YANKEES TRADE RUMORS ARE SWIRLING ABOUT A KEY PIECE, ALREADY!

We just popped the cherry on the Yankees 2026 season, and the rumor mill is already buzzing. The baseball world has made their predictions and now we wait and see what happens. How competitive will the Yankees be and what about key pieces that will be free agents next season?

Yup, folks are already thinking really far ahead, and that is especially true for Jazz Chisholm. Multiple sources are already predicting what his fate will be. Yahoo sports is already predicting that Chisholm does a repeat from last season with 30+ home runs and stolen bases, check it out HERE. When he does, the Yankees are predicted to offer him $300 million over ten years. I think that is rich but Chisholm has already said that he is expecting a deal that will take him until he retires and he believes he is worth ten years and actually worth more than $30 million average annual salary that would give him. Interesting talk for a season that still has 161 regular season games to play.

Then on the other side of the spectrum, there are predictions of a trade moving Chisholm for a nice prospect haul IF the Yankees underperform and are not in playoff contention, read more HERE. 
"If the Yankees don't see bringing him back as a realistic financial solution then trading him for a nice prospect haul during the season could make sense. That's not an outcome Yankee fans want to see, but Brian Cashman is a pragmatist above all else. The combination of being out of playoff contention and not wanting to break the bank for Chisholm could force the Yankees into a deal."

I'm tired of watching the Yankees fail so I don't want to see him clean house for a rebuild, but we have seen it before. It's been 10 years since the last big "sell off" but honestly, I don't know that Cashman could pull off another sell off like he did when Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and cheating Carlos Beltran were all shipped off. I just don't think he has it in him. However, if that happened someone better make sure Anthony Volpe is included in that deal.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that this idea is floating around out there. Over the winter we said TRADE JAZZ, VOLPE TO SECOND & GO GET BO! The ship has sailed on that last part but the Jazz move could still happen. The rumor mill is always active with the Yankees, and the day it isn't is when I really worry.

What do you think happens to Jazz? Does he stay a Yankee or does he go? Make your prediction and tell us. Happy Opening week, Yankee fans!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THE YANKEES GRABBED TANNER SCOTT

Let’s face it, Tanner Scott isn’t just your average left-handed reliever—he’s one of those guys who makes batters wonder why they even bothered picking up a bat. If the Yankees snag him, their bullpen could go from good to downright terrifying.

This past season, Scott was like a baseball nomad, splitting his time between the Miami Marlins and the San Diego Padres. And boy, did he make the most of it! Before he packed his bags at the trade deadline, Scott was boasting a ridiculous 1.18 ERA and had already struck out 53 hitters in just 45.2 innings. Not surprisingly, this earned him his first All-Star Game nod after eight years in the league.

"With the Yankees, Scott has the makings of Andrew Miller 2.0," writes Just Baseball. "Miller posted a 1.77 ERA through 104 outings as a Yankee, striking out nearly 15 batters per nine innings and being one of the most dominant relief pitchers in the game. Scott’s close to there already, so his addition would bring back a ton of memories for followers of the Yankees."

Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Pair Scott with Luke Weaver and Devin Williams, and suddenly, the Yankees’ bullpen could become an impenetrable fortress. It’s like assembling a dream team of shutdown artists, with Scott ready to bring the heat and make batters rethink their choices.

A few days ago, someone floated the idea of bringing in David Robertson, which is great and all, but why stop there? Adding Tanner Scott to the mix would be like getting not just a cherry on top but the whole sundae bar. Who wouldn’t want an extra layer of security, especially when the stakes are high in the postseason?

Last year, the Yankees learned a tough lesson: you can never have too many dominant bullpen arms. When October baseball rolls around, having a guy like Scott who can mow down hitters is a must, not a luxury. 

So, let’s make it happen, Yankees. Scott’s arm could be just the magic touch the bullpen needs.

THE YANKEES SUFFER FROM THEIR OWN SPENDING BLUNDERS

I'm sure many of us are unimpressed with Brian Cashman's second press conference. Let's face it, his first one in April was bad and this one was even worse in my opinion. The Yankees have resources galore at their fingertips and they don't know what to do with them. They are doing this all wrong.

It's nice to be a big market team with owners who have deeper pockets. It was nice to go out and finally lure Gerrit Cole and outbid anyone and everyone else interested. Deep pockets are nice....but money doesn't solve every problem for a baseball team. Now, it's turned into a problem.

Before I lose you, hear me out. Brian Cashman said on Tuesday that the Yankees were fully engaged and were buyers for the trade deadline. He even used the word "urgently" a few times. All of baseball knows how much we are in a pickle. They see our desperation to try and right the ship here....but what about the luxury tax situation? That's not going away. Cashman said he would present all options to ownership and see if it fits in the budget. As far as we all know, the remaining budget is approximately $4 million. That's not a lot of room for an awful lot of improvements needed.

Cashman says the Yankees are buyers, but should they be? Instead, shouldn't we take this as a sign that we need to do a better job managing our money and developing our talent? I think so. Our minor league systems are very depleted and while we have a lot of needs to address, we don't have as strong of a minor league to feed from as we did when we reloaded our farm back in 2016 when the Yankees traded Andrew Miller. Looking back at 2016, it was strange to consider ourselves sellers, but those moves did benefit us.

I don't like to ever call the Yankees sellers, it's not in our DNA. In 2016 we had more pieces to move. Now, even though I think we need to make some moves we really don't have a lot that we CAN move. Even if we wanted to move Cole (and I don't) he has a full no-trade clause. Then there is Giancarlo Stanton which has his own no-trade situation so good luck there. Even if he agreed, that's an expensive price tag to move.

Honestly, the way I see it....the Yankees two most valuable pieces to move would be Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman. PLENTY of teams would love to get their hands on good left handed relievers, but even they won't get us a franchise altering piece like Gleyber Torres was when we traded Chapman last time. Even if we could move these guys for a good value we are still going to be in the same position in the future if the Yankees are still hellbent on remaining under the luxury tax.

The Yankees are crippled by money. It's nice to have, but our team can't be built primarily with a focus of spending money on free agents. We need an overhaul of our player development team. We need increased emphasis on scouting. It's nice to have money....until you are crippled by it and can only build a team by spending it and then not getting your moneys worth....here's looking at you Aaron Hicks.

The Yankees don't know HOW to spend their money wisely. So here we are....talking about being buyers with no budget and all because Yankees didn't spend wisely. The Yankees wallet is their kryptonite and until they fix it this problem isn't going away.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

CASHMAN TALKS TO MEDIA CALLING FOR MAJOR CHANGES

Source: AP Photo/Kathy Willens

Major changes. Yea, we all know this. He have all felt the pain of losses, bad losses for this Yankee team over the last week. And to answer the questions, provide feedback about what their next move is, Brian Cashman talked to the media on Tuesday night ahead of the Yankees 6-5 win against the Blue Jays in Buffalo. The Yankee GM told reporters that the team was his responsibility and it was up to him to figure out what was ailing this them, noting he will not allow them to fail. 

“Losing invites scrutiny on us all,’’ Cashman said prior to Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jays at Sahlen Field. “We are all in this together. We made this bed and we’re gonna sleep in it and make sure we find a way to fix this together,” reported The New York Post. 

The Yankees are hovering just around .500 and down 8+ games in the AL East. They are hurting for consistent starting pitching, their fielding and base running are atrocious and there is a big gap in center field to fill before the trade deadline. 

Source: AP

Now the Yankees have not made a big deal at the deadline since the 2016 trade that shipped out Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova. But this year, the Yankees are buyers. Specifically, center field and the starting rotation appear to be two areas in need of improvement."As the July 30 non-waiver trade deadline gets closer, Cashman said he expects more players to become available. If a high-priced addition becomes an option, he said he will go to ownership to see if that player is in the budget," reported the Post. 

Source: NJ.com

But adding to the frustration is the lack of fundamental baseball which includes smart baserunning, and clean defense. So, my question is what is the coaching staff doing about that? And who is responsible for ensuring that this team actually takes infield practice and coaches are providing instructional discourse to this team, which includes simulated game play to keep the team sharp. 

“We’ve got really good coaches that know what they’re doing and I think we have a really good manager who knows what he’s doing,’’ Cashman said. “That doesn’t mean you’re gonna get the results you want. You’ve got to stay at it. We’re in this together and I’m trying to figure this thing out. We have what it takes in this clubhouse already,” reported the Post

So, my takeaways are this: 

1. Cashman is at least talking to the media and facing the music

2. Cashman acknowledges that changes need to be made, noting this was not the performance he was anticipating and will figure out how to go from here

3. Cashman stands by his coaching staff and believes in them 

4. Cashman is going to be a serious buyer ahead of the July 30th trade deadline

Not sure I am satisfied, but as I said in point #1, Cashman showed up on the road to address his team, his coaching staff and reporters. He isn't hiding. And I can appreciate that. Now let's see if we get some action to those words and we really do see changes. Otherwise, this is going to be a long summer. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

DECEMBER HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN A GREAT MONTH FOR THE YANKEES

Source: Sporting News

So far this December, we have had a good run.  We signed a new manager, we signed Giancarlo Stanton and we are taking our rightful post as best team in baseball from the farm upwards.  Historically, December has been a great month for the Yankees and it all started in 1919.

"In the winter of 1919, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee did the unthinkable: In need of funding for a musical he was trying to produce, he sold Babe Ruth -- deemed "more spectacular than useful" -- to the rival Yankees for $100,000. Four World Series titles, the all-time home run record and an 86-year curse later, it's one of the most significant moments in baseball history," reported MLB.com

Specifically, it was December 26th as the Twitter post boasts.  And there was no going back for the Yankees.  Now, almost 100 years later, the Yankees are sitting above the rest, building, sculpting a new dynasty filled with promise and excitement.

"With the December trade for reigning National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees believe they have assembled a modern-day version of the fabled Murderer's Row, stacking their lineup with the right-handed power of Judge, Stanton and Gary Sanchez," reported MLB.com.

Source: New York Times

The leader of this newly assembled lineup is Aaron Boone, whose fit seemed unlikely to many who thought someone with managerial experience should take the helm.  But at the start of this great December, he was the candidate the front office believed could carry the Yankees to their next championship.

Source: NJ.com

 “Joe was great for the last 10 years, like Joe Torre was great before him. But the game is changing at such a speed that you’ve got to be able to not only jump on and go with it, but relate it to this generation of young stars," reported the New York Times earlier in the month.

Source: Newsday

Other Decembers where we made favorable "blockbuster-like" moves include 2014 when we picked up Didi Gregorius and Andrew Miller, Mark Teixeira in 2008, Hideki Matsui in 2002, Rickey Henderson in 1984, Catfish Hunter in 1974 and Roger Maris in 1959.

Source:  Getty Images / Elsa

In December 2008 we signed CC Sabathia for the first time and for the second time, Sabathia officially signed his new 2018 contract the day after Christmas.  Will he be the last signing before the New Year, topping off another great December?  Perhaps but there are several hours left for the Yankees to snag another pitcher in Gerrit Cole or Patrick Corbin?  Or another?  No doubt, that the Yankees have a little more room on their roster to make some further additions.

We will keep our ears and eyes open and report it out.  Happy December everyone!

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THE YANKEES LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY!

It's not over yet. The fat lady ain't singing yet. We still have a faint pulse.....and we can still tie this series up after all. It's been rough but we pulled it off and WE ARE STILL ALIVE!

Photo: Getty Images

Last night was tough to watch. Going until the bottom of the seventh with no score is just an invitation for a great team like Cleveland to come in and sucker punch you. I was biting my nails and pacing the floors in our home. Thank the baseball gods for the dominating pitching performance from Masahiro Tanaka last night! We needed that three hit, one walk show from Tanaka. It was a saving grace when Yankee offense looked like it was checking out for the winter already.

Photo: Getty Images

Then Greg Bird finally gave the Yankees the lift we really needed with that solo home run against Andrew Miller. Tanaka was doing his part, and Bird finally gave him some support. Bird has taken a lot of heat this year thanks to all of the time on the disabled list. Tonight I was reminded of what we saw back in 2015. Bird showed off in a big way. THAT is the Birdman Yankee brass and fans expect to see.

Photo: Getty Images

Thank goodness all we needed is that ONE RUN because usually that's not enough when you are dealing with Cleveland. I was a nervous wreck when we had to run out for a last minute errand and we were listening to it all go down in the ninth inning on XM Radio. I was sitting in the passenger seat sweating with my eyes closed, head bowed down as if I were praying and I had my fingers and toes crossed.....if Carlos Santana got a hit against Aroldis Chapman I was going to absolutely lose my mind in our car.

Thank goodness it didn't and we WILL have a Game 4. But a lot still has to go right if we want to force a game 5.

First things first, mother nature needs to cooperate. The weather for Monday does not look good at all. The bulk of the rain looks to be likely during the morning and early afternoon hours but by game time there is still a 50% chance of rain right now.

Photo: Getty Images

Assuming there is a game and no rain out Luis Severino needs to dominate.
We need our ace tonight, not the guy that pitched one-third of an inning against the Twins in the Wild Card. This time he is on regular rest and I am sure he wants to redeem himself. Tanaka does well on longer rest and that worked well for us but that didn't work well for Severino. We need length from Severino and if he pitches well our offense also needs to show up unlike last night. The odds of Cleveland having a repeat lackluster offense again tonight are basically zero.

No brainer here, but the bats need to come alive again
The Yankee offense has stalled and we got lucky winning a 1-0 game against Cleveland. That was too close for comfort. The bats need to be out and working on overtime tonight. Aaron Judge and his 0-10 slump needs to end. Didi Gregorius is only 1-for-11 and Brett Gardner is 1-for-12.  The top of the lineup is especially going to be key for this Yankees offense. They need to set the table and the heart of the order needs to clean house, simple as that because we won't have another 1-0 win against these Indians.

Photo: Getty Images

I wish we weren't behind in this series and I wish Joe Girardi would've freakin' challenged that hit by pitch on Friday. I know it is foolish to look back but replays suggest that would have been a potentially game-saving strikeout. Who knows if we would've come back and won anyway considering how we really choked that lead away but still....it could've been a difference.

Tonight decides if we go back to Ohio and fight in game five or if we all go home for a long winter's nap. I'm not ready for a nap yet so let's protect the house and win!




--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor 
Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ

IF THE YANKS DO THESE THINGS, THEY CAN BEAT THE TRIBE!

Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports

It's finally here.

Today starts Game 1 of the ALDS and this is going to be one heck of a tough series. It feels good to FINALLY be in the postseason again, but this is an ugly "welcome back to the ALDS" match-up and the Yankees are gonna have to be on their A+ game to win this series. Here are some key things that have to happen (the most important ones) to get past the Indians.

Photo: MLB.com

1. WIN the first game

I have always liked Terry Francona because he isn't afraid to take a risk and he is smart. Game one is important to the Yankees because Francona has opted to start Trevor Bauer INSTEAD of Corey Kluber, but don't be fooled because that is all by design. Normally, managers start their best pitcher one Game one but not this time. Bauer is a good pitcher, but he is no Kluber. Realistically, Kluber is likely to be the AL Cy Young winner at least in my opinion. I think he gets it over Chris Sale.

Photo: MLB.com

Pitching Bauer before Kluber means Kluber could pitch games two and then five on regular rest.  Kluber on regular rest is very important to the Indians. They have asked him to pitch on short rest three times last year in the postseason and they don't want to do that again yet. The Indians ace is lined up for two games in this series. Winning Thursday in Cleveland will give the Yankees momentum, and if you like interesting tidbits like me, teams who win the first game in a best of five series statistically go on to win that series 71% of the time. It's a nice stat.....and an even better one if Francona knows it and loses. Let's make the Indians a little uncomfortable and if Sonny Gray pitches a great game and out offense handles Bauer we carry the momentum.

(Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America)

I hate to say it but the first game is basically a MUST WIN. Chad Green and David Robertson will be unavailable for game One, so that will hurt. The last thing the Yankees want to do is drop the first game and have to worry about a potential 0-2 deficit with Kluber on the mound tomorrow.

(Oct. 2, 2017 - Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America)

2. Battle through Kluber & DON'T give up

Game two is going to be hard! This matchup is going to be interesting with former Indians ace CC Sabathia dueling against current ace Kluber. I am intrigued already. The Yankees have a lot of experience with CC on the mound but they have not had much success against Kluber.

Photo: Getty Images

Looking at the Yankee lineup Jacoby Ellsbury has the most success against him at 5-for-19. The Yankees will need to try and drive up his pitch count and capitalize on any of his mistakes which seems unlikely, but so far pitchers have had a rough time in this early postseason so it's possible. Even if the Yankees manage to get Kluber out early their bullpen is similar to the Yankees and have some great arms like former Yankee Andrew Miller. Luckily in game two Green and Robertson will be available if needed.

3. Rain is in the forecast for Friday

The current forecast has it raining ALL DAY in Cleveland. If that is the case, the game would likely be postponed until Saturday. That would mean three games in a row which could be bad for the bullpens BUT it could be a major advantage for the Yankees. The Indians want to pitch Kluber on regular five day rest as mentioned above.....if game 2 is moved to Saturday and he has to pitch in it he would be starting on short rest. Hmmmm. I like the potential hole in Francona's masterful plan.

Photo: Getty Images

4. Take advantage of Yankee home games

The Yankees have very different splits with home and away games. Their away record this year was 40-41 but at home they are 52-30 if you count their Wild Card win the other night. The Yankees know how to capitalize on their short right porch and have lefty power to send balls over the wall. Not to mention there is nothing like playing in Yankee stadium in the playoffs. Ask Aaron Judge how electric the crowd was Tuesday night. The Yankees can feed off of that energy and use it to their advantage.

Photo: Getty Images

5. Arms & bats need to do their jobs

The bullpen is going to be a difference maker here. Both teams have a deep bullpen but there is nothing quite like the combination of Yankee relievers. The reliable Dellin Betances will need to show up and be effective and Joe Girardi will have plenty of arms to mix and match to whatever his binder tells him to do. The bats also need to do their job.

Photo: Getty Images

The Yankees will need Judge, Gary Sanchez and Didi Gregorius to set the tone and stay hot at the top of the order like the did against the Twins. The rest of the lineup will need to keep the hits going.

The Yankees are the underdog in this series, but anything can happen in the postseason. The Indians had everything go their way in the regular season and want to finish what they started last year with a ring. The Yankees surpassed everyone's expectations and are hungry to prove everyone wrong.

Who wants it more? We are about to find out....bring it on, Indians!



--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor 
Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ

WAIT... I AGREE WITH DAVID ORTIZ?!

Credit: Matt West.

Time to circle the calendar because this may never happen again....but David Ortiz something that I agree with. Actually, not just one thing. It's weird, I hope I am not going soft here. Just because he isn't playing against the Yankees anymore I haven't forgotten how much of a pain in our side he was for years. Now suddenly I am agreeing with him? This is.....weird. Twilight Zone weird.

He's right though. We are good, and he even said so in a story by the New York Daily News. "The Yankees look good. Hey, when you're in (the playoffs), anything can happen. It's like starting from zero. Cleveland has been playing crazy good, Houston has been playing crazy good. But I always believe in the underdog. The underdog is always my favorite. You never know what can happen."

Now I am actually interested to hear him when he works for Fox Sports during the MLB postseason games. I was indifferent before but not only did he admit the Yankees are good....but he said he likes the underdog and I have almost cheered for the underdog. I say almost always because 2004 still haunts me and the 2001 World Series I still can't talk about. But seriously....I love a good story about the underdog.

The Yankees are the underdog. Right now, mathematically the Yankees could still win the division but that looks unlikely. As hot as the Yankees are right now, so are the Red Sox. Both teams won on Wednesday night and the Yankees are still three games out with only four games to play. Counting on the Red Sox to suddenly tank is extremely unlikely.

So right now it looks like the Yankees would play the Twins in the Wild Card game with home field advantage. Assuming that we win and advance to the NLDS then Andrew Miller and the Cleveland Indians scary pitching staff would be waiting for the Yankees. Just like Ortiz said we look good but Cleveland is "crazy good" and no one can deny that.

Photo: New York Post

We would absolutely be the underdog here and with Luis Severino likely starting our Wild Card game that would potentially make him unavailable to pitch until a game four match-up. That part I don't like so much but....you gotta get to the ALDS first right?

But similarly the Red Sox are also the underdog. Assuming they win the AL East (it hurt to type that) they have to take on the Houston Astros, and they are also "crazy good." Both the Yankees and the Red Sox will have a tough road ahead of them Dallas Keuchel has had postseason success and they have a strong rotation also. That is a series I would love to watch.

The Yankees have a lot to be proud of this season. We got further than anyone expected and the Red Sox were always considered to be the favorite in the AL East, but our kids have proven everyone that even without the veteran star power we can still win and be competitive....oh and Ortiz was also right when he called Aaron Judge "a beast" who has rebounded big time this month.

The best part about all of this for me is basically reading Ortiz call the Yankees his favorite. He didn't exactly say it but it was implied. The Yankees are the underdog, and he loves the underdog so David Ortiz loves us.

Yeah......OK that's weird. Either way, carry on!



--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor 
Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ