Yankees Rumors

Yankees: What a massive contract extension for Aaron Judge could look like

December 15, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

While the New York Yankees are focused on adding a big-name shortstop this off-season, they have to consider the contract extension Aaron Judge will garner in the near future.

Judge will become a free agent in 2023, so he has just one year left of team control before he can sign elsewhere. That likely means general manager Brian Cashman and Judge’s representatives will look to strike a huge deal before he hits free agency.

The star slugger has indicated he prefers to stay with the Yankees for his entire career, but many players have said that in the past just to leave and find success elsewhere.

A deal for Judge will likely be close to $40 million per season on average, but let’s take a look at a prospective deal that would lock the Bombers into his services for at least five seasons.

New York Post’s Ken Davidoff proposed a monster deal, averaging out at $37.8 million per season over five years with an additional season and opt-out later on:

How about taking the five-year, $189 million package that my colleague Joel Sherman proposed back in October, adding another year and $38 million to it (six years and $227 million, a tribute to the iconic Marla Gibbs), adding vesting options for 2028 through 2030 (his age-36 through -38 seasons) based on collective plate appearances, and, to seal the deal, throwing in an opt-out after 2024?

If Judge is healthy, he is deserving of every dollar, especially considering the Yankees under-spend compared to their revenue per season. Judge played in 148 games this past season at 29-years-old, hitting .287 with 39 homers and 98 RBIs.

The righty slugger posted a career-low 25% strikeout rate and 37.5 offensive WAR. Judge is showing more discipline at the plate and a sustainable proficiency for hitting home runs. The only season where he didn’t break double digit homers was during the Covid abbreviated 2020 campaign when Judge spent the majority of the season injured. His 39 homers this past season is a benchmark moving forward and considering he’s not even 30-years-old yet, investing in him as a long-term solution is an easy decision.

Defensively, Judge has one of the best arms in baseball out of right field, but depending on how the Yankees approach their centerfield spot, it is possible they move Judge to the middle of the outfield and find a replacement in right. If the Yankees do end up retaining Joey Gallo, he could start an RF while Judge makes the move to center, a position he proved capable of this past season.

What do you think of this behemoth contract for Aaron Judge? Comment here!

Yankees News: Cashman eyes monster first baseman, Sanchez’s return is troubling

December 1, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

Yankees News: Marcus Stroman attacks Yankee fans on Twitter, Aaron Hicks injury update

November 17, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

The New York Yankees have their focus set on free agency this off-season, but Mets starter Marcus Stroman continues to take shots at the team and their management style. On Tuesday, Stroman went after a few fans on Twitter and responded to Mets pitcher Taijuan Walker that he prefers to wear durags, dreads, and tattoos, a silent shot at the Yankees for their strict rules.

Durags, dreads, and tattoos ain’t going anywhere cuz. Lol

— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) November 16, 2021

Stroman responded to several fans who shot back at the starter, and his words weren’t exactly civil.

You mad because that crazy payroll continues to let you down year after year? Get off my page and go communicate with the front office bitter boy.

Stroman spoke specifically about the Yankees’ payroll and how their ability to pay players monstrous deals hasn’t translated to wins. I hate to say it, but he isn’t wrong about that, considering the team hasn’t reached the World Series in over a decade despite having one of the highest payrolls in baseball year after year.

Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009. They routinely spend more than any other team and acquire the biggest names at every trade deadline. The way the spend and players they get should result in much more success than they’ve had…you don’t agree?

Brian Cashman and Stroman don’t exactly have the best history, which is why this exchange isn’t exactly surprising. Stroman is currently a free agent but could find his way back to Queens on an extension.

Aaron Hicks injury update:

Skipper Aaron Boone stated on Tuesday that Hicks could be in line to play Winter Ball if his left wrist continues to heal at a brisk pace:

“He’s in position to do that,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “As a matter of fact, he sent me some video of him in the cage the other day swinging and he feels great. I think he looks great and we’ll just see where we are in the next few weeks about the final sign-off on that.”

Hicks played in just 32 games this past season, recording a career-low .194 average. Offensively, Hicks hasn’t been very sturdy the past few years, but he offers a switch-hitting option that adds plenty of diversity to the batting order. In 2020, he recorded a career-high 19.4% walk rate, a tremendous number that indicates his patience at the plate. There is no doubt that Hicks has a solid eye, working up the pitch count and helping get starters out of the game prematurely. However, he hasn’t been reliable with his health, suffering a left wrist injury that forced him out for virtually the entire year.

The Yankees expect to have him available for 2022, but management made it apparent they are still looking for centerfield talent just in case they need a supplement. The team has Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Joey Gallo on the roster, so there is a solid chance Judge shits over to centerfield if Gallo isn’t included in a trade.

Yankees could replace Corey Kluber with another oft-injured ace

November 16, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

The New York Yankees are gearing up for an exciting off-season, and while signing a star shortstop and a potential trade for Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson have plastered the headlines, general manager Brian Cashman is making some low-key moves.

The Yankees recently attended veteran starting pitcher Justin Verlander‘s workout as he rehabilitates from elbow surgery. Verlander hasn’t pitched since 2019, tossing 223 innings and recording a 2.54 ERA with the Houston Astros. During his bullpen session, reports indicated that Verlander hit close to 97 mph with his fastball, despite averaging 94.4 mph over the course of his career. His highest velocity was 95.6 back in 2009 with Detroit.

If the Yankees did bring him in on a short-term contract, it would be similar to how they viewed Corey Kluber, a veteran coming off injury who could produce at a starter level. However, there is a significant difference between Kluber and Verlander, and that is mentality and overall quality.

HOT NEWS:

–Projecting a Yankees star-studded batting order for 2022 season

–Yankees meet with star first baseman, but can they afford him?

The Astros’ former ace would be a dangerous pairing with Gerrit Cole at the top of the starting rotation, and with his high strikeout rates and low walk percentages, he would be an incredible addition if he can remain healthy at 38-years-old.

Verlander is coming off a contract paying him $66M over two years, but considering they were injury-riddled, he might settle for a deal in the $16-20 million per season range, if not less.

The Yankees can activate the trade market to find a supplement in the starting rotation after losing Andrew Heaney this off-season, but Verlander offers a potential elite talent who will likely dominate when active. Cole would appreciate his skills, given he’s played with him in the past and knows he can rely on him to sustain excellence on a weekly basis.

In the case the Yankees do land Verlander, they would also have Luis Severino, Domingo German, Jordan Montgomery, and Jameson Taillon as their primary starters. Injuries have plagued this rotation in the past, and adding a starter coming off two years rehabilitating doesn’t exactly scream reliability. However, that has been Cashman’s strategy, and if it pans out, which we say every year, the Bombers would be sitting pretty.

What do you think of the prospect of signing Verlander? Comment here!

Will the New York Yankees talk potential trade deals with the Royals this week?

June 22, 2021 by Daniel Cunningham

The New York Yankees are feeling pretty decent right now after their recent 5-1 stretch. That stretch was much needed as the bombers looked horrendous for much of the last month. Fans began to grow increasingly frustrated with the struggling team who fell to fourth place for a time.

The Yankees recent stretch has everyone feeling a little better, but there’s still a ways to go before we start feeling good about this ballclub. As of this morning, the bombers are still in 3rd place in the division. If the season ended today, they’d be going home.

Starting tonight, The Kansas City Royals are coming to New York for a three-game series. The Royals are currently 32-38 so this looks like it could be another great opportunity for the Yankees to pickup another series victory as they try to chip away at the division.

While a focus will certainly be on the games against the Royals, I can’t help but think that Brian Cashman and his team might do some scouting this week. Perhaps, the Yankees could also do a little talking with Dayton Moore and the Royals front office.

Is a Yankees and Royals trade in the cards?

It’s no secret that there are holes with this Yankees team. The club needs a little help as they gear up towards the second half of the season. There are still big questions in the outfield and the starting rotation.

There are also questions at first base with Luke Voit’s inability to stay on the field this season. The Royals do not look like a team that will make a run for the playoffs. You could see them sell off some pieces at the deadline as they prep for the future.

With that, the Yankees could take advantage. A couple of names that were being whispered about earlier in the season were Danny Duffy and Andrew Benintendi. Duffy is having a career season on the mound with a 1.94 ERA. However, recent injuries have given teams pause on acquiring him.

Duffy is set to be a free agent after the season so if he can come back healthy, he could be an option for the Yankees before the deadline. Benintendi would help the Yankees in the outfield and on the left side of the plate. However, a recent crack to his rib also might take him off the table.

Other trade options

Another name being floated around is Michael Taylor. Taylor is also set to be a free agent after the season and would by far be the cheapest acquisition the Yankees could make from Kansas City.

Taylor could help the bombers out in the outfield given all the issues the team has had there. A name that has been floated around for the last couple of years is Whit Merrifield. Merrifield can play all around the infield and the outfield.

He’s led the majors in hits a couple of times and would be a major acquisition for the Yankees. However, Dayton Moore has said over the last couple of years that he doesn’t want to part with Merrifield as he sees Whit as a guy to build around for the future.

Mike Minor could be a guy the Yankees look at for the rotation and Carlos Santana could be another name to watch. There’s no smoke around any of these players right now, but these are all potential targets depending on what Brian Cashman decides

Are the New York Yankees targeting Adam Frazier?

June 4, 2021 by Daniel Cunningham

The New York Yankees were feeling good entering yesterday’s game against the Rays. The Bombers had won two games in a row and seemingly had snapped out of their funk. Confidence was growing and Gerrit Cole was on the mound looking to give the Yankees their third straight win.

However, the game didn’t go according to plan. Cole never seemed comfortable on the mound and he was getting squeezed the entire start. The calls were frustrating Aaron Boone so much that he was eventually thrown out of the game for barking at the home plate umpire.

Cole allowed five earned runs and the Yankees were spanked 9-2. Despite taking two games from the division leading Rays, it still doesn’t feel like the Yankees are where they need to be. They continue to struggle with a lot of the fundamentals and it’s becoming a major issue.

There was a lot of confidence in this club before the season started. While some Yankees fans will always have faith in their team, I believe the majority do not see this club as a serious World Series contender at this point. With that in mind, they need to make some upgrades.

Yankees Trade Targets

A couple of days ago, I posted an article talking about the Yankees potential interest in Rockies shortstop Trevor Story. Gleyber Torres has struggled defensively again this year and his power has completely disappeared.

I’ve said for a long time and I think most would agree that Torres is not a long-term solution at short. With that, perhaps the Yankees could go out and make a deal for Story. He would be an instant solution to some of their problems.

However, there is one major problem that Story wouldn’t fix. That problem is how atrocious the bombers have been from the left side of the plate. Entering today, the Yankees have a .573 OPS from the left side which is the worst in baseball. They need a left-handed bat to upgrade the lineup and there’s one it Pittsburg that would be the perfect fit.

Adam Frazier is a great trade fit for the #Yankees, as I mentioned on @MLBNetwork a short time ago. The Yankees have a .573 OPS among their left-handed hitters (worst in @MLB) and .618 OPS at 2B (28th among 30 clubs). Frazier could address both weaknesses. #MLBCentral

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 4, 2021

Could the Bombers acquire Adam Frazier?

In reality, there might not be a better fit on the trading block for the Yankees than Adam Frazier. The 29 year old is a good second baseman and he also plays all around the outfield. Frazier could slot in wherever the Yankees needed him to whether it be the infield or the outfield.

Most importantly, Frazier is hitting .333 this season. Frazier would be an instant upgrade and give the Yankees a real quality bat from the left side that they could put near the top of their lineup. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi was the first to link Frazier to the Yankees today.

Frazier would be under control for next season as well. Now, given how good he’s played this year, he wouldn’t be cheap to get on the market. However, he checks all the boxes in terms of what the bombers need right now. They need someone to make consistent contact, play defense wherever he’s needed, and hit well from the left side.

Adam Frazier is that guy. The Pirates and the Yankees do have trade history with one another and the GMs have a good relationship. It will ultimately come down to what the asking price is and what Cashman’s willing to give up. If Cashman is able to meet the price, I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see Adam Frazier in pinstripes by the deadline.

Yankees Rumors: One strong-armed relief pitcher Cashman can land on a cost-efficient deal

January 27, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

The New York Yankees aren’t done making moves, despite general manager Brian Cashman going on a spending spree the past few days to acquire starting pitching talent. He also dumped $8.15 million in salary by trading Adam Ottavino to the Boston Red Sox.

The Yankees still need to fill multiple positions with quality, and by trading away Otto, they need to add a relief arm to supplement his loss. They also let Tommy Kahnle walk in free agency after suffering an elbow injury last year that required Tommy John surgery.

I can’t imagine the Yankees feel confident with their bullpen at the moment, so we should expect them to find a relief arm in the coming days. One stellar option is Trevor Rosenthal, who pitched for both the San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals in 2020.

Rosenthal is currently a free agent, and while he’s nearly 31 years old, he could provide value for the Yankees as an experienced bullpen arm with juice left to spare.

What does Rosenthal offer the Yankees?

This past season, he finished with a 1.90 ERA over 23.2 innings. His 14.45 strikeouts per nine is significant, indicating he racks up numbers in the category — he would produce a few stellar innings for the Yankees in relief. He has been extremely consistent over the course of his career, despite having a tumultuous 2019 season with a measly 15.1 innings sample size.

His current market value is probably in the $2 million range, but the Yankees only need him to pitch a specific number of innings. He primarily utilizes a fastball, changeup, and slider—his fastball covers in the 98.1 mph range, which is exactly what the Yankees like.

Having a strong-armed bullpen option in Chad Green only benefits them, and Rosenthal would add even more power. Currently, it seems as if the Yankees will rely on Jonathan Loaisiga, Green, Zack Britton, Luis Cessa, and Aroldis Chapman as their relief options and closers.

It is clear they could use another arm after trading Ottavino, and Rosenthal would fit the bill adequately on a cheaper contract.

Are the New York Yankees in on Trevor Rosenthal?

January 20, 2021 by Daniel Cunningham

The offseason was going incredibly slow for the New York Yankees. Fans were getting extremely restless and it just felt like the bombers were never going to get anything done. All of that changed last week starting with the resigning of DJ LeMahieu.

After months of back and forth, the Yankees finally got the deal done. However, they didn’t stop there. Once that deal was done, they turned their attention to the starting rotation. It didn’t take them very long to secure another arm for the rotation.

The same day as the LeMahieu agreement, the bombers came to terms with former two-time Cy Young award winner, Corey Kluber. Kluber and the Yankees agreed to a one year deal that will pay him $11 million for the 2021 season.

With LeMahieu and Kluber secured, I was told the focus would remain on pitching. Of course, over the weekend, we saw Luis Castillo rumors running wild. While there have been talks there, there is certainly nothing close or even momentum towards that happening.

Per my understanding, the Yankees are active on a number of fronts. They are definitely working on some trades especially considering they have to free up space on the roster for LeMahieu and Kluber.

They are looking into arms via the trade market, however, they are still looking at the available free agent relievers that are on the market. One of those relievers is someone who they are familiar with. That pitcher is Trevor Rosenthal.

How interested are the Yankees in Trevor Rosenthal?

Over the weekend I was told that the Yankees had made contact with Rosenthal last week. Now, I was not told if those were serious talks or if the bombers were simply doing their due diligence with what’s available on the market.

DJ LeMahieu controlled everything for the Yankees. He was the big domino and now Cashman is exploring every possible option he has to improve the club. By all indications, Trevor Rosenthal is someone they are interested in.

It’s been no secret that the Yankees are looking for another bullpen arm. They like Rosenthal and even took a flyer on him in 2019 by signing him to a minor league deal. Rosenthal was sensational in 2020 and would be a good fit in the bullpen.

It’s worth noting that Cashman is looking into everything. At this time, I just know that there’s been contact, but I’m not sure how serious it is. Last night, Rosenthal tweeted out a gif of Batman in Gotham. Perhaps it’s a sign or maybe just a coincidence.

What I do know is that the Yankees are looking for more pitching help. I would expect to see a move sooner than later with the bombers improving upon either their rotation or their bullpen.

Will the New York Yankees pursue a Luis Castillo trade?

December 20, 2020 by Daniel Cunningham

There is no secret that the New York Yankees have struggled with starting pitching over the last few years. They have made moves over the past few years to attempt to address it, but nothing ever led to a World Series.

The Yankees signed the best pitcher in baseball last year in Gerrit Cole. However, the rotation behind Cole completely fell apart. James Paxton was acquired the year before but couldn’t stay healthy in 2020 to help the Yankees.

Luis Severino was out for the year due to Tommy John and Domingo German was suspended. Masahiro Tanaka and JA Happ were inconsistent as well as the young pitchers like Jordan Montgomery and Deivi Garcia.

Simply put, the Yankees had no consistency behind Gerrit Cole. If they want to win a World Series, they need to have a bonafide number two starter that sits behind their ace. Right now, they don’t have that.

When at his best, Luis Severino could be that guy. However, the Yankees don’t know what to expect from Severino as he attempts to come back in 2021. The Yankees are currently examining the market looking for pitching reinforcements.

It’s widely known that the bombers are not going to spend to sign a guy like Trevor Bauer. Bauer played for the Reds last year and won the Cy Young. However, there is a pitcher who pitched for the Reds that the Yankees should pursue.

The Yankees and the Reds to make another deal?

No, the Yankees shouldn’t go after Sonny Gray who’s reportedly available. That’s a been there, done that type of situation. Instead, the Yankees should definitely pursue the young All-Star, Luis Castillo.

Supposedly, the Reds are listening to offers for the young pitcher. Dan Federico was first to report this and it was later confirmed by Jon Heyman. The Yankees should be all over this potential trade.

Luis Castillo would be the perfect option to backup Gerrit Cole in the Yankees rotation. Castillo was 4-6 with a 3.21 ERA last year on the heels of an All-Star season that saw him go 15-8 with a 3.40 ERA.

Acquiring someone like Castillo would cost the Yankees a lot. In terms of prospects, this would be a much steeper price than getting a guy like Francisco Lindor considering Lindor’s pending free agency.

Castillo wouldn’t hit the free agent market until after the 2023 season. If the Yankees could pull off a deal for Castillo, that would instantly make them much better. Imagine a rotation with Cole, Castillo, and a healthy Severino.

There is no word on if the Yankees are pursuing Castillo. However, I would expect them to take a hard look if the Reds are serious about dealing him. This is a situation to watch.

Is Archie Bradley on the New York Yankees’ radar?

December 3, 2020 by Daniel Cunningham

Tender day has come and gone in Major League Baseball. The New York Yankees ended up deciding to tender Gary Sanchez a contract yesterday which was the biggest question mark around the ballclub yesterday.

However, the Yankees did non-tender one player. That player would be reliever Jonathan Holder. Holder has been very up and down for the Yankees during his tenure with the ballclub. With Holder out of the picture, the Yankees have a spot open in their bullpen.

During tender day, we saw a lot of quality players get released. More than normal due to the amount of money that teams lost last year due to the pandemic shortened season. One of those players was reliever, Archie Bradley.

Bradley was non-tendered by the Reds yesterday making him a free agent. Archie Bradley is a very good reliever. Over the past few years with Arizona and Cincinnati he’s been terrific never having an ERA above 4.

Since 2017, Bradley has posted the following ERAs: 1.73, 3.64, 3.52, 2.95. He’s a reliever that the Yankees have actually been interested in before. At the trade deadline of 2019, the Yankees made an attempt to acquire Bradley and Robbie Ray from Arizona.

Will the Yankees make the move?

The Yankees have been interested in Archie Bradley before. There’s a lot to like about Bradley as a reliever and he would be a welcomed addition to the stable that the Yankees are putting together.

Right now, the bombers focus remains on resigning DJ LeMahieu. That is their priority number one. While their rotation is still in question, it doesn’t appear that the team is poised to make a big splash for a starting pitcher this offseason.

That being said, I can see them trying to upgrade the bullpen a little. Non-tendering Jonathan Holder is a part of that plan for the New York Yankees. If you can replace Holder with Archie Bradley, you’ve hit a home run.

Now, with the importance of good arms in the bullpen, Bradley is going to have a number of suitors. He’s not going to come cheap for whoever signs him. That said, the Yankees let Holder go and Tommy Kahnle is gone. There is room for Bradley in the Bronx bullpen.

Of course, the Yankees could use internal options in order to save a little more money. That is entirely possible, however, don’t be shocked if you start to hear the Yankees tied to the free agency of Archie Bradley.