The Yankees may or may not still be pursuing star free agents Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, but whatever happens, they're already the most improved team in the American League.
That's the overwhelming consensus of The Athletic's poll of more than two-dozen MLB managers, coaches, scouts and executives.
And it's not even close as far as the runnerup "most-improved" AL team. Of the 30 insiders polled, 27 named the Yankees to their list of most improved AL teams. The Twins and Rays each received 10 mentions, and the Angels and White Sox logged four votes apiece.
Perhaps that poll's results aren't enough to satisfy fans who are still hoping the Bronx Bombers will add Harper or Machado to their lineup. Yet Yankees GM Brian Cashman has been extremely busy this offseason, acquiring James Paxton, Adam Ottavino, Troy Tulowitzki and DJ LeMahieu and re-signing CC Sabathia, J.A. Happ and Zack Britton.
Insiders in The Athletic's poll voted Paxton the "best acquisition by an AL club this offseason." And LeMahieu was named the "best free-agent position-player signing" in the AL.
How all those acquisitions fit in alongside returning stars such as Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton remains to be seen. But oddsmakers like the Yankees heading into 2019. Caesars Entertainment recently put New York's over/under win total for this year at 96.5, second only to the Astros (97.5). The Red Sox were third at 95.5.