The Offseason of Uncertainty...

 

Will the Yankees make the moves that make the difference in 2026?...

This is a weird offseason. I legitimately do not know if the New York Yankees will move to fill holes without completing the puzzle to ensure more regular season success and a roll of the dice for the October Crapshoot, or if the Yankees recognize the ownership groups in Los Angeles (Chavez Ravine, not Anaheim) and Queens have set a new World Order, forcing the team to go “all in”. Granted, the Mets flunked the season, but it will not stop Uncle Steve from throwing more of his money into the problem. Sunday’s trade of outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien puts them in the outfield arena for guys like Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger. 

The Yankees do not seem to be on the same playing field with the game’s best, even if they historically have been Major League Baseball’s most fantastic franchise. You have owners who play to win, and you have owners who play to profit. While you could argue that a World Series Championship pays the most significant dividends, it involves too much gambling, particularly for a conservative, professionally trained bean counter like Hal Steinbrenner.

Hal Steinbrenner (Photo Credit: Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

I blame George Steinbrenner for not training a son to hold his same passion. That was what he was trying to do with a former son-in-law, although divorce tanked the plan. Hank Steinbrenner’s son, George IV, holds the magic name. I have no idea whether he keeps his grandfather’s (or his father’s) passion. Yet, I am ready for the next generation of Steinbrenners to ascend to the throne. Hal was not interested in the Yankees when he was young, and I pray he is working on an escape plan. I am surprised that selling the team does not appeal to Hal. I know, he holds his father’s legacy in his hands, but a sale would bring multi-generational money to the Steinbrenner family. Every year, I hope Hal decides to go “all in” like he did in 2009. Maybe this is the year, maybe not. Realistically, the latter seems like the most probable outcome…and I come away from the offseasons with a sense of disappointment.

Sadly, we move forward with Hal’s leadership, for better or for worse. A transition to a younger owner is years away. So, we are married to him and can only hope that the Steinbrenner blood works into some future decisions. 

As for the team, the offseason is well underway. A few moves have already been made. Trent Grisham, surprisingly, accepted the Yankees’ qualifying offer. He must have felt the compensation that interested teams would pay to sign him as a potential market suppressor. If he can replicate his productive 2025 in 2026, he will enter the free agency period next offseason with no strings attached. Not sure if this is one of those ‘bet on yourself’ moments, or if Grisham was not ready to end his Yankees tenure. I suspect it is the former regardless of how Grisham feels about the Yankees.

I have mixed feelings about Grisham. If he can replicate his performance next season, a one-year deal is not a terrible thing. The money that goes to Grisham could have been used to attract an elite free agent like Kyle Tucker. The Yankees can afford both, but recent history says the team will choose a cheaper route. I would love to have Cody Bellinger back in Pinstripes, but Tucker is better. I would hate to see the Yankees try to chase Tucker, fail, and lose Bellinger while they were grasping for Tucker. Admittedly, I would go with the surer thing and try to bring back Bellinger. I have seen many fans say the contract will age poorly, but at this point, I am concerned about 2026. We are not making moves for 2027 or 2028.

Somehow, Boston always seems to get out from under bad contracts, but the Yankees bite the bullet and eat the money.

Grisham’s return spells the end for Jasson Dominguez unless the Yankees pass on both Tucker and Dominguez and need a left fielder (again). A trade of either Dominguez or Spencer Jones this offseason seems likely. I would hate to see Jones leave. I remember when people were complaining about a young Aaron Judge striking out too much. He has had a nice Major League career, one that has guaranteed a trip to Cooperstown, New York, someday.

The Yankees also re-signed Clarke Schmidt to a $4.5 million deal for the 2026 season. Schmidt had Tommy John surgery in July, and I feared a potential non-tender, like how they have moved on from other Tommy John rehabilitators like Nathan Eovaldi. I can hear GM Brian Cashman now, “He’s like a trade deadline acquisition” when Schmidt returns mid-season. I am glad to see Schmidt returning, and I am sure his return will coincide with a rotation need.

Oswaldo Cabrera, who missed most of last season, also re-signed for $1.2 million. While I like Cabrera, his role could be upgraded. The Yankees need a shortstop to start the year, and if they acquire a legitimate frontline shortstop, keeping Jose Caballero in reserve, it would be hard to find a place for Cabrera on the Major League roster. Shortstop is a sore subject. I know the Yankees love Anthony Volpe, but the team can do better.

The Yankees re-signed LHP Ryan Yarbrough, a dude who knows his role and does it well. With the starting pitchers who will be late arrivals in the 2026 season, it's all-hands-on-deck for the Yankees' rotation. Yarbrough is not the answer, but he helps. 

There were a few surprises with the non-tenders. I got the decision to cut bait with Michael Arias, Scott Effross, and Ian Hamilton. The two that surprised me were Mark Leiter, Jr., even if he did fade in the second half, and Jake Cousins. Cousins underwent Tommy John surgery in June, so like Clarke Schmidt, he is out until the second half of 2026. Holding two positions for guys who cannot help when the season begins must have been too much for Brian Cashman and his cast of nerds. I wish it worked out for Leiter, Jr., or Cousins, but I know protecting roster spots over the Winter is challenging when other moves are anticipated. Bullpen will undoubtedly be an area of focus this offseason as the Yankees try to build a strong pen after last season’s struggles.

The Yankees tendered contracts to eight arbitration-eligible players. Second baseman Jazz Chisholm, Jr., closer David Bednar, set up reliever Camilo Doval, shortstop Anthony Volpe, utility infielder Jose Caballero, starter Luis Gil, setup reliever Fernando Cruz, and deadline-disappointment right-hander Jake Bird.

The Yankees also selected the contracts of outfielder Spencer Jones and pitchers Chase Hampton and Elmer Rodriguez in advance of next month’s Rule 5 Draft.  After watching catcher Carlos Narvaez thrive with the Boston Red Sox this season, there is consolation in the fact that the Red Sox gave us a pitcher who can ascend to the top of the pitching prospects in the organization. Rodriguez is currently the third-ranked prospect in the Yankees organization behind Jones and RHP Carlos Lagrange, according to MLB.com. I thought they would protect a couple of other prospects, but I trust they had their reasons.  I hope none of the non-selected players come back to haunt the Yankees. They are RHP relievers Harrison Cohen and Eric Reyzelman; LHP Henry Lalane (once highly regarded), LHP Brock Selvidge, and LHP Allen Facundo (not on MLB.com’s prospect list, but a talent that has drawn strong reviews); first baseman T.J. Rumfield; outfielder Jace Avina; and catcher Manuel Palencia. It seems like a few of these guys will be poached in the Rule 5 Draft. Whether they stick with their new teams remains to be seen, but they will be playing for an opportunity that the Yankees either could not or did not afford.  No doubt the Boston Red Sox will be rummaging through the Yankees’ trash looking for another ex-Yankee difference maker.

Tough decisions. I recognize that we cannot judge today’s decisions until we see the moves the team makes between now and Opening Day. The chances for success in 2026 hinge on the collective improvements made to the roster, not a few surprising individual moves in November.

Congratulations to Aaron Judge for winning the 2025 American League Most Valuable Player Award. My fear was that the voters would be unduly influenced by the historic season of Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. He certainly went where no catcher has ever gone before, but Aaron Judge was the better overall hitter and deserved the award. The only thing that Raleigh did better than Judge, aside from the homers, was taking his team to the American League Championship. I still laugh when I remember people saying that Aaron Judge will never be Mike Trout. In retrospect, I am glad he is not Mike Trout, an injury-riddled 30-something former elite player. In Trout’s defense, I would love to see him rebound with one of his best seasons next year (so long as it is not at the Yankees’ expense). I have no idea what it must be like for him to watch his friend Shohei Ohtani win a World Series Championship every year since his departure from the Los Angeles Angels of "an hour away" Anaheim. I genuinely wish Trout could have been given better opportunities to win during his career.

As for moves to be made this offseason, I would love splashy moves, but those days are over. I quietly hope for Kyle Tucker, but I hope for at least the return of Cody Bellinger. I would like to see the Yankees bring in another Japanese player to re-establish the intense connection they once had with Japan. The Yankees have not had a Japanese player since Masahiro Tanaka departed (Kenta Maeda’s brief stint in the minors last season does not count). I would like to see the Yankees sign Tatsuya Imai. I recognize the 27-year-old righthander is not elite, but I want to think he can be as valuable as Hiroki Kuroda once was. I have cooled on Munetaka Murakami, a first baseman who can also play third base, so that I would take Imai as the preferred Japanese player over Murakami. Murakami was recently photographed having dinner with Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, leading to speculation the Dodgers will continue to add to their elite Japanese connection. This is the magic the Yankees once held when Hideki Matsui was on the roster. The Yankees need to re-engage the Japanese community and make New York as attractive as the West Coast.

Tatsuya Imai (Photo Credit: Sports Nippon/Getty Images)

Usually, I am anxious and excited for the Baseball Winter Meetings. It has always been my favorite time of year. This year is different. I am unsure what to expect from Yankees leadership. Will they try to run it back with the majority of the 2025 roster, or will they legitimately make the moves to close the gap with the game’s elite teams? I have no idea or trust in the Yankees’ leadership to do what it takes.

Hopefully, a month from now, we will have a better idea of the team’s direction and plans to compete in 2026. If late December is just as foggy, it sadly does not bode well for 2026. So, either MUCH happens between now and then, or there are crickets with the Yankees hierarchy. Hal, please make us believe in the Yankees again. This is your birthright.

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!

The Call of Spring Awaits...

 

Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, Florida

Spring Training Less Than 3 Weeks Away…

The New York Yankees are finished with the off-season’s heavy lifting, and we will only see minor roster tweaks, if anything, between now and the Valentine’s Day reporting date for pitchers and catchers.

It is hard to say that a team with a payroll of $300 million has not done enough to close the gap between them and the AL contenders, but I guess we will find out. I am appreciative of Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner’s willingness to spend. The only complaint would be how those dollars have been allocated. This is certainly not an indictment of Gerrit Cole or Aaron Judge as both men perform to the expectations of their respective contracts. For every solid deal, there is a Josh Donaldson type of decision that befuddles the mind (the original decision to add him and his hefty contract; not the later decision to part ways despite the cost).

I get frustrated when the Yankees take on a bad contract and then use it as an excuse not to pursue elite younger players. It is always as if there is a Jacoby Ellsbury on the roster blocking the addition of good to great players.

There is also a concern with the guys who are now on the ugly side of their contracts like Giancarlo Stanton where age has deteriorated the player below his compensation level. Sure, Stanton looks great this offseason and I hope it equates to a bounce-back year for him. Yet, time is not his friend. Stanton is thirty-four and while that age is not “over-the-hill,” he is closer to the end of his career than the start of it. A good year or two can still be in the cards, and maybe this year will prove fruitful for him after his offseason focus to improve his performance. If the Yankees could find a way of offloading Stanton, they should do it. I would prefer to keep the designated hitter slot open for Aaron Judge or other players on a rotation basis. So long as Stanton is a Yankee, I will pull for him and I honestly hope for a strong season, but I would absolutely have no problem if the Yankees decided it was time to move on. You know that day is coming. Eventually, the team will decide the player is not worth it when the remaining balance of the contract becomes a sum that they can knowingly absorb without any further contribution from said player. It will not be 2024, but I think the Stanton ‘Designated for Assignment’ Watch can begin in earnest next year, particularly if his 2024 season mirrors last season.

Giancarlo Stanton (Photo Credit: @giancarlo818 via Instagram)

The other player that concerns me is DJ LeMahieu. I have always liked DJ. I lived in Denver, Colorado during his final years as a Rockie, and he was one of my favorite “local” players. He has performed well as a Yankee, but like Stanton, Father Time has caught up with him. LeMahieu will be thirty-six in mid-July. His best years have passed. He can be an admirable player, a complimentary player, on a playoff team, sure, but he will not be one of its driving stars. I am not sure what I think about LeMahieu as the starting third baseman. I suppose it is a better situation than first base so long as Gleyber Torres is the second baseman. LeMahieu will become the de facto first baseman should anything happen to Anthony Rizzo, however, if Rizzo stays healthy, I do like the consistency of one primary position for DJ, instead of bouncing around the infield.

I have seen the talk that the Yankees are interested in free agent third baseman Matt Chapman which seems more like ‘agent-speak’ than genuine interest from the team. I like Matt Chapman, but he is not the answer. Maybe not the player so much as the dollars it would take to sign him. The Yankees have made it obvious that long-term plans at third base will not feature Oswald Peraza. If not Peraza, then LeMahieu does seem to be the most logical candidate for the position. I wish there were a better contingency plan in place. It is possible that Peraza comes to camp and makes a statement that he is ready to ascend to the game’s highest level. Anthony Volpe was the golden child during last year’s camp. This year it can be Peraza since Jasson Dominguez will not participate while he recovers from offseason surgery, although Austin Wells is the player that I want to see in Tampa on a mission. With no other options, I begrudgingly accept LeMahieu as the third baseman, but it is a position that bears watching should LeMahieu suffer any setbacks. I am hopeful Anthony Rizzo stays healthy this year to minimize the need for LeMahieu to play first base. Plus, the Yankees need Rizzo and more specifically, the player at the level of play before he suffered the head injury last season.

I am confident in most of the other position players. Austin Wells and Jose Trevino should form a strong catching tandem, with Wells having the potential to take most of the playing time if he takes his game to the next level. I am glad the Yankees did not trade Gleyber Torres and he is my second baseman until he is not. Last year at this time, I wanted Oswald Peraza as the starting shortstop, but the Yankees have made the commitment to Anthony Volpe…as they should. I expect offensive improvement from Volpe for his second year in the big leagues. He has the talent and ability to succeed. Manager Aaron Boone must figure out the correct outfield alignment with Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, and Trent Grisham (not to mention Giancarlo Stanton occasionally). It appears Judge will be the centerfielder, Soto will take right field, and Verdugo, a right fielder in Boston, will move to spacious left field. Trent Grisham will see plenty of time as the Yankees will look at ways to bring his defensive prowess into tight games. I am sure that Boone, with help from new bench coach Brad Ausmus, will fit the pieces of the puzzle together.

If Stanton and LeMahieu are my primary concerns among the position players, Carlos Rodón and Nestor Cortes, Jr. probably give me the most consternation among the pitchers. Both can be excellent pitchers. We saw it in 2022. Conversely, both pitchers were unable to stay healthy last season and there is no guarantee that 2024 will not be more of the same. When both pitchers arrived at training camp last season, they were healthy and ready to go, yet both missed considerable time with subsequent injuries. We should probably be thankful that Luis Severino is no longer a Yankee given his health concerns (I say that despite how much I enjoyed Sevy as a Yankee, at least the healthy version).  Gerrit Cole is not a concern, nor is newly signed Marcus Stroman despite his bout with injuries last August when he was first diagnosed with inflammation in his right hip and subsequently a rib cage cartilage fracture. Clarke Schmidt showed continued improvement, and there is no reason to believe that his progression to a middle-of-the-rotation starter will not continue. It seems like a near certainty that we will see Major League starts by Clayton Beeter, Cody Poteet, Cody Morris, and perhaps Luis Gil if all does not go according to plan. I wish the Yankees were bringing Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell to Spring Training along with Stroman, but it is crazy to think how much a pitcher like Montgomery would cost when you factor in the luxury tax penalties for exceeding the highest tax tier (basically he would cost double the face amount of his annual contract).  I am anxious to see the ascension of Chase Hampton, but he will not be ready for his Major League debut until late in the season at the earliest. He needs time at Triple-A to finish off his development.

Chase Hampton

While the bullpen still needs work, I am confident the Yankees will piece together another strong bullpen unit based on their history of successfully doing so. Call it the Tampa Bay Rays approach. Relievers can be so volatile from year to year. The next Ian Hamilton is just waiting for an opportunity. No need to spend top dollars for a guy like Josh Hader. I would like to see the return of Keynan Middleton, even more so than Wandy Peralta, although I would gladly accept both back. Although there has been some talk of Hector Neris, it seems like that ship has sailed even if Neris has not yet signed anywhere. The Rays are good at throwing a bunch of no-names together to form a strong bullpen unit, starting over from scratch every year.

I wish I had no concerns about the 2024 Yankees…that every position is filled with an elite All-Star player, carrying no question marks. Sadly, that is not a world that anyone lives in. Even the Los Angeles Dodgers have questions despite the huge financial outlay to bring in several of the game’s brightest young talents and featuring an abundant farm system that continually churns out above-average talent.

I guess this is why they play the games.

Bring it on. The Yankees may not win the 2024 World Series, but they will be better than the most recent team that posted eighty-two wins. So long as we have a competitive Yankees team that wants to play in October this year, it will be a better season for all of us. The Yankees are our team. As much as I would like to say Championship or Bust, and I know that has been the Bronx mindset, I think any of us would sign up for the intensity of the 2017 or 2019 Yankees even though those teams did not win the ultimate prize. If the Yankees leave everything on the field in terms of effort, missing a championship is more palatable than a team that simply gave up. No question a championship would reignite the excitement we had when the Yankees won the World Series under Manager Joe Torre in 1996 after an eighteen-year championship drought. It has been far too long since 2009.

I am ready for the 2024 MLB Season.

This Week’s Transactions

To make room for the recent signings of Marcus Stroman and Luke Weaver, and the waiver claim of Diego Castillo, the Yankees had designated three players for assignment. Infielder Jeter Downs and outfielders Oscar Gonzalez and Bubba Thompson. All three players were claimed off waivers by the Yankees earlier this off-season. Downs and Gonzalez went unclaimed after their placement on waivers by the Yankees and will remain in the organization. They have been sent outright to Triple-A.

The speedy Thompson departed the organization as the Minnesota Twins claimed him. I know Thompson would have been an asset late in the season and potentially in the playoffs with his speed, however, the Yankees have greater concerns and needs to fill. I wish Thompson the best in Minnesota. It does seem like he will have a stronger path to Major League playing time with the Twins. It would not be fun to spend the off-season as a thirty-ninth or fortieth player on a 40-man roster.

The Yankees also signed catcher Luis Torrens, a former Yankees prospect, to a minor-league contract.

Luis Torrens (Photo Credit: Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The Yankees signed Torrens as an international free agent in 2012. He was taken in the 2016 Rule 5 Draft by the Cincinnati Reds, who immediately traded Torrens to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later. The player-to-be-named turned out to be infielder/outfielder Josh VanMeter who also signed a minor league contract with the Yankees this offseason. The Padres kept Torrens on the Major League roster for the entirety of the 2017 season which kept him in their organization. A bad Padres team that was able to bury a not-ready-for-the-Majors player on the bench. After a few years in San Diego, he subsequently spent time with the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and Washington Nationals organizations. Torrens was robbed of valuable developmental time, and it prevented him from becoming the player he could have been if he had been able to stay in the Yankees organization. He is now 27 (will be 28 in May). There is no question I will be rooting for him. He is not going to make the Yankees’ Opening Day Roster but regardless of whether it is with the Yankees or another team, I hope he finds a home in the Major Leagues again.

As always, Go Yankees!

A Lump of Cole Only Goes So Far...

 

Wanted: Elite Starting Pitching…

I seriously doubt the New York Yankees took an ‘all or nothing’ approach with their failed pursuit of Japanese RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but as the calendar prepares to turn to 2024, we have yet to see Plan B unfold. Most Yankees fans, at least those on X (formerly known as Twitter), seem to prefer a trade for Dylan Cease or Corbin Burnes. No trades appear imminent so the fanbase continues to wait.

The Yankees are a better team today than they were when the 2023 regular season ended for no other reason than they have added one of the greatest young offensive talents in the game to their roster. But for as great as Juan Soto is and can be, he alone does not convert an 82-win team into a World Series championship contender. Soto helped his 2023 teammates, the San Diego Padres, to the exact same record as the Yankees, 82-80. Granted, there were many reasons why the Padres failed, and Soto was not a reason, but the point is the Yankees need to do more than add Soto to the roster. The Yankees are weaker in other areas because of the Soto trade. They lost a valuable bullpen member who had the potential to be an upper-end rotation starter and a dependable, proven backup catcher with elite framing skills and some occasional pop. While you would trade Michael King for Juan Soto any day of the week, King will be missed. The best replacement, today, is faith that Luis Gil can be a trusted reliever after missing several years due to injury or hope pitching prospects Will Warren, Chase Hampton, or Clayton Beeter can emerge.

Will Warren (Photo Credit: Somerset Patriots)

My fear is the Yankees enter the 2024 season with the same hope as 2023, that Carlos Rodón can be an elite starter behind the great Gerrit Cole. After his miserable 2023 season, expectations for Rodón should be lowered. With the questions surrounding Nestor Cortes, Jr, there is too much uncertainty wrapped up into two spots in the starting rotation. The Yankees need certainty, consistency, and strength in the other three rotation spots. Cole nails the top spot without question. Clarke Schmidt can be a dependable fifth starter as he continues his growth curve. This leaves a clear need for a strong second starter behind Cole.

I am not losing any sleep over missing out on free agent RHP Lucas Giolito who has signed with the Boston Red Sox. It was not that long ago when Yankees fans were salivating at the thought of acquiring Giolito, but the homer-prone pitcher was dreadful after his trade deadline acquisition by the Los Angeles Angels last year which led to his release, and he continued the downfall in Cleveland to end the season. Maybe Giolito can rediscover his touch, he is only twenty-nine after all, but that is a risk I would rather see the Red Sox take than the Yankees.

Frankie Montas, who many thought would re-sign with the Yankees, is no longer an option. He has signed a one-year, $16 million contract with the Reds, taking the Sonny Gray path to redemption via the road through Cincinnati. Sonny has a nice contract with the St Louis Cardinals by taking that route. Maybe it will work out for Montas too. The Montas trade will forever rank as one of Brian Cashman’s worst, although he continues to add to the worst collection every chance he gets.

I am not convinced the Milwaukee Brewers will trade Corbin Burnes. Some reports indicate they intend to contend in 2024 under new manager Pat Murphy and will be looking to build rather than sell. The team needs to instill confidence in its fanbase after the disruptive departures of former President of Baseball Operations David Stearns, who took the same position with the New York Mets, and former manager Craig Counsell, a hometown favorite, who has moved on to the Chicago Cubs. Trading the best-starting pitcher on the team would not help restore the fans’ confidence in the team.

Free agent Jordan Montgomery continues to rate as the best possible pickup through free agency. James Paxton is still a free agent, but health-challenged pitchers are not a smart bet when you are currently carrying too many as it is. I would like to see the return of Montgomery but how much of an overpay is too much? This much is certain…Monty will get more money than he is worth. The pitching contracts handed out this winter have ensured it will happen. Monty brings the necessary stability the starting rotation sorely lacks. Two years ago, we debated whether he deserved a start in the playoffs and now he would be asked to shoulder the load behind Cole. Montgomery does feel a little like “been there, done that” but I was disappointed when he was traded. I did not want to see him go then even if the Yankees filled a need by acquiring centerfielder Harrison Bader. He has shown growth since his departure from Pinstripes, and it would be nice to capture the new and improved version of the tall lefthander. He loved his time as a Yankee so if the two parties can agree on the money, I am sure any old rifts between the organization and the player will be cured.

Jordan Montgomery

There was a surprising pitching trade today. The Boston Red Sox, a day after signing Luis Giolito, have traded their former ace, Chris Sale, to the Atlanta Braves for infielder Vaughn Grissom. As much as I always wanted to beat Sale, I am sorry that injuries have derailed him in the last few years. I always subscribe to the belief that to be the best, you must beat the best, so a healthy Chris Sale was always better than the alternative. At least he goes to Atlanta where he no longer must be “the guy.”  Spencer Strider has that title. I would like to see Sale return to prominence. I have no desire to see the Braves win a championship, however, it would be good for baseball if Sale became a feared competitor again.

Even though other teams are taking chances with starting pitching, the Yankees can ill afford to go that route. They need certainty and strength if they intend to show they can be one of the American League’s best teams in 2024. I know, playoffs are a crap shoot. But it helps when you have pitchers who can deal. When October rolls around, good pitching beats good hitting. Bad pitching paves the way for early exits, assuming you can even get that far.

The Yankees still have time to upgrade their rotation. It may be less than two months before the team arrives at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, yet there is time. The worst thing the Yankees can do is to do nothing. Hopefully, they will be better than that.

Yankees on the Move

The Isiah Kiner-Falefa Era has ended. I feel bad for him. There was too much pressure placed on him as the starting shortstop in 2022. The Yankees' decision to pass on elite free agent shortstops, particularly Corey Seager who seemed like such a great fit for Yankee Stadium, was a mistake regardless of how you feel about Anthony Volpe. The Yankees fanbase turned hard on IKF and it was not fair. It was not his fault the Yankees chose to make him the starting shortstop. The Yankees knew the flaws like we did. IKF rebounded in 2023 to show that he could be a reliable super-sub, even toiling time in the outfield which had previously been foreign territory for him. He handled his various roles with grace and helped to build support within the fanbase. I would have liked it if the Yankees had signed him to a new deal to continue his super-sub role. Instead, IKF will head north of the border to play for the Toronto Blue Jays where he will most likely see more time at third base which seems more like his natural position even if he does not have the necessary bat for a corner infielder.

Good for him. I would have preferred it if he had left the division (or the league). However, I have no ill will toward the player, and I would never boo him at Yankee Stadium. I will always remember IKF as being placed in an impossible situation by the Yankees, and his perseverance to make the best of a challenging predicament. He never deserved the wrath of the Yankees fans. He loved the Yankees as a kid, and he was thrilled to put on the Pinstripes. He never wanted to fail. He just needed to be placed in the best position to win.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa

The Estevan Florial Story finally ended for the Yankees when they traded him to Cleveland for RHP Cody Morris. It is funny that both players carry the label “once-promising” but it is a good opportunity for both to start over with new organizations. The fact the Yankees got anything of value for Florial is a plus since any team could have had him for a simple waiver claim last year. Morris made six relief appearances for the Guardians last season, posting a 6.75 ERA after yielding six earned runs in eight innings of work, but spent most of the season in the minors. There is hope Morris, 27, might see a rebound under the tutelage of Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake. The two are familiar with each other from their days together in the Guardians organization. Morris has the potential to either be a fifth starter or a reliever. Who knows, maybe he can be 2024’s Ian Hamilton.

I hope Florial gets a legitimate opportunity in Cleveland. I have no love for Myles Straw, and it would be tremendous to see Straw get supplanted in center field by Florial. If Florial cannot wrest a starting position among the outfielders, he will hopefully contribute off the bench. While I am generally not too fond of ex-Yankees, there are some I root for and Florial will be among them. At least he did not go to another AL East team.

Lame Duck Manager

Aaron Boone will enter the 2024 season in the last year of his contract. There is a club option for 2025 but to the best of my knowledge, it has not (yet) been picked up. Normally, I would prefer to see the team’s manager receive a new contract to avoid the lame duck status, but Boone warrants special consideration as a lame duck.

Aaron Boone (Photo Credit: Carlos Osorio/AP)

If the Yankees underperform in 2024, there is no reason the club should exercise its option for 2025. It will be time to find a new skipper. 2024 will be a critical year for the organization. As it sits today, Juan Soto is a one-year Yankee who will be moving on to greener pastures in 2025 unless the Yankees can convince him to stay. Boone has a solid rep as a player’s manager so his relationship with Soto could go a long way toward determining the Yankees' fate for both. Money will obviously be the key determinant for Soto as he is expected to break the $500 million barrier (void of the 98% deferrals contained in Shohei Ohtani’s contract). Yet, his relationship with the Yankees, the front office, the players, the manager, and the fans, will play a role. If Soto is convinced that he wants to be a Yankee and the money is close, the advantage will go to the Yankees.

If the Yankees run out another 82-80 season and Boone is dismissed after the season, it seems more likely that Soto will move on. So, I have to say that I have mixed feelings about Boone. I like the guy personally, and I do appreciate the support of his players. His decision-making skills are questionable at times, but I am hopeful that new bench coach Brad Ausmus can help. I have always wanted an experienced Major League manager to sit next to Boone, and this is the first time in his Yankees managerial career that it has happened.

Nevertheless, the Yankees should wait to make any decisions about the future of Aaron Boone as manager until AFTER the season has ended. I am totally in favor of an extension for Soto in advance of the season, if agent Scott Boras will allow it, but Boone is clearly in the hot seat and must prove that he deserves his next extension. Two years into the current extension has not yielded that determination.

It is about time to close the book in 2023 and start the new story of 2024. Happy New Year to the Yankees, its players, and all the fans! It is time to bring in a championship year!

As always, Go Yankees!