For Yankee fans, Saturday night was unpleasant to say the least. After winning game 5 of the ALCS, hoping to start a comeback to earn a spot in the World Series, the Yankees dropped game 6 on a walk off two-run shot from Jose Altuve. Despite DJ Lemehieu’s game-tying two-run home run in the top of the ninth, flamethrowing Cuban star Aroldis Chapman unfortunately gave up the season-ending hit. The comeback could not be fulfilled, and fans were heartbroken. Although a ring could not be brought to New York, marking a whole decade since the last championship for the team, the season was quite thrilling. Here are a few takeaways from the season.

1. Next man up

The season for the bombers was plagued with injuries from start to finish. There were more stints on the injured list than any other team in history, yet the Yankees still flourished in gametime and ended up earning a division leading 105-59 record. Stars Luis Severino, Gary Sanchez, Dellin Betances, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, and many more found themselves on the injured list at some point in the season, leaving duties to a few younger guys that sprouted into huge contributors. Guys like Mike Ford, Mike Tauchman, Domingo German, Gio Urshela, Cameron Maybin, and several others nicely filled the roles of everyday starters, and they did not disappoint. They stepped up when they were needed the most, and proved to be very valuable assets to the productive lineup. This offseason will likely land a few of these guys elsewhere, but regardless, they will provide great depth to the roster if they stay in the Bronx.

1. Starting pitching matters

Fans were disappointed throughout this entire season because of the front office’s inability to obtain a dominant starting pitcher. This past series against the Houston Astros proved just how much the rotation was lacking depth. Houston simply had the more dominant group of starters, composed of Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke. Although the Yankees had a great group of arms in the bullpen, one of the greatest strengths of the team, relievers like Tommy Kahnle and Chad Green were simply overexposed throughout the series, and the Astros took advantage of it. Without a doubt, seeking a solid starting pitcher will be one of the primary goals for the Yankees this season. Regardless of how many good pitchers are in the bullpen, a team cannot compete against teams like the Astros if they don’t have a solid rotation with guys who can last deep into games and provide quality innings.

1. Capitalize in big moments

The Yankees’ ALCS loss was quite disappointing. Throughout the series, there seemed to be too many missed opportunities with runners in scoring position. In fact, Houston and New York had very similar numbers in terms of batting average and home runs. The only difference was that although neither team played extraordinarily well, the Astros stepped up in moments that proved to be game-changing. Regular season stars like Edwin Encarnacion, Gary Sanchez, and Giancarlo Stanton disappointed fans in October, and their lack of driven runs really hurt the team in the end.

A year without a ring is considered a failure, but the season proved to be a learning experience for both management and the players of the organization. It has been quite some time since New York celebrated a World Series championship, and this offseason can prove to be a deciding factor for whether 2021 will be when the 28th title is secured. Until then, enjoy the Astros and Nationals battle it out for a trophy and keep your eyes open for some moves by Brian Cashman throughout the winter.