The New York Yankees go into every season with high expectations, and for fans, it has come to be known as "World Series or bust" every season.
There was a point in time where the Yankees were the favorites to win it all every year. They are still contenders going into every season, but their championship drought has reached 17 seasons. Owner Hal Steinbrenner was asked if the Yankees still have a "World Series or bust" mindset.
"That's absolutely what we expect," Steinbrenner said during his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday. "That is our mission. That is our goal. Yes, we failed at the goal this year, but that is always our goal, which is why we put so much effort and resources into the roster every offseason to field a team that can accomplish that. And I certainly believe we had that team this year. It just didn't pan out."
The Yankees had one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, headlined by likely American League Cy Young Award winner Cam Schlittler. Their offense featured All-Stars Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger. They were without Aaron Judge for most of the season, but they still had a very good team.
However, their team fell short in October, and that's what ultimately matters. Steinbrenner, Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone will now be responsible for making the necessary fixes to their team in order to get over the hump.
They have one of the best players ever in Judge, and have failed to win a championship with him. For starters, he needs to be healthy, but he also needs to have a supporting cast that shows up when it matters. This year, Rice and Bellinger were great, but without Judge, the Yankees never really stood a chance.
Next year, they will once again have a roster full of stars, but they have some clear holes they need to address. Third base and second base will be areas of focus this offseason for sure.