With Red Sox in World Series, here are 3 things Yankees fans can look forward to for next season

Yankees fans are feeling pretty down again after watching the Red Sox disperse the Astros in five games to win the American League pennant. After all, this was supposed to be the year the Yankees would be back on top and their rivals in Beantown continue to twist the knife into the 2018 season.

While the Red Sox will be competing for a World Series title and the Yankees are stuck golfing in October, it may be hard to find any optimism. Next season may seem distant at the moment, but there is reason to look forward to 2019 despite Boston's recent run.

Free agent splash

Whether it is Manny Machado, Bryce Harper or someone who is not even on the radar at the moment, you can count on GM Brian Cashman to make some sort of big splash in the offseason to improve the Yankees roster. Last year he did it with Giancarlo Stanton and he surely will not sit idly by this year, especially with the Red Sox as the defending American League champs.

Embrace the underdog role

It is not often the Yankees can play the role of the underdog, but with the Red Sox winning the AL pennant after a 108-win season the Bronx Bombers are in prime position to do just that. The Red Sox will have a target on their backs next season, and whatever the Yankees do in the offseason, they will still be questioned on whether or not they can take down Boston -- whom clearly have the Yankees' number. Plus, the Red Sox entered this season with many wondering if they can compete with the Yankees, and it worked out in their favor. Perhaps with the roles reversed, the Yankees can prove any doubters they may have wrong.

Core still intact

The majority of the Yankees' current roster isn't going anywhere. They essentially return a lineup that hit a MLB record 267 home runs. They have a young core led by Aaron Judge, who will be 27 next season, along with Gleyber Torres, Miguel Andujar, Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino -- who are all younger than Judge. Top pitching prospect Justus Sheffield could be in the rotation while Clint Frazier may finally get a shot at a full season with Brett Gardner likely out of the picture. The key pieces are there to compete for a World Series title the next few years, they just need to add the complementary pieces where necessary.

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