YANKEES EVEN MISS A SHOT AT MICHAEL KING

My mind is blown. I mean, is Brian Cashman even working?

The Yankees actually had a lane to bring Michael King back. Did I personally want him? No. Was I lighting candles hoping for a reunion tour? Absolutely not. But the idea of King stabilizing the rotation while Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón rehab their way back to relevance? That at least made some sense.

Let’s be clear: Michael King was never some ace savior. He’s not walking in as a No. 1, or even pretending to be one. But as a No. 4 who eats innings, keeps games respectable, and prevents the bullpen from spontaneously combusting? I had zero issue with that. And yet—shockingly—Brian Cashman couldn’t land that either.

Instead, King is staying right where competence exists: San Diego. Three years. Seventy-five million dollars. Deal done. West Coast sun, Padres uniform, problem solved—for them.

King gets a $12 million signing bonus, pocket change by modern baseball standards. He’ll make $5 million in 2026, then holds all the cards with player options worth $28 million in 2027 and $30 million in 2028. Flexibility for the player. Commitment from the team. You know—basic front office functionality.

Meanwhile, the Yankees get nothing. Again.

So, I’ll repeat the question, louder for the people in the executive suites: what the fuck is Brian Cashman doing? Because whatever it is, it’s not building a contender. It’s not supporting a rotation held together with medical tape. And it sure as hell isn’t acting like a franchise that supposedly expects championships.

At this point, fans need to stop playing along.

Boycott.
Boycott.
Boycott.

Cancel the tickets. Skip the games. Stop lying to yourself that it’ll magically fix itself. It won’t—until Hal, Randy, Cashman, Boone, and the bloated analytics department finally feel something they haven’t felt in years: fear.

Let them panic. Let them sweat. Let them realize Yankee fans aren’t loyal to pinstripes out of habit—we’re loyal to excellence.

And excellence?
It doesn’t live in the Bronx anymore.

Oh—and before anyone asks? You know I’m right.

WOAH! THERE'S A MICHAEL KING BIDDING WAR HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

It's almost Christmas and one team is about to get an early present. Michael King is ready to return to the AL East, now we just wait and see who he pitches for.

According to SI.com HERE, the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and the Yankees are all finalists in the Michael King sweepstakes. I really don't know how I feel about the idea of King coming back. I guess I am indifferent compared to Casey who wrote I REALLY HOPE A MICHAEL KING REUNION IS NOT IN THE CARDS. I have nothing against King, I guess I just am not itching for a reunion. I am looking for new shiny options.

On the other hand though....the Yankees NEED options. Both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are going to miss time at the beginning of the season and let's face it you can never have enough pitching. This is true for ANY team but especially the Yankees who seem to have the most untimely injuries partnered with a very ineffective training and medical staff that exasperate everything.

King is very familiar with the Yankees so there's one plus to consider in all of this. We know some guys just can't handle the bright lights and expectations here and that is not a concern here. Also, it would take some of the pressure off Luis Gil and Cam Schlittler who could slide down in the rotation. It would also allow the Yankees to use Will Warren in more of a swingman role. There's some strategy here that could work.

As far as our other AL East rivals, this could get interesting. The Orioles are on a quest to find strong pitching after upgrading its offense with the Pete Alonso signing. King would instantly be the strongest arm in their rotation and would make the Orioles a stronger team in 2026 then they were this season. Boston on the other hand is a bit of a head scratcher. Right now, their rotation is full especially after adding Sonny Gray.

If the Red Sox do sign King, it could be part of a strategy used to then trade some of their up and coming arms for an impact bat similar to what the Orioles just did. Adding the impact bat also makes the Red Sox a stronger team which could make the battle for the AL East that much tougher. Last year it was a race between the Blue Jays and us but now this could become even more difficult on the Yankees. 

So now we wait and see what happens. Does King reunite with the Yankees or do the Red Sox have a shot at snagging the guy that grew up in Rhode Island and went to Boston college? It's not something I was interested in. Now that I see how it can change the landscape in the AL East....I'm paying attention.

Do you want King back? Comment and tell us what's on your mind.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

I REALLY HOPE A MICHAEL KING REUNION IS NOT IN THE CARDS

I liked Michael King when he was a Yankee. Truly. Fun pitcher, great story, easy guy to root for. But he’s gone, he moved to San Diego, he eats fish tacos now—I’ve moved on. As a fan, I’m not carrying a torch for an ex when the current Yankees rotation is basically a triage tent.

Because let’s not sugarcoat this with the Yankees’ usual “everything’s fine” front-office fan fiction: the pitching situation is a disaster. Gerrit Cole isn’t going to be ready for Opening Day—I can feel it in my bones, which is more than I can say for whatever medical charts Cashman keeps pretending not to read. Carlos Rodón? Also rehabbing. So, our supposed 1-2-3 punch has turned into “well… Max Fried and a couple of guys who own ice machines.”

Which brings me to the baffling topic of the week:

Why the hell are we talking about Michael King coming back?

If he’s not a top starting pitcher—and he’s not—then what are we doing here? Reminiscing? Trying to plug a crater with packing peanuts? Did Cashman lose the phone number of every other GM?

But of course, chatter is everywhere because the Yankees once again failed to meet their annual “sky-high expectations” in 2025, which we all know is front-office code for “we had no plan, and shockingly, it showed.” This offseason, the Yankees are reportedly going to be aggressive—because nothing says aggression like Brian Cashman promising the moon and landing a used lawn chair.

Enter Jim Bowden, who reported that a reunion with former Yankee Michael King is “a real possibility.” Bowden’s a good guy, but let’s be honest—half the time he says something, it’s because he threw a dart at a corkboard and hit the word “Yankees.”

Yes, King will draw interest in free agency. Sure, in theory he could slip in behind Cole, Fried, and Rodón. Maybe he even goes back to the bullpen where Aaron Boone will use him like a Swiss Army knife someone accidentally put through the wash. But again… what’s the plan here is this story has legs? Are we seriously elevating King to the No. 2 spot until Cole returns if this is a real story? Or are we just collecting mid-tier pitchers that used to be Yankees like Cashman collects excuses?

Because at this point, why stop at Michael King?

If we’re really embracing this “blast from the past, bargain-bin reunion tour,” is Sidney Ponson available? How about Jaret Wright? Maybe see if Kei Igawa still has a glove? By the way, this is sarcasm.

I like King. Really, I do. But if this is the Yankees’ grand pitching strategy, then the front office truly has no clue what planet they’re on. And until Cashman finds one with better pitching options, Max Fried might need to pitch every other day.

DOMINGUEZ JUST PROVED TO EVERYONE THAT BOONE'S NOT QUALIFIED

Let’s cut the crap—Aaron Boone is not just bad at his job. He’s a liar to the fans, a terrible master-wanna-be of spin, and the most unqualified manager in New York Yankees history. Yeah, I said it. He’s worse than Stump Merrill. At least Merrill didn’t insult our intelligence. Boone walks around acting like he’s operating at some high level of strategic genius when, in reality, he’s just guessing—and guessing wrong. Over and over again.

Yankee players deserve better than this. Yankee fans deserve better than this. Boone’s mishandling of talent, his empty pressers full of buzzwords, his obsession with being the smartest guy in the room—it’s all catching up with him. And what’s worse? He clearly doesn’t read Bleeding Yankee Blue, because if he did, maybe he wouldn’t screw up basic decisions like how to manage Jasson Domínguez. But then again, he must have before last night's game, because we got it right. 

BYB, along with several Yankee fan sights called him out the other day for the absolute joke of a job he’s doing developing Domínguez. Why? Here’s why—and we’ll keep it real simple for the analytics wizard in the dugout: Domínguez hits right-handed pitching better than left-handed pitching. It’s that damn simple. 

If you’re building up a young stud, you give him chances to thrive, not sabotage his rhythm with baffling benchings. You let him flourish, not die on the vine.

And we already broke this down in one of our recent pieces titled WHY WOULD ANY YOUNG PLAYER WANT TO PLAY FOR THE YANKS UNDER BOONE'S MANAGEMENT?. In it, we explained in detail the five-day stretch where Boone’s head was so far up his ass that Domínguez’s development took a backseat to Boone's ego.

Here’s the full quote from that piece—because it still hits just as hard especially after Jasson's big night last night:

"Take Monday's game against the Padres. A right-handed pitcher on the mound? Great! That should be Dominguez’s moment—he’s hitting over .300 against righties this season. But Boone, in all his wisdom, decides to sit him. Why? Nobody knows. It’s not like anyone else in the outfield is tearing it up. After a Sunday lineup so embarrassing it should’ve come with a refund for ticket holders, Boone followed it up by benching Dominguez for no apparent reason.

Of course, when the Yankees blew the game and needed someone to bail them out in the ninth inning, they turned to—you guessed it—Dominguez, cold off the bench in the pouring rain. He struck out. What a shocker. That’s not development; that’s sabotage.

Then Tuesday rolls around, and suddenly Boone decides Dominguez is worthy of batting cleanup. Cleanup! Against Michael King, one of the best pitchers in the league this season. So, let’s get this straight: He’s not good enough to start against inferior right-handers, but he’s your No. 4 hitter against a guy with a 2.07 ERA? That’s not strategy—that’s chaos."

That’s it right there. Boone isn’t managing—he’s jerking this guy around. That’s not leadership. That’s insecurity. And of course, after we put him on blast, something changed. Suddenly Domínguez was back in the lineup, getting at-bats against right-handed pitching. And guess what? He delivered. Boy, did he deliver.

Three home runs. One was a grand slam. Two of them were off righties. That’s not a coincidence—that’s exactly what happens when you trust the numbers and let your young talent get comfortable and confident.

Let’s talk stats, because Boone clearly doesn’t get the same numbers.  Jasson Domínguez is hitting .319 with 4 homers and 14 RBIs in 79 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers. Against lefties? A brutal .111 average (4-for-38) with 5 RBIs in 44 plate appearances.

It doesn’t take a genius to see where he thrives. But Boone wants to act like he's some analytic savant behind closed doors while making decisions that any fan in the Bronx can see are idiotic. That's the problem. He thinks he's playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers—but in reality, he’s losing at Tic-Tac-Toe. It's a simple formula, do what works for the kid.

And so I ask, what’s the goal here, Boone? To look smart? Or to develop stars and win ballgames? Because right now, you’re doing neither. You’re not a leader. You’re not a teacher. You’re a gatekeeper who doesn't even understand the gate he’s standing in front of.

The Yankees haven’t won a World Series under Aaron Boone. And that's the goal here, isn't it?  We as fans see highlights all year, but in the end it's disappointment, bad bullpen calls, dumb lineup switches, and scapegoating young players like Jasson Dominguez when his “gut” decisions fail. The front office needs to wake the hell up. Enough of the fake leadership act, unless of course they're in on it, in which case we just gotta clean house.

And last night’s win? A blowout, finally. And why? Because Domínguez hit a moonshot off a right-handed pitcher in—you guessed it—a lefty-righty matchup that made perfect sense. And he did it twice. The kind of move that any actual manager would’ve made a week ago.

Boone’s a fraud. Always has been. And until the Yankees put someone in charge who knows what the hell they’re doing, we’ll keep calling him out.  

Like This? READ THESE:

I WANT A WORLD WHERE AARON BOONE HOLDS PLAYERS ACCOUNTABLE

BOONE DISRESPECTS YANKEE PROGRESS WITH ONE HORRENDOUS DECISION

BOONE'S THEATER MEANS NOTHING IF HE'S NOT COMMANDING RESPECT

YANKEES ARE LOOKING AT PAST DISAPPOINTMENTS TO FILL GERRIT COLE'S SHOES!

Man, losing Gerrit Cole hurts like hell. Listening to Brian Cashman's bleak outlook for pitching reinforcements makes it hurt even more. It's a reminder that there are few pitchers out there like Cole even on day one of free agency, let alone right now....just over two weeks before the regular season. Finding talent that matches Cole is a tough challenge even in the best of circumstances.

So now what? Cashman doesn't sounds hopeful. The free agent market isn't enticing and why would it be this late in the game? The "best" options will be a trade scenario. Younger higher-ceiling options like Dylan Cease and Michael King could possibly be available but will cost the Yankees some higher end talent. Then there's another option that should be a non-option in my book.

There's "chatter" on social media and sports publications that the Yankees could look at familiar face Sonny Gray, check it out HERE. I'd like to say while they could, it doesn't mean they should. That experiment didn't work well for us the first time and I would prefer not to re-live that again. I don't think a second go-around would end with better results.

Some players just can't handle New York, and I think that was exactly the case here. After leaving, Gray found his stride with stints in Cincinnati, Minnesota and St. Louis. Not to diminish those markets but they just don't have the pressure that comes under the bright lights at Yankee stadium. They also, don't have such a heavy analytic approach that we do, and Gray just couldn't adapt to that. 

Sometimes it just isn't a fit, and that's okay. Not to mention Gray doesn't come as cheap as Cease or King do. His resurgence away from New York did help him earn a 3 year and $75 million contract with St. Louis. That's a lot of money for a guy we watched falter here and the Yankees are already going to face stiff luxury tax penalties, they aren't looking to go deeper....and certainly not for Gray.

Adding Gray would mean he would need to be in the Yankees plans for beyond 2025. The Yankees entered Spring Training with the reality of being "stuck" with Marcus Stroman, in a similar scenario here. Higher payroll commitment for an underachieving pitcher that no one else really wanted - I'd rather not make that mistake again.

At the end of the day, there are no pitchers out there that will fill Cole's shoes. He's not someone you just magically replace. The Yankees will have to get creative to reinforce the rotation, but Gray isn't a creative option he's a disaster waiting to happen. We don't need to be THAT desperate.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

CHRIS ROSE KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT...

And by the way, I have been preaching the same thing here. The New York Yankees. Most improved team this off season and definitely capable to get to the World Series in 2025 and this time win it.

As the Yankees navigate the offseason, one of the biggest questions revolves around their next moves in the trade market. There’s been speculation that veteran right-hander Marcus Stroman could be on the block, but a deal seems unlikely for now. The free-agent market still features plenty of starting pitchers, and high-profile trade targets like Dylan Cease and Michael King are available (we wrote about King HERE), which limits Stroman’s appeal.

One rumor that surfaced recently suggested the St. Louis Cardinals as a potential trade partner, possibly in a deal involving Nolan Arenado. While that’s intriguing, I’m not convinced it’s the right move—especially when considering what players like DJ LeMahieu or Oswaldo Cabrera bring to the roster. Of course, it’s the offseason, and speculation runs wild. At this point, everything is on the table.

Now, when it comes to where the Yankees stand, MLB analyst Chris Rose had some strong opinions. He believes New York is in a great position within the American League, stating, "The rest of the American League teams that were competitive with them, in my opinion, have fallen back. Other teams like Boston have moved up a little. The Athletics have gotten better. I think the Texas Rangers have gotten better. Toronto Blue Jays have gotten better but not enough to jump over the New York Yankees. The Yankees are better than any team in the American League now."

However, Rose also made it clear that the Yankees still aren’t on the same level as the top teams in the National League. He doesn’t think they’ve caught up to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who embarrassed them in last year’s World Series, nor does he believe they measure up to the Philadelphia Phillies or Atlanta Braves.

Personally, I think the Dodgers’ spending is absolutely wild. Their front office must have financial masterminds working behind the scenes because the way they’ve structured their deals is borderline ridiculous. Meanwhile, the Yankees still have a move or 2 to make, but they’ll likely have to wait for the trade market to develop further.

All that said, I agree with Rose—and finally, someone said it. Now, can we talk about how the Mets might actually be worse off in the long run with Juan Soto?

YANKEE FAN FAVORITE MICHAEL KING BACK ON THE TRADING BLOCK?

Yankees fans loved Michael King. The front office did too. But when Juan Soto in his prime was up for grabs, there was no time for second thoughts. So, King was sent to San Diego, and—surprise, surprise—he thrived. He put up a 2.95 ERA over a career-high 173.2 innings, striking out 10.42 batters per nine. A total win for the Padres.

But here’s where things get interesting. Empire Sports Media just dropped this nugget, saying:

“The Padres appear open to dealing with him, as they are reportedly listening to trade offers. Given King’s breakout season and the fact that he is still under team control, he immediately becomes one of the most attractive trade chips on the market.”

So, if you’re the Yankees, how do you not at least make the call? King was once a Yankee, a good soldier, and he’d be a seamless fit back in the rotation.

But while they’re at it… why not aim even higher?

The Yankees have been linked to Luis Arraez all offseason as ESM points out, and while Aaron Boone’s lackluster WFAN interview hinted at DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera splitting infield duties, the rumor mill keeps spinning. If San Diego is open for business, the Yankees could explore a deal that brings back King and lands them an elite contact hitter to balance out their lineup.

Meanwhile, across town, the Mets have been relatively quiet after signing Soto—besides picking up the very chatty AJ Minter. Their rotation, though? A whole lot of uncertainty.

As BVM Sports points out:

“The Mets do not have a lot of proven commodities in their starting rotation. Sean Manaea will return after a career year and so will Kodai Senga after only making one start during the 2024 regular season. The hope is Frankie Montas can bounce back and David Peterson continues to excel, but neither pitcher is guaranteed to have success. King would be one of the most reliable pitchers in New York’s rotation and could be their ace by the end of the season.”

It makes perfect sense for the Mets to go after King—but are they actually in the mix? That’s still unclear.

Michael King is a hot commodity. The Yankees could try to bring him back. The Mets should make a move. And another team will eventually pounce.

Who’s going to step up? We’ll find out soon. Stay tuned.

COULD THE PHILLIES FILL THE HOLMES GAP?

Source: Jason Szenes / New York Post

Clay Holmes gives me heartburn. There I said it. And with that said, I have no problem with him pitching elsewhere. So if no Holmes, then who will be there to set up presumably Luke Weaver? Well the Yankees could have some opportunities with their NL rivals from Philadelphia. And I am okay with that.

"Carlos Estévez, Jeff Hoffman, Tanner Scott. The Yanks have cast a wide net in the relief market. The hard-throwing Estévez posted a 2.45 ERA in 54 appearances for the Angels and Phillies last year, while Hoffman logged a 2.17 ERA over 68 appearances as a reliable choice in that Philly 'pen," reported Sports Illustrated. 

With Weaver in the closer position, there is a need for a reliable set up guy or perhaps guys. The Yankees have the opportunity to sign a premiere reliever from any of the the above but Estevez certainly is the best of the trio. "When the year ended, Philadelphia made it known that either Estevez or Hoffman would likely be on their way out. Signing both would be ideal, but with other needs on the roster, it's tough to justify paying two of the most expensive relievers available," reported Sports Illustrated.

But the interesting twist in all of this is that although Holmes is on the market as reliever, he could be turned into a starter. According to the New York Post, this is not as crazy as it sounds. "A few teams are inquiring about Clay Holmes transitioning from the bullpen to the rotation, including the Mets, a source told The Post. Holmes has not started since 2018, his debut season with the Pirates. But he was a starter throughout his minor league tenure. Teams are more aggressively looking at relievers returning to the rotation due to recent success in that area. Kansas City’s Seth Lugo just finished third for the AL Cy Young." And recall the success former Yankee reliever Michael King had last year as a starter with San Diego, finishing seventh for the Cy Young Award. 

So as the Winter Meetings heat up in Dallas beginning Sunday, not only will the Juan Soto sweepstakes be on, the reliever market will be ready set go as well. "Even if no trades are finalized this week, the groundwork for offseason trades is often laid at the meetings, one of the rare times that executives from all 30 clubs are in the same place at the same time," reported MLB.com. It will be an interesting few weeks as we head into the end of the year. It is all hands on deck. And a wonder of who will be a Yankee and who will not come 2025.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

HOW DEEP IS THE YANKEES PITCHING STAFF?

I am impressed by Luis Gil every time I watch him do his work. He seemed unfazed by the long anticipated first series of the 2024 season against Boston. And he just did his job. His stuff was just beautiful, capturing his 9th win and a 2.03 ERA. 

Source: AP 

But when I look at the way Alex Verdugo performed against his former team on Friday night, I can't help but point out that the Yankees gave up three pitchers to close that deal with the former Boston outfielder. And what a deal that is turning out to be for the Yankees! Not to mention that the Yankees shipped four pitchers to San Diego for Juan Soto. And did I mention that Gerrit Cole hasn't pitched one ball for the Yankees yet this season as his team continues to soar above the AL East and the rest of baseball? The Yankees' pitching staff is deep. And we are now seeing just how far it goes.

"Cashman made headlines for blowing up at the GM meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., rather aggressively (and slightly profanely) defending himself and his staff following what he himself described as a “disaster” of a 2023 season. Then a month later, he authored perhaps the best week of a career that’s long and storied (well, it’s now been memorialized in a book, I hear). The rivals understandably don’t make many deals together. The trade of Verdugo for a middle reliever and two middle-rung (at best) minor leaguers was interesting but soon overshadowed by the move for the incomparable Soto," reported The New York Post.

Everyone thought Brian Cashman lost his mind making what seemed very risky moves. But now he appears brilliant and the Yankees continue to exude brilliance down their batting order and across their pitching staff.

I watched Cole hurl 10 strikeouts last night in Rochester as a member of the Rail Riders while Gil impressed us up in Boston. And there are many more arms in the minors with the game acumen and pitching greatness to almost make us forget about Michael King and Jhony Brito. 

Ahead of spring training, Boone said this about the trades and battery of arms in the minors, “I do feel like considering what we lost in some trades this year, I think we’re in a much better depth position that maybe I even expected,” he said. “But you know that depth is going to be challenged. We’ll find out,” reported The Athletic. No one even expected Gil to be as good as he is. And there are guys like Will Warren and Cody Poteet who we saw in Kansas City who can step up as needed as the season progresses.

And it does not end there, we have seen how good Luke Weaver has been in middle relief and there is Clayton Beeter and Chase Hampton who is on the rise as The Athletic predicted in February. Not to mention that the Yankees are getting solid starts from their current rotation behind Gil; again all of this depth and success without Cole.

It going to be an exciting few weeks as the Yankees move into the midway part of a very long season. Pitching depth and success can carry any team further than expected. Let's hope this Yankee team keeps that momentum going and the pitching continues to support the incredible run production we have seen so far this season.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

YANKEES TRYING TO LAND CUBAN FIREBALLER

Well I like the sound of fireballer as long as that pitcher comes to the Yankees. MLB analysts are reporting that the Yankees and rival Blue Jays are in a dogfight for Cuban reliever Yariel Rodríguez. The addition will provide much needed depth to the pen. But who's pen? That is the question.

"On Dec. 29, ESPN's Enrique Rojas reported that the Blue Jays had 'taken the lead' in the bidding for Cuban free-agent right-handed Yariel Rodríguez," Ken Rosenthal said. "Over the past 2 1/2 weeks, I have consistently heard the same. The Jays are optimistic they will land Rodríguez, according to a source briefed on their pursuits. But hurdles evidently remain in his immigration, preventing the Jays from completing a deal," reports SI.com. 

Source: AP Photo/Marta Lavandier

The Yankees need to take this opportunity to push this deal across the finish line. Despite the talks of Blake Snell and although they signed Marcus Stroman last week, the Yankees need pitching. Recall that mainstay and long reliever Michael King is gone due to the Juan Soto trade. He was someone the Yankees could rely on for multiple roles on the pitching staff. Now they need someone who can come in and fireball the opponents. That guy is not going to be Clay Holmes. 

Back in November, the Yankees were linked to Padres closer Josh Hader to replace Holmes in the primary closer role. But talks have gone silent with other suitors seeking Hader. "Hader has appeared in 314 games in that time span, tossing 341 innings with a 2.56 ERA, a full 1.28 runs lower than Holmes. Hader strikes out 15.3 batters per nine innings - that ranks second in MLB among relievers since 2018 - and 3.6 batters per nine, both significantly better than Holmes," reported NJ.com.

"The Yankees made an offer to Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, but it was declined by his camp. While signing Snell seems unlikely at this point, the Yankees could now go after Hader to make their bullpen an elite unit," reported SI.com.

So if not the fireballer Rodríguez the Yankees could sign dominant closer Josh Hader. I am excited. I know we have been down on things lately here at BYB, but a signing that would greatly enhance our bullpen is something to cheer about!

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

JUAN SOTO IS A YANKEE AND MICHAEL KING IS A PADRE - NOW WHAT?

Who is happy the Juan Soto drama is over? I am ready to move on to the next target, because we all know there is more to come. Brian Cashman is in the hot seat. He needs to deliver and save what he can of his destroyed reputation.

The Yankees needed to make a splash, and Juan Soto is a big fish. He's a WHALE, actually. It's a move reminiscent of George Steinbrenner himself. I never thought I'd be able to say that. Juan Soto makes the Yankees better offensively, but does losing Michael King make the starting rotation worse?

Nope. I know a lot of people who are high on King. I don't dislike King at all.... he was the team's most valuable reliever when he was healthy in 2022, but I don't see him as a starter. I believe King has a lot of potential, but I think he's a risky bet to stay healthy as a starter. He has an extensive history with elbow injuries including a fracture in 2022. He recovered well from that surgery but, I think his mechanics and endurance are a huge risk for the Yankees. His velocity was down for a while and the Yankees really had to work with him to build him back up and when they did that, he never pitched without at least two days' rest. It's hard to ignore.

I think King overall did well last season, but he's getting older and will be 29 and his workload just doesn't support his role as a starter. Last season was his career high for innings pitched at 104 and pushing him drastically beyond that is not only very unrealistic, but also a big risk given his history. He's not the workhorse the Yankees are going to need, and honestly a goal of 150 innings is even lofty. I like King as a reliever, he's not the solution for building a solid rotation beyond Gerrit Cole no matter how badly we needed and wanted him to be.

As much as some dislike the idea of giving King away for Soto I don't think it is a catastrophic loss. King is going to be a free agent in two years, and the Yankees know he just had a good season, and his trade value is the highest it has ever been. Who knows, maybe King will give us even more proof that the Yankees medical staff is dumber than a box of rocks and the Padres can help him stay healthy. I wish him well.

On to the next task.... Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Yankees don't move pitching like this without plans to restrengthen. Plus, Cashman's ass is on the line. I just hope giving up Drew Thorpe doesn't come back to bite us later.

Stay tuned.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE POTENTIAL SOTO DEAL WITH THAT ADDED GOODIE

It looks like this "Juan Soto to the Yankees" deal is almost done, but not yet.  We all know the importance of Soto to the Yanks and Cashman knows it more than anyone. His ass is on the line. 

I wasn't able to tune in the YES today for this big announcement, so I asked my buddy Mike what happened...

"We get Soto or what?"

"I didn't see it. Maybe Jack Curry jumped the gun with that announcement or maybe he was lied to. Either way... I think we're gonna get Soto."

As a fan, I want to believe it. We all do.  And what do we give away? I'll tell you what they're talking about. Guys like Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez and Higgy.  All good dudes, good soldiers for the Yankees, but how else do you get Juan Soto? You gotta give to get.  But not only do we get Soto... there's more.

Did you know who we are getting in addition to Soto if it works out as it appears? Trent Grisham.

Empire Sports Media writes:

"Trent Grisham’s addition to the deal makes the outfield picture a lot clearer, as it seems that he’ll be a defensive substitution and fourth outfielder for the Yankees. He’s in the top five in both DRS and OAA among centerfielders since joining the Padres in 2020, and his reverse splits should make him the starter for Verdugo when the team faces southpaws." 

It makes our 4th outfielder pretty damn solid if you ask me. He's athletic. Sure he's stumbled with the bat sometimes, but I am not down on this guy yet.

Now many are down on Grisham for a bad year however. Rotoballer writes:

"The 27-year-old Grisham will become a fourth outfielder for the Yankees if the trade is completed after hitting under .200 with 13 home runs, 50 RBI, 15 stolen bases and 154 strikeouts in 555 trips to the plate over 153 games played..."

But what sticks out to me was how hot he was in the playoffs in 2022. I know 2023 happened right after that, but 2022 always suck in my mind. 4-8 against the Mets with 2 home runs... against the Dodgers, 4-13 with a home run and yes, he sucked against the Phillies, but the reality is this guy can be an impact player when he wants to be. I truly believe that if the Yankees secure Soto and Grisham, Grisham can be a "change of scenery, change of energy" guy in the Bronx. Hopefully I'm right.

I leave you with this. It was just reported that Bob Nightengale is trying to rain on the Yankees parade by tweaking that no deal was complete, and the Yankees' Cashman and Boone are headed to the airport.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone just left the winter meetings hotel and are headed to the Nashville airport with no Soto deal finalized yet

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 6, 2023

And Inside the Padres writes:

"Since late Tuesday night, after the Yankees' trade with the Boston Red Sox for Alex Verdugo, it seemed that a Yankees-Padres swap for Soto was inevitable.

While that could still very well be the case, the two sides weren't able to finalize it before leaving the Winter Meetings..."

Let's hope we didn't just get Cliff Lee'd here.

PLEASE SAY NO TO BLAKE SNELL!

Yes, the Yankees need to make some bold changes in order to be in the conversation for the post season in 2024. But, no, those bold moves don't begin with Blake Snell. According to The Athletic's Jim Bowden, the Yankees appear poised to pick up the NL front runner for Cy Young. But I say not so fast. Let's not just add before we figure out what we need.

Source: Sports Illustrated

"New York will have competition -- possibly even the rival Boston Red Sox -- but a move makes sense. Snell is in line to win his second Cy Young Award and would form a fearsome duo with Cole. Plus, if New York could land him for the contract Bowden predicted, he would be a steal. The Yankees need to make at least one -- but probably multiple big moves this offseason if they want to get back into World Series contention," reported Sports Illustrated. Please don't rush because the Sox are in the prey too!

I believe the big moves need to start internally, way before they consider Blake Snell. Who are their pitchers anyway? Are the Yankees going to let Michael King into the starting rotation where he belongs? And even if you get a big name pitcher, can they pitch in New York, in the toughest market in baseball? I don't want Blake Snell to be the next Sonny Gray, who by the way can pitch, just not in New York.

According to The Athletic, "The front office will have to get creative to field a competitive team if the payroll will be less than the $277 million payroll from this season. Because of the team’s locked-in commitments, I also don’t see a realistic pathway for the Yankees to field a competitive team if they were to stay under the first luxury tax level. Depth was a major limiting factor for the 2023 Yankees. Slashing payroll by over $40 million in 2024 would only exacerbate that problem."

And if they do go over the payroll, are they keeping people like Clay Holmes and Gleyber Torres who are due for raises? Is anyone concerned about the dugout presence of Aaron Boone, who simply does not seem to have the managerial skills to lead this kind of team that could include veteran Cody Bellinger and young pitchers  like Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto? Are they still planning to use analytics over baseball knowledge to field their signature players? 

So, Blake Snell is a no for me. New pitching is a yes. Young pitching is a yes. And the Yankees need to use strategies that support the very heart beat, the very being of the team- culture eats strategy for breakfast. Wait before you just buy. Consider who you have, who deserves to be paid and be sure before you go after players. Honestly, why would you want to come to the Yankees in their current state if you could go to a team and contend with strong leadership in your corner? Maybe players should just say no to the Yankees this free agency- now wouldn't that be a statement. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof