the New York Mets hurts — he signed for a historic deal worth $765 million — Damon argues that the Yankees have actually beefed up their roster since the four-time All-Star’s departure this offseason.
“He’s an amazing player,” says Damon in a one-on-one interview on behalf of his hydration drink company, A-Game. “When the Yankees couldn’t get Juan Soto they were able to go out and get a number of All-Stars where the team may actually be better now. You have more quality players around. Juan Soto is going to win you so many games, but all these other players, you need them to help out for 162 games. I think the Yankees are in a really good spot.”
The Yankees are coming off of their first World Series appearance since 2009 and have the reigning MVP in Aaron Judge. To make matters even better, they managed to bring back ace Gerrit Cole and brought in former NL MVP’s Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. They also signed two-time All-Star and World Series champion pitcher Max Fried on an eight-year deal.
All these moves should help the Yankees remain in title contention and make them the favorite to represent the American League in the World Series for the second consecutive season.
”I do think the Yankees have a better chance to win the World Series this year,” says Damon. ”It’s always tough to win. I was fortunate to win two times in my career, but you get to the postseason, pitchers get hot, players get hot, and sometimes the best team doesn’t win. At the end of the day, it’s your team pulling in the same direction. It’s your team getting the job done.”
While Damon believes the current Yankees are better than last year’s team that advanced to the World Series, he acknowledges the generational talent that Soto is.
”It’s tough to see Juan Soto go, but I was a free agent so many times in my life and I always thought I was going back to the same team,” says Damon. “It just never worked out for me. Juan’s only 26 — I feel like he’s been on 12 teams already, but he’s been moving around. And that’s because a lot of people know how talented he is.”
Damon: Dodgers Are Rightful World Series Favorites, But Don’t Count Yankees Out
Damon knows better than anyone how hard it is to repeat as a World Series champ. Although the Red Sox returned the majority of their main core from the 2004 championship squad during the following year, they failed to regain that magic and were swept out of the ALDS.
While Damon didn’t have the opportunity to help lead the Yankees to another World Series in 2010, they failed to do so when they lost in the ALCS in six games.
The Yankees’ biggest obstacle will obviously be getting past the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are once again considered the favorites to win the World Series. The Dodgers defeated the Yankees in five games, including Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1, a first in World Series history.
”Those early games against the Dodgers just absolutely crushed the Yankees and that stuff’s going to happen,” says Damon. “But now they have a deeper team where they can overcome being down. I think they’re going to be really good.”
Although Damon acknowledges that the Dodgers are his World Series pick for 2025, he says the Yankees had the “best” offseason.
”I would say the Yankees,” says Damon when asked which MLB team had the best offseason. “Even losing one of the greatest players of all time, what they added was depth. I think they’re not done yet. The Yankees have more money to still go out and sign some key players. I do think the Yankees improved the most.”
