We (Yankees Fans) Were Wrong...

 

Clarke Schmidt (Photo Credit: Steve Nesius/AP)

The Emergence of the Team’s Best Pitchers…

For most of the past offseason, I was focused on the Yankees finding help for the upper echelon of the starting rotation. I was on board with the ‘Sign Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell’ train and was prepared to see good prospects leave for then-Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease. I was concerned about a repeated dismal performance by Carlos Rodón in his second tour of duty. I was a little uneasy about having Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt as rotation dependents after ace Gerrit Cole landed on the Injured List to start the season.  I did not envision Marcus Stroman as “the” primary pitching acquisition (or rather the only one). With no offense to Marcus, who has been great both on and off the field, my sights were aimed at a solid number two starter.  Stroman is 100% a guy every team needs, and I am glad he is a Yankee, so I am not trying to diminish his value to the team. Yet, when the season started with Gerrit Cole on the shelf, I was concerned that the Yankees lacked an elite starter to make up for Cole’s absence. However, the team's resilience and the emergence of our current pitchers have given us hope and optimism for the season ahead.

Despite previous doubts, Brian Cashman and his team of strategists operate on a different level. They had faith in Clarke Schmidt, believed Luis Gil was a better fit in the starting rotation than the bullpen, and were convinced Carlos Rodón would return to the form he displayed for San Francisco in 2022. They were right on all counts. Meanwhile, I swung and missed with a strikeout on that trio of hopes, as I did not believe any of them would pan out. I was not alone. Many in the Yankees Universe shared my skepticism. Every time Luis Castillo shines in Seattle, Luis Severino shows glimpses of his former self in Queens, or Dylan Cease dazzles in his new San Diego uniform, the Yankees fan base yearns for what could have been. Yet, the most viable solutions were already on the Yankees roster.

It would not be fair to compare Jordan Montgomery's or Blake Snell's current stats with those of Schmidt and the others, considering that Monty and Snell did not benefit from complete spring training. But one thing is clear: Schmidt, Gil, and Rodón were precisely what the team needed, and regardless of what Montgomery or Snell achieved for the rest of the season, our guys are holding their own.

At age 28, Schmidt cemented his place in the rotation this season. I am grateful he was not included in the Juan Soto trade over the winter. As much as I hated to see Michael King go, losing Schmidt would have been worse. In nine starts, Schmidt is 5-1 with a 2.49 ERA. He has fifty-five strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings. He may not be Gerrit Cole, but he has given the Yankees a reliable rotation starter who gives the Yankees a chance to win every time he takes the mound. He continues to improve (much like his growth curve last season) and has rewarded the patience the Yankees have afforded him.

Luis Gil, 26, has posted remarkably similar stats. He is 4-1 with a 2.51 ERA in eight starts and has 48 strikeouts in 43 innings of work. Schmidt and Gil deserve much credit for the team’s strong 2024 start after last year’s disappointing 82-80 season.

Luis Gil (Photo Credit: @Yankees via X)

It can be argued that Nestor Cortes, Jr is the weak link in the starting rotation, yet he held the Chicago White Sox to only one unearned run over seven innings on Friday night. The starting rotation, collectively, has provided consistency, reliability, and dependability for the first two months of the season. It masked the slow starts by some of the team’s offensive stars. The bullpen gets tremendous credit, significantly Closer Clay Holmes, who has taken ‘bend but not break’ to a higher level; however, the Yankees would not be where they are without their starters.

I am proud of all five current starters, even with a few hiccups along the way. Determining who will lose their starting gig will be difficult when The Ace returns from the Injured List. This stuff has a way of working itself out, but as it stands today, I would move Nestor to the swingman role. Schmidt and Gil have proven their worth, and their highest and best use is starting pitching. Nestor shows he can be a strong rotation option (as he displayed on Friday night in the Yankees’ 4-2 win over the White Sox), but his talents are better suited for a swing role. Once upon a time, Ramiro Mendoza was one of my favorite Yankees in that role. Cortes can be as good, if not better. It is funny that it is the role I had envisioned Gil for before the season began, but like anything, opinions can change. We live in a ‘what have you done for me lately’ world.

I am glad I was wrong about the state of the Yankees’ starting pitching…or that WE were wrong as I do not recall hearing many Yankees fans who were screaming ‘Maintain the Status Quo!’ about the team’s starting pitching during the most recent session of the Hot Stove League a few months ago.

I am sorry for not believing in them during the offseason. I am incredibly proud of how most of the Yankees’ pitchers have delivered this year. It is too early to forecast a World Series, and the Yankees need to figure out a way to beat the Baltimore Orioles, yet I am excited about this Yankees team. This season has a unique feel, regardless of how it ends.

Pick up the phone, Hal…

If there was ever a player the Yankees should negotiate with in-season, Juan Soto is that guy. It has been easy to see how he plays the game on a higher level. Like any player, he is susceptible to slumps, but it is hard to find a more lethal player when he is right. He was exactly as advertised, only better. Fans clamored for years that Soto would be perfect for the Yankees’ lineup, and unlike the previous topic regarding starting pitching, the fans were correct.

Juan Soto (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Soto looks like he enjoys life as a Yankee, and there is no doubt that we appreciate him. Hal Steinbrenner needs to proceed with an offer that entices Scott Boras to negotiate an extension for his prized client before the player reaches free agency. Scott’s history indicates that he will let the free agent wars decide Soto’s next contract, but I am hopeful there is recognition of how much Soto and the Yankees need each other. Regardless of when the next contract is written, Soto will be financially set for the rest of his life.

It is positive to hear Hal Steinbrenner openly discuss possible negotiations this week. Steinbrenner generally steers clear of that talk and avoids in-season negotiations. Again, Soto is the exception to the rule. Break the bank. Keep the guy in Pinstripes. He will wear those pinstripes to the Hall of Fame one day. Although it has subsided recently, I am tired of the Soto-to-the-Mets talk.

It is time for Hal to call Scott Boras. This is the first step to a powerful payday that hopefully ensures Juan Soto calls the Bronx home for years to come.

Help is on the way…

Oswald Peraza and Tommy Kahnle have been on rehab assignments and should be ready for activation before the month ends. I feel bad for Jon Berti, but he appears to be the odd one out when Peraza and DJ LeMahieu return to the active roster. LeMahieu began his rehab assignment on Friday to be ready to join the team in early June. I want to see Peraza spend less time in Triple-A. He needs to play at the Major League level, whether with the Yankees or another team. I prefer the Yankees, but for the player’s sake, he deserves a Major League opportunity if the Yankees will not play him.

Oswald Peraza (Photo Credit: Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

We have yet to see much of Kahnle on his latest tour in Pinstripes. I hope he stays healthy and becomes a force in the pen again. He has long been one of my favorites, and I want him to succeed. It is not like everybody in the bullpen is killing it right now. If Kahnle rebounds to form, there is room to push out guys not named Clay Holmes or Luke Weaver.

I am happy to see Peraza, Kahnle, and LeMahieu close to returning. The Yankees have some tough decisions ahead as they maneuver the active roster. There will be some hard choices to make. I have no idea where the Yankees will play Jasson Dominguez, who is also rehabbing. Before the season, it was easy to say Alex Verdugo should be the odd one out, but now I am unsure. Verdugo has done better than expected, and the formerly unlikable player has become likable. Dominguez can be the better player, and the Yankees have more extended control over him, so Dominguez makes the most sense to stay. Yet, trading Verdugo does not make sense, even if he will be a free agent at the end of the season. Maybe rethink it in July, but Verdugo is part of the magical chemistry the team has exuded this season. As much as I like Dominguez, I am trying to think about his return when it happens. I know I am not ready to part ways with Verdugo. I hope this sorts itself out to everyone's mutual satisfaction.

As always, Go Yankees!

Yankees Baseball is Back...

Oswaldo Cabrera and Juan Soto

Yankees successfully open the 2024 regular season…

Although nothing will ever beat a season that starts at Yankee Stadium, the New York Yankees successfully kicked off the 2024 season with a come-from-behind win at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas over the contentious Astros on Thursday. After Nestor Cortes, Jr gave up three runs in the first inning, I was not optimistic, but the Yankees prevailed for the thrilling 5-4 win that featured a tremendous throw from Juan Soto in right field to catcher Jose Trevino to nail a potential tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning. Left fielder Alex Verdugo also made a nice running catch in the game.

The Yankees followed up the Opening Day win with another victory on Friday night. Carlos Rodón labored through the first 4 1/3 innings but held the Astros to only one run to keep it close. From there, Oswaldo Cabrera and the bullpen took over and delivered a not-as-easy-as-it-looks 7-1 win. Giancarlo Stanton added the cherry on top with his first home run of the young season. It was a big game for Cabrera, who had four hits and three RBIs as he started at third base for the second consecutive game. Luke Weaver picked up the win. For a team that generally struggles with games in Houston, the Yankees have looked terrific.

Marcus Stroman makes his Yankees debut today as the team looks to capture its third consecutive victory.

As we begin the latest regular season, I am happy that Marcus Stroman has embraced life as a Yankee, and I look forward to his Pinstriped debut at Yankee Stadium Opener next Friday against Stro’s former team, the Toronto Blue Jays. However…I am not trying to minimize the impact of Stroman’s signing…I expected more. I held out some degree of hope the Yankees would sign either Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery until those pitchers signed elsewhere. Realistically, it never made sense for the Yankees to sign them given the luxury tax implications and how much the pitchers would cost in real dollars for the organization. For as much as Montgomery was connected to Boston, Texas, and the Yankees in free agency, it was surprising he went to Arizona on a short-term deal. Not my money and I am not concerned about whether Hal Steinbrenner can afford dessert after dinner at a nice Tampa area restaurant. For a team spending over $300 million in payroll, why let a few more million dollars keep you from fielding the strongest possible team? We are greedy for a reason. We want to win. If the Yankees fall short this season, we may look back and think things might have been different if the Yankees had made stronger moves for the rotation when they had the chance.

Setting Hal Steinbrenner’s wealth aside, I am concerned about the ability to sign Juan Soto to baseball’s highest non-Shohei Ohtani contract. The Yankees can afford it, but will they? If signing Snell or Montgomery would have been detrimental to the Yankees’ chances of retaining Soto, I would rather take a chance on the younger prospects in the organization. I feel better about the depth and quality of the starting pitching in the upper levels of the farm system than I ever have before even if Chase Hampton has an ulnar collateral ligament sprain or the fact that Will Warren got beat up in his season debut with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, pitching like Tyler Clippard in Pinstripes with a meaningful game on the line. Warren, who I thought should be the team’s fifth starter (the nod went to Luis Gil), gave up five runs and three walks and was pulled after recording only one out. Not a great start but he will do better. Even Gerrit Cole gives up a clunker now and then.

Yet, there is hope among the younger arms. Clayton Beeter surprised me by making the Opening Day Roster. I fully expected him to get sent down regardless of how he performed in Spring Training. I am happy for him, and he is making the Joey Gallo trade look like a steal. Not a bad rebound by the Yankees after they gave up so many young players to get Gallo. Luis Gil surprised me only by making the starting rotation. I recognize he pitched brilliantly in Spring Training, but I always take great Springs in stride. It is the Greg Bird Syndrome. You may be selling it, but I am not buying it. An incredible Spring performance does not automatically translate to regular-season success. The rule generally works, even if there are some outliers like Gil. One of those things I love to get wrong.

As evident by Warren’s Triple-A season debut, the Yankees made the right call to give Gil the last rotation spot over Warren. Gil has yet to prove it on his end, but I feel confident about his upcoming performance. There will be bumps in the road, but if he can keep the Yankees in games, I will be satisfied. My prior pick of Warren over Gil for the starting rotation was more about how valuable I felt that Gil could be in the Michael King bullpen role. A shutdown reliever who can go multiple innings is huge. Yet, the Yankees know how to build bullpens, and I think they will find the right solution without Gil in the mix.

As much as I wanted the Yankees to add an upper-rotation arm before the start of the season, we must let it go and accept the team we have been presented with. The Yankees will re-evaluate their needs in July and find solutions on the trade market if necessary. That is not a concern today. The Yankees must play and win with the guys currently on the roster. It is our job, as Yankees fans, to support the product. The Los Angeles Dodgers may have had an incredibly successful (and exorbitantly expensive) offseason, but nothing assures them of a World Series Championship except for hard work, determination, teamwork, and professionalism. Yes, talent factors into the equation, but good teams find a way to win even if they do not have the best players on the field. A long-winded approach to saying nothing is preventing the Yankees from winning a championship except for themselves. They can do it, and I will support them to the end regardless of how this season may turn out.

Two games into the new season, the Yankees look much better than last year’s 82-win team. Much can happen over the next 160 games, yet it is important to start strong, especially when playing in the house of a top rival. Stroman can give the Yankees the series win later today. If not Stroman, Clarke Schmidt gets the chance on Sunday. I am feeling good that at least one of those guys will deliver the “W.”

The Yankees are fun again.

Alex Verdugo, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto (Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post)

Active Trade Market

You typically do not see many early-season trades, but the Yankees have been active. The day before the season opener in Houston, the Yankees acquired infielder Jon Berti from the Miami Marlins. Berti’s ability to play second base, shortstop, and third base made him an appealing target for the Yankees. The 34-year-old may not scare you with the bat, but he is fast and is a plus fielder at shortstop and third base. The latter position is one of need with DJ LeMahieu starting the season on the Injured List with his bruised right foot.

Jon Berti

In 2023 for the Marlins, Berti hit .294/.344/.405 in 133 games and 424 plate appearances. He had sixteen doubles, three triples, seven home runs, thirty-three runs batted in, and sixteen stolen bases (caught stealing six times). Berti led MLB with forty-one stolen bags in 2022. Berti’s 2023 fWAR of 2.1 was nearly double LeMahieu’s 1.1.  I do not think LeMahieu has to worry about losing his starting gig, but Berti is a competent interim replacement. Admittedly, I did not know much about Berti before the trade. I cannot say following the Miami Marlins is high on my priority list. Yet, I like the trade. I was worried about Oswaldo Cabrera in the starting lineup for an extended period despite his strong start to the regular season. I like the kid and he had a nice Spring but…I am not buying it. He has looked fantastic for two regular season games, but I prefer to keep him in a limited, backup role although if he keeps playing like Friday night, I may have to reconsider my beliefs. Nevertheless, the combo of Berti and Cabrera provides stability at third base until LeMahieu is ready to dance again. Berti should make his Yankees debut today, wearing Masahiro Tanaka’s old number.

A little birdie told me that the Yankees have Burdi and Berti. Rare names with a similar sound. I guess Birdies are better than Bogeys.

To acquire Berti, the Yankees gave up catcher Ben Rortvedt and minor-league outfielder John Cruz. It was a three-way trade that sent Rortvedt to the division rival Tampa Bay Rays, while Cruz went to Miami. The Rays sent outfield prospect Shane Sasaki to the Marlins to complete the deal. If there was a trade I expected, it was Rortvedt. Out of options and the third-best catcher on the roster left him on the outside looking in. I would not have been surprised if Rortvedt had been designated for assignment and lost on waivers. It seemed clear that his days in Pinstripes were over. The only surprise is a trade with a key division rival. Good for Rortvedt. He made the Rays’ Opening Day roster as their backup catcher. It is certainly a better Major League opportunity for him than he would have found in New York. Of course, if he hits a home run against the Yankees, the good feelings for the player will evaporate. You know there will be a game when he goes off on the Yankees like he never has against any team in baseball before. But until then, I wish him well.

GM Brian Cashman did not stop with the Berti trade. On Friday, he acquired Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher JT Brubaker. 

JT Brubaker (Photo Credit: Matt Marton/USA TODAY Sports)

While I get the Yankees often look for undervalued players who they feel can be coached up, it is hard to get excited about Brubaker. The 30-year-old righthander made his debut for the Pirates in 2020 and has a career 9-28 record with a 4.99 ERA. Brubaker is currently on the Injured List after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2023. This seems like a Michael Fishman special with the belief that the Yankees can unlock Brubaker’s potential. Not exactly a bet I would want to make. I doubt Brubaker will stop the Yankees from trying to acquire (or needing to acquire) other arms at the deadline. If it turns out to be the latest Clay Holmes Reclamation Project with comparable results, hooray for us. If not, I hope Brubaker likes Eastern Pennsylvania.

The Pirates will receive a player-to-be-named later. Brubaker’s ability to pitch later this season presumably factors into the equation but it seems unlikely the Yankees will lose a highly regarded prospect based on Brubaker’s track record.

As always, Go Yankees!

Hell-Bent for a Championship...

 

Yankees Manager Aaron Boone (Photo Credit: Reid Hoffman/AP)

Wishful Thinking by Yankees Manager…

I desperately want to experience another Yankees World Series Championship in the not-so-distant future (like any true Yankees fan), but I had to chuckle when Aaron Boone remarked “We’re hell-bent on being a champion. We understand very well that last year was not anything anyone in this organization wants, demands, or expects.” Granted, I believe that acquiring outfielder Juan Soto was a HUGE move in the offseason, but I remain skeptical they have done enough to shorten the gap between them and the game’s best teams. ‘Hell-bent’ would be acquiring a strong number two starting pitcher to pair with ace Gerrit Cole. Marcus Stroman is nice, but if he is the definition of ‘hell-bent,’ then the Yankees clearly love taking Octobers off. Stroman will be a good pitcher for the Yankees, but whether he will be the difference-maker come playoff time remains to be seen if the Yankees make it that far.

Lately, it seems every post I write revolves around the Yankees' inability to pull out all the stops to bring championship baseball back to the Bronx. T. It is the product, or the hazard, of not winning since 2009. For as many World Series championships as we have experienced in our lifetimes (some more than others), there are fourteen-year-old Yankee fans who have never experienced a Pinstriped championship. I would be quite surprised if any fifteen- or sixteen-year-olds had a recollection of the 2009 World Series Champions. It saddens me that they live in a world where the Boston Red Sox have won championships and the Yankees have not.

I will let it go. I am happy and excited that baseball is back. It is quite enjoyable to see the players return to George Steinbrenner Field this week, participating in group training activities and giving on-camera interviews. I am looking forward to the first Spring game which is a week away.

It is impressive to see position players who have arrived early with the pitchers and catchers although I am still trying to get used to Alex Verdugo with no facial hair or the fact that he is even a Yankee. That should change once he takes the field in Pinstripes and when he delivers his first home run or game-winning hit. Regardless of who I wanted for the outfield when the offseason started, Verdugo is an upgrade over the players who patrolled left field last season. Like Juan Soto, I am not convinced Verdugo’s stay will be long. Verdugo will be a free agent after the season and if there are any missteps by Verdugo during the season, it seems like he will be allowed to walk away. I was recently talking with a Red Sox fan who seemed relieved that Verdugo was no longer with the Sox not because of on-the-field play but rather the challenges he represented in the clubhouse and the stormy relationship with Red Sox manager Alex Cora.

Alex Verdugo (Photo Credit: New York Post)

Despite my concerns, Verdugo deserves a second chance. The problems in Boston do not automatically mean there will be problems in New York. There is a greater potential for problems than with your average player, but I am convinced that Verdugo learned from the Boston experience, and he will be a better man for it or at least I hope that is the case. Incredibly, the Yankees could lose two-thirds of their current outfield to free agency after the season even if Jasson Dominguez will be 100% healthy entering next season (hopefully). Man, I want to fully embrace both Soto and Verdugo, but the potential ‘one-and-done’ aspect holds me back a little. I guess a World Series championship would cure any hesitation.

I am cautiously optimistic about Carlos Rodón who reported to camp with no moustache and is throwing much harder than he did this time last year. He seems focused on proving who he is and showing us that last year was simply a bad aberration. Given the failure to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto, pursue a top free-agent pitching target, or trade for an upper-end starter, the Yankees need Rodón to be the pitcher they thought he was, the guy who dominated in San Francisco. As a fan, I want to have the same elevated level of confidence when Rodón takes the ball as I do when Gerrit Cole is on the mound. Rodón is not Cole, but he can shove if he pitches like we think he can and he knows he can. If Nestor Cortes suffers any setbacks, the Yankees need all they can get from the front-end starters. So, as it stands, Rodón is the key to the rotation. Cole will be dominant, Stroman will be consistent, and Schmidt will continue to blossom. Rodón can make this a great starting rotation rather than a good one.

I keep hoping the Yankees sign one of the top free agents, Jordan Montgomery, or Blake Snell, but I recognize it is a pipe dream. The Yankees will not add that amount of money to the already high payroll. I am a little surprised they remain on the market, but the cost remains high. Not trying to prospect-hug, but I would rather see the Yankees spend money to upgrade the rotation over parting with elite prospects to bring in a strong young controllable starter. I know the latter option represents the best financial decision for the organization, but spending the money keeps elite young talent in-house better. With no further additions, it seems inevitable that Luke Weaver will be thrust into the starting rotation at some point. If not Weaver, then Clayton Beeter or Cody Poteet.

There are lesser free agents available, such as Hyun-Jin Ryu and Mike Clevinger. Neither of those names excites me even if we are starting to hear Ryu’s name more closely linked to the Yankees. I have liked Ryu over the years, but good health has never been his friend. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022 and did not return until last August. He turns thirty-seven before Opening Day, and the thought of an older pitcher with an inability to stay healthy (the health concerns date back to his days with the Los Angeles Dodgers) seems like a poor investment choice regardless of how good he is. Mike Clevinger is not the pitcher he once was for the Cleveland Guardians. He is three months younger than Gerrit Cole, but Clevinger gets a ‘meh’ from me. I barely remembered that he pitched for the Chicago White Sox last year after a couple of years in San Diego. He was 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA for the White Sox, making twenty-four starts. I want to see better upside from any pitching additions if there are any.

With so many questions remaining, ‘hell-bent’ is not exactly the right word for the Yankees. I think the Los Angeles Dodgers have purchased the rights to ‘hell-bent’ although they probably deferred the dollars for the purchase. Juan Soto, with the limited other upgrades, seems like a Hail Mary Pass with the hope that all other Yankees can play to the back of their baseball cards.

I remain hopeful the Yankees can prove me wrong.

This Week’s Transactions

The Yankees have certainly been quite busy this offseason with waiver claims. I cannot remember the last time they were this active. On a side note, I saw that the Baltimore Orioles claimed brief off-season Yankee Diego Castillo on waivers. After he was designated for assignment by the Yankees, the Philadelphia Phillies claimed him. However, his stay in the City of Brotherly Love was brief and he hit the waiver wire again this week. I hope for his sake he has better luck in Baltimore. He has certainly landed with a good young team.

Earlier this week, the Yankees claimed infielder Jordan Groshans off waivers from the Miami Marlins. Recognizing that Groshans has failed to fulfill his potential as the twelfth player taken in the 2018 MLB Draft (by the Toronto Blue Jays), there is always cautious optimism that the Yankees see something they feel they can fix. I am not optimistic, but there is hope. At worst, he is depth for Triple-A. At best, he is the latest iteration of Gio Urshela who found new life as a Yankee. Groshans is only twenty-four, so he still has some time on his side.

Jordan Groshans

I am worried about DJ LeMahieu’s ability to stay healthy, which is magnified since he has been designated as the team’s starting third baseman, after the nagging injuries he has had for the last couple of seasons. Groshans can play third base so if he defies the odds to become Brian Cashman’s latest ‘lightning in a bottle’ acquisition, he offers some insurance although you would expect Oswald Peraza to be the first call for help at third base. If Groshans is starting third base for the big-league club, you know that either he blossomed beyond expectations or things have gone horribly wrong—nothing in between.

The cost for Groshans was a roster spot for LHP Matt Krook who finally lost his seat at the table when he was designated for assignment. I am surprised Krook made it this long. It must be a bummer to be within days of reporting to Spring Training, only to get a call to tell you to postpone your travel plans.

Seeking more pieces for bullpen consideration, the Yankees swapped a lower-level pitching prospect (RHP Joshua Quezada) for Milwaukee Brewers reliever LHP Clayton Andrews. Andrews, 27, only made four MLB appearances for the Brewers last season, spending most of the season in the minors. Like Groshans, maybe the Yankees see something that can be corrected. Looking at Andrews, there is one thing that stands out to me. He is Jose Altuve-small (5’6”). I get this image of him standing next to Aaron Judge and his head barely reaching the Captain’s waist. If he can get outs, I guess it does not matter how tall (or in this case, short) he is but he is certainly not going to have an imposing presence on the mound. Heck, that would be like me standing on the mound.

The Yankees also re-signed reliever RHP Lou Trivino who continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery. He should be ready to join the team later this summer. Once Trivino was firmly secured on the 40-man roster, the Yankees claimed reliever RHP McKinley Moore on waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies. In the corresponding move, Trivino was moved to the 60-day Injured List to open the spot for Mount McKinley (6’6”, 225 lbs.). Now that is the size of the relievers I want to see on the mound! Booyah!

As always, Go Yankees!

The End of the Season is Near...

 

Oswaldo Cabrera, Greg Weissert, DJ LeMahieu & Austin Wells (Photo Credit: Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

The Yankees conclude the season in KC…

As I type this post, the Yankees have begun playing on Friday night against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Not much point in waiting until the end of the game to start writing this week’s entry. The Yankees, by taking two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays this week, assured themselves of not less than a .500 season. By winning at least one game in the next three from the 105-loss Royals, the Yankees will keep the winning season streak alive even if you cannot exactly call this a “winning” season. 

Boston’s tailspin this week (they have lost five consecutive games entering play this evening) clinched the AL East Cellar for the Red Sox. Not much to shoot for goals this season, but finishing ahead of Boston was one. Small wins. We need something to keep us warm over a long winter. Finishing with more wins than losses is another yet-to-be-achieved goal. The Yankees were 81-78 after concluding their trip to Toronto, Canada. They can finish anywhere from 81-81 to 84-78. If I can dissect a goal from the possibilities, it would be to avoid 80 losses. If the Yankees can take 2 of 3 from the Royals like they did the Blue Jays, they will finish 83-79. Sounds better than 82-80 or 81-81.   

I am ready for the season to end. The downside is that we must wait until the playoffs are over before there will be any meaningful activity for the Yankees in their efforts to bounce back next season. There are reports the outside company brought for an audit of team processes throughout the organization will start in October. Well, the halls of Yankee Stadium will be empty next week. No time to start like the present.

The managerial firings began today when the San Francisco Giants announced they had parted ways with Manager Gabe Kapler who won 107 games and the NL West Division crown in 2021. I have no interest in Kapler as Yankees manager although I have already seen numerous social media posts to that effect. I would rather have Joe Girardi as the manager than Kapler, and believe me, I have no desire to see Girardi return to Pinstripes. He had his time. I am sure it was a hard decision for Farhan Zaidi, the Giants’ President of Baseball Operations, but like the Yankees, I think the Giants front office holds more responsibility for 2023 on-the-field disappointment than the manager. Zaidi is probably seeing his own mortality as a team executive, and he was not going to fire himself. Does Yankees GM Brian Cashman serve up Aaron Boone as the sacrificial lamb?  At the end of the day, the buck stops with Zaidi and Cashman. They are responsible for the men in the clubhouse and the players on the field.   

My speculation is the Yankees retain both Cashman and Boone. Another GM was promoted to President of Baseball Operations today (Nick Krall of the Cincinnati Reds). With so many GMs making this transition, it seems inevitable the Yankees will do the same for Cashman one day or at least they should if they are not going to fire him. It is time for a new Yankees GM regardless of how Cashman is moved out of the position (firing or promotion). Promoting a failure seems counterproductive, but I will not believe that Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner has the stones to fire Cashman unless he ACTUALLY does it. 

Hal Steinbrenner (Photo Credit: Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)

The Yankees game went from 0-0 first pitch to 8-0 Royals in the bottom of the first inning with no outs and Carlos Rodón already out of the game. As David Cone just said, when it rains, it pours. You would think the Yankees would enter the season’s final series with some pride, and at least have some success against one of baseball’s worst teams. Yet, the Yankees are getting bludgeoned to death. It seems par for the course this season. The first inning ended 9-0 in favor of the Royals. One of the worst innings I have ever seen in my life. Well, my little league team, George’s Pizza, did have a few bad ones if memory serves correctly. But the Yankees made it professionally bad. 

Frankie Montas is expected to pitch a few innings this weekend. There seems to be some interest on both sides for a reunion next season. The Yankees should only do it on a short-term, “make-good” contract to see if they can discover the pitcher that they thought they were getting from the Oakland A’s.  If another team wants to offer Montas a three- or four-year deal, call it a sunk loss and move on. 

I doubt the Yankees can eliminate Giancarlo Stanton or DJ LeMahieu this offseason, but the team would be better in the long run if they could. Even if they must pay the bulk of the contract, the Yankees should try to find a way to move Stanton. Of course, any move would take Stanton’s blessing, but a change of scenery could be good for him, as he might find greater success elsewhere. The Giants or the Dodgers seem like the most logical landing spots if either team is interested in Stanton at a discounted price. I like LeMahieu, but his best days are behind him and, sadly, they are not coming back. 

I have already accepted that Kyle Higashioka will not be part of the 2024 Yankees. Austin Wells has proven he belongs, and he will be half of the catching tandem with Jose Trevino, if not more. Ben Rortvedt in reserve, with promising young catchers on the way. There is simply no room for Higgy. He is a good clubhouse guy aside from his defensive prowess and occasional pop, but it has become a numbers game for him and there is simply no room for moving forward.

I am hopeful and optimistic that first baseman Anthony Rizzo will have a bounce-back year next season, but the Yankees need to ensure that they have strong first base support. I know many people do not want the Cubs’ Cody Bellinger, but he makes too much sense to me. He would give us a strong outfielder who can play first base if needed (and play it well). He can play center for most of next season, and then possibly move to left, if/when Jasson Dominguez is ready to return. 

Cody Bellinger (Photo Credit: MLB Photos via Getty Images)

If not Bellinger, it needs to be someone capable of multiple positions in addition to first base. It would be nice if LeMahieu could be that guy, but I am fearful that Father Time is no longer his friend. We become more injury-prone as we get older, and LeMahieu is trending in the wrong direction.

I have no desire to trade Gleyber Torres, but I do believe the Yankees would be stronger with Anthony Volpe at second base and Oswald Peraza at shortstop. I felt that way before Volpe made the Major League club in Spring Training, and I continue to feel that way. Keeping Volpe at shortstop just because that is the position that he grabbed in Spring Training does not make sense if the team is better defensively with Volpe at second and Peraza at short. But of course, if Volpe is the second baseman, where does Gleyber Torres play? Under that scenario, it might be necessary to trade one of the team’s best hitters. Or trade Peraza if it helps to acquire a starting pitcher capable of performing well under pressure. So, I will say that I prefer to keep Torres, but I am not opposed to moving him if it helps make the team better. 

If Peraza is at short or is traded, the question then becomes who is the third baseman? I would have liked to have seen Andrés Chaparro in the Bronx in September but there was no room for him. He will have a chance to make his case for third base next season, along with prospect Tyler Hardman. It will be interesting to see if the Yankees address third base from within or if they go externally through free agency or trade. With so many other pressing needs, it kind of feels like third base will get lost in the shuffle.  Peraza is capable of being the third baseman which would allow the Yankees to keep Torres, but it seems like Peraza’s highest and best value is either shortstop or second base. The Yankees need to figure this out.

I have liked Everson Pereira, the prospect, but as a Major Leaguer, I am not sure he is the answer for left field. He will continue to grow; however, I am not sure if he can fix the ‘swing and miss’.  Unlike this season, the Yankees need to ensure they have a strong left-field solution entering Opening Day 2024. As much as I want to see Pereira succeed, I think they can do better.

As for center field, I am not sure what the Yankees will do if they are not successful in acquiring a guy like Cody Bellinger. Estevan Florial deserves more time, but honestly, the Yankees can ill afford both Florial and Pereira in the same lineup.  One or the other. If Pereira is included in a trade, then take the chance on Florial in center at least until Dominguez is ready. Doing this, the Yankees cannot take any chances in the other areas of need. They need certainty…they need consistency…they need players who can play to the back of their baseball cards. 

I have not dived into pitching. There is Gerrit Cole, the soon-to-be AL Cy Young Award Winner, and then there is everybody else. I did mention Montas earlier, but the one guy who must find it this offseason is Carlos Rodón. His final 2023 start, with an inability to record an out after 35 pitches, allowing six hits, eight earned runs, and two walks, will leave a bad taste in the fanbase. Well, it puts an exclamation point on his horrific season. Rodón enters 2024 as the player with the most to prove on a team with a bunch of guys needing to prove themselves again. After this season’s pathetic performance (aside from his extended time on the Injury List), I am not sure that you can automatically pencil in Rodón’s name for next year’s starting rotation. For the money and years that the Yankees owe him, it seems inevitable he will be, but with all honesty, he should not be given anything. He needs to earn it.  My guess is the Yankees will move on from Luis Severino given so much other uncertainty in the rotation. They cannot afford for Rodón to crap the bed again.

Michael King, as of this writing, is the Yankees’ second-best starter and he spent most of the season as a reliever, albeit a very good one. I am in favor of retaining King in the rotation. I would like to see the Yankees sign Japanese starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He seems like a special player, and if the Yankees are truly in the running for him, they need to pull out all the stops to get him. The Yankees have strong starting pitching coming up through the farm system. Drew Thorpe seems to be on the fast track, and he has already proven he is the best young arm in the organization. With Rodón’s uncertainty, the Yankees cannot take too many chances with the other starting spots. They need to be RIGHT about the pitchers they choose, not something that has been a good front-office attribute in recent years. 

There are plenty of strong arms for relief in the bullpen and in the farm system. I am not too worried about the Yankees’ ability to rebuild the pen. However, they do need a legitimate closer. Clay Holmes is not that guy.  Holmes is good for the pen, just not at the back end of meaningful games. I hope the Yankees can figure this one out over the coming months. I have no idea who the Yankees could or should get, but I trust they can find an elite arm. They have the resources. 

The Yankees desperately need to rebuild the Analytics division, starting with the ouster of Assistant GM Michael Fishman. I recognize that wanting Cashman and Boone fired does not mean they will be, but clearly, the Yankees must see the poor decisions that have been formed on information provided by the Analytics team, led by Fishman. If the Yankees do nothing else with the Front Office this offseason, getting newer, smarter nerds is an absolute must. 

I am hopeful this is finally the offseason of change with the infusion of hope. I have literally waited years for Hal Steinbrenner to excite the fan base. Is this finally the year he acts like a true Steinbrenner? If not now, he probably never will. This is his moment to put his stamp on the New York Yankees. Hal was in charge when the Yankees won in 2009, however, his father, in health decline, was still in the background. Will history remember Hal as an owner committed to winning like his father, or is he just another also-ran in it for the profit? He needs to make his mark as the stand-alone ownership leader of the Yankees, no longer in the shadows of his legendary larger-than-life father or opinionated late brother. The Yankees organization created the culture of winning in the 1920s. Hal has a chance to redefine success one hundred years later. Is he up for the challenge? We shall soon see.

As always, Go Yankees!

Keeping NYY Expectations Low...

 

Luis Severino (Photo Credit: Jeff Roberson/AP)

You win some, you lose some…

The Judge-less Yankees are not a threat to wreak havoc in October. They are barely a participant, holding onto the second Wild Card slot by a game on the Houston Astros, who hold the third spot, and a game-and-a-half lead in front of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays’ inability to beat the Boston Red Sox (winless in six tries) keeps them from higher placement in the Wild Card standings.

Friday’s rainout led to a doubleheader in St Louis, Missouri on Saturday, and the Yankees promptly killed their mini two-game winning streak by getting pounded by the Cardinals, 11-4, in the rain-interrupted first game. Luis Severino, trying to pitch as badly as Domingo German did on June 22nd against the Seattle Mariners, gave up nine runs (seven earned) in four innings. Somehow, I doubt Sevy will rebound with a perfect game as German did. German’s performance against the Mariners was slightly worse (ten runs, eight earned, allowed in three-and-a-half innings of disaster), however, Severino carries greater expectations than German. The Yankees needed Severino to step up this season with Carlos Rodón and Frankie Montas on the Injured List. A record of 1-3 with a 6.30 ERA (good for -0.4 fWAR) in eight games/forty innings pitched is not exactly stepping up. Severino has the worst K/9 rate of his career (7.65; his career average is 9.86) and his HR/9 is double his career average (2.25 to 1.12). 

Although Severino is a free agent after the end of the season, I had previously expected the Yankees to re-sign him after the season. Now, I am not so sure. His dismal showing during his walk year places pressure on the Yankees to find better options. Maybe Sevy cannot bounce back with a perfect game like German did (hey, a no-hitter would be just fine!), I doubt he does, but simply put, he needs to pitch better. The chance to improve begins with the next start. There is time to right the ship. A quality start followed by another. Is it too much to ask?

The lopsided score led Manager Aaron Boone to have Josh Donaldson pitch. As much as I hate to see position players on the mound, Donaldson retired all three batters he faced. The fact that Donaldson pitched better than Severino in the game is a sad testimony of where we are with the Yankees. 

Thankfully, the Yankees won the second game of the doubleheader, 6-2. The game was much closer than the final score, and it featured a bullpen game for the Yankees, led by Ian Hamilton. The Yankees jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, only to see it immediately tied when Lars Nootbaar homered off Hamilton in the bottom of the first inning. Anthony Volpe, who was probably the star of the game, tripled in the top of the second inning, scoring Isiah Kiner-Falefa, to give the Yankees a lead they would not relinquish. His single in the top of the ninth, after Isiah Kiner-Falefa had walked, moved IKF into scoring position at third base. IKF promptly scored on a safety squeeze by Jose Trevino. Volpe scored an additional insurance run when a single to left field by Gleyber Torres brought both him and DJ LeMahieu home.  Say what you will about Volpe, but regardless of his recent struggles, he needs to continue to play at the Major League level to get better. I remain convinced it will be worth the wait.

 

Gleyber Torres and Anthony Volpe (Photo Credit: USATSI)

The highlight of the game was the touching reception the Cardinals fans gave to Harrison Bader when he stepped to the plate for the first time. Bader did not play the first game. The warm reception received in the nightcap impacted Bader as he touched his heart during the applause and expressed his gratitude to the fans.  I may not be a Cardinals fan, but I have long understood how strong their fan base is. It was on display with Bader. 

The lowlight was the YES Network booth discussion with Michael Kay, Jeff Nelson, and Meredith Marakovits about Luke Voit’s sleeveless jersey while playing for the New York Mets Triple-A affiliate against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

Luke Voit

It led to Kay flexing his “dancing biceps” for the TV audience, sadly, a sight we can never unsee. 

The Yankees (46-37) failed to gain any ground over the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays this week. They remain nine and a half games behind. The Blue Jays appeared ready to leapfrog over the Yankees this week, but their weekend series against their Kryptonite, the Red Sox, has kept the Blue Jays a game and a half behind the Yanks. 

The Yankees open a four-game series tomorrow at Yankee Stadium against the second-place Baltimore Orioles. The O’s currently hold a three-game advantage over the Yankees in the AL East.

The Yankees need to get on a roll if they plan to make up ground. Taking anything less than three of four from the Orioles will seem like a disappointment. The Yankees’ offense, without Aaron Judge, gives little confidence they can dominate the O’s. With Gerrit Cole pitching today, he will miss Baltimore. Randy Vasquez is expected to be recalled for Wednesday’s start although he is listed as today’s starter for the RailRiders. Presumably, he will be scratched if the plans are for his promotion to make Wednesday’s start. If not, the Yankees have other plans.

Carlos Rodón completed his third rehab start. I preface it by saying he was pitching for the Yankees’ High-A affiliate in Hudson Valley. He struck out eight lower-level prospects in three-and-a-third innings. He gave up one hit and walked two batters. We should see the Yankee Stadium debut of Rodón this week. He was expected to make three rehab starts before activation and they were completed with solid results. Given Luis Severino has fallen off the cliff, the Yankees need Rodón’s presence in the rotation now more than ever. If he pitches like he did last year for the San Francisco Giants, the team should start to build some momentum. 

Rodón is expected to make his Yankee Stadium debut on Friday when Anthony Rizzo’s old team, the Chicago Cubs, are in town for a weekend series. 

Honestly, I have no expectations for the Yankees this year. I am not trying to be a pessimist, but rather a realist. If the Yankees need Aaron Judge to be “great”, then the team was poorly constructed. There is talent on the roster, but collectively, the talent and the effort have not yielded the necessary results to play with the big boys. Judge’s return remains murky at best. The hope he would be back before the All-Star Break has become hope he will return before the season’s end. The torn toe ligament casts doubt on how effective he can be until he has fully and completely recovered…an unknown timeframe.  The Yankees need an impact bat since the so-called impact bats on the roster are not providing it. 

July is the month for significant trades. However, I remain skeptical that the Yankees will make any big splashes this year. I do not see the Yankees taking on huge additional financial commitments nor do I see them moving another bevy of top prospects. Depleting the farm system for rentals has not worked out in the last couple of years.  We should probably hold off from running out to buy Juan Soto jerseys. Michael Kay has already been calling out the company line when he said that Rodón’s return is like a deadline acquisition. The cold, hard truth is these are our 2023 New York Yankees, for better or for worse. The refusal to pursue elite impact bats in free agency the last couple of years has led to the belief that we are wasting the best years of Gerrit Cole’s career. I yearn for the Yankees of old when they were a young, exciting, and over-achieving team. There is no magic with the current crew, aside from an occasional perfect game. Maybe things change when Judge and Rodón are back in full form, but maybe not. Until they can prove they are better, we continue to win some, lose some and that does not bode well for October.

Domingo German’s perfect game

I am not a fan of Domingo German.

Although I believe people deserve second chances, the stories of domestic abuse are hard to overcome.  As such, I had mixed feelings about Domingo German’s perfect game this week. It is exciting the Yankees won. It was a brilliant pitching performance regardless of the quality of the opponent. I am glad the Yankees won. The difficulty is German’s name is forever placed among Don Larsen, David Wells, and David Cone as the only pitchers to throw perfect games in Yankees history.  Gerrit Cole, Jhony Brito, Clarke Schmidt, Luis Severino, or Randy Vasquez…any of these names would have been more palatable than German as legendary franchise achievers.

While it is hard to celebrate the individual, the stats were impressive. No hits, no walks, no runs, nine strikeouts. Ninety-nine total pitches, seventy-two for strikes. German improved his season record to 5-5 and lowered his inflated ERA to 4.54. It was the first perfect game in Major League Baseball since Felix Hernandez did it in 2012. No one can ever take the perfect game away from German, and he will be talking to his grandchildren about it. Good for him. 

Domingo German and Kyle Higashioka (Photo Credit: USATSI)

I know some fans feel that German should be forgiven. Maybe so, maybe not. I have my feelings about him, and it does not make any difference to anybody. I believe it was Randy Wilkins, @pamsson on Twitter, who tweeted something to the effect that we can celebrate the accomplishment without celebrating the individual. It makes total sense to me. I can have my opinion; you can have yours. In the end, neither opinion takes away the accomplishment. 

Didi’s Return

Signed to a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners in early June, Didi Gregorius finally made his debut for the Tacoma Rainiers (Triple-A) on Friday. His arrival had been delayed due to visa issues. Gregorius, released last year by the Philadelphia Phillies, had been playing in the Mexican Leagues before his contract with Seattle. Only 33 years old, I am glad to see Didi given another opportunity. He is certainly one of the good guys in the game.

Didi Gregorius (Photo Credit: Instagram via @sirdidig18)

Time will tell if Didi makes it back to the Major Leagues, but the challenge is within his control. I would like to see him succeed…just not against the Yankees. 

It is weird to see both Didi and Luke Voit, once considered important Yankee players, fighting for their baseball futures in Triple-A.  Gary Sanchez, currently a backup catcher for the San Diego Padres, was able to make it back. Hopefully, the same outcome awaits Didi and Voit.

As always, Go Yankees!

Aaron Judge and the Honest Toe...

 

Aaron Judge (Photo Credit: John Minchillo/AP)

Judge comes clean on the severity of his injury…

I remember when New York Yankees baseball was fun.

On Saturday, Aaron Judge revealed that he had suffered a torn ligament in the ailing toe that had landed him on the Injured List earlier this month after the general belief was strained ligaments. The Yankees once again prove they are not transparent regarding player injuries, and it takes the player to divulge the severity of the injury. We went from wondering if Judge would be out a few days, then to a couple of weeks, and now, if he misses less than a month, it would be a miracle.  I am doubtful we will see the 2022 AL MVP until after the All-Star Break. We will soon be hearing words like ‘Judge is a great Trade Deadline acquisition’.   

Despite the heroics of Billy McKinney in recent games, the Yankees are not the same team without Judge in the lineup. Giancarlo Stanton may be in the lineup, but his bat must be on a European vacation. The loss of Judge would be eased if Stanton was hitting like we know he is capable of, but, unfortunately for us, he is not. The Yankees go into every game hoping they can hold the opponents to three or four runs to give their anemic offense a chance to come through. This Yankees club would not be able to compete in a slugfest. The Los Angeles Angels defeated the Colorado Rockies, 25-1, last night. The Yankees have not scored a combined total of 25 runs since they lost to the New York Mets in the second game of a two-game series nearly two weeks ago. 

After losing a disappointing game to the Texas Rangers on Friday night, the Yankees bounced back with a 1-0 victory yesterday behind a tremendous performance by Luis Severino (finally) and a bullpen that was bent but not broken. The shutout upheld Billy McKinney’s fourth-inning home run as the game-winner.  The Rangers, one of the best offensive clubs in the American League, could have easily taken the game away from the Yankees. Somehow, they failed to get a timely hit when they needed it (credit to Yankees pitching), and the Yankees, needing every win they can get, emerged victorious. 

Billy McKinney (Photo Credit: Robert Sabo/NY Post)

The win allowed the Yankees (42-35) to get back to single digits behind AL East leader Tampa Bay Rays at nine-and-a-half games. The Yankees trail Aaron Hicks and the Baltimore Orioles by five games. The Toronto Blue Jays are nipping at the Yankees’ heels, only a half-game behind the Bombers. Further missteps by the team could leave them fighting the Boston Red Sox for the cellar. 

In June, the Yankees are 8-11. Surprisingly, they have been holding onto third place in the division despite their struggling offense.  The Angels have the same record as the Blue Jays, so they are just behind the Yankees in the AL East Wild Card standings. The Angels lost oft-injured third baseman Anthony Rendon, who was placed on the Injured List a week ago with a left wrist contusion, and, an old friend, Gio Urshela, for the season with a fractured pelvis. The Angels did not sit back and take their chances with rookies or cast-offs for third base. They went out and acquired Eduardo Escobar from the Mets on Friday night, and Mike Moustakas last night (after he had witnessed the 24-run loss to the Angels as a member of the Colorado Rockies). Moustakas may not be the player he once was but credit the Angels for trying. No need to wait for the Trade Deadline. 

The Yankees get absolutely nothing out of Josh Donaldson and their best response is to simply sit him on the bench. I realize we are in the final days of Donaldson’s time as a Yankee. The question is not ‘if’ he will be released but rather ‘when’. It seems like it will happen around the All-Star Break, but how long does GM Brian Cashman go without trying to find players who can help today? If the Yankees are hoping for some sign of the 2015 AL MVP from Donaldson, they will be sadly disappointed. Donaldson is done. Time to let him go home and enjoy his young child.  Given DJ LeMahieu’s decline, the best hope for third base, Oswald Peraza, continues to bide his time in Eastern Pennsylvania. It would be fun to see the Yankees acquire Nolan Arenado from the St Louis Cardinals, but I have given up hope Cashman will make that type of move.  Arenado, 32, is hitting .272/.319/.477 (.796 OPS) with 15 home runs and 50 runs batted in. The Yankees will be in St Louis next weekend. It would be fantastic to see them depart the city with Arenado on the plane. The Yankees will not make the trade, but it is fun to think about. They need a jolt to the lineup and Arenado could provide it. I am ready for anything over Donaldson.

I hope the Yankees can continue to tread water until Aaron Judge returns. It would be nice if a few of the big-name vets on the active roster would chip in. No offense to the players but highlight reels featuring Jake Bauers and Billy McKinney do not inspire hope for post-season success.   

Rotation Upgrade Nears Return

Carlos Rodón is moving closer to making his debut in Pinstripes. Today, he starts the second of three expected rehab games before he will be activated on the Major League roster. In his first rehab start, Rodón pitched three innings, allowing a hit and a run, while striking out five (including a streak of four-in-a-row). 

Carlos Rodon (Photo Credit: Somerset Patriots)

His start today, for the Somerset Patriots, will be against the Toronto Blue Jays’ Double-A affiliate, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

After Domingo German’s implosion the other night, Rodón’s presence is sorely needed in the Yankees’ starting rotation. Hopefully, Luis Severino’s terrific outing yesterday is a sign of things to come, and Sevy and Rodón can help the Yankees build momentum in the season’s second half. It certainly helps that Clarke Schmidt has been pitching much better lately…Jhony Brito too. I am hopeful the positives coming from the rotation will spell the end of German’s time as a Yankee.    

Promotions

RHP Clayton Beeter, acquired last year in the trade that sent Joey Gallo to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline, has been promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Beeter is 6-3 with a 2.32 ERA and 82 strikeouts in thirteen games started. The 24-year-old is positioning himself to help the Yankees later this season if his upward progression continues. 

I am excited to see what Beeter can do. When he first arrived in the organization, it sounded like his future was as a reliever, but confidence has grown in his ability to start. It would be nice if the Yankees could strike gold with Beeter after giving up so many talented prospects to get Gallo. 

Also promoted to Triple-A was third baseman, Max Burt. The right-handed Burt, 26, is hitting .267/.333/.481 (.814 OPS) with 7 home runs and 23 RBIs in 131 at-bats. There is always room in the organization for hard-working players. I would like to see Burt achieve his dream of reaching the Majors. Not sure if he will get the chance with the Yankees but who knows? Injuries on the big-league club (or the release of a certain aging third baseman) could open a path for Burt. Andres Chapparo should certainly be in that same conversation. It is time for some of the young guys to get opportunities over aging players in rapid decline.   

Aaron Hicks Resurgence

I am happy for Aaron Hicks. He has found a new life in Baltimore and has quickly become a key player for the second-place AL East rival. In 69 ABs for the Yankees, Hicks was .188/.263/.261 (.524 OPS) with one home run and five RBIs.  In 62 ABs for the Orioles, Hicks is .306/.403/.581 (.983 OPS) with four home runs and eleven RBIs. Like Estevan Florial in Triple-A, Hicks is seemingly making highlight plays every day in his new orange/black uniform and beard. 

Aaron Hicks (Photo Credit: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

As someone ready for Hicks to leave, I am not going to reverse course and say the Yankees should have kept him. He did not perform as a Yankee, at least not in recent years, and I am not sure he would have had this type of resurgence if he had stayed in the organization. Sure, consistent playing time makes a difference, and the Yankees were not giving it to him.  I saw former Oriole great Jim Palmer’s observation that Hicks was trying too hard in New York to live up to his contract, and it only made things worse, bringing down the wrath of the fans on him. He said that sometimes it is better to try “easier”.

Good for Hicks.  I remain convinced the Yankees made the right decision to part ways. The weight of the Pinstripes can be heavy and for Hicks, it was too much. 

As always, Go Yankees!