"Juan Soto will be missed" - Gerrit Cole hopeful of great season with Yankees despite losing superstar OF to Mets

The New York Yankees are entering the 2025 season as one of the top contenders to push for a title. After falling 4-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, the team's front office has been busy building a championship-caliber roster around stars Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole.

The team was unable to re-sign superstar outfielder Juan Soto, who opted to join the New York Mets on a historic 15-year, $765 million deal in free agency.

The loss of Soto is a drastic blow to any club. However, the New York Yankees have done a tremendous job reloading the roster in the wake of his departure.

The front office's ability to rebound from Juan Soto's departure is something that Gerrit Cole addressed to reporters on Wednesday. The former Cy Young Award winner had nothing but praise for the superstar outfielder but also acknowledged that the team is focused on moving forward with the group they have now.

"He's a magnificent player and a great teammate but Juan is going to make the best decision for Juan... He's a tremendous player and was extremely impactful for us and a joy to watch and a joy to be around. So Juan will be missed to an extent, but the beauty of the Yankees is the ability to go out and fill the roster," Cole said of Soto.

Following Juan Soto's decision to join the New York Mets, the Yankees front office made a number of notable roster additions, including Max Fried, Devin Williams, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt.

Replacing the incredible Soto's tremendous 2024 performance is nearly impossible. However, the team's ability to land multiple pieces to round out the roster could help them in the long run.

The New York Yankees have the second best odds to win the World Series according to FanDuel

If Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees are going to make it over the hump and win their first World Series title since 2009, this upcoming season could be it. According to the popular sports betting website FanDuel, the Bronx Bombers currently have the second best odds to bring home the title, sitting a +750 to win it all.

Unsurprisingly, the star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers are the current betting favorite at +250. The reigning World Series champions not only kept their core together but were also able to bring in the likes of Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, and Tanner Scott. If Cole and New York are looking to win a ring, they will likely need to do so against the club that eliminated them last season.