Yankees Rumors

The New York Yankees and DJ LeMahieu making progress in talks (Source)

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New York Yankees, DJ LeMahieu

The New York Yankees are working hard to bring back their all-star second baseman. I was told this morning from a source within baseball that the bombers and DJ LeMahieu are making progress on a potential deal.

If the deal were to work out between the Yankees and LeMahieu, the deal would likely be for four years. Financially, the deal would sit between $21-23 million per year with a potential vesting option based on performance for a fifth year.

I will caution readers that the information I received this morning should not signal that a deal is done. As Andy Martino pointed out, there are plenty of suitors for DJ LeMahieu. The Yankees are not alone in their pursuit for the MVP candidate.

However, the bombers have a lot going for them in this instance. The fact is that DJ LeMahieu wants to stay with the Yankees. He really has enjoyed the last couple of seasons with the team, and he wants to continue chasing a title in New York.

The Yankees also want to keep DJ LeMahieu and are willing to do what it takes to get the deal done. Resigning LeMahieu has become the bombers top priority of the offseason and the pursuit will shape what actions they take throughout the winter.

Also, I realize that I don’t have a blue checkmark on Twitter so many might be asking the validity of this information. I will tell you, that the same guy who told me this information gave me the Zack Wheeler – Phillies news before the news broke nationally.

Will the Yankees keep their man?

By all accounts, the deal just makes sense on all fronts. LeMahieu wants to stay in New York and the Yankees want him back. He means so much to this team in so many different ways.

For years, this team has struggled with strikeouts and struggled defensively. Well, on both of those fronts, you can’t get much better than DJ LeMahieu. That is why the Yankees have made it their priority to get this deal done.

The last message I received this morning is that the talks were entering the red zone, but not yet close to the end zone. Things can always change and there are a lot of suitors who might blow LeMahieu out of the water with an insane deal.

That is not my expectation or the expectation of the people I’ve chatted with. No timetable on when the deal will likely get done, but there is reason to feel optimistic if you’re a fan of DJ LeMahieu staying in New York. Time will tell.

Are Gary Sanchez’s days with the New York Yankees numbered?

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New York Yankees, Gary Sanchez

I don’t think there’s a player that has frustrated the New York Yankees or their fanbase more than Gary Sanchez. Sanchez was supposed to be a star catcher for the bombers, and he’s shown that potential at times.

He has incredible power in his bat and he’s got a great arm behind the plate. However, despite the potential, he’s really failed to live up to expectations. Last season was so bad that he was benched in the playoffs.

Sanchez still shows power in his bat, but he’s hit under 200 combined over the past couple of seasons. Combining that with his extremely high strikeout rate and his horrific defense and you don’t have a very popular figure in New York.

The Yankees have apparently been contemplating moving on from Sanchez. They made Sanchez available in trade talks at the deadline and it appears that they are likely to make him available in the offseason as well.

We are already seeing signs of this. It was reported today that the Yankees have reached out to future Hall of Famer, Yadier Molina. If the Yankees were to sign Molina, they wouldn’t be bringing him in as a backup.

Considering the Yankees have a permanent DH in Giancarlo Stanton, a Molina signing would signal the end for Sanchez. The New York Post also reported today that the bombers are open to trading their once prized catcher.

What should the Yankees do?

This is the question that many fans seem to be divided on. You have one group of fans that want the Yankees to give Sanchez another shot. I will say that when he’s firing on all cylinders, he can be one of the best catchers in the game.

Then you have another group of fans who would like to strap him to a rocket and send him to the moon. There’s really not a middle ground when it comes to the New York Yankees fanbase.

That being said, I’m going to go out on a limb and say I think the Yankees try to move him. If they can package Sanchez in the right deal, I think there’s a high probability that they move on from Sanchez.

The team is moving further and further down the road of analytics. Frankly, there’s no analytics that point to Gary Sanchez being a great all-around catcher. Yankees pitching had a significantly higher ERA this year with him behind the plate versus Kyle Higashioka.

Combine that with all of his terrible personal metrics, and it doesn’t look like a fit for a team trying to win the World Series. Maybe the Yankees hold onto Sanchez and he turns back into the guy we saw in 2017. That’s a real possibility.

However, the sample size of poor performance is starting to outweigh the good performances. And in a place like New York, it’s always been about, “What have you done for me lately?” The answer from Gary Sanchez is truly not much.

New York Yankees FA target, Kevin Gausman, accepts Giants’ qualifying offer

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Kevin Gausman, New York Yankees

One of the New York Yankees targets in the free agent pitching market is off the board. First reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Kevin Gausman has decided to accept the qualifying offer from the San Francisco Giants.

Gausman’s decision comes on the heels of Marcus Stroman also accepting his qualifying offer from the New York Mets. With those two decisions, two potential targets for the Yankees are off the board.

There was no word on the potential interest in terms of the Yankees and Marcus Stroman. However, there were some rumors that the Yankees were intrigued and interested in Gausman who had a fantastic year for the Giants.

Gausman was a pitcher that the Yankees were also interested in back at the August trade deadline. However, a deal never materialized and Gausman stayed with the Giants. It was reported that Gausman had multiple year deals on the table.

However, in the end, the Giants starting pitcher decided it would be best to stick with San Francisco for another year. Perhaps hoping there will be more money in the FA market after a somewhat normal 2021 MLB season.

Yankees Options From Here

Gausman was definitely someone that the Yankees were interested in for the back end of the rotation. Of course, the Yankees are also talking and thinking about bringing back Masahiro Tanaka on a short-term deal.

Tanaka has only been with the Yankees since he made the jump to the majors seven years ago. In addition to the interest in Tanaka, the bombers are said to be interested in potentially bringing in Charlie Morton on a one or two year deal.

Despite Stroman and Gausman being taken off the board, there are still options for the Yankees. The top prize is Trevor Bauer, however, early reports seem to indidicate that the Yankees won’t spend the money required to get a guy like Bauer.

Expect the Yankees to look at a couple of pitchers to fill out their rotation. It was reported today that bringing back Tanaka wouldn’t take the bombers out of the running for a guy like Charlie Morton. It’ll all come down to the dollars at the end of the day.

Can the New York Yankees right their 2018 wrong?

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New York Yankees, Charlie Morton

After the 2018 season ended, the New York Yankees knew that they needed to do something to address their starting rotation. They kicked off the offseason by trading for Seattle’s ace, James Paxton.

While that was a good start, the Yankees knew that they needed to do more to address their rotation. Back in the previous trade deadline, the Yankees had made a deal to acquire Blue Jays starting pitcher, J.A. Happ.

Happ was sensational when he came over to the Yankees. After getting traded to New York, Happ went 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA. However, Happ stumbled in the playoffs which was one of the reasons the Yankees were bounced in the first round.

Happ was a free agent after the 2018 season ended. The Yankees had Paxton, but they were examining the free agent market looking to secure one more starting pitcher. There were two pitchers they kicked the tires on.

They seemed to be interested in resigning Happ or potentially bringing in Charlie Morton. Morton had been a standout for the Houston Astros after seeing a career resurgance. In fact, Morton pitched the deciding game 7 against the Yankees in the 2017 ALCS.

Despite Morton’s dominance over them and his incredible 2018 season, the Yankees decided to move in a different direction. They decided to resign the familiar face in J.A. Happ. A decision that would come back to truly bite the bombers.

Yankees Giant Mistake

Charlie Morton signed with Tampa Bay while the Yankees resigned Happ. Both pitchers were signed to two year deals. However, it was clear from the very beginning that signing Happ was a mistake by Brian Cashman.

Happ was not just bad, but god awful in 2019. Happ was 12-8 with an ERA approaching five. He was so bad that he was kicked out of the starting rotation and barely appeared in the Yankees 2019 playoff run.

Meanwhile, Charlie Morton was sensational for the Rays. Morton was 16-6 with an ERA of 3.05 and he finished third in the Cy Young voting. Not only that, but Morton appeared in two starts in the postseason where he went 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA for the Rays.

Now, Happ had a better 2020 than Morton did. Morton battled injuries, however, when the postseason came around, it was a different story. He was dominant again in the playoffs going 3-1 with a 3.15 ERA.

Morton could have made a difference

Meanwhile Happ was lit up by the Tampa Bay Rays in his lone start in the ALDS. I’m willing to go out on a limb and say that if the Yankees signed Morton over Happ in 2018, they would’ve defeated the Astros to make it to the WS in 2019.

They also would’ve defeated the Rays this year in the playoffs. That decision was horrific by the front office, but they have the chance at Morton again. Morton is proven in the postseason, and despite his age, I think he’s a guy they should seriously target this offseason.

There are already reports around the Yankees interest. They need a starter outside of Gerrit Cole to come up big when it matters. There aren’t many big game pitchers like Charlie Morton available. I think they should do what they can to bring him in on a reasonable deal.

Francisco Lindor at the top of the wishlist for the New York Yankees

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New York Yankees, Mets, Francisco Lindor

This week it was reported that Indians All-Star shortstop, Francisco Lindor, would likely be dealt this offseason. The New York Yankees have reportedly put Lindor at the top of their offseason wishlist per Dan Federico. 

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. The New York Yankees have a long-term need at shortstop. Of course, fans could say that Gleyber Torres is their shortstop, however, I think last season taught us that Torres isn’t a solution there long-term.

Lindor is one of baseball’s true superstars. Lindor is just getting ready to turn 27 years old. He’s one of the best defensive shortstops in the game, he’s a switch hitter, and he’s got power from both sides. Not too mention he hits for average.

Lindor has one year left before he hits free agency. One would have to imagine that if the Yankees could pull off a trade for the superstar, they would likely immediately work on an extension. Just like the Dodgers did with Mookie Betts last year.

What should the Yankees do?

If the Yankees were to pull off a deal for Lindor, it would likely mean the end of the Yankees tenure for DJ LeMahieu. The Machine has been the backbone of the Yankees for the last couple of years and for the second straight year, he will finish near the top of the MVP race.

LeMahieu can play all around the infield at a gold glove level. However, it’s been his consistency at the plate that has been where he’s really shined. LeMahieu is a free agent, and the Yankees have been having dialogue around an extension.

However, it’s worth noting that LeMahieu is going to be turning 33 years old during the year next year. That might give the Yankees some pause in offering him a big contract. We’ve seen the Yankees baulk at signing guys in their 30s despite their superstar team status (Robinson Cano).

Federico reported that the Yankees won’t overextend to get Lindor despite him being at the top of their wishlist. However, should they reconsider that position? Lindor is truly one of the best players in baseball and he’s going to be for a very long time.

Imagine building the Yankees future around an infield that includes Gleyber Torres at second and Francisco Lindor at shortstop. I understand I’m in the minority, but if I could pick between LeMahieu or Lindor, I’m going with Lindor. I mean just think you’d have Lindor for nearly six years before he reaches LeMahieu’s age.

Realistically, I don’t believe that the Yankees will do what it takes to pull off the Lindor deal. I think the bombers are going to end up brining back LeMahieu and that’s a great thing. I just think they should strongly consider what Lindor could mean for the Yankees over the next ten years.

The New York Yankees cannot and should not bring back the same team in 2021

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New York Yankees, Brian Cashman

There are a lot of rumors already flying around about what the New York Yankees will do with the upcoming offseason. This year, the bombers went another year without making it to the World Series. They haven’t tasted a World Series in over a decade.

I listened to the words of Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner over the last week. They made their state of the union addresses following another failed Yankees season. One thing that some have mentioned is a possibility is that the Yankees bring back the same team.

Well, virtually the same team. Meaning the Yankees would resign DJ LeMahieu and Masahiro Tanaka while doing nothing else. This strategy would fall in line with the belief that the Yankees have a WS caliber team right now.

I’m fully onboard and believe that the Yankees need to bring back DJ LeMahieu. It’s the talk about bringing back Tanaka where I draw the line. The bombers cannot simply bring back the same team they had in 2020. They need to shake things up if they want to win a World Series next year.

The Yankees’ Options

The most obvious option for me is that the Yankees need to upgrade the rotation. Tanaka is not going to come cheap especially considering the shallow free agent starting pitching market. That said, I would spend however much else is needed to sign Trevor Bauer.

The Yankees made a huge first step in signing Gerrit Cole last year. However, Cole can’t get it done by himself. That showed this year when Cole was the only starting pitcher who looked like he had a pulse for the Yankees in the playoffs.

If the Yankees are content with bringing back Tanaka and hoping the young guys fill out the rest of the rotation, they’ve already failed. They need to upgrade their pitching and there is a clear answer in Trevor Bauer.

If the bombers aren’t interested in making a free agent pitching splash, they need to look at JT Realmuto. Gary Sanchez was reportedly available at the trade deadline which shows that the Yankees are to the point of moving on.

If they do not want to invest into the rotation, they can upgrade the vital catching position. Realmuto is the best catcher in the game, and he would impact the Yankees on both sides of the ball.

No matter how you slice it, the Yankees need to shake things up. They have had a losing mentality for years and have failed to address problems when it forces the front office to be uncomfortable. Well, it’s time for the front office to get uncomfortable and it’s time to get the Yankees back to the World Series.

DJ LeMahieu, Francisco Lindor or Both? What should the Yankees do in the offseason?

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New York Yankees, DJ LeMahieu

The New York Yankees currently look like a team that is just falling apart. There is nothing stable with the team, and they look like they are only going to make the playoffs this year due to the COVID playoff expansion. Nobody would have thought that before the year started.

While pretty much everyone on the team has disappointed, one person who has remained consistent is DJ LeMahieu. Since signing a two year deal with the Yankees before the 2019 season, LeMahieu has been the team’s MVP. He’s currently hitting .363 on the season.

LeMahieu plays gold glove level defense at three different spots in the infield. His value to the Yankees cannot be questioned over these past couple of seasons. LeMahieu is set to become a free agent after the season is over. While it seems obvious to extend LeMahieu, there’s one player that could complicate things.

The Yankees and Francisco Lindor

One of baseball’s superstars is the Indians shortstop, Francisco Lindor. Lindor has long been a favorite of the Yankees and virtually every team in baseball. Lindor is a switch hitter who hits for average and power. He’s also a platinum glove winner at shortstop.

The Indians are likely going to move Lindor in the offseason due to the fact that they won’t be able to keep him long term. While the Dodgers are seen as a potential landing spot, I think the Yankees will be in on those discussions for Lindor.

I really don’t believe that the Yankees see Gleyber Torres as a long term solution at shortstop. He’s much better suited to play second base. That being said, the Yankees might need to find someone who could be that long term solution. That is where the Lindor interest picks up.

The Yankees Options

Obviously, the Yankees love DJ LeMahieu. I mean how could you not after everything he’s done for the team? However, if they could trade and extend Lindor, would they be comfortable letting LeMahieu walk? Could they bring both back? What are the options?

The easiest option would be to leave Lindor alone and just sign LeMahieu to an extension. This is not a losing strategy by any means as the Yankees would be retaining their current star for many years moving forward. They would still have an infield of LeMahieu, Torres, Urshela, and Voit.

Another option would be to let LeMahieu walk, and make the trade for Lindor. This would hurt because LeMahieu would be leaving and Cashman would have to deal some prospects. However, you’d be getting a 27 year old superstar that plays arguably baseball’s most premium position at the highest level.

There is a third option which would be tricky. Why not both? This of course would cost the Yankees the most money, but they could always have both, but this strategy would likely mean saying goodbye to Gio Urshela. If the Yankees pulled off a move and both wore pinstripes, I would expect LeMahieu to shift to third full time.

What should they do?

It’s not my money, so of course I think they should pursue both when the season ends. I don’t think it would be responsible for the Yankees to pass up the opportunity to land Francisco Lindor. If the Yankees could pull off a deal for him, that would be priority number one for me personally.

If Gleyber Torres wasn’t such a liability at shortstop, my answer might be different. However, I love the idea of Lindor at shortstop and Torres at second moving forward. Having LeMahieu at third would just make things even better.

Defense has been a liability for the Yankees this year. However, imagine having a left side of the infield featuring LeMahieu and Lindor? That would make any pitcher feel comfortable inducing ground balls.

What I expect

Ultimately, I don’t think the Yankees will land Lindor, but I do think they will extend LeMahieu. I just don’t see Brian Cashman doing what it takes to make the trade for Lindor. I think Lindor will end up being dealt and he’ll sign a massive extension like Mookie Betts did.

The Yankees would then move forward with the infield as is with LeMahieu, Torres, Urshela, and Voit. They would just be praying and banking on Torres becoming someone who could handle shortstop at a much higher level. What do you think the Yankees should do?

What to expect from the Yankees and Brian Cashman on deadline day

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The New York Yankees bounced back over the weekend and won three straight over the Mets to get back on track. Tonight, Gerrit Cole takes the mound against the Rays hoping to finally get over the hump against Tampa Bay.

With all this going on, the eyes of fans everywhere surround today’s trade deadline. The Yankees have been fleeced with injuries this year that have taken a World Series favorite team to a shaky contender.

Despite the three straight wins over the Mets, the Yankees are still just 3-7 in their last ten games. They currently find themselves 3.5 games out of the division lead. The Yankees are in desperate need for a shot in the arm, and the deadline could provide that. But, what should we really expect from GM Brian Cashman and the Yankees?

Who are the Yankees looking at?

There have been multiple reports confirming that the Yankees have been talking to the D-Backs about the players listed above as well as the Brewers regarding Josh Hader. Of course, Hader would require Cashman to give up the cream of the crop in terms of Yankees prospects.

The Diamondbacks could be a partner that fits the bill for exactly what Cashman is looking for. The Yankees could use another outfielder with the injuries to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Starling Marte could fit in perfectly. They could also use some rotational help from Robbie Ray and bullpen help from Archie Bradley.

One single deal could help the Yankees in all areas. However, we know how stingy Cashman can be when it comes to dealing prospects. If he feels that it’s not a winning deal for the Yankees, he will not make it. This decision making has caused mass frustration from the fan base in the past.

So what do I expect? While it’s confirmed that the Yanks have been very active checking in on players, I’m not expecting much to get done today. Unfortunately for fans, when Cashman thinks the Yankees have a winning team, he tends to air on the side of optimism with what they have assuming the team gets healthy.

The D-Backs are the one team I could see a deal happening with. Would remind me of the Frazier, Robertson, Kahnle deal from a couple of years ago. However, I’m not sure Cashman is going to give up the Yankee prospect capital to get it done. Time will tell, but I’m hoping we see some big move that will give the bombers a much needed shot in the arm.

The pressure has turned up on Yankees GM Brian Cashman

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New York Yankees, Brian Cashman

The New York Yankees have arguably hit the lowest point that they’ve hit over the last few seasons. In a shortened COVID 2020 baseball season, the Yankees have lost an astonishing seven consecutive games.

A seven game losing streak in a 60 game season equals out to about a 19 game losing streak in a regular 162 game season. The Yankees have lost Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres, DJ LeMahieu, Giancarlo Stanton, James Paxton, Tommy Kahnle, Zack Britton, and others due to injuries during the year.

Aroldis Chapman didn’t start the year with the team due to COVID and Luis Severino was lost before the season started due to Tommy John. Last year’s 18 game winner for the Yankees, Domingo German, is missing the entire year due to suspension.

A year that was supposed to have the Yankees as a clear front runner to win their 28th world championship has seen the team take unprecedented hits. One of the only bright spots for the team has been their $324 million man Gerrit Cole.

The Yankees signed Cole in the off season to a record deal hoping he’d be the piece to push them over the top. He’s done his part despite a poor performance in his last start. Cole is 4-1 with a 3.51 ERA while striking out 11.6 batters per nine in seven starts.

Luke Voit has bounced back from last season’s injuries to be tremendous. However, Gary Sanchez has been a dumpster fire since the season started. That might be an insult to dumpster fires to be honest. The Yankees’ catcher is hitting .130 and his defense has regressed.

Heat turning up on Yankees GM

All this is to say that there is a ton of pressure on the shoulders of the Yankees GM, Brian Cashman. The trade deadline is two days away, and the Yankees have to make some kind of move. This team desperately needs a shot in the arm to get them going.

The sexy move would be to pull off some kind of blockbuster with Cleveland to get a starter like Mike Clevinger. Perhaps a big deal with Cincinnati to acquire Trevor Bauer although that appears unlikely at the moment.

Maybe the Yankees pull off something drastic at the deadline. Perhaps emptying the farm to acquire a guy like Francisco Lindor and a starter from Cleveland. Even acquiring someone like Mychal Givens from Baltimore would put some energy into the team although certainly not the sexiest move.

The GM cannot do anything about injuries. However, the Yankees have the resources to pull off something big at the deadline that won’t just impact this year, but can impact seasons down the road.

I’m not sure what they do, but Brian Cashman has to be feeling the pressure to get something done. The Yankees are in their eleventh year without a World Series appearance. The pressure is on the team to win now. Not next year or the year after, but right now.