TYLER AUSTIN IS BACK!

Y’all remember Tyler Austin, right? Yeah — that Tyler Austin. A certified stud and a not-so-small part of the early heartbeat of Bleeding Yankee Blue. 

Back when Bleeding Yankee Blue was building and grinding, trying to carve out a voice, guys like Tyler, Ty Hensley, CC Sabathia, Brendan Ryan and David Robertson didn’t big-time us. They showed love. They backed us. And that stuff? You don’t forget it.

We’ve always respected the hell out of those guys, and we’ll always keep tabs on them here. Loyalty matters. Especially when it was real from the jump.

So yeah — Tyler Austin is back in the news.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Chicago Cubs just signed Austin to a one-year, $1.25 million deal. Not bad at all for a guy who took the long road and made it work.

Austin, now 34, spent the last six seasons in Japan absolutely mashing — slashing .293/.377/.568 with 85 homers and 236 RBI over 1,491 plate appearances. That’s not “hanging on.” That’s thriving.

We met Tyler and his mom, Kim, about 11 years ago when he was still climbing the ladder — minors to majors, dream very much in progress. With the Yankees, he showed legit pop, including 17 home runs in 2018, and he always felt like a guy who could’ve stuck if the breaks fell differently. Personally, I wanted him around longer. But instead of fading, he bet on himself, reinvented his game, and leveled up overseas. I respect the hell out of that.

So here’s a tip of the cap to Tyler Austin — always. Keep raking. Keep proving people wrong.

And hey Kim — hope you’re doing great.

Like this? Read This:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TYLER AUSTIN... WONDERBOY

DAVID ROBERTSON NEEDS TO COME HOME

David Robertson, in my eyes, has always been the epitome of a true Yankee. His fierce competitiveness and dedication to the game are unmatched. 

Over the years, he's earned a special place in our hearts, not just for his performance on the field but also for his early support of Bleeding Yankee Blue. 

He and his wife Eric proudly wore the original BYB shirt back when we were just starting our Yankee blog, a gesture we will never forget. Our admiration for them runs deep, and we will forever love the guy.

Now, at 39, the idea of Robertson returning to the Yankees to finish his career feels just right. Imagine him in the mix with Luke Weaver and newly acquired Devin Williams—it would be the perfect way to bring his journey full circle.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently named the New York Yankees as an ideal fit for Robertson in free agency, seeing it as a fitting way for the veteran to cap off his career as he enters his age-40 season. And it makes perfect sense.

Robertson had a strong 2024 season with Texas, posting a 3.00 ERA over 72 innings. His efforts translated to three wins and two saves, proving he still has plenty left in the tank. His impressive performance will undoubtedly attract several teams looking for a reliable arm in the bullpen.

While he may not be a closer anymore, Robertson's ability to handle high-leverage situations and eat innings remains invaluable. With Devin Williams locking down the closer role and Luke Weaver stepping up as a setup man, adding Robertson to the bullpen would be a strategic move for the Yankees. His experience and tenacity could be the key to fortifying their relief corps for the season ahead.

IN THE LATEST SAGA OF THE METS WANTING TO BE THE YANKEES...

Steve Cohen and the New York Mets—baseball’s answer to that one person in high school who keeps trying to reinvent themselves to impress the cool kids, only to trip over their own shoelaces. The latest twist in the Mets' ongoing obsession with the Yankees? A desperate grab at bullpen pieces that might as well come with pinstripes stitched in for good measure.

According to Dan Bartels of the New York Post, the Mets are considering a trio of options for their bullpen, including Yankee fan-favorite Tommy Kahnle. Bartels’ tweet sums it up:

"If the Mets don’t spend big in the bullpen: David Robertson, Chris Martin, or Tommy Kahnle could be a fit, per @NYPost_Mets."

All former Yankees by the way.

Oh, the audacity! Kahnle, who practically breathes Yankee mystique, posted a career-best 2.11 ERA, fanned 46 batters, and boasted an absurd 59.8% ground-ball rate. Naturally, this would make him a tempting target for a team that has spent the better part of the last decade looking like they’ve been cursed by the ghost of Bobby Bonilla’s contract.

But wait—this is the same Mets team that’s already poached Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas, two former Yankees by the way. Did I mention that they were former Yankees? Are we seeing a pattern here? Maybe Steve Cohen isn’t building a team so much as he’s collecting Yankees like they’re Pokémon cards. What’s next? A monument at Citi Field dedicated to "Almost Yankees We Paid Too Much For"?

And then there’s the Juan Soto saga. Former Yankee. Cohen’s near-obsessive pursuit of the slugger reportedly included outlandish offers—rumored to flirt with a near billion-dollar price tag and a luxury suite for Soto’s family. Really? NEARLY A billion dollars? That’s Bezos money, not "we're still paying for Max Scherzer’s arm and Justin Verlander’s ghost" money.

But here’s the kicker: the Yankees and us Yankee fans couldn’t be happier about the Mets taking Soto off the market. With their rivals distracted, the Bronx Bombers were free to bolster their lineup and pitching staff, leaving Mets fans wondering if Cohen is secretly a double agent sent by Hal Steinbrenner.

If Cohen wants to mimic the Yankees, here’s a free tip: it’s not about signing players who used to be good in pinstripes. It’s about cultivating a winning culture, making smart investments, and, oh yeah, not treating your team like a vanity project. Until then, the Mets will remain what they’ve always been: the Yankees' shadow, forever chasing the light.

Good luck with Tommy Kahnle, Mets. Maybe he’ll bring some of that Yankee magic with him. Or maybe he’ll just bring another reminder that Citi Field is where pinstriped dreams go to die.

But I actually hope Kahnle comes back to the Yankees. I liked him there, and I know he loved being a Yankee.

HOMER BUSH'S KID IS A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK!

We love Homer Bush over here at Bleeding Yankee Blue. We interviewed him back in 2011, and it was a really good chat and since then he's been part of the fam over here... like Steve Karsay, like David Robertson, like Laura and Jorge Posada... even like our guy Pete Caldera.  

These are the names that helped build this brand into the cult classic Yankees blog it is today. Read EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: HOMER BUSH for more on Homer.

But more to that... let's talk about Homer and his kid.  I saw Homer post this on Twitter and I have to say, as a kid that still plays baseball as well, when your kid does great stuff on the baseball field, you gotta share it.  Seeing Homer's post made me proud:

Proud dad. That’s all. That’s the tweet. https://t.co/WSxM46EEc2

— Homer Bush (@BushHomer) May 20, 2023

Now look, there are a ton of great college players out there. As you know I just recently wrote about Jac Caglianone in THE AMERICAN OHTANI. 

We love college guys with real ability. This is the MLB's future. It's awesome.

Homer Bush Jr plays for Grand Canyon Baseball as you can see. He's a junior.  .321 average as we speak right now, and from last year, 2022 with only 7 stolen bases... he's jump to 23 in 2023.  Quite impressive.  

I just want to say congrats to the Bush family. Gotta love the moments! 

DAVID ROBERTSON JUST DID SOMETHING BIG!

If you're not a fan of David Robertson there is something wrong with you. 

Our relationship with David and Erin go way back to near the beginning of Bleeding Yankee Blue's existence.  We asked him to wear a BYB shirt, he and his lovely wife did, we made some money, strictly for their High Socks for Hope charity, and we mailed them a check when all was said and done.  

They helped us and we helped them. From there, I believe we had (and have) a respect for one another... or at least I hope we do.

There's something epic that we want to tell you about, and Erin brought it to our attention.  David Robertson right now has 1001 strikeouts as a reliver.  He just notched 1000 to join of a group of relievers, 14 in all to do that. Only 14.

He did it!!! There are only 14 relief pitchers in MLB history to have over 1000 strikeouts and @drob30 is one of them! So insanely proud of this guy!! 👏🏼⚾️ @Mets pic.twitter.com/24llM2GMIq

— Erin Robertson (@ERob3) May 13, 2023

While you may think its no big deal, think about this;  That comes with resilience, and it comes with longevity. DRob has been and is the real deal. And what I don't get is why this isn't a bigger story? As Empire Sports NY writes:

"At the moment, Robertson owns a 34.5% strikeout rate. While this would be his highest in a season since 2014 with the Yankees (37.1%), it’s not anything new from the hurler. His career strikeout rate is 32.1% and he’s finished with one better than 30.0% nine times in 14 seasons entering 2023.

What has changed is his control of the strike zone upon looking at his walk rate. Heading into 2022, Robertson had tossed just 18.2 innings between 2019 and 2021. In 63.2 innings for the Cubs and Phillies last year, he posted a 13.3% walk rate. At the moment, that number is down to 8.6%. With that, his WHIP has dropped from 1.16 to 0.85 and his strand rate has improved from 86.0% to 92.9%."

There's a lot of stuff that goes into a feat like this. Maturity is a big one too. But how about we just call it what it is; DRob earned it. He's worked hard in his career and trust me; I'd love to have this guy back in our Yankees bullpen right about now.  

Congrats to David Robertson. One of the good ones. No one better. We appreciate you.

DAVID ROBERTSON GOES HAM ON ASSTROS, WITH ACTION & WORDS!

David Robertson and his wife Erin will forever be part of the BYB fam.  They were nice enough to wear Bleeding Yankee Blue shirts for us when our website started up and I was more than happy to make a donation from those shirt sales to the High Socks for Hope foundation. 

It was a good marriage between us back then, and because of it, loyalty (especially for me), runs very deep. I will always be a DRob guy here. BYB is his home whenever he wants it to be.

Robertson got the save last night against the Asstros in Game 1. I've never rooted this hard for the Phillies in all my life. Last night was big. Today, the Los Angeles Times has a solid quote from him in regard to his true feelings about the Houston Astros of 2017.

LA Times writes:

"The former Yankee was asked about the Astros and their infamous sign-stealing scandal before the start of the Fall Classic, and years after speaking out about being knocked around in game six of the 2017 ALCS, and the grudge he held for feeling he had been cheated out of a potential pennant, Robertson made it clear that he still hasn’t forgiven Houston.

“I think that those people who were involved in that situation still, every day, at some point, have to realize what they did and live with the decisions they made,” Robertson told the Los Angeles Times. “I will never get 2017 back.”

By the way, I love the shirts I made for Bregman and Altuve here. Haha. Anyway, look, this is 2022 and there is no question that World Series is revenge for DRob and I have tremendous respect for that.

DRob is a team, clubhouse guy. He understands team, he understands being a champion.  He's also a gamer.  And guess what, he's also one of those guys that's respected in the industry.  If he's blasting the Asstros, it's for good reason and it's because he sincerely believes those guys cheated and should be knocked down a few pegs.  So, trust his words and give him huge props on shutting those idiots down in Game 1.  

Love it DRob!

THE YANKEES HAVE THEIR EYE ON MORE THAN ONE RELIEVER

So while we are left to wonder if the Yankees will make a late move and bring Brett Gardner back I am also watching which reliever the Yankees are going to sign. I really expected to have this answered last night.

So you already know that the Yankees have been watching David Robertson and I am all for David Robertson: Part 3 but the Yankees also have their eye on Justin Wilson, another former Yankee. It is rumored that Wilson "prefers" to return to the Mets but....who knows.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are in "serious" talks with Wilson according to cbssports.com so this could come down to the battle of New York. Which NY team could lure Wilson? I have to admit it would be nice to have another lefty reliever as long as the Yankees can get Wilson's control issues under control. That is the one area that really concerns me about Wilson. He can serve as more than just a lefty-on-lefty match up. 

The Yankees are very familiar with both of these guys. I would love to see Robertson come back and rebound from the last two seasons. He did well here before and he can handle the pressure. If he can rebound and help the team win again then it would be a fantastic reunion story.

I'm interested though to see how this Wilson connection pans out. He's pitched well for the Mets the last two seasons and the Mets are a different team now with new leadership and new faces. It is an exciting time to be a Met, so I wonder if the Yankees can sway him.

Spring training is here, it's THIS week so free agents are going to come off of the board very quickly. I am just intrigued to see what Wilson chooses. It's the rebirth of a New York rivalry already, and I kind of dig it.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

DAVID ROBERTSON: PART 3

If you read my article the other day about David Robertson (Read THE SHOWCASE FOR DAVID ROBERTSON IS ON!), you know that I love and respect the man. This family will ever be in my top 10 because of the mere fact that years ago, they help take a no name blog in named Bleeding Yankee Blue and decided to throw on our shirt. 

We raised money for High Socks for Hope, and while it wasn't alot, it was alot for the small audience we had. And so, I'll forever appreciate David and Erin.

Now comes word that the Yankees may like him too... because they know what he has, knows what he's capable of... and is reliable on the bump.  Empire Sports Media writes:

"The Yankees have been keeping tabs on one former face, David Robertson. According to John Heyman, Robertson is on the comeback trail and pitched at the University of Alabama in front of multiple teams, including the Bombers. He touched 91 mph with his fastball and utilized his illustrious curveball.

Robertson has only pitched 6.2 innings over the past two years, with his last large sample size coming with the Yankees in 2018. During that season, he recorded a 3.23 ERA and 11.76 strikeouts per nine over 69.2 innings. He’s always been a double-digit strikeout per nine pitcher, and given he hasn’t played much over the past few years, he would be extremely cost-efficient."

Hey... you know what I say? Let's do it.

THE SHOWCASE FOR DAVID ROBERTSON IS ON!

This is a small story, but a good one. And the reason is because I have always loved and respected David Robertson and always will wish DROB and Erin the best. They were part of the Yankees family... they were a HUGE part of the BYB family and he's always been a successful pitcher and a great family.  

And so... we got news. MLB Trade Rumors writes:

Free-agent reliever David Robertson will hold his previously reported showcase on Thursday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. There will be a large group of teams in attendance, Heyman suggests, owing to a combination of the 35-year-old Robertson’s past accomplishments and what should be a low-risk contract. 

Robertson enjoyed great success as a Yankee and White Sox from 2008-18, establishing himself as an oft-dominant workhorse along the way, but the right-hander fell off as a Phillie after that. He threw 6 2/3 innings in an injury-shortened 2019 and didn’t pitch at all last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Look, I'd love the Yanks to give this guy a one year deal if they were to be present and liked what they saw, but I doubt it would happen at this point. For me, I just want to guy to latch onto another team and get after it.

Good luck bro! We hope you can continue your journey.

COUNTING ON KAHNLE

This bullpen may be one of the best bullpen's in Yankee history. That's hard to imagine without Mariano Rivera, but the potential that these guys have is insane. The Yankees made the right moves this winter but they still have one remaining piece from last season that they are counting on.

The Yankees envision Tommy Kahnle to be a part of this newly revamped bullpen, but he has to make sure he does his part to be included in it. That starts at Spring Training. Kahnle has to prove that the 2017 Kahnle wasn't a fluke and the 2018 Kahnle is gone for good.

It sounds like he is off to a good start. Friday night was the first time the Yankees go a good look at him, and he's off to a good start after striking out all three batters he faced. In fact, Aaron Boone said he looked better than he has ever seen him. Granted, that's not long but it is something.

That is what we need to hear about Kahnle, "you could tell the way the hitters were swinging, the way he was able to command, it wasn’t like he was reaching for it where at times I felt like he was trying to find the velocity that he didn’t really have last year," Boone said. "Mechanically, he was sound yesterday. That was free and easy and it was really good to see. He’s had a good winter and a good spring and to carry it into his first outing is a good thing for him," read more HERE.

So the first glimpse we get of Kahnle sounds good....really good. He sounds like he is in a better spot mentally and physically now that he has slimmed down also. The Yankees would like to see the inconsistent and injury prone Kahnle from last season gone, and I am sure he would too.

Photo of: Adam Ottavino

There is so much potential for this team. The Yankees could win if they can pull it all together. They made some important improvements to the team while the Red Sox still have areas of weakness that have been left unaddressed. The Yankees could be back on top again....but they still need Kahnle. The Yankees lost David Robertson, and even with the addition of Adam Ottavino, the Yankees need another guy to step up and be reliable and productive.

Kahnle is key to a revamped bullpen because the existing pieces cant do it alone. We can't just rely on Zack Britton. A resurgence from Kahnle gives the Yankees more breathing room, Ottavino has a lot of talent but we have yet to see how that translates away from Coors Field. Jonathan Holder struggled in the second half quite a bit and had difficulty at time with division rivals.

Kahnle is the forgotten man in the bullpen, but he could be the superstar that makes this the best bullpen we've ever seen. It sounds like he's on the right track. Can he earn his spot back and get the job done? I hope so.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

BRYCE HARPER'S DEAL. WHO DOES IT BENEFIT REALLY?

You know the answer... it's Scott Boras. But of course Bryce Harper gets paid very well now and at 13 years, it's almost insane to think that the Phillies are OK with this.

But this is baseball, and this deal is historic. Now we sit back and see if the Phillies can be competitors.  As my 16 year old says, "They definitely have a big chance the next few years. They made some great moves. Look at David Robertson. A smart move too and while people don't think so, you watch. He'll be big in that closer role. He's a leader."

I tend to believe that. The Phillies are a much better team right now. But the key is RIGHT NOW, and honestly, that's all that's needed in baseball.  You don't always think future, sometimes if you're team is close the year before, you need to build to get over the hump. And that's what the Phillies have done.

Bryce Harper, as whiny as he can be, is very talented and can help lead a club NOW.  Plus, you have him in that same NL East division, and so he'll be on when he faces the Nationals and they'll probably pound the Mets pretty well the next few years.  But ultimately, when the glimmer and shine wears off, and if the Phillies win or even fall short the next few years, the rust will eventually form on Harper, just like it has on all these veteran players that sign long term deals before him.

Age is a bitch, and yes, these long term deals never pan out... NEVER.  Look around you. It's fun right now and that's great, and again, YES, the Phillies are playing to win now, and that's a terrific strategy, but at 13 years, $330 million, it's gonna look pretty embarrassing in year 6 when they have Bryce Harper, are sitting in 4th place and now have no big time dough to sign other potential "leaders".

Look at the Padres for instance.  10 years, $300 mil for Manny Machado, and what do they have around him? Not much. As my kid said, "Have fun with that. They no solid pitching. Pitching wins ballgames. Wait until 3 years from now when Manny will start complaining about not being a winning franchise. Well too late, the Pads spent all their money on 1 guy. One guy doesn't bring you much."

My kid's a genius if you haven't figured it out already.

Look. I wish Harper well. I love the guy. I didn't care one way or another if he came to New York or not. I did however know this deal would eventually happen though.  The Phillies were fools to go that long and spend that much on him, but they got their guy and they did the right thing, they built around Harper. And now... for the RIGHT NOW, they in fact DO have a big opportunity to win in the immediately future.

In year 6, 7 8 and 9 however, it won't matter if Harper is good or not, they unfortunately are locked in to paying this guy no matter what, with no trade clause and no idea what to do with a guy like him. They'll be stuck.

And don't get it twisted. I know Harper's only 26. Yes, he's very young and that's great. But complacency is an interesting thing when it comes to sports and when guys get big contracts with guaranteed money involved, they don't work as hard, they don't need to... they just got paid... handsomely.  My opinion as a fan of course. Harper could definitely prove me wrong... but I don't think so. Coasting is just as good because of who they are. We've all seen it, this should be no different down the line.

Go Phils. Nice move. But in the end, Scott Boras benefits from this one, no question.

OTTAVINO RULES!

Adam Ottavino is a New York Yankee, and if you don't like this move and the deal of 3 years, $24 million, you just don't get it.  The Yankees are probably out on Manny Machado.  The Yankees are probably not interested in Bryce Harper... and that's OK.  Why? Because the Yankee offense was never the problem. The Yankees needed pitching and Brian Cashman delivered.

Now some of you will say "Well, he still might do it! He still may bring Manny to the Bronx!" Sure, waste you damn time and dream about it all you want. You may be right. I think you're wrong.  That's it.  I think if the Yankees were really hell bent on bringing Manny to the Bronx, it would have been done a long time ago.  This standing offer of 7-years, $175 million is ridiculous from the White Sox. The fact that he hasn't taken it is even more ridiculous. What is he waiting for? I can't imagine it gets much higher than that.  Why? BECAUSE HE'S NOT WORTH IT.

And sure, you can argue that Manny is one of the best players of his generation. Sure, have fun with that. Maybe he is. But reputation is valuable and when you show arrogance and suggest that you don't need to hustle for a team because you don't need to because you're Manny Machado... I have news for you, you become tainted.

And that's why the Yankees remained stern and went for what made sense.  Getting Adam Ottavino and eventually seeing him on the Yankee Stadium mound with pinstripes on makes the loss of David Robertson alittle bit better. Plus, the dominance of the Yankee pen is and can be amazing. But I caution thinking this so soon. The season even hasn't started yet. I hate speculation of how great something will be before it is.  But looking at it on paper... it's pretty incredible that Cashman pulled this off.

And what's more impressive is that Cash has been tough about every move he made. There's no BS involved. He's surgical... strategic and did what the Yanks needed most.  Even he knows offense in that Yankee lineup is damn good.  An extra big bat? Sure, it helps, but not at the price Manny is demanding. And so, what Cashman did was brilliant. He signed a guy who didn't demonstrate arrogance when he went to the press and alluded to the fact that he doesn't have to do certain things for a team. Instead, he told the press what he WILL do for a team... and did it with the most Iconic Yankee of all time...

"I would strike out Babe Ruth every time."

That's not arrogance folks, that confidence. And in the end, I want that guy on my team. It may be a trick, but I'm sold!

Welcome to the Bronx, Ottavino. My only wish is that I could see that magical show down between you and the Babe. That would be fun to see.

Go kick ass, Adam!