CC Sabathia

New York Yankees: Gary Sanchez receives positive injury news

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New York Yankees, Gary Sanchez

This season, the New York Yankees have seen over 24 players on the injured list. That is almost an entire roster.

The fact that the Yankees are in first place by a large margin only attached to their strong will and discipline. A recent sweep of the Boston Red Sox shows their dominance and how they can weather any storm, including injuries.

Players seem to show up out of nowhere and contribute towards run production and defensive prowess, a tall task for alternatives that are being pulled up from the minor-league level on a daily occurrence.

One player of the Yankees have missed recently is catcher Gary Sanchez. Sanchez was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a groin strain. The anticipation is that he will return sometime this week to take over for Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka.

Before being injured Gary Sanchez was hitting .229 with 43 runs, 24 home runs, and 58 RBIs. His offensive production fell off a bit after the All-Star break, but his home run totals have been fantastic and his defense has been much improved after a strenuous 2018 season.

In addition to Sanchez, multiple starting-caliber players are also dealing with injuries, but the Yankees will return several in August.

CC Sabathia, Giancarlo Stanton, Jonathan Loaisiga, David Hale, Luis Severino, and Edwin Encarnacion, I’ll have a chance to return by months end. Several could return early in September before a playoff appearance.

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The Yankees have struggled significantly with injuries this season, but they have stepped up to the plate and supplemented the loss of several key players. Options like Gio Urshela and Cameron Maybin have both played fantastic baseball in the absence of Miguel Andujar and Giancarlo Stanton.

The Yankees are currently eight games ahead of the Tampa Bay rays and 14.5 games ahead of the Red Sox. They are in the right place heading into the remainder of the season and will likely eclipse the 100 win mark once more. Gaining back several influential players before the postseason will give them the boost they need to make a run at the World Series.

New York Yankees could target Trevor Bauer before trade deadline

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The New York Yankees are looking into Cleveland Indians pitcher, Trevor Bauer.

One former New York Yankees player believes Trevor Bauer is an attractive trade target:

If it was up to former New York Yankees third baseman, Alex Rodriguez would be all in on Cleveland Indians ace, Trevor Bauer. The Yankees trade target had a mental meltdown against the Kansas City Royals after allowing eight runs, seven earned.

Before Bauer was taken out of the game by manager Terry Francona, he launched a ball from the pitching mound over the wall in center field. It was certainly a testament to his arm strength, but the passion and anger could be viewed in two different perspectives.

On one side, Bauer could have been viewed as aggressive and radical, on the other, a passionate player that was simply disappointed with his performance.

Given his 3.79 ERA after giving up seven runs, there’s little doubt that he was not pleased with his execution. Rodriguez comments on his anger, which he spins into a positive:

“Here’s the bottom line,” Rodriguez said. “Curt Schilling was one of the best pitchers I’ve ever faced and [he] won multiple championships. Whether you like Curt Schilling or not, he was a tremendous big-game pitcher. So was David Wells. So was [Orlando] ‘El Duque’ Hernandez. Do you want Barry Bonds in your lineup? I like him. Other teams don’t like him. Do you like him?

“At 7:05, when that game starts, you win with great players. You want nice people? Go pick your friends off the field.”

After chucking the ball about 350 feet, A-Rod expressed his desire for the Yankees or any given team to pursue him even further.

“If he was on my radar before he chucked the ball over the center-field wall, he’s going to continue to be,” said Rodriguez, who noted it was a “heck of a throw.”

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With the Bombers in dire need of starting pitchers, Bauer could be a perfect fit. The bright lights of New York and expectation would allow him to thrive in a competitive nature. With CC Sabathia going down with right knee inflammation, the July 31 trade deadline is becoming more important by the minute.

New York Yankees: CC Sabathia lands on the IL after tough loss to Boston

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New York Yankees, CC Sabathia

The New York Yankees simply can’t catch a break when it comes to their starting pitching rotation. With several options dealing with minor injuries, veteran CC Sabathia has also gone down, being placed on the injured list after another routing by the Boston Red Sox.

Boston has 38 runs against the Yankees over the last three days, an unacceptable amount that will ultimately lead to general manager Brian Cashman signing another pitcher before the July 31 trade deadline.

The team announced on Sunday morning that CC Sabathia will be placed on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation, an ailment he’s been dealing with this season. The 39-year-old left, who has suffered through this before, gave up five runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings on Saturday, and believe it or not, that was a better appearance for the starters in recent days.

The Yanks will lean on Domingo German on Sunday to try and sneak by without forfeiting a sweep to Boston. They will play them again in the Bronx next weekend in what could be a momentum-changing series.

The Bombers have been looking into several pitching options including Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard, and Madison Bumgarner to help supplement the inconsistencies of the rotation.

Additionally, ace Luis Severino is slowly working his way back and should make an appearance later in August or early September.

 

New York Yankees pitching continues to struggle, help is on the way

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New York Yankees, Domingo German

The New York Yankees have given up a combined 40 runs over the last five games, and their starting pitchers are on the hook for 29 of them, an atrocious number that nearly guarantees GM Brian Cashman bringing in another starter.

It’s obvious fatigue is starting to set in as players like Domingo German, CC Sabathia, and James Paxton are all struggling at an immense rate. German has never pitched over 85.2 innings in a season and he’s already at 91.2, Sabathia’s age is clearly getting the best of him and Paxton looks lost after reports of knee inflammation dampened his potential.

The return of Luis Severino should provide a boost given he can return to his former self, but it will take mountains to solidify the unit at this point in time, which is why a trade is becoming more likely with every passing day.

Yesterday, we talked about Clint Frazier being a trading piece, and today it’s nearly impossible to consider him less than that.

The Yankees have been linked to several quality options like Madison Bumgarner, Marcus Stroman, Trevor Bauer and more, and with the trade deadline being July 31, expect a move to be made soon.

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Could the New York Yankees and Cashman sit still?

It’s very possible the Bombers elect not to bring in another pitcher, but they’de be doing themselves a disservice and ultimately hurt their chances at a World Series run. The reality is, it’s necessary, and the fact they traded for Edwin Encarnacion out of the blue should attest to their sneakiness.

However, the 10th inning victory against the Twins on Tuesday night, capped off by a game-sealing Aaron Hicks mega-catch, was a sneak peek into the deterioration of the relief pitching corps. Aroldis Chapman can’t record a save for his life and Adam Ottavino lost his control. The fact they managed to win that game was simply a product of their insane run-support and defensive quality.

Things need to tighten up for the Yanks, and it starts with acquiring a starter than can carry the team when he’s featured.

Who should the New York Yankees go after in their starting pitching hunt?

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Should the New York Yankees pursue Madison Bumgarner this offseason?

The New York Yankees have a clear need for starting pitching. The club is credited to a 4.05 ERA, which is nothing to write home about. J.A. Happ has been shaky all season and CC Sabathia has been inconsistent. Both pitchers are credited to above a 4.0 ERA. The only pitcher in the rotation that has been consistently effective every start is Domingo German.

Heading into the postseason, the Yankees will need another arm that can go the distance while only allowing 1-3 runs a start. With the amount of runs the Yankees score, this will be enough to secure a win. The best option for the Yankees is to go all in on Madison Bumgarner from the San Francisco Giants.

This season, the lanky lefty holds a 3.86 ERA with a 5-7 record. In 116.1 frames pitched, Bumgarner has fanned 121. Holding a 2.11 ERA and a 8-3 record in the playoffs, Bumgarner is known for his dominance in the postseason. He has been to three World Series, where he is undefeated holding a 4-0 record while credited to a astounding 0.25 ERA.

 

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Who could the Yankees trade for him?

The San Francisco Giants need young talent. Most of their everyday guys are 28+ years old. To land Bumgarner, the Giants will most likely be interested in the Yankees’ minor league prospects. Clint Frazier is the most obvious choice on this list. For the Giant’s needs, they could easily use outfield depth. Frazier is a guy who could give them youth and a legit bat in a full-time role. Another big name that could land Bumgarner is Jonathan Loaisiga. Albert Abreu and Deivi Garcia are also two minor league strong arms who will most likely reach the majors in a year or so.

If not Bumgarner, who else?

The Yankees have also expressed interest in Trevor Bauer from the Cleveland Indians and many Yankee fans believe GM Brain Cashman should go after Marcus Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays. Both options are great options for the club.

New York Yankees to make deal for starting pitcher before the trade deadline

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Are the New York Yankees interested in trading for Blue Jays pitcher, Marcus Stroman?

It’s only a matter of time before the New York Yankees strike a deal to bring a starting pitcher to the Bronx, it’s just a matter of who. Rumors of options like Noah Syndergaard, Zack Wheeler, Marcus Stroman and more have plastered headlines the past few weeks.

July 31st marks the trade deadline which is three weeks away and at some point, the Bombers should bring in another pitcher to add to a rotation that seems to be constantly affected by injuries.

What are the New York Yankees going to do?

General manager Brian Cashman commented on the current state of the rotation and if snagging a pitcher would be beneficial, according to his interview on MLB Network:

“Our interest is improving our pitching,” Cashman said. “Certainly the target would be to continue to reinforce the rotation because obviously that’s where the majority of your innings are going to have to come from, and we have a long way to go. Those innings are vitally important. We’re going to target starting pitching, and if not, we’re going to continue to reinforce the bullpen. Bottom line is just trying to add quality to what we already have.”

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The Yankees have been supplementing the loss of pitching with mid-inning relief pitchers. Nestor Cortes Jr., Luis Cessa, Adam Ottavino, and Tommy Kahnle have been leaned on heavily to pick up the slack.

Still surviving without Luis Severino, who went down with shoulder inflammation during spring training, has succumbed to multiple setbacks. The Yanks rushed him back and it ultimately backfired setting his timetable for return back several months.

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However, he could begin throwing again this weekend, which would begin a long road to a return. Late August seems to be a possible time frame.

CC Sabathia, James Paxton, and Domingo German are all currently dealing with individual injuries. Finding another starter to help fill the gaps has become a necessity.

New York Yankee should go after Tigers’ starting pitcher Matthew Boyd

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Should the New York Yankees pursue Detroit Tigers pitcher Matthew Boyd in a potential trade?

One player that hasn’t made the rounds in the New York Yankees daily trade rumor-mill is Detroit Tigers’, Matthew Boyd. The right-handed pitcher would be a stellar addition to the Bombers’ currently weak starting rotation.

With Luis Severino expected to be out until August at the earliest, Domingo German fighting through an injury, and James Paxton/CC Sabathia both struggling with inflammation, finding a way to supplement the lack of talent currently available is a must.

The New York Yankees could stay put:

It’s very possible GM Brian Cashman elects to wait out the injury bug and utilize a multi-man rotation on a game-by-game basis, something that seems to be working for the Yankees and their run-supportive lineup.

However, Boyd offers immediate value, but wouldn’t come at a cheap price-point. The 28-year-old is under contract until 2023, which gives the Yankees plenty of value if they elect to pursue him in a trade.

This year, so far, he’s 5-5 with a 3.61 ERA over 16 starts. Boyd is essentially a strikeout machine, earning 118Ks up to this point. As he’s seemingly entering his prime, the Bombers would be getting great value from the young starter – a player that can help them in future years as well.

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I would expect outfielder Clint Frazier to be a part of this deal, as his offensive production and immense potential could be the catalyst. The Yankees would prefer to hold on to him, but he’s too valuable to not offer in a deal that would help the Yanks achieve a potential World Series win.

With the trade deadline being July 31, Cashman has plenty of time to continue searching for a player that will satisfy their needs at the right price. Boyd would be a solid option that could pay dividends.

New York Yankees: CC Sabathia Wins 250th Career Game

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New York Yankees, Yankees, CC Sabathia

New York Yankees veteran southpaw CC Sabathia picked up his 250th career win on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, in one of the more unusual games we have seen in a while.

The Yankees won by a score of 12-1, scoring in just the first and seventh innings, putting up six runs a piece led by a three-run home run by Gary Sanchez and a Grand Slam off the bat of Gleyber Torres.

The Yankees also had just nine hits to their 12 runs, drawing seven walks. They drew four off of 2018 Cy Young Blake Snell, and made the lefty depart after just a third of an inning, making it essentially another bullpen game for Tampa Bay.

CC Was Lights Out

On Wednesday, CC Sabathia had his best start since his injury. He went six innings, giving up three hits and a run while issuing three free passes. He threw 94 pitches, his second highest pitch count of the season (99).

The one run was scored off a bloop single to right via Tommy Pham.

Wednesday was Sabathia’s fourth win of the year, evening his record at 4-4. His season ERA dropped to 4.14, still higher than his 3.70 career ERA.

What an accomplishment for CC Sabathia. He did something that only the best starters can do, and it’s certainly worthy enough for him to be in the hall of fame.

 

New York Yankees: CC Sabathia Struggles Against The White Sox

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CC Sabathia’s third start off the IL was once again not pretty.

The New York Yankees lefty struggled mightily against the White Sox on Friday, going just 4 and 2/3 innings and giving up 10 hits. He gave up six runs and walked three while striking out three.

He just had an overall off night. His velocity was a bit down, he couldn’t locate as well as normal, and his pitches just weren’t breaking.

With two on and two out in the first, Sabathia gave up a three home run to Eloy Jimenez, just over the head of Aaron Hicks in center. Jose Abreu had an RBI double later on, and Yolmer Sanchez had a pair of RBI knocks.

Repercussions

Because CC Sabathia didn’t go very deep into the ballgame, it forces the bullpen to get more outs on Friday night. Not just that, but the Yankees are pitching a bullpen game on Saturday and need as many arms as possible.

Chad Green is expected to start, but maybe you have someone like Nestor Cortes Jr. start instead.

Also, the Yankees don’t have a day off again until they travel to London in two weeks. Using a bunch of arms this early in a long stretch of games without an off-day isn’t ideal at all.

After CC Sabathia’s third straight loss, it makes you wonder a bit. Does he deserve to even be in the starting rotation? I get that he’s a veteran and a future hall-of-famer, but if someone is pitching bad then they need to get out of the rotation.

New York Yankees setting sights on Nationals star Max Scherzer?

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Could the New York Yankees pursue Max Scherzer in a trade?

The New York Yankees have a pitching problem, and it’s not just their bullpen that has struggled as of late, it’s the starters as well. Masahiro Tanaka has lost touch of his renowned splitter, James Paxton has been playing through a knee injury, CC Sabathia has inflammation in his knee, and Domingo German was placed on the 10-day injured list.

Again, the Yankees can’t catch a break with the injury bug, and it may force their hand as we approach the trade deadline. Losing out on former Cy Young award winner Dallas Keuchel certainly hurt, but rumors have stated the Bombers might be looking into a potential trade for Nationals star pitcher, Max Scherzer.

It’s possible the New York Yankees pursue Scherzer:

Considering the fact that Nationals are sub-.500, it makes sense that they would be open to trading the pitcher. The Yanks have one of the best youth systems in baseball, and they have plenty of resources to push a deal through.

The 12-year veteran is 4-5 on the season but is pitching 2.83 with little run support. Last year, he earned an astounding 18 total wins with a 2.53 ERA. There’s no question he’s a premium talent player, my concern is his price tag.

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The Nationals might ask too much from the Yanks for their ace, but it’s coming to a point where the Yankees are losing their leverage as the starting rotation is running thin. It will take several months before the regular starters are back in their normal slots, but it seems as if Brian Cashman believes they can weather the storm.

Theoretically, the Yankees just need to make the playoffs, and they’re seemingly on track at the moment. Not paying top-dollar for a quality pitcher can be justified if they continue to win a majority of games. The problem is – even run support can’t supplement bad pitching at times.