Is the Season Beginning or is it Ending? ...

 

Aaron Boone and Gerrit Cole (Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post)

Starting Rotation gives up significant hit…

Unfortunately, the hit absorbed by the starting rotation was not a meaningless single to left, it is the likely loss of the Ace of the Staff, Gerrit Cole. Fans are jumping off the ledge while the Yankees Universe awaits the MRI results on Gerrit Cole’s right elbow. It is not so much the MRI results, but the subsequent medical opinions based on the results that we await. The concerns expressed by both Cole and Yankees GM Brian Cashman raise the red flags that Cole will miss time. How much time is TBD? We could look at months for the best-case scenario and a year and a half for the worst-case scenario if Tommy John surgery is required. It is safe to assume that this will not be a Cy Young year for Cole.

In the words of former Yankees manager Joe Girardi, it’s not what you want. But there is always a chance a pitcher will go down. You hope for good health and immense success, but injuries do not seek out the less talented players. They do not discriminate. Good or bad at playing baseball, the risk of injury is consistently present.

I am not ready to admit defeat for the season because Gerrit Alan Cole cannot play. I am grateful the Yankees signed former Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried in the off-season, but Fried and injuries are well known to each other. The keys to the starting rotation will be Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt. Their performances will go a long way toward determining which direction this year’s club takes.

I had hoped the club would trade Marcus Stroman to free up some cash to seek an upgrade for third base, but Stroman will be part of the 2025 rotation whether we like it or not. I hope for better results in Year 2. I like what we have seen from Will Warren this Spring, and I am optimistic he can keep it up when the real games begin, and he is fed a conveyor belt of major league hitters. When the Yankees gave Carlos Carrasco a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training, I assumed it would be one of those opt-out situations if Carrasco could show other teams that he was capable. Instead, he will likely be asked to join the Yankees rotation to begin the year. I would have been excited to have him in the rotation a few years ago. But with the passing of time and the inevitable aging that happens to all of us, reliance on Carrasco is not where I wanted to be this year.

Once Upon a Time in Cleveland: Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco

There will be no opportunity to land a frontline starter in March. A strong middle-of-the-rotation arm is a tough ask. It would take going after a pitcher like Jordan Montgomery, who has something to prove with a contract that his present club finds a bit uncomfortable.

In other words, there are not too many options.

I wish there were greater readiness in the farm system. Other teams might perk up if the Yankees offered George Lombard, Jr, in a trade, but that should be off the table regardless of the state of the Starting Rotation. I am not trying to prospect-hold, but if there is one prospect in the Yankees system I want to keep, it is Lombard, Jr, who looks to be a future superstar. I thought some of the other prospects would be future superstars but ‘over-hyped’ tends to be the more common theme. I would like to think Lombard, Jr, can be the exception to the rule.

Oswaldo Cabrera has emerged as the frontrunner for third base. I am disappointed because I see Cabrera’s best asset as his diversity in playing multiple positions. I am not convinced he can provide the production needed from one of the corner infield positions. Maybe he proves me wrong. I am okay with that. But realistically, I would go into the season more confidently in the position. I get there will be no last-minute trade for Nolan Arenado before the season begins. Luis Rengifo is off the table too since he will not be ready for Opening Day. Maybe a Luis Arraez trade, including Dylan Cease, would be the perfect trade this time of year.

If Cabrera is named the Opening Day starter at third base, what does it mean for Oswald Peraza? Out of options, his only chance with the Yankees is to make the big-league club. If it does not happen, he will find himself designated for assignment, with enough talent another club would take a bite unless the Yankees can offload him in a trade. If you do not believe Peraza can be a starter, I would like to know whether you should stand behind him as a role player. My preferred path would be Peraza as the starter, with Cabrera maintaining his super-utility role, but the Yankees know better than I.

When Spring Training opened, I had no idea who would back up Austin Wells at catcher. I assumed it was Alex Jackson, the veteran catcher, who was netted in the trade of Jose Trevino to the Cincinnati Reds last December. It's not that I thought Jackson was a potential talent, but it's more of a ‘who is left’ situation after the Yankees traded Carlos Narvaez to the Boston Red Sox. I like the JC Escarra story, the Uber driver who made good on a dream. He has displayed the talent to succeed in a backup role at the Major League level. It is not like we need a platoon partner for Wells. For all the catchers the Yankees have drafted in recent years, it seems weird that the best candidate is a minor league free agent that started in the Baltimore Orioles organization. I like Escarra and I hope he can succeed on the big-league roster. If Ben Rice makes the roster as a bench player, he will provide depth in catching and first base. I use the word ‘if’ but I think Rice has made the roster for his bat if nothing else.

Ben Rice

The Yankees could always swing a last-minute trade for a backup catcher before the team heads north. Many clubs face problematic decisions. Keep the phone lines open.

Regardless of whether the Yankees will miss Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton, Luis Gil, and Juan Soto, I refuse to give up on the season. There is talent on the roster. It needs to be subsidized but that is Brian Cashman’s job. He needs to figure it out. Last time I looked at the Yankees' record for the 2025 season, it was 0-0, which is matched by all other clubs. The missing guys were not the sole keys to winning. They certainly contributed to it, but other guys need to step up. No one will step up to Juan Soto’s level, but there are pathways to the club’s 28^th World Championship if Cashman can find the right ingredients.

Although the Yankees' transactions have been quiet for the past few weeks, things should start to heat up (a little) as we get closer to Opening Day. I fully expect a Yankees move or two that will change who makes the Opening Day roster. Whether we are surprised and excited remains to be seen, but there will be moves.

If there is a takeaway from this post, please do not give up on the 2025 New York Yankees. Please feel free to exit if the team is twenty games out in July and in a downward spiral. But until then, the team needs our support. I will not bail on the Yankees because they have lost key players. I look forward to the guys who can be effective while they are out.

As always, Go Yankees!

Why I'm Not Afraid of Carlos Carrasco in Game Two Tonight

 The New York Yankees offense was not afraid of 2020's presumptive American League Cy Young Award winner, so should they be afraid of Carlos Carrasco tonight in Game Two? In a word, no. Here's why!

The New York Yankees generally struggle against pitchers that they are seeing for the first time, it doesn't make sense but it is definitely a thing for this team. The good news tonight is that the Bombers have seen Carrasco plenty, to the tune of the stats below provided by ESPN: 

New York Yankees Career Statistics Vs. Carlos Carrasco

PITCHER	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Clint Frazier	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	.333	.333	.667	1.000
Brett Gardner	22	6	1	1	0	3	5	6	.273	.407	.409	.816
Aaron Hicks	10	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	.000	.091	.000	.091
Aaron Judge	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	.000	.333	.000	.333
Erik Kratz	4	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.500	.500	.500	1.000
Giancarlo Stanton	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000	.000
TOTALS	42	9	2	1	0	3	7	14	.184	.277	.263	.540

Is that a huge sample size? Unfortunately not, but it is better than nothing. With the above, do the Yankees start Clint tonight or do they start Gardner? Originally, my thought process was that Clint would get the start, but that was before Gardy's big game last night against Bieber and the Indians. 

Carrasco has made 12 appearances, nine of them starts, in his career against the Yankees and currently owns a 5-5 record with a 4.04 ERA. Carrasco has allowed eight home runs to the Bronx Bombers over that span with a 1.204 WHIP. Carrasco will get his strikeouts against this team, he has struck out Yankees batters 60 times in 55.2 innings pitched against them while drawing just 15 walks. That's not what you want to see, but ultimately I think the Yankees offense should be fine. 

Remember, Carrasco is not the same pitcher he was just two-or-three seasons ago, he is a shell of his former self. A lot of this gaudy strikeout numbers came while Carrasco was at his peak, and Carrasco has since fallen from that level due to injury. Carrasco's 3-4 record, 1.206 WHIP and 1.6 WAR, while good, are not what he was in 2017 and 2018. 2017 and 2018 were his Cy Young contending years, while he has stepped back each of the last two seasons. 

Bieber scared me a little last night, although I wasn't worried, but Carrasco really doesn't. I'm not looking past Carrasco by any means, but I am confident that the Yankees will close out this series with a victory tonight. See you in the ALDS. 

AL Wild Card Game 2 - New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians

 The New York Yankees slugged their way to a victory in Game One of the 2020 American League Wild Card Series with the Cleveland Indians, hitting the first home run of the season off Cleveland ace Shane Bieber while knocking him out of the game after just 4.2 IP. Tonight the Yankees offense will look for much of the same, and a series victory, while they back Masahiro Tanaka. Playoff Tanaka tonight on the mound with the series on the line, let's do this. 

Masahiro Tanaka owns a career 1.76 ERA in the postseason along with 37 strikeouts across eight starts since 2015, thus earning the nickname of Playoff Tanaka. Tanaka also finished the 2020 campaign strong with a 2-1 record over his last three starts, compiling a 2.25 ERA over that span. Tanaka looks to send the Yankees into the American League Division Series with a victory tonight. 

Carlos Carrasco will make his third career playoff appearance tonight for the Indians with their season and backs against the wall. In his two previous postseason starts, one in 2017 and one in 2018, Carrasco has posted a 1.64 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 11 innings pitched. 

The game will be played at 7:08 pm ET inside Progressive Field and can be seen nationally on ESPN. Go Yankees!

Winning Yankees Baseball is the Best...

Photo Credit: Steve Nesius, AP

Yanks win 3rd Straight…

For most of the season, I’d describe the Yankees as a Romantic Comedy. We love this team through the highs and lows although there has been more emphasis on the former while we do nothing more than laugh off the numerous injuries that have afflicted the team. Yet, the last couple of games have truly been Thrillers. Two extra inning affairs that led to final innings of bludgeoning by the Yankees bats, followed by roller coaster rides in the bottom of the final frames while the Yankees closed out the wins. This is clearly the best show in town right now.   

Photo Credit: Noah K Murray, USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Rays, despite two consecutive 8-4 losses, were in position for walk-off wins in both games so the final scores were deceiving if you weren’t watching the games. The Yankees increased their lead in the AL East to 8 1/2 games so even if they lose the next two games, they’ll be at least 6 1/2 games up heading into the All-Star Break. If the Yankees keep winning, they could potentially have a double-digit lead to open the second half. Incredible. But as they say, there is long way to go and so much can happen between now and the end of September, but all things considered, I like where the Yankees are.  

If the Yankees win today, the Rays (50-39) will reach 40 losses before the Yankees  (57-29) suffer 30. FanGraphs projects the Yankees with 91.8% chance of winning the AL East. Although the Los Angeles Dodgers (60-30) have the best record in MLB, the Yankees have the fewest losses and the best record in the American League. This is a fun and exciting team despite the many injury challenges more severe than any year I can recall in my Yankees fandom.  

I keep writing off Brett Gardner and he keeps proving me wrong. I still think he should be no more than the team’s fourth outfielder yet there’s no denying his  three-run home run in last night’s game was much-needed insurance after Aaron Judge had given the Yankees a one-run lead in the top of eleventh inning with his second dinger of the game. I think when Aroldis Chapman walked Travis d’Arnaud in the bottom of the 11th to load the bases, Tommy Pham may have taken a different approach at the plate needing only a run to tie it instead of trying to crush the ball which led to the liner directly at first baseman D.J. LeMahieu to end the game. Needing only a run to tie it versus trying to erase a four-run deficit with two outs are two entirely different approaches (obviously). Gardy is putting himself in position for another one-year contract this coming November. I just hope that it doesn’t prevent the team from upgrading left field next season, assuming Giancarlo Stanton slides back over to DH. I’d like it to be Clint Frazier, but let’s see if Frazier is still a Yankee after the end of this month. He was 0-for-3 in the first game of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s double-header with Ronald Torreyes and the Rochester Red Wings, striking out twice in the 4-2 loss.  He didn’t play the second game which the RailRiders won, 7-6. Two games does not a career (or season) make, but unless Frazier makes substantial defensive improvement, I don’t see him as part of the team’s future. I am really hoping that he plays well enough for me to eat those words.  

Photo Credit: Christopher Nolan, Scranton Times Tribune

I am glad that Gleyber Torres was named to the AL All-Star Team after Tampa Bay’s Brandon Lowe had to withdraw following an injury that led to his placement on the 10-Day IL. But, seriously, I was okay with Torres not making the team and didn’t quite understand the uproar prior to his selection. Torres is a great player, and will perhaps soon be the Yankees’ best player, but I view the All-Star Break as a few days off and much-deserved rest for the players not scheduled to travel to Cleveland. I was perfectly fine with Gleyber re-energizing for the second half. We know how valuable he is and that’s all that matters. Still, he deserves his spot among baseball’s finest and I will enjoy watching him at the All-Star Game. 

Speaking of the All-Star Game, I was excited to hear yesterday that Major League Baseball has invited CC Sabathia for special recognition at the game.  He is not part of the AL Roster but he’ll be honored at the site of his original team for “his contributions to the game and his longtime service to the community prior to the 90th Midsummer Classic” (according to the Commissioner’s release). Sabathia is such a great ambassador for Baseball and he’s certainly had a Hall of Fame career. I think the recognition is very fitting. I really hope the Yankees can find a spot in the organization for Sabathia once the season is over. He should be a Yankee for life.  

Photo Credit: Scott Audette, AP

There’s been so much talk about the starters the Yankees should acquire but I am fearful of the guys that the Houston Astros could potentially acquire. The Yankees have yet to prove they can win in Houston and I’d really hate to see Madison Bumgarner or Marcus Stroman joining Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole for an October run. As strongly as I believe the Yankees will upgrade their starting rotation this month, there’s no question the Astros will do the same. The only question will be which team gets the better upgrade. It could prove to be the difference when all the chips are on the line.

The Boston Red Sox may be 11 games behind the Yankees but they are far from done. I fully expect the Sox to finally land a true closer this month. Who knows, it could be former Yankee Shane Greene but I think they’ll land someone who will help stabilize the sieve known as the Red Sox bullpen. I know the Red Sox, and primarily Dave Dombrowski, have been ignoring the pen since the end of the World Series last year, but this has to be the month they finally do something…I think. The magic seems to be off the Red Sox this year, but honestly it is nothing a ten-game winning streak couldn’t cure. I refuse to believe Boston is out until the fat lady sings. But despite their troubles, they are only two games out in the AL Wild Card hunt and I feel they are a better team than any of the three teams ahead of them (Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Indians, and Oakland A’s). The Texas Rangers may be hanging with Boston, but the separation will begin in the second half. If the Red Sox capture the Wild Card and win the single-game elimination, they’ll be a significant threat in October regardless of how many wins separate the Yankees and Red Sox in the regular season.  

Congratulations to the Yankees for signing top international prospect Jasson Dominguez, a 16-year-old from the Dominican Republic. I hate to see the comparisons to Mickey Mantle and Mike Trout but you certainly like to see the tremendous and perhaps even unprecedented potential of the talented outfielder. I am not going to get too hyped up (maybe) about a kid born the year Aaron Boone hit is dramatic home run to beat the Red Sox in the ALCS. Too many factors outside the player’s control can derail progress. But, if he fulfills his lofty promise, he’ll be a great addition to the Yankee outfield in a few years. Granted, he won’t start his minor league career until next year but it wouldn’t surprise me if he breaks into the Majors by the time he is 20. According to Donny Rowland, the Yankees’ director of international scouting, while commenting on the Yankees signing as many as 50 international players every year but opting to go mostly all-in on one player this year, said “…but in this case, every now and then, the right player comes along, this one was worth it. To a man, everyone on my staff agreed.” Here’s hoping tremendous success for Jasson as he begins his Pinstriped journey.

Lost amid the signing of Dominguez is the signing of outfielder Jhon Diaz, the eighteenth-ranked international prospect according to MLB.com. The left-handed 16-year old, also from the Dominican Republic, also has the potential to be something special.  Diaz is only 5’11” (an inch taller than Dominguez) but according to MLB.com, “Don’t be fooled by Diaz’s stature, this teen can play, and he has power now with the potential for more in the future. Among his biggest assets are his approach at the plate and his good bat speed through the strike zone. He consistently makes hard contact and drives the ball to all fields. Scouts praise his smooth swing and hitting mechanics.” Sounds like he’ll fit into Yankee Stadium nicely one day.

The Yankees also signed (in no particular order except for age):

• CF Felixander Severino, 19, Dominican Republic
• RHP Gerardo Abrego, 18, Panama
• RHP Angel Sanchez, 18, Venezuela
• RHP Geralmi Santana, 18, Dominican Republic
• 2B Jeison Anillo, 17, Colombia
• RHP Jose Bernabe, 17, Dominican Republic
• C Jesus Bravo, 17, Colombia
• LHP Miguel Pozo, 17, Dominican Republic
• RHP Yordi Pichardo, 16, Dominican Republic
• LHP Luis Urbano, 16, Venezuela

As Daniel Burch of The Greedy Pinstripes would say, WELCOME TO THE YANKEES FAMILY!

With an estimated $5.1 million of the $5.4 million allotment for the Yankees going to Dominguez, nicknamed “El Marciano” or “The Martian” since he is ‘out of this world’, they’ll need to acquire more international bonus pool money to make room for the signing. Diaz, alone, signed for $1.2 million, pushing the Yankees past the allotment so we will be seeing some trades soon. The only downside the Yankees have to acquire additional pool money which gives other teams leverage. In Cashman We Trust…

MLB Trade Rumors reported this morning that Cleveland Indians ace pitcher Carlos Carrasco has been diagnosed with leukemia. Carrasco, currently on the Injured List for the past month, hopes to return to pitch again this season. I wish him the very best for his recovery and the road back to full and complete health. I look forward to the day when he is back on a Major League mound, ready to throw his next pitch. He has beaten many odds in his life and I hope leukemia is another one that goes down in defeat. Our thoughts and prayers are with Carlos and his family.  

One last thought. I take offense at the Yankee fans who attack Aroldis Chapman and long for the days of Mariano Rivera. Sure, I get it, Rivera is a legendary player who became Baseball’s first unanimous Hall of Famer this year and is the all-time leader in saves. He was my favorite Yankee during his playing days (sorry Derek Jeter fans) but people act like he was perfect. He may have been the perfect closer for the Yankees but he was not immune from blown saves. I am very glad that Aroldis Chapman is the current closer for the New York Yankees. He has my support despite some recent struggles. I do not long for players of the past. Chapman is certainly not the only closer encountering bumps in the road this season. Last year, Blake Treinen and Edwin Diaz were hailed as the AL Elite, yet both are on the verge of losing their closing jobs this season with the Oakland A’s and New York Mets, respectively. Of all the closers in Major League Baseball, I am perfectly content with Chapman.  

Best wishes for speedy recoveries for the TV and Radio voices of the Yankees, Michael Kay and John Sterling. The YES Network broadcast booth, despite the fine job by Ken Singleton and others, is just not the same without Michael, and same with the radio booth although Ryan Ruocco has done excellent work. Kay will be out at least a month after vocal cord surgery which is scheduled for the upcoming week. Sterling, who ended a streak of 5,060 consecutive games earlier this week, will only be away for a few games. I am hopeful that Sterling’s WFAN career continues for years to come so actually breaking the streak may be a good thing in the long run for the 81-year-old. The man has earned the right to take some rest  now and then without  the pressure to extend the streak. Ruocco is expected to sub for Kay on the YES Network telecasts after Sterling returns to the radio booth with Suzyn Waldman. Ryan is the next man up, and like so many Yankee players this season, he’ll do an outstanding job.    

As always, Go Yankees!  

How Do The Yankees Move On From Patrick Corbin?

How could you turn your back on the Yankees and your family?

Going into the offseason I thought Patrick Corbin being a Yankee was a foregone conclusion. Even with all the chatter of other teams getting involved, my belief never wavered. With that said you might think the news of Corbin signing with the Nationals yesterday would have devastated me, but that's not true.

Sure, it stinks that Corbin (understandably) took more money to go somewhere else. A lefty with good strikeout numbers, who could reasonably be leaned on to start 30+ games, would have been a perfect fit with the Yankees.

Thankfully, not only is there a lot of offseason left, Patrick was not the only good to great starter that's available via free agency or trade. Hell, he wasn't even the best pitcher available.

Did Brian Cashman look at these other options and think "yeah, that would be a good plan b"? Thus saving money that would otherwise go to Corbin in order to go all-in on Harper and/or Machado? I like to think so. Of course, the Phillies are in the same boat, so my prediction is only one of those two will be playing for the Yankees next season. But that's been my prediction this whole time, anyway. This way the Yankees will save more money, which is something Hal has wanted to do for years.

But before I go over those pitchers, I want to reiterate something...

If you can't see the guy starting a game in the postseason, then he's not the pitcher we're looking for. That doesn't mean we need a game one or game two starter (we already have Severino and Paxton), or even a game three starter (Tanaka has been stellar in the postseason), but it's very possible we need this other pitcher to give us a start in a seven-game series.

Not that Cashman shouldn't aim higher, but I wanted to give you an idea of what the needs and wants of the Yankees are.

So let's start with those starters in free agency that may pique your interest...

Dallas Keuchel (LHP)
Dallas is a sinkerball pitcher, but last year he just wasn't getting as many swings and misses as before. The spin rate and velocity of the pitch have been pretty similar to years past, but he did throw it more in 2018 than 2017 (note: Keuchel's sinker was thrown in the strike zone more often than not in 2016, which likely led a bad season). I know some people are down on Keuchel, but I'm a little intrigued.

Drew Pomeranz (LHP) 
Drew might come cheap due to a poor 2018 season, which I believe is attributed to the flexor strain he suffered at the beginning of the season along with the left biceps tendinitis in June. Drew lacks a strong third pitch, as he mainly relies on his fastball and curveball, but he does have a cut fastball that could make him a good bet.

Lance Lynn (RHP)
His strikeout rate improved last year, but unfortunately, his walk rate took a step back. That could be attributed to him using his fastball more and his sinker less. I should note that according to spin rates and whiff percentage, both pitches are still effective. I'm not 100% sold that he could get back to the pitcher he was in St. Louis, but it wouldn't be a bad bet.

Nathan Eovaldi (RHP) 
Eovaldi is familiar with New York, having pitched there in 2015 and 2016. That doesn't make him a no-brainer here, but it is something to take into account. Now, it's hard to evaluate Nathan since he's a different pitcher than he was before missing the 2017 season after his second Tommy John surgery. Eovaldi used a cut fastball quite a bit in 2018, after having first learned the pitch while with the Yankees, which has allowed his four-seamer to be more effective than ever. I don't know if it's Nathan's previous stint with the Yankees that gives me pause, but I can't say I'd be comfortable penciling Eovaldi in as a starter for 2019.

J.A. Happ (LHP) 
Last season he started using his fastball much more and using his sinker much less. However, when Happ did throw his sinker last year it was more effective than in year's past. So while the spin rate on his fastball and sinker has gone down it looks like he's done the smart thing and used them differently to remain an overall effective pitcher. He's clearly not as good as Corbin would have been, but as the #4 starter behind Severino, Paxton, and Tanaka I would feel good.

Free agency is not the only place a pitcher could come from, as some very good names have already been talked about in trades this offseason, and the three biggest happen to currently pitch for the same team.

Although the Cleveland Indians won 91 games last season, and could very well repeat as AL Central champions next season, they've made it clear they are willing to trade away one of their top starters. I'm guessing that they would trade one of them to build up a poor farm system while adding top prospect Tristan McKenzie and/or one of those free agent starters to their rotation. The Indians would surely love to have a guy like Estevan Florial as they have nothing good coming up to fill in center field, a spot they got little to no production out of last season.

You might think the Indians would demand Miguel Andujar in a package, but I could see them not pushing that. Although some scouts see him being moved to right field eventually, the Indians do have a good third base prospect in Nolan Jones.

However, I could see Cleveland being interested in Tyler Wade for second base, especially if they can get the Yankees or another team to take on Jason Kipnis.

Therefore, I believe the Yankees would have to offer a package consisting of Estevan Florial, Tyler Wade, and Jonathan Loaisiga (of course we'd have to give up a pitching prospect), plus other smaller pieces to get a deal done.

Take note that due to losing Florial, I think it's imperative that Brian Cashman extends or re-signs Aaron Hicks to continue in center field.

To be honest, I don't see the Yankees pulling off another big trade this offseason. The package of Florial, Wade, and Loaisiga is very good, but I can't help but think another team will swoop in and offer Cleveland more, or at least a package that fills their needs or wants better. So although my heart is with the trade, I think we'll see Cashman signing J.A. Happ, and Yankees Universe will bitch and moan that he paid too much.

The Yankees Plan B for Patrick Corbin May Include an Indians Starter and Jason Kipnis

The New York Yankees missed out on the top free agent starting pitcher this winter in Patrick Corbin after the left-hander agreed to a six-year deal worth $140 million with the Washington Nationals, but that does not mean that the Yankees will be without another frontline starter this winter. Instead of acquiring another arm off the free agent market the New York Yankees may be forced back into the trade market, and back to the Cleveland Indians. The New York Yankees have already tried to acquire one of Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco or Trevor Bauer this winter, but were unwilling to meet the high asking price for any of their starters, but with recent news being released that may have all changed.

The Cleveland Indians are seemingly in a bit of a rebuilt, much like the Seattle Mariners this winter, and are looking to unload some salary in these trades. According to MLB Trade Rumors and Buster Olney the Indians may ask a potential trade partner to take on Jason Kipnis and the remaining money on his deal ($14,666,667 in 2019 and a $16.5 million team option for 2020 including a $2.5 million buyout) in order to trade for one of the three aforementioned starters. Uh, yes please?

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not a fan of Kipnis and I do not think he solves a lot of the Yankees problems, but he, nor his contract, are enough of an albatross to make hiding him on the roster for the 2019 season out of the realms of possibilities. Kipnis bats left-handed, something the Yankees need with the loss of Didi Gregorius, and he plays second base, which allows the Yankees to move Gleyber Torres to shortstop until Didi returns from his Tommy John surgery. Kipnis won’t hit for average (he hit .230 in 2018 and is a career .263 hitter), but he could hit for power in the Bronx (he hit 18 home runs in 2018 with Cleveland) and could benefit from the short porch in right field. Kipnis takes his walks, his OBP is almost 100 points higher than his batting average, and his defense is still considered, at the very least, average at second base. Kipnis has also dabbled in center field (14 appearances in 2018) which adds a bit of versatility and flexibility to his resume for the Yankees.

You would think that adding the contract of Kipnis would bring the asking price from the Cleveland Indians down, which may allow the Yankees to keep the “untouchable” Estevan Florial while still acquiring the ace that they so desperately need and want. Jonathan Loasiga/Albert Abreu, plus, plus, for Kluber/Carrasco/Bauer and Kipnis and his salary is definitely a possibility, assuming the accuracy of the report from Buster Olney.

Make it happen, Cashman.