While New York is loaded with historic major league sports teams, the Bronx boasts two: the most successful and the newest of the bunch. The New York Yankees are one of the most instantly recognizable sports brands in the world – despite the lack of baseball outside of North America and Japan – with more titles than the rest of New York’s teams combined. New York City FC is the new kid in the Bronx, but already has a championship to their name.
The year of 2021 proved to be one of immensely differing fortunes for the Yankees and City FC. Still, each new season brings about a renewed sense of hope among the fans. Even though the 2022 campaigns are still some way out for the MLB and MLS, it’s fair to say that both Bronx teams have the opportunity to be in contention for major honors.
New York Yankees can improve greatly in 2022
It was not a great season for the New York Yankees, with the final record of 92-70 being flattering. Eight games back of the AL East leaders (the Tampa Bay Rays), a superb win-streak through the summer enabled the Yankees to squeak into a wild card place. They went to the postseason as one of three representatives from their stacked division. Of course, the chance was not taken, bowing out to the Boston Red Sox in the ALWC.
Last season’s troubles have only been exacerbated by the team’s prolonged absence from the big show. Seeing the Red Sox win the World Series twice since 2009 has not helped. In fairness, we are still building many of the Baby Bombers brought in after the Yankees surprisingly turned into sellers a good half-a-decade ago. While unexpected backward steps were seen from many of the team’s corps – which will hopefully return to form next season – it is clear what areas need to be improved to hopefully streamline the offseason approach.
We may be some way out from the start of the 2022 MLB season, but the experts are certainly expecting the Yankees to move forwards. By examining the odds of the best betting sites, we see that in the MLB outright market on LVBet, the Yankees are fourth in the running. At +1000, they’re just behind the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, and LA Dodgers.
Favoritism towards the Yankees almost certainly stems from the team’s offseason spending power, as well as the fact that a relatively poor season still netted a wild card place. At the top of the shortlist, it is Carlos Correa. The Yankees are desperate for a shortstop and have the clout to land the best available. Many assume that Correa is a lock by this point. Next up, address left field, and then – as has been heavily discussed for months – the Matt Olson trade talks.
If all of the pieces fall into place and the Yankees do manage to upgrade in the offseason, the likelihood of them reaching the big show will increase significantly. The team is strong already, and in a division, that’s expected to see its other big names regress, the Yankees could be primed for a deep run in 2022.
New York City FC looking to repeat
It took a penalty shootout to decide the champions, but New York City FC managed to go all the way to the MLS Cup Final and bring the trophy back to the Bronx. Only established in 2013, NYCFC came into the season strangely devoid of former world-class talents imported from Europe. Instead, in manager Ronny Deila’s second season, the team was transformed into a well-balanced unit that plays very nice soccer.
Now that they have enjoyed the ceremony to honor the champions, City FC is preparing for their second championship both in their history and in as many years. The main factors that are in favor of The Bronx Blues repeating their success are that they already play great soccer, have a young core, and look to have much of the same squad in 2022.
The likes of Valentín Castellanos, Keaton Parks, Thiago Andrade, and Talles Magno are all superb attacking talents and, at most, 23 years old. So, in theory, they can only improve and up their goal outputs. The Argentine striker finished the season as the team’s top MLS scorer with 19 goals, but he certainly missed his fair share of chances. If he gets similar service and improves his finishing, he will blaze past the 25-goal mark.
Both Bronx teams look to be in a good place to compete at the highest-level next season, especially if the Yankees land the names that they’re expected to and City FC keeps the core together.
