Luke Voit

Yankees News and Rumors 12/15: Everything you need to know in one place

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New York Yankees, Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge locked down; now what?

The New York Yankees homegrown superstar Aaron Judge locked down his personal life with the marriage last weekend to Samantha Bracksieck in a tropical setting in Maui, Hawaii. The only question to be answered in his life is whether he will have a marriage with the Yankees.

The 2017 Rookie of the Year had his second-best year with the Yankees last season. He stayed healthy and basically carried the team on his back with consistently good play all season long. Judge has often been called the face of the Yankees and the face of baseball. But Judge will become a free agent after this season, and it’s time for the Yankees to make him a lifelong Yankee with a handsome contract extension.

Although the Yankees have been mostly quiet on the subject, they are well aware of the need to address the Judge situation sooner than later. Part of their delay in propping up the team pre-lockout could be because they need to see what monies will be available for their needs, including an extension for Judge. Once a new CBA can be reached, the Yankees will have to pounce on these needs quickly.

Appreciating Jordan Montgomery

Yankee pitcher Jordan Montgomery has gone under the radar the last few years but has been a mostly solid player for the Yankees. Over five seasons with the Yankees, one out for Tommy John surgery, he has a winning record. Monty has been their only constant in the pitching rotation throughout the period, with the loss of Luis Severino to surgery, CC Sabathia to retirement, seeing Masahiro Tanaka lost to Japan, and now the loss of 2 time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber.

Montgomery is a good pitcher, although not flashy; he never enjoyed the hype of a Joba Chamberlain but has been solid for the Yankees. Montgomery’s career stats are not bad. 388 IP – 15.8 K-BB% – 1.27 WHIP – 3.90 FIP – 7.3 fWAR, which is nothing to sneeze at. Last season, he was 6-7 with an ERA of 3.83 in 30 games. That record is not representative of how he pitched; he got absolutely no run support in over half of his games. Montgomery could be big for the Yankees in 2022 in the third spot in the rotation.

Anthony Rizzo is enjoying free agency

At the trade deadline last season, the Yankees got the long-time Chicago Cub to replace the ailing Luke Voit at first base. Rizzo started out like a superstar for the Yankees, but his hitting cooled off. One thing that didn’t cool off was his defense at first base, the best since Mark Teixeira. So now Rizzo is a free agent for the first time in his baseball life, and he is enjoying it.

The Yankees, as of the lock-out, do not have a starting first baseman for the new season. They retained Luke Voit, but with his health, he is not the best option, nevertheless having him reduces the priority for the Yankees. Rizzo, meanwhile, has made it known that he likes New York and would like to stay here. Other names that have been mentioned for the Yankees to act on once the lock-out is over are Matt Olson and the best in the business, Freddie Freeman, among others.

Is Trevor Story a fit for the Yankees?

Even before the World Series was over, the Yankees announced that they would be spending money and that their number one priority was to sign a star-like shortstop. To date, that has not been done, with some ambiguity as to if the Yankees will do that or go the way of a stopgap purchase, waiting for either Anthony Volpe or Oswald Perzaza to become major league ready.

Several names the Yankees have been looking at are already gone. Corey Seager went to the Texas Rangers, and Marcus Semien went to the Angels. That leaves the big prize of Carlos Correa still unsigned. Correa is not the best fit for the Yankees because of a lingering mysterious back ailment and involvement in the Astros sign-stealing that could have cost the Yankees a World Series appearance.

There are other options, and one of them is a shortstop the Yankees have looked at previously; Trevor Story. Trevor Story remains an intriguing prospect for a team with a current need at SS but less of a need in the future. The Yankees once very high on Story seem to have soured on him somewhat. Nevertheless, they made a play for him at the trade deadline but could not come to an agreement with the Colorado Rockies.

Story had an unexpected down season in 2021; (.251/.329/.471/.801, 24 home runs, 75 RBIs). However, Story has solidified himself as one of the top offensive shortstops in the game, and he is not far from out of the headlights on the Yankee horizon.

Is a shortstop already in the system?

The New York Yankees could blow off the shortstop need and avoid spending money as they look for a number two starter for the pitching rotation, a first baseman, and help in center field. However, to do that, they would have to recognize how good Gio Urshela was replacing Gleyber Torres at short. Although a small sample, Urshela proved he can play the position to upgrade Torres.

Should the Yankees take the stopgap option, Urshela could slide in at short until Yankee prospects Anthony Volpe and Osward Perzara are ready for the big time. Last season in 28 games, he hit .267 with a better fielding percentage than at third base, his usual position. Urshela is not the perfect option for the Yankees, but for one year, it could work. With Torres penned in at second and moving DJ LeMahieu to third base, where he played adequately last season, that would let the Yankees concentrate on a long-term upgrade at first base.

Luke Voit; trade piece or first baseman?

Early in the post-season, the Yankees decided to hold onto first baseman Luke Voit. The question is, why? He is not a great defender at first and can’t seem to stay healthy. There are two answers to that question. They are going to concentrate on a new expensive shortstop, or they are holding onto Voit as a trade piece to fill one of the team’s needs, at short, in the outfield, or at first base.

With a questionable health record, in 2020, he led all of baseball with 22 home runs in the shortened season. But last season, he regressed playing in only 68 games, hitting .239 with only eleven home runs. He couldn’t stay healthy below the belt with foot and knee problems. There is no question that the Yankees are concerned about Voit and who will play at first base. The Yankees attempted to trade Voit before the trade deadline but were unsuccessful. The Yankees have several first-base options, including keeping DJ LeMahieu there. They also could resign Anthony Rizzo, get Olson, or go after the superstar Freddie Freeman. At his point, Voit does not seem like the best option as we advance.

 

Yankees nearly traded slugging first baseman, could deal still materialize?

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New York Yankees, Luke Voit

The New York Yankees are focused on finding a solution at the shortstop position, but they also have an opening at first base. After trading for Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs at the deadline this past season, they have a decision to make — extend Rizzon on a multi-year deal or look for a supplement.

However, Luke Voit might have a thing or two to say regarding the Yankees overlooking him as a long-term option at the position. Voit has been a consistent slugger for the Bombers, but his defensive deficiencies and injury history has prevented them from committing to him as their regular first baseman.

In fact, the Yankees were speaking with a National League team, the Milwaukee Brewers, about a potential deal that would send Voit out West before the lockout was instituted. The Brewers might’ve been intrigued by Cashman’s desire for an outfielder, which could’ve resulted in a salary dump for Lorenzo Cain, Joel Sherman of the NY Post suggested.

Given Cashman’s interest in trading Voit, it suggests they have a plan in place to upgrade the 1B spot with a quality player, whether that be via free agency or a trade. Of course, Rizzo makes the most sense given the team’s confidence in him, but I wouldn’t rule out the potential for a blockbuster deal including Freddie Freeman or a trade for Matt Olson.

Freeman is coming off a World Series victory with Atlanta, but if they’re unwilling to reach his six-year contract desire, the Yankees could swoop in and surprise everybody with a behemoth offer. Olson, who would cost a lot less financially but command significant prospect allocations, could also be on the table. Cashman spoke to Oakland about their needs in a prospective trade, but things never materialized ahead of the lockout.

Ultimately, it boils down to how much Cashman is willing to spend, considering he still needs a shortstop, depth outfielder, and starting pitcher to pair with Gerrit Cole. Owner Hal Steinbrenner is confident the lockout with turn in favor of the owners, which will help his team financially, despite spending a small amount of the revenue he brings in every season.

Back in 2018, it was reported that the Yankees brought in $668 million in revenue but used only 30% toward player salaries. That number has only dropped over the past three seasons, indicating even more separation between fair and ownership greed. If the Steinbrenner’s decided to spend a healthy amount, they could push past the luxury tax threshold and sign Freeman, Carlos Correa, and a pitcher like Carlos Rodon. However, his inexcusable conservatism is a problem, something the Players Union is fighting tooth and nail to change.

Yankees bring back three controversial players, avoiding arbitration

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yankees, gary sanchez

The New York Yankees had a few difficult decisions to make this off-season, with multiple players headed toward arbitration. Instead of carrying their contract negotiations into the new year, general manager Brian Cashman tendered three players, retaining a bit of depth after allowing Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade, and Rougned Odor to walk this off-season.

Three players the Yankees signed to one-year deals:

1.) Gary Sanchez

One of the most controversial players the Yankees have is slugger Gary Sanchez. The catcher has been wildly inconsistent as an offensive player over the past six seasons, hitting .204 with 23 homers and 54 RBIs in 2021.

Sanchez hit a measly .147 in 2020 during the Covid abbreviated season, with his last positive campaign coming back in 2017.

Ultimately, Sanchez has not developed into the player the Yankees hoped he would be, and Cashman has already indicated he is doing research about potential catching options in case they need to make a change for the 2022 campaign.

While Sanchez’s defense has improved in some areas, he posted just a 17% caught stealing rate this past year, the lowest of his career by a significant margin.

Interestingly, Sanchez will earn $8 million for the 2022 season, earning far above his production levels.

2.) Luke Voit

After winning the home run title in 2020, Luke Voit barely made an impact with the Yankees in 2021. Over just 213 at-bats, Voit posted a .239 average with 11 homers and 35 RBIs. Cashman went out and acquired Anthony Rizzo at the trade deadline to replace Voit after suffering multiple injuries early in the year.

At this point, Voit seems to be a designated hitter or reserve first baseman, so bringing him back for one season wasn’t a bad move.

3.) Miguel Andujar

Another player that has failed to live up to his potential is Miguel Andújar.

Andújar has tested his abilities at multiple spots, including first base, outfield, and third base. Unfortunately, his defense is simply a liability, and his offense isn’t good enough to make up for his lack of balance.

This past season, Andújar enjoyed just 154 at-bats, recording a .253 average with six homers and 12 RBIs. After posting an incredible .297 average with 27 homers in 2018, his progression has stalled significantly.

While the Bombers offered him a new one-year deal, his value comes as a last resort after failing at multiple defensive alignments.

New York Yankees could lose three familiar players as soon as Tuesday

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New York Yankees, Miguel Andujar

The New York Yankees could lose three fixtures with questionable futures this coming week. With the MLB/MLBPA Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring Wednesday, they agreed to move up the day that players can be non-tendered to the day before the CBA expires. Non-tendered players are not given offers to stay with their respective teams.

The Yankees have three players that may be considered to be non-tendered. Miguel Andujar, Luke Voit, and Gary Sanchez. The Yankees already have rid themselves of three other players that they believe have little returning value going forward. Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade, and Rougned Odor have already been shown the door through assignment.

Miguel Andujar

Miguel Andujar, the once-heralded Yankee third baseman of the future, has fallen out of favor, mostly because of injury and lack of playing time. Some may say he still has potential, but when the Gold Glove-like Gio Urshela replaced him at the hot corner, his fate was pretty well sealed.

The Yankees, still seeing potential in the young man, tried to resurrect his career in the outfield and even at first base, but he has failed to shine in those positions as he got less and less playing time. In 2017 he played in a career-high 149 games, hitting 27 home runs, giving hope that he could be the next big Yankee star. But in his other four years at the major league level, he has only been able to play in 83 games combined, 45 last season.

If the Yankees try to salvage him, as he has little trade value, he likely wouldn’t be tendered an offer for much more than a million dollars, but that does not seem likely.

Luke Voit

In 2022 you may not be hearing the “Luke Luke” chant from the Yankee Stadium stands, as he is also a candidate to be non-tendered. The once starting first baseman, although a monster of a man, the lower half of his body has failed him. Whether it be his knees or his feet, he hasn’t been able to stay healthy.

The 2020 home run leader played in only about one-third of the games last season. In his six years with the team, he has only played over 100 games in one season. At the trade deadline last season, he was replaced at first by Anthony Rizzo, who came over from the Chicago Cubs. Much of what happens with Voit may have to do with whether the Yankees plan to resign Rizzo, a solid defender. The Yankees do have other options in the free-agent market that they may consider, but Voit’s time with the team is likely over.

Gary Sanchez

Look for Gary Sanchez and Kyle Higashioka to again team up to catch next season. With Gary Sanchez’s less than stellar defense at the backstop, questionable boneheaded plays, and spotty hitting, Sanchez’s future with the team has been in question annually. Of these three players, Sanchez has the best chance of staying with the team, mostly because there are few upgrades on the free-agent market and few to be traded for.

One thing is for sure, with some deadwood already gotten rid of, and with a possible new backup center fielder, star or stop-gap shortstop, and a new starting pitcher, not to mention bullpen upgrades, the 2022 Yankee team will look very different from the teams of the past few years.

The latest on the New York Yankees first base situation

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anthony rizzo, yankees

The New York Yankees have had a very slow start to the offseason, much slower than many would’ve expected. Sure, they’ve made a few roster moves, but there have been no free agent signings or big trades thus far.

One major area of need is the shortstop position and that appears to be Brian Cashman’s top priority at the moment. However, there’s another very important infield position that Cashman will also be looking at and that’s first base.

The Yankees currently have Luke Voit, but all expectations are that the bombers are looking to move on from Voit. They tried hard to move him at the trade deadline this year and they have already put him on the block this offseason.

You’ll notice that when scenarios are thrown out about first base with the Yankees, Voit’s name is rarely discussed. So, what is the latest with the Yanks and first base? Well, there are a few options out there at the moment and Cashman is in on all of them.

Yankees First Base Options for 2022

The hottest offseason rumor for the Yankees is the proposed trade with the Oakland Athletics that would net the Yanks All Star Matt Olson. Oakland is looking to shed some salary and with Olson expected to make $12 million next year, they’ve made him available.

The Yankees and A’s have already had dialogue on the potential deal. However, they remain far apart and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman said that the A’s are ‘shooting for the moon’. They should given Olson’s production and the fact that he comes with two years of control.

The Yankees have also met with the representatives of Freddie Freeman. However, this is being looked at as more of a check the box type of meeting than a serious discussion. Nobody in the industry is expecting Freddie Freeman to leave Atlanta.

Then you have Anthony Rizzo. Cashman has already talked about a potential reunion with Rizzo with Rizzo’s agent early in the offseason. Rizzo is said to have really enjoyed his time with the Yankees and he checks a ton of boxes for New York.

Lockout Looming

However, the latest word is that New York and Rizzo are far apart in a potential deal. With the looming CBA lockout, it’s starting to look more and more like the Yanks aren’t going to do anything major before the lockout which is going to really put them in a time crunch. If a lockout occurs, most expect it to last until February.

The post-lockout timing could create havoc on the market. For free agency and for trades, teams are going to have a very short window to fill a ton of needs. This will drive prices even higher. In my opinion, it would have been much better for the Yankees to take care of some needs before the mad scramble in February.

The idea has been floated that DJ LeMahieu plays first next year, but I just can’t see that happening. I think the Yankees want a left-handed first baseman and I’m convinced that either Matt Olson or Anthony Rizzo will be at first next year. Currently, I’m leaning towards a Rizzo reunion being the most likely outcome.

Sound Off: Who do you want to see at first next year? Let us know in the comments!

New York Yankees: The Rizzo, DJ, Voit question unsolved

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yankees, corey seager

The New York Yankees have some pretty tough questions to answer during this offseason. General Manager Brian Cashman has made it clear acquiring a shortstop is his priority. That may be the case, but he has several other problems to resolve, including a reliable centerfielder, an ace-like starting pitcher, and, oh yes, what to do with the logjam at first base. But, of course, the biggest question to answer at first is, do the Yankees resign Anthony Rizzo?

One of the earlier situations the Yankees must solve is what to do with free agent Anthony Rizzo. Once they solve that, they can move on to other infield moves. As it is right now, the Yankees have three possible first basemen. Rizzo, DJ LeMahieu and Luke Voit. Luke Voit, the once-heralded player, hasn’t been able to stay healthy for the last few years and is probably on the trading block. Gold Glover DJ LeMahieu played all the infield positions other than shortstop due to Gleyber Torres being moved back to second base after a two-year failed experiment as a shortstop.

First, let’s look at the shortstop position. Many MLB insiders like Jon Heyman think the Yankees’ general manager may make a big splash in the market, securing either lefty Corey Seager or the less likely Carlo Correa. There are two strikes against Correa, the cost, and his involvement in the Astros 2017 cheating scandal that may have cost the Yankees a World Series appearance. Heyman thinks that Seager is the near-perfect fit for the Yankees. Another route Cashman could take is taking the cheaper avenue by hiring Javier Baez and spending his money on another starting pitcher.

General Operating Partner Hal Steinbrenner has not weighed in on if he is willing to go over the luxury tax threshold now that the Yankees have again failed in the postseason. So much of what Cashman can do will be guided by how much money he is allowed to spend and what revenue he can free via the trade market. The most apparent trading piece is Luke Voit, as he is expendable, having no everyday place to play. But in a shocking move, don’t be overly surprised if the Yankees deal Gleyber Torres.

Many Yankee fans may balk at getting rid of Torres, but actually, it would solve many problems for the Yankees. Consider that Torres has not grown as a Yankee, and he is no longer the 22 year old with a bright future. The pluses for the Yankees is he could be a good find for another team and would be a good part of a trade package. But maybe the biggest plus for the Yankees is that it would put other star players back in their regular positions. Rizzo at first, LeMahieu at second, and Gio Urshela at third. Solving this would no longer require manager Aaron Boone the everyday decision of who to play where.

None of this can be accomplished until the Yankees decide to lure Rizzo back to the Yankees. Rizzo will turn 33 next season, so the Yankees probably won’t offer a long-term contract. On the other hand, Rizzo has clearly stated that he loves New York and wants to retire as a Yankee. So, that is not a problem. They just have to decide on a price and how long Rizzo wants to play. If the Yankees can resign Rizzo and snatch up Seager, half of their offseason problems will be solved; they can then concentrate on finding a dependable centerfielder if they choose not to bring Brett Gardner back for the fifteenth season. Then look to how to shore up the starting rotation.

Gerrit Cole will be serving out the third year of his monster contract. Jameson Taillon will be back for another year, as will Jordan Montgomery. Beyond that, there are questions, will the Yankees sign Corey Kluber. It was initially thought that Kluber would use the Yankees as a stepping stone to a more significant contract if he could return to his Cy Young form. However, the bottom line is that although he had the Yankees’ first no-hitter since 1999, he was also out half the year with his lingering shoulder problems. Other starter questions may not be answered until spring training. Can Luis Severino and Domingo German be effective pitchers next season? There is also news that the Yankees might consider another risky move by going after Justin Verlander, a free agent coming off Tommy John surgery.

One thing is for sure; the Yankees are projected to have a very active offseason to fix the team to be championship-caliber again. A team that will be able to get over that hump of getting to a long-awaited 28th Championship.

New York Yankees: All the Yankees news in one place

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anthony rizzo, yankees

The New York Yankees lost the wild card game to the rival Boston Red Sox and are sitting back watching other teams reach for their dreams, while they are still licking the wounds of another failed season, not advancing in the postseason. But baseball goes on for four teams. The Atlanta Braves lead the Lost Angeles Dodgers two games to none as they travel back to Los Angeles to play the next three games if necessary. The Houston Astros travel to Fenway Park where they are 1-1 in their seven-game contest with the Red Sox.

Even with all this on-field action still going on, don’t think for a minute that the Yankee front office is dormant, it’s not. Although many of the players are back home watching games from their couches the front office is full steam ahead planning improvements for the upcoming 2022 season.

The Yankees make coaching changes

The New York Yankees, even before the end of the World Series have already made some major changes to the staff. Hitting coach Marcus Thames will not be returning in 2022. Also highly thought off third base coach Phil Nevin, will also not have his contract renewed, after a very bad mistake ushering Aaron Judge home and being called out by at least twelve feet. ESPN has also reported that Assitant Hitting Coach P. J. Pilittere’s contract will not have his contract renewed either.

It’s no secret that the Yankee players hitting was darn right awful this year, except for Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Everyone wondered what was going on with one of the most powerful lineups in baseball, that went through long periods of lackluster hitting. At the end of the season, fans wondered who would be held responsible, Cashman, Boone, or Thames; it appears the hitting department is paying the price.

The Yankees may trade some major players

Since the end of the Yankee season, several names have come up as being possibly traded including Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez, Luke Voit, and Joey Gallo, mostly due to not performing as expected. The Torres and Sanchez situation has gone on for more than one season. Neither has grown as a Yankee and their performance is still suspect. Voit is a different situation, he can’t stay healthy, and now with the addition of Anthony Rizzo is more of a loose end than anything else. Joey Gallo is still a different scenario. He has batted under the interstate and many fans want to see him go.

Will the Yankees re-sign Anthony Rizzo?

When the Yankees acquired Anthony Rizzo at the trade deadline, they did so knowing that he was a free agent at the end of the season. Now the question is, did he play well enough for the Yankees to be re-signed. Two things are evident, Rizzo wants to play for the Yankees, but the question is; if the Yankees want to pay him enough to stay around.

Few players play for one historic franchise to play for yet another. Rizzo thought he would play out his career in Chicago, after all, he played for the Cubs for a decade and won a World Series ring with them, as he blossomed into one of the best players to play the game. But, then he came to the Yankees. Upon his arrival, he played better than anyone would have guessed, but as the season wore on he wasn’t as good. Nevertheless, he is an elite first baseman with some pop that the Yankees haven’t seen since Mark Teixeira. Now the Yankees have to decide if they want that defense and production that they have been missing for years.

To keep Rizzo on the team, it will probably cost the Yankees in the neighborhood of $12-20 million a year, according to the length of the contract. Rizzo is 32 years old. He has made it clear in interviews that he would like to end his career in the Bronx.

Yankee minor leaguers to get major upgrade

Anyone that follows baseball knows that there have been some big changes in the minor leagues. A complete re-aligning of the teams themselves, drastically reducing the number of affiliates, and upgrades to remaining locations. Minor leaguers also got a pay raise from $290 a week to $500 a week for the most junior players. This is far from a living wage causing six or more players to rent one apartment with many of them sleeping on mattresses on the floor, and sharing expenses. For some that run out of money they find themselves sleeping in their cars while they juggle second jobs just to get by.

Living in situations like this causes both physical and mental problems that could also cause problems with their on-field performance. Luckily, this problem will mostly go away for the 2022 season. MLB, with the agreement of all 30 major league owners will now provide either lodging or stipends to cover housing expenses for most minor leaguers. The Houston Astros on their own rewarded their minor league players during the 2021 season. Over the years obtaining affordable housing has been the major problem facing these young players while they pursue their dreams of playing in the majors.

Some abritation eligible players will make big money in 2022

The New York Yankees have a boatload of players that are now abritation eligible, some are going to bring in the big bucks. According to MLBTradeRumors.com; 19 Yankees are eligible for raises after this season. They have also provided the project amounts of those new raises. Here are some of the most notible:

  • Aaron Judge: $17.1 million
  • Joey Gallo $10.2 million
  • Gary Sanchez $7.9 million
  • Gio Urshela $6.2 million
  • Gleyber Torres $5.9 million
  • Luke Voit $5.4 million
  • Jordan Montgomery $4.8 millon
  • Chad Green $4.7 million
  • The other 11 are less, all the way down to Tyler Wade @ $700K.

New York Yankees: 7 that should go and who should replace them

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New York Yankees, Aaron Boone

After an early exit from the postseason yet again, the New York Yankees face a multitude of questions and decisions to be made before the start of the 2022 season. The biggest one is if the Yankees have it in them to create a shakeup that can turn this team into a World Series contender for real. If they can do that, some faces of the Yankees will have to go. So here is my assessment of the situation facing the Yankee organization in no particular order.

Brian Cashman:

Unless Hal Steinbrenner wants to shake up the whole organization, it is doubtful that he will part with Brian Cashman, but in over twenty years of leadership, he has brought the Yankees to only one World Series. For his supporters who want to bring up the early Championships of Joe Torre, those teams were not built by Brian Cashman. Stick Michaels and Joe Torre built those teams.

During his tenure, the San Francisco Giants have won the World Series three times, the Red Sox twice, and even the lowly Kansas City Royals and Washington Nationals have won.  If the Yankees part with Cashman, the name Theo Epstein comes to mind, but I think he wants to own a team, not be general manager of one. Beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess.

Aaron Boone:

Although the front office has shown support of Aaron Boone, I believe he has only a 50/50 chance of remaining the Yankee manager. After four seasons, he doesn’t seem to be the man that can bring this team to a World Series win. He doesn’t seem to be able to motivate players and has made many on-the-spot questionable moves. Should the Yankees decide not to renew his contract at the end of this season, there are a host of replacement possibilities.

With the Yankees’ failed experiment with a manager with no experience, they will not likely do that again in favor of a manager with experience. The first one that comes to mind is the consistently successful win-it-now manager Dusty Baker. It is not likely that Baker will be rehired by the Astros, even though he brought the team to 95 wins.

Others to consider are ex-Red Sox manager John Farrel and Mike Scioscia of the Angels. Many believe that Alex Rodriguez would make an excellent yet controversial manager of the Yankees. The only problem with that is he can make megabucks elsewhere rather than accept a low-paying manager job. Other possibilities are Bruce Bochy and Buck Showalter. The knock against them is that they are not the type of big analytics guys that Cashman will want.

My guess is that the Yankees will not do the right thing and replace this lack of a motivator manager who fails to reward players for excellent play nor hold them responsible for poor play.  He is just not the man for the job.

Gary Sanchez:

Just the fact that the Yankees’ most controversial player comes up at the end of every season as someone the Yankees should replace should be a signal that the guy has got to go. He hasn’t grown as a player or a catcher, and I don’t think you would want him teaching any upcoming Yankee catcher. His lack of defensive abilities and batting average says it’s time for him to go finally.

With the New York Yankees likely to have to put out money for a shortstop and center fielder, they likely will not spend big in favor of keeping Kyle Higashioka as a bridge to prospect, Austin Wells. Higashioka, although not the home runner Sanchez is, is a far superior catcher with better framing and a better contact hitter percentage.

Gleyber Torres:

Gleyber Torres is a failed experiment that has not grown as a Yankee; he has regressed as a failed shortstop and error-ridden second baseman. Probably the fault of the Yankee organization; I don’t see a long-term improvement in Torres, who is no longer the 22 year old with a bright future.

The New York Yankees have a bivy of possibilities to get themselves a new shortstop. Trevor Story has oft been mentioned, but I don’t see him as a good fit for the Yankees. Exciting possibilities for the Yankees that won’t break the bank include Javier Baez, Carlos Correa, and Jose Iglesias, a cheapy.

Aaron Hicks:

I said in an article yesterday I have no clue why the Yankees gave him a big-time contract extension. He is in the mold of Jacoby Ellsbury and Greg Bird. I think Yankee fans will agree that Jacoby Ellsbury was Brian Cashman’s worst acquisition, but my friends, here’s one for you, Ellsbury played in 27 more games with the Yankees in his four years than Hicks has in his six years. So for anyone that believes that Hicks will stay healthy and be dependable in the center, it’s a pipe dream; the Yankees should buy him out and rid themselves of him.

There are many options for the Yankees for the offseason, including players with options such as the more significant money Jackie Bradley Junior or Kevin Pillar. Both are excellent defenders and can offer more at the plate than Hicks.

Luke Voit:

If the New York Yankees choose to resign Anthony Rizzo as their first baseman, the sad fact is the Yankees have no use for Luke Voit. Voit like Hicks can’t stay healthy. He played in only 68 games this season, primarily due to a multitude of injuries. He has lost his power and runs the bases like the tractor pull at your local county fair. The Yankees have a glut as DH, so he has no use there either.

Likely, Voit will not be in pinstripes again next year, and there is no reason to replace him, assuming they re-sign Rizzo.

Brett Gardner:

I hate to even breach this subject because I love Brett Gardner and all he has done for the Yankees in his 14 years tenure with the Yankees, but he will turn 39 next year, and his time with the Yankees should be over. The fact is that he is no longer the player he once was. He is still an excellent defender, but his arm is not what it once was; he can’t steal bases and is a liability at the plate. This year he was supposed to be a bench player but ended up playing more than anyone expected. He did rise to the occasion during the last quarter of the season, but not well enough to warrant another year. Then, he can retire as a proud Yankee.

Not included in this article is hitting coach Marcus Thames who’s time with the Yankees should also be over. Please read my article on Thames here.

EmpireSportsMedia.com’s Columnist William Parlee is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. Follow me on Twitter @parleewilliam.

New York Yankee Analysis: Big questions the Yankees must answer by March 31, 2022

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The New York Yankee season is over, falling short of another World Series win. The “Boss” George Steinbrenner, if alive, would say it’s another failed season. If you consider not winning the World Series failing, then he is correct. But there is a lot to be said about getting to a wild card berth, win or not. Many other AL teams can’t say that. But the one with the biggest payroll; more is expected of them. The Yankees have not had a losing season since 1992. But the last World Series they won was in 2009.

Manager Joe Girardi won the 2009 World Series. But after not repeating for the next eight years and amongst complaints about being too strict, the Yankees moved on from Girardi and hired Aaron Boone.  Boone has been mostly successful in bringing the team to 100 wins, 103 wins, 33 wins in a short season, and 92 wins this year. But, regardless of that success, he has never gotten the team beyond late-season failures.

With each passing year, New York Yankee fans, even the most ardent fans, have become less patient waiting for the Yankees to win. Some fans have given up and moved on to other teams and even other sports. This isn’t good for business and baseball, although a game is a business. Principle owner Hal Steinbrenner and company have to figure out how to turn this team around. Yankee stadium never had a sell-out crowd this season. That is lost dollars, lots of them.

After a very inconsistent season that certainly cost them a trip to the World Series, the New York Yankees have many questions that must be answered before they try this all over again. And this year, there are more questions to be addressed than usual. So let’s have at it.

Renew Aaron Boone’s contract?

In 2018 Aaron Boone was hired as the new Yankee manager on a four-year contract that was over last night. So the Yankee organization has to decide whether to renew his contract or move on from the one-time manager.

When Boone was hired, many Yankee fans said, “Aaron who?”. Boone was never a great baseball player and had never managed even a minor league team. Others have learned to dislike him; still, others think he has done a good job. Most managers in baseball were catchers who seemed to have a better understanding of all baseball operations—Boone, who spent most of his career with the Cincinnati Reds primarily as a third baseman.

Boone will receive most of the blame for this poor season, although much of that blame can be placed on the hitters themselves, as Boone can’t hit for the hitters or pitch for the pitchers. Many fans question his decisions and his lack of holding bad players responsible for their play. Boone, with his style, constantly praises the team when they lose. An excellent example of that is his praise of Gerrit Cole after last night’s wild-card loss saying he threw some good pitches.

However, one must be cautious in blaming Boone. Many believe that Boone was hired to be a mouthpiece for Brian Cashman, the Yankee front office, making the significant decisions and Boone following them, only to be allowed to make minor decisions on the field during games. However, even those skeptical of that theory admit that the Yankee office and analytics department have too much influence over how the games are played.

Examine the organizational philosophy?

With so many questions unanswered about why this team can’t win big year after year, is it time to examine how the whole organization is run? Under the present philosophy, whether Boone is brought back or not, they would only hire another yes man that would be subject to the highly analytics-based front office.

All baseball teams receive the same analytics; it differs in how they are communicated and how they are executed. A manager who uses those stats exclusively and ignores what he sees on the field or who is hot and who is not will lose a lot of games. Analytics are a guide, not a user manual.

Should the Yankees hire a Bruce Bochi, Buck Showalter, or the like, it would require an entire shakeup of how the organization runs. Neither of these guys are yes men and would be challenging to work with under the present makeup. But it’s fair to mention that Bochi’s management style has brought the San Francisco Giants to win 107 games this season for the most in baseball and with less talent than the Yankees.

Brian Cashman will have much to do with if the Yankees are willing to examine themselves. Cashman is the driving force for how the Yankees perform. But many times in the past, Cashman has been slow to act. Lingering questions with Gleyber Torres and Gary Sanchez are examples of that. Last season he failed to act to improve the team. This year got two lefties to balance the lineup that fans have been screaming about for years.

Exceed the luxury tax threshold?

Do the Yankees need to exceed the luxury tax threshold to win finally. No!. Spending a lot of money has not helped them much. Better run and better-managed teams have gone further season after season. The Oakland Athletics and the Tampa Bay Rays have done it on about 30% of the Yankees payroll.

Extend Aaron Judge’s contract?

This may be the most challenging question to address in this off-season. If the Yankees offer Judge a contract, it will be huge. The question is do the Yankees want to spend that much, and if they do, how badly will it tie their hands on solving the other team’s needs.

Judge turns 30 next year, and based on his injury record, signing a long-term contract with him is risky at best. This season is the first season he has been healthy since 2017. Between 2018 and 2020, he played in only 243 games.  So the question remains how much and for how long. It is doubtful that the Yankees will go more than six years, even though Judge has said he wants to retire a Yankee, according to Bryan Hock.

Aaron Judge’s value is at its highest and could draw the most if the Yankees were willing to trade him. The Yankees could get a quality pitcher, a shortstop, and a few choice prospects for him. However, whether an extension could be agreed upon would most likely be a Derek Jeter-like situation, taking less than he is worth.

How to fix the Yankee outfield?

During this season, the Yankees have had either a drought or glut in the outfield. Aaron Judge is a solid right fielder, and Joey Gallo will be with the team in left field through 2022. However, the Yankees don’t have a true centerfielder with any kind of future. Brett Gardner has been adequate in the position, but it becomes more doubtful that the 38-year-old will return each year. In addition, Aaron Hicks (yes, remember him?) has yet to prove he can stay healthy.

If they fix that, they still have Tyler Wade and Giancarlo Stanton options to add to the mix and give days off.

Obtain a real shortstop?

There is still the ongoing question about Gleybe Torre’s worth to the team. Late this season, the Yankees finally realized they made a mistake trying to make Gleyber Torres a shortstop. Torres is no longer a 22-year-old with a bright future; he has become tarnished goods. He will turn 25 in December and is coming off of two back-to-back poor seasons on defense and offense. The Yankees, to a degree, have overlooked his poor defense because he led the team in 2019 with 38 home runs, but since then, he has only 12 long balls.  What the Yankees should be most concerned about is his lack of growth.

The Yankees have moved Torres to second, where he has played better but not by much. That pushed a Gold Glove second baseman DJ LeMahieu, into being a utility player. Unfortunately, LeMahieu’s performance has not been as good since the move.  While the Yankees have one of baseball’s top prospects, Anthony Volpe, he probably won’t be big team ready for another year or two. With Torre’s continued poor play, the Yankees should at least inquire about options in free agency this offseason.

What to do with the catcher situation?

Oh boy, this question yet again. Gary Sanchez has been one of the most controversial Yankee players since he became the Yankees lead catcher in 2017. That was a year that was pretty good for the young man. But since then, he has not duplicated that performance and has often been criticized for his performance behind at backstop. He continues to be a less-than-average defender and has had a poor batting average.

Last year, he had a disastrous season, hitting only .147 and losing his starting status in favor of backup catcher Kyle Higashioka, a better defender. Sanchez is still around because when he is hot, he can hit the long ball and has a rocket of an arm preventing many stolen bases. He has hit more this year with an average of .204 but still strikes out too much. With the other questions facing the Yankees, it is doubtful they will move Sanchez.

What to do with the loose ends?

The Yankees have two obvious loose ends. One is whether to renew a contract with first baseman Anthony Rizzo and, if they do, what they will do with Luke Voit. I wouldn’t be surprised if Luke Voit is not with the Yankees next season. He could be used in a trade. With the glut at DH, his use to the club is limited. He also has not been able to stay healthy while with the Yankees.  If the Yankees choose to replace Gleyber Torres at short, he too will become a trading piece.

How to reinforce the pitching staff?

The New York Yankees certainly need to beef up the pitching staff. Jameson Taillon is under contract through 2022 and is arbitration-eligible as of today. Also, as of today, Corey Kluber is a free agent.  That leaves Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery as the Yankees starting rotation. The organization will have to examine what place Luis Severino and Domingo German have going forward and if they need to replace Kluber if he doesn’t sign with the Yankees.

At the beginning of the season, the Yankees had one of the strongest bullpens in baseball. Unfortunately, as the season progressed, they lost much of their strength. Set up man Zack Britton underwent Tommy John surgery to keep him out until at least the end of the 2022 season. Justin Wilson and the Yankee’s best long reliever Luis Cessa went to the Reds in a salary dump. Darren O’Day, the sidearmer, had a shoulder injury followed by a hamstring strain that kept him away from the team for the rest of the season.

In a major disappointment this season for the bullpen, on July 31st Tommy Kahnle revealed that had a partially torn UCL and required Tommy John surgery. The Yankees outrighted him and he choose free agency. Just days afterward he signed a new contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees picked up a few arms at the trade deadline, Andrew Heaney proved useless. These losses and moves left the bullpen short of components and overworked.

Not knowing if Deivi Garcia, Luis Gil, or Clarke Schmidt will be ready for the big time in 2022, the Yankees may have to go shopping to bolster the starting rotation and the bullpen. Unfortunately, any moves they make may have to wait until the end of spring training, when they can further evaluate their options.

 

Yankees: Bad injury news for Luke Voit, DJ LeMahieu, Joey Gallo escapes with negative scans

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New York Yankees, Luke Voit

The New York Yankees recorded one of the most important wins of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday evening. After falling in the second game of the series, the Yankees bounced back with Corey Kluber on the mound, giving themselves a two-game cushion in the Wild Card over the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners.

Luckily for the Yankees, Boston fell to the Baltimore Orioles, but Seattle extracted a victory, finding themselves tied for second place behind the Bombers. The Yankees, though, have an extremely important series coming up against the Tampa Bay Rays, who have had their number this season and have locked down first place in the AL East standings.

Tampa lost their most recent game to the Houston Astros, dropping two of three in a three-game series. Starting at 7:05 PM on Friday night, the Bombers will host Nestor Cortes on the mound, who has a 2.85 ERA this season over 80 innings pitched. The Rays will feature Shane McClanahan, who has been one of the best young starters in the league this year, with a 3.44 ERA over 120 days. He has given up just one home run more than Cortes (14 compared to 13) — a much larger sample size.

Despite having the better pitching matchup, the Rays likely won’t see Joey Gallo, DJ LeMahieu, or Luke Voit in the Yankees’ batting order, presenting major losses for the Bombers.

Voit was placed on the 10-day injured list with a sore left knee, as skipper Aaron Boone indicated he wasn’t feeling too great on Thursday.

“He woke up pretty stiff today and he’s limping around pretty good,” Boone said. “We think it’s kind of a bone bruise that can be a result of the surgery. That’s kind of been on and off for him.”

LeMahieu has right hip soreness and will likely take the next few days to rehabilitate and give it some rest before the postseason starts, given the Yankees can hold onto their slight advantage.

“I think it was affecting him more at the plate tonight,” Boone said Thursday. “Hopefully like last time, having a little treatment and just managing it as best we can, we’ll see if he’s back in there tomorrow or not.”

As for Gallo, x-rays and CT scans indicated that his left forearm didn’t suffer any significant damage, which is a great sign for a team that needs their lefty batters healthy. In the 6-2 win over Toronto, Aaron Judge powered the offense forward, recording two hits and two RBIs, both of which were homers.