Where Do We (Yankees) Go From Here? ...

 

Jazz Chisholm Jr (Photo Credit: New York Daily News)

Yanks-Orioles battle for first despite rough waters for both…

The New York Yankees (73-51) sit atop the American League Eastern Division, leading the Baltimore Orioles (72-52) by a half-game. The Orioles lost last night, 5-1, to the Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards. But admittedly, the last thing I am concerned about is the Orioles' play, win or lose.

I am more worried about the Yankees.

With Gerrit Cole, the Yankees hold an advantage in Game 1 of any series. After that, it is a crap shoot. It is a roll of the dice backed by a bullpen that has yet to restore its superiority. In other words, it is hard to be optimistic about this team’s chances regardless of whether they win the division or snag one of the Wild Card spots. I know. Make it to October, and then anything can happen. True. But the realist in me knows that the Yankees will sabotage any forward progress with the usual weaknesses evident throughout the season.

The trade deadline is always viewed as an opportunity to build reinforcements. In retrospect, the Yankees’ Trade Deadline yielded nothing. I am not trying to be critical of the new Yankee Jazz Chisholm, Jr. I like the guy and the energy he has brought to the team. However, aside from those facts, he was brought in and immediately asked to play out of position (third base), and now, he is potentially lost for the season due to a UCL sprain in his elbow. Jazz seems to feel he will return this season (perhaps as soon as his 10-day IL stint is over), and maybe he will, but if the greatest need at the deadline was a third baseman, the Yankees should have traded for a third baseman. With Chisholm's injury, the window of opportunity, or the positive aspect of it, is the call-up…finally…of infielder Oswald Peraza, who, unlike Chisholm before his acquisition, has played some third base recently. Although it remains to be seen if he gets significant playing time, his home run this week was encouraging. I would like to see Peraza succeed. I firmly believe the Yankees need to allow him to play for the big-league club or trade him, although the latter point will have to wait until after the season if they go that route. I hope Chisholm makes it back because I believe the Yankees are better when he is on the field, but it does not negate my disappointment with the trade deadline.

Mark Leiter, Jr was a nice pickup for the bullpen, but other options could have provided more substantial, consistent results. Understandably, the cost would have been higher than that of minor leaguers Benjamin Cowles (SS) and Jack Neely (RHP). Yet, I would rather have Leiter over the departed Caleb Ferguson or the demoted Victor Gonzalez (sent outright to Triple-A after he was designated for assignment and waived). It is cool to have Leiter given the family legacy (his father, Mark, and his uncle, Al, played for the Yankees) and Anthony Volpe’s close friendship with Leiter, Jr’s cousin Jack, a top prospect for the Texas Rangers. He is a decent bullpen arm despite his familial connections.

Mark Leiter Jr (Photo Credit: Jason Szenes/New York Post)

I was a little surprised the Yankees traded Caleb Ferguson to a key rival, the Houston Astros, but it is not like Ferguson will bite us in the butt. If he gets critical outs in a playoff game against the Yankees, that potentially ends our season...so be it. Ferguson will remain addition by subtraction. I could not care less about whether Ferguson does well in hot, humid South Texas.

At the deadline, the big swing and miss was the acquisition of reliever Enyel De Los Santos, who performed horribly in pinstripes. He pitched in five games for the Yankees, covering six-and-a-third innings. He gave up thirteen hits and ten runs, yielding a homer and issuing three walks. His Yankees career will feature a 14.21 ERA, but hey, ERA does not matter, does it? Still, I was surprised the Yankees gave up on De Los Santos so quickly. He was designated for assignment this week and lost on waivers to the Chicago White Sox. So, all the Yankees have for trading minor league outfielder Brandon Lockridge, viewed as a rising outfielder, to the San Diego Padres is minor league RHP Thomas Balboni, Jr. Maybe Balboni will achieve his dream of playing in the Major Leagues with the Yankees. Or maybe he moves on, at which time we can revisit an old phrase with a new meaning…Bye-Bye Balboni. Regardless of how this turns out, it was not one of Brian Cashman’s better trades. Then again, he tends to have more deadline dogs than steals, so this is just another misfire to add to his resume. I would prefer a mutually beneficial trade but those seem rare in Cashman's universe.

De Los Santos' roster spot has been taken by former Toronto Blue Jays reliever Tim Mayza, whom the Yankees signed to a minor league deal in July after his release by the Blue Jays. Mayza's highest profile moment is his presence on the mound when Aaron Judge hit his sixty-first home run in 2022 to tie Roger Maris for the American League record. As we know, Judge would hit one more homer in his historic season to set the new AL high, but Mayza helped put him in position to set the new record.

Tim Mayza and Aaron Judge (Photo Credit: MLB.com)

This is when I hate to see the team pass on any opportunities to improve weaknesses in the offseason, with an apparent logic to see what the team needs at the deadline. Then, they cannot make any trades for impact players at the deadline because they are either unavailable or cost-prohibitive (player cost, not the green stuff).

Alex Verdugo at the start of the season to play left field made sense. To view him now as blocking the lane for Jasson Dominguez to receive a promotion to the Major Leagues is absurd. Verdugo should have been traded at the deadline for whatever the Yankees could have gotten for the soon-to-be free agent and ex-Yankee. I know Dominguez started slowly after his return to the field, but he is beginning to play better, and given the circumstances, he cannot be worse than Verdugo has played in recent months. I prefer Dominguez in left field, as a long-term factor for the Yankees, over Verdugo, who will be a one-and-done Yankee in a few months. It is a shame that Dominguez continues to toil in the minor leagues when he is fully capable of being a productive Major League player.

Look, I am not trying to be purposely negative about the Yankees. I am grateful they are battling for first place in the division with the Orioles and not playing leapfrog with the Toronto Blue Jays to avoid the division cellar or playing "mid" baseball with the Red Sox. If the Yankees make the playoffs, they will have my undying support. I only wish I had greater confidence about the potential of this year’s squad. Aaron Judge is the game’s best player, and Juan Soto is not far behind. This should be a magical year for those players. But they cannot win it all by themselves. They need help. Will the men that GM Brian Cashman chose for the roster this season be the right choices to slot around the dynamic duo? Well, as they say, time will tell. I wish I could say the answer is ‘hell, yes!’ but for now, it is just a ‘possible maybe.’ 

As always, Go Yankees!

Winning Yankees Baseball is Better...

   

Aaron Judge and Juan Soto (Photo Credit: @Yankees via Instagram)

Hoping the Yankees have turned the corner…

After a dismal month of play, two wins against the Baltimore Orioles in this weekend’s three-game series will not make me pronounce the Bronx Bombers are back, stronger than ever. The Orioles have had their own struggles over the past few weeks while the Yankees played MLB’s worst baseball. The Chicago Cubs swept the Orioles in a three-game series this past week. The Cubs pummeled Baltimore by a combined score of 21-2. It’s encouraging that the Yankees have won a series (by taking at least two of the three games against Baltimore) …finally… but they are not out of the doghouse yet. We share the concern for the team's recent performance, but if they can get on a roll to start the second half, the team can prove they are here to stay, not just another pretender.

The upcoming All-Star Break offers a much-needed respite for players not named Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and Clay Holmes. I would be okay with Judge and Soto being substituted for early in the All-Star Game on Tuesday or if Holmes did not get a chance to play. What matters most is the well-being of our Yankees. A rested, healthy team in the second half of the season is more important to me than watching a handful of elite players in a game that holds little significance.

I am not trying to remove the highlight of the three Yankees at this year’s All-Star Game. I always prefer to see as many Yankees as possible in the MLB’s showcase exhibition game, but this year, the health of the team’s most valuable assets is paramount. The Yankees will only go as far as Judge, Cole, and Gerrit Cole will take them. Starting pitching held together long enough to bridge the gap until Cole could return, but the Yankees would not be so lucky if they lost Judge or Soto for an extended period.

The Yankees will be tested to open the second half. They must beat the Rays, Mets, Red Sox, and Phillies this month to prove they have recaptured their groove in the last two games. Easier said than done. The Yankees face the Rays and Mets at home but will be on the road for Boston and Philadelphia. By the end of the month, we should know what this team is made of and if the team warrants upgrades by the deadline to make a run for October. The upcoming games are crucial and will determine the team's potential. So, in the big picture, I could not care less about the All-Star Game. But I am fully engaged, as I understand that the outcome of these games will shape the Yankees' future. Winning Yankees Baseball takes precedence over all else.

After Saturday's win, the Yankees have recaptured a share of first place in the AL East. The O’s have a slight edge (57-38, .600 winning percentage) over the Yankees (58-39, .598 winning percentage), but they are tied for all intents and purposes. Given how bad the Yankees have been playing recently, it is incredible that they remain in the AL East dogfight. The Boston Red Sox, a testament to the value of a strong manager, are only four and a half games behind the AL East leaders.

I wish to boldly state that the Yankees will obliterate the competition in the coming weeks and months, but realistically, the team has flaws that have been exposed. I am not sure that deadline acquisitions can cure what ails the team. As they say, we will soon find out since time will tell, as it always does.

I never once thought Clay Holmes purposely threw the pitch at the head of Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad on Friday night. He may have been trying to pitch in on Kjerstad, but, unfortunately, he failed to locate the pitch properly, and it struck the side of Kjerstad’s batting helmet. I am grateful that Kjerstad was not seriously injured. I get Orioles manager Brandon Hyde’s quick jump to the defense of his players, even if it was a little over the top. I would expect Yankees manager Aaron Boone to be as passionate if it had happened to one of his players. I am not purposely trying to defend Hyde’s actions, but I understand why he was upset even if Holmes did not intend to hit Kjerstad.

Benches clear at Camden Yards (Photo Credit: NY Daily News)

The Orioles placed Kjerstad on the 10-day Injured List for concussion-related injuries, so he needs some rest before he is ready to play again. I hope there are no long-term complications. We certainly pray for a quick and speedy recovery. You never want to see anyone hurt, regardless of their uniform.

Life was easier when the Orioles were a doormat in the AL East.

The Yankees have had their own bouts with the Injured List lately. On Friday, infielder JD Davis was surprisingly placed on the 10-day Injured List with stomach flu. The move is retroactive to July 9, 2024. The Yankees called up infielder Jorbit Vivas to replace Davis on the active roster. No 40-man roster move was necessary since Vivas was already on it. I am not sure we would have noticed if the Yankees had removed Davis from the active roster without any formal announcement.

Will the Yankees allow Vivas to play? Or will he see a few Major League games from the bench before he returns to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre? I am not sure when Vivas arrived in Baltimore to join the team, but two games into this series, Vivas has yet to appear. Given how down people are on Gleyber Torres, the Yankees should play Vivas at second base for a glimpse into the future. If you think he is good enough to be activated to the Major League active roster, he is good enough to play. He will potentially be the team’s starting second baseman in 2025. I say the future is now, and the Yankees should let him begin the Major League indoctrination into the speed of the higher-level game. Some things cannot be taught in the Minor Leagues. The faster we can ramp up Vivas, the better. I like Gleyber Torres, but he is on the fast track for a change of scenery caused by his inconsistent play.

DJ LeMahieu’s decline has also opened chatter about the need for a new third baseman, a position Vivas can play. On a side note, Oswald Peraza's stock has fallen significantly, and it seems like he is destined to follow the path of former top prospect Estevan Florial as an organizational flame-out. Including lower-level rehab games, Peraza is batting .211/.329/.297, with a .626 OPS, in the minor leagues this year. He has hit only one home run at the Triple-A level and 17 RBIs in 164 Triple-A at-bats. By comparison, Vivas hit .258/.404/.424, with a .828 OPS, at Triple-A this season. He had 5 homers and 19 RBIs for the RailRiders in 132 at-bats. Vivas deserves a chance to play regardless of how or why he earned his MLB opportunity. Taking LeMahieu out of the lineup is not going to hurt the team’s offense and, in fact, might help it.

Trade options are limited for third base. The Angels’ Luis Rengifo seems to be the most frequent name, but he is currently on the IL with wrist inflammation. Ryan McMahon of the Colorado Rockies is another name frequently mentioned, but it seems improbable that he will be traded. Cincinnati's second baseman, Jonathan India, is also mentioned, but the Reds are only three games out in the NL Wild Card chase. With the thin available talent at third base, a reunion with Gio Urshela is probably on the table. I would prefer to see Vivas take the position, either at second or third and run with it. The Yankees need to cure the ailments of at least one of those positions in the coming days. Rengifo and McMahon would be apparent upgrades for third base; however, I am skeptical they will be traded. A Rengifo trade seems likely, but wrist inflammation is troublesome even if no broken bones exist. Trading for injured players is not a great recipe for success.

Angels manager Ron Washington and medical staffer with Luis Rengifo (Photo Credit: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Yankees GM Brian Cashman generally moves in different directions than most people expect, and I think this trade deadline will be no different. I have no idea who the Yankees will target, and considering the extended poor play by the team, I am not entirely convinced the Yankees should part with top organizational talent to fill its current holes. The next few weeks should show if the team can make a run, and there is no doubt the Yankees are looking at all options. I just wish the dumpster diving would cease. Play the kids or trade for proven talent. The American League is wide open this year, and the Yankees can claim the league championship this season if they make the right moves. Hoping for ‘lightning in the bottle’ with players who have worn out their welcomes with their existing teams will not improve this year’s Yankees squad. They need to start playing winning baseball against winning teams. The Orioles will be hard to stop if they start hitting like we know they can. The Yankees must grab the divisional momentum now and keep it going if they intend to hold off the young, talented, albeit pitching-challenged, Orioles. Setting aside any feelings about whether the Yankees should change their manager and/or general manager, the team must make moves that matter regardless of whatever they may be. I am not predicting a World Series championship this season…there is too much time left before October…yet the Yankees can find the path to MLB’s final games if they play their cards right. No pressure.

The Yankees also called up catcher Carlos Narvaez on Saturday to replace Jose Trevino, who was placed on the 10-day Injured List. Trevino suffered a left quad strain while sliding home in the ninth inning of Friday night’s game. Ben Rice can obviously catch, but his focus must be on first base for the near future. It seems like Wells will get most of the starts in Trevino’s absence after the position was essentially a job-share. While I want to see Narvaez make a strong impression, I am hopeful Wells will use the opportunity to advance his game. We know Wells has the talent to be an offensive force, which may be the break he needs to accelerate his Major League growth. Sorry, I am trying to find positives in losing Trevino for a few weeks.

Cashman was dumpster diving again on Friday. He signed former Toronto Blue Jays reliever Tim Mayza to a minor-league contract. Mayza, 32, was recently designated for assignment by the Blue Jays and subsequently released. Yankees fans will remember Mayza as the pitcher who gave up Aaron Judge’s AL record-tying sixty-first home run in Toronto during Judge’s historic 2022 home run chase. I doubt this move will prove fruitful, but you never know. I never thought Michael Tonkin or Luke Weaver would become mainstays in the bullpen.

Speaking of players designated for assignment, my first thought when the Philadelphia Phillies released Whit Merrifield this week was that he would become Brian Cashman’s latest reclamation project. The Yankees had always liked Merrifield, and there seems to be some ‘destiny’ associated with it. I probably have mixed feelings. His play this season led to his release. Is this the player his new team will be getting, or will they get the player who was productive as recently as last year? I am not sure the Yankees should take that chance. Age happens… for a case in point, see DJ LeMahieu. If the Yankees do sign Merrifield, I will support him. If another team signs him, c’est la vie. This move will not bring champagne stains to the Yankees clubhouse floor.

As always, Go Yankees!

Playing "Prevent Defense" in the MLB...

Photo Credit: John E Sokolowski, USA TODAY Sports

What’s more important? Rest or Home Field Advantage…

I really dislike losing winnable games in September. Actually, I hate it anytime but it seems to be magnified in the season’s final month of the regular season. I get the need to balance health while competing with the Houston Astros for best record in the American League, but the Yankees seem to be failing the former and jeopardizing the latter. Last night’s walk-off home run in the 12th inning by Bo Bichette allowed the lowly Toronto Blue Jays to overcome the Yankees for the second walk-off loss by the Pinstripers since last Tuesday night. The balk given up by Adam Ottavino which allowed the Jays to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh was a microcosm of the sloppy play lately.  

Photo Credit: AP

The loss, coupled with a win by the Astros, pulls Houston to within a game of the Yankees for best record and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Yankees are 97-52, while the Astros are 96-53, with an unlucky 13 games to play. If the Yankees fail in either the ALDS or ALCS, I know that I’ll look back on September with much frustration. It kind of feels like a NFL team playing prevent defense to protect a lead which inevitably fails (or so it seems). 

Injuries happen but there’s no doubt the Yankees need to revisit their practices and procedures given the plethora of injuries this year, setting an all-time high for guys on the injured list. I think the one recent injury that really bugs me is the latest groin injury suffered by Gary Sanchez which has potentially cost him the rest of the regular season. If the injury was suffered while catching or running out a hit, it’s one thing but to lose El Gary on a stolen base attempt is ridiculous. Kevin Kernan of The New York Post put it best this morning in his column when he says “Advice to Yankees: Never give Sanchez a green light again in his career.” Agreed! A stolen base attempt is such a high risk play. If the Yankees need Sanchez stealing bases to win games, we’re in trouble. There’s no way I would have had Sanchez running in that situation. I know I have the benefit of hindsight but I truly would have said that before the injury happened.  

I am excited Luis Severino will finally make his season debut next Tuesday when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim visit the Bronx. Not quite sure what to expect as there will be rust despite the rehab appearances in the Minor Leagues but a healthy Sevy is very important for October. There’s no doubt he has the potential of having a ‘Mike Mussina in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS’ moment. I am equally excited about the impending return of Giancarlo Stanton. He is one guy that I hope the team can keep healthy for the duration of the season. With the losses of Edwin Encarnacion, Mike Tauchman, and Gary Sanchez, Stanton’s bat looms large. It would have even if those guys had stayed healthy. Stanton has had more than his share of critics but I know I am not one of them. I am glad Giancarlo Stanton is a Yankee and I look forward to his return. Jordan Montgomery is expected to make an appearance during Sunday’s game but I am not expecting much from him. I’ve seen some on Social Media act as though the return of Monty equals the return of an ace. Sorry, but he’s not in the same league as Severino. Sevy is the far more valuable pitcher.  Sevy is also not making a return from Tommy John surgery like Gumby is. I don’t expect #47 to be a factor until 2020 at the earliest despite whatever he is able to do this month. It would be a huge surprise for him to even be on the post-season roster.

Speaking of injuries, I really feel badly for the Milwaukee Brewers. One game out of the NL Wild Card chase after their loss last night, the Brewers suffered a larger loss earlier in the week when superstar Christian Yelich fractured his kneecap and won’t be back on a baseball field until next Spring. 

Photo Credit: Mark Brown, Getty Images

I know, Yankee fans are not going to feel sorry for injuries on other teams, but you can argue that losing a single player hurts the Brewers more than losing what? 30 players has hurt the Yankees. I know, that’s an absurd statement but still, there’s an element of truth to it. Yelich and Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers have battled for the potential NL Most Valuable Player Award all season. While Bellinger has been my favorite, I do hate to see Yelich lose out like this. He deserved better and so did the Brewers. I guess Tyler Austin will have to carry the Brew Crew now. Seriously, this does put an incredible amount of pressure on Mike Moustakas to be “the guy”.   

On the subject of injuries, I should also add how horrific it was to see the Blue Jays lose reliever Tim Mayza last night. After a misfired pitch behind the back of Didi Gregorius, who led off the top of the 10th inning, Mayza went to his knees in obvious pain and was escorted off the field. He’ll undergo a MRI to determine the extent of the injury but first (uneducated) guess is a ligament tear. I sincerely hope the injury is not as severe as it appears to be and that Mayza is able to return in 2020. Worst case scenario would mean Tommy John surgery and a lost season ahead. I really hope for Mayza’s sake it is not the case. He had been making the most of his opportunity in the Jays bullpen this season.

Photo Credit: Cole Burston, Getty Images

After the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders bowed out of the International League playoffs against the Tampa Bay Rays’ affiliate, it was great to see the Double A Trenton Thunder grab the Eastern League championship. The Thunder beat the Bowie Baysox, an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and a team managed by Zack Britton’s brother Buck, in four games to take the five-game championship series. Dellin Betances made an appearance in the deciding game, giving up a sixth inning homer in an inning of work. Luis Severino started and lost Game 2 of the series but it was more of a failure of team defense than Sevy’s pitches that cost them the game. First baseman Chris Gittens and pitchers Clarke Schmidt and Michael King, names we’ll be hearing at Yankee Stadium one day, delivered championship performances for Manager Pat Osborn’s team. Congrats to the Thunder for their highly successful season! 

Photo Credit: Kyle Franko, The Trentonian

Adonis Rosa, who was DFA’d this week when Ben Heller was moved from the 60-day IL to the active roster, cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple A effectively ending his season but at least he remains in the organization. I guess the move didn’t really make a difference to me. There was no way Rosa was going to hold onto his valuable 40-man roster spot after the season and others like Ryan Dull, Cory Gearrin, and Tyler Lyons (who gave up Bichette’s walk-off HR last night) should be ex-Yankees when the big league club concludes its season and moves to protect certain high level prospects in advance of December’s Rule 5 Draft. I prefer a healthy Ben Heller to any of the aforementioned names and look forward to his 2020 contributions. Once the Yankees eliminate Clint Frazier in the off-season, Heller will be the last remaining piece from the Andrew Miller trade.

This has been a disappointing year for the Boston Red Sox but I was still somewhat surprised they fired President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski before season’s end. This action appears to have been inevitable since the Sox and owner John Henry have rebuffed attempts by Dombrowski to extend his contract since Spring Training. The Red Sox are presently ten games out of the AL Wild Card hunt and, barring a miracle, will not see October play. I’ve seen some say it would not be a surprise to see Dombrowski join the Yankees as a consultant given his close friendship with GM Brian Cashman. Nothing against Dombrowski but I don’t really want to see him join the Yankees. I am fearful the Yankees could lose Cashman’s chief lieutenant, Tim Naehring, a former Red Sock player, in Boston’s search for a replacement. But even if the Yankees lose Naehring, I wouldn’t want Dombrowski on my team. Naehring’s status as a candidate for Boston was significantly increased yesterday when the Arizona Diamondbacks extended their GM, Mike Hazen, a long-time Boston employee and the top speculated candidate for the vacancy.  

It’s starting to feel like Joe Girardi will be the next manager of the cross-town Mets or at least it seems that way to me. I always thought Girardi would end up in Chicago but that is not necessarily the case. If Cubs manager Joe Maddon steps down, it seems as though David Ross stands a better chance of getting the job than Girardi. It kind of sucks that we could be watching Girardi in a Mets uniform next season, managing former Yankee great Robinson Cano. I guess if Girardi does join the Mets, he’ll get a firsthand look at how differently the Wilpons run their organization in comparison to the Steinbrenner family. Good luck with that.

As always, Go Yankees!