JOHNNY DAMON SPEAKS OUT ABOUT IMPROVED YANKEES WITHOUT SOTO

When Juan Soto put up an impressive 7.9 WAR during his time in the Bronx, it seemed like losing him would leave an irreplaceable gap in the Yankees' lineup. But guess what? The Yankees didn’t flinch. As a fan, neither did I. I was happy Juan left. I was a financial logjam What was better was they didn’t even try to replace Soto with just one player. Instead, they went on a spree, grabbing Max Fried, Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Devin Williams. Talk about an All-Star buffet!

In a January 20 Sportcasting.com article, Yankees legend Johnny Damon gave his stamp of approval, claiming the Yankees might be even better now without Soto. Damon’s words? Pure gold:

"He’s an amazing player...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."

And he's not just blowing smoke. Damon believes this squad is geared up to chase the World Series title. And frankly, so do I! I’ve been saying it since I penned that BYB article titled THE YANKEES WILL WIN THE 2025 WORLD SERIES, and nothing’s changed my mind.

Damon doubled down on his optimism:

“I do think the Yankees have a better chance to win the World Series this year. 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."

The bottom line? The Yankees didn’t just need Soto—they needed a collaborative team effort. They’ve got that now, a roster brimming with talent ready to tackle the grind of 162 games and beyond.

Meanwhile, across town, the Mets have Soto, but that’s about it. Didn’t they learn anything from watching the Yankees fall short in the World Series? It’s not about one superstar—it’s about building a team. Silly Mets. The Yankees are primed and ready, and this time, they’re coming for that trophy.