YANKEES APPEAR "ON HOLD" UNTIL STROMAN IS GONZO

The Bronx Bombers appear to be spinning their wheels—and it’s all thanks to Marcus Stroman’s contract. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the team can’t make big moves until they free themselves from Stroman’s hefty paycheck. Problem is, unloading his deal has been tricky.

Why the struggle? Well, there’s still a decent lineup of free-agent pitchers who are way more tempting than Stroman. Imagine this: instead of paying Stroman $18 million in 2025, teams could snag guys like Max Scherzer or Jack Flaherty on short-term contracts. You can see why Stroman’s deal isn’t exactly flying off the shelves.

Speaking of Flaherty, the Yankees have danced this tango before. Remember back in November (read here) when we all thought Flaherty might be donning pinstripes? Turns out, the Yankees were this close to trading for him at the deadline, only to back out after taking a peek at his medical reports. But guess what? Flaherty proved them wrong, pitching solidly down the stretch and into October. Yankees, if you’re still overthinking his health, it’s time to breathe deep and roll the dice—pitchers aren’t made of vibranium, after all. Sign the guy and watch the magic happen.

As for Scherzer, the idea of him signing a short-term deal with the Yankees is spicy. But let’s be real: Max doesn’t exactly scream "pinstripe passion." Still, it’s a good sign the Yankees are sniffing around that kind of talent. But again, everything comes back to Stroman.

Here’s the tea: Stroman’s 2023 season was... meh. He went 10-9 with a lackluster 4.31 ERA over 29 starts. By playoff time, he wasn’t even on the Yankees’ ALDS roster. And to make matters worse, if he pitches more than 140 innings in 2025, his contract triggers an $18 million player option for 2026. Talk about a landmine. No team is jumping at the chance to take that risk, and the Yankees need to think long and hard about how to package him in a trade.

In the end, the Stroman experiment was like trying a new recipe that looked amazing in the cookbook but tasted like cardboard. The Yankees took a chance, but it just didn’t work out. Time to cut the losses, clear the books, and aim for pitchers who can actually bring the heat. Let’s hope Cashman has a trick or two up his sleeve because the Yankees can’t afford to be stuck in neutral much longer.

FLAHERTY NEEDS TO BE A SERIOUS SIGNING BY THE YANKEES

The Yankees need to get serious about bringing Jack Flaherty to the Bronx in my opinion. Seriously, they missed out on him at the trade deadline because of some sketchy medical reports, and what happened? Flaherty went on to pitch just fine for the Dodgers, even starting two games against the Yankees in the World Series. That has to sting, and it bothers me. Now, with Flaherty hitting free agency, the Yankees have a chance to right that wrong—and they better not blow it this time.

Flaherty threw 162 innings in 2024, the most he’s managed in five years, while boasting a 5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. That’s not just solid; it’s exactly what the Yankees need. After a season where their rotation constantly felt like a game of musical chairs—except nobody wanted to sit down—it’s clear that adding a reliable starter is priority number one.

Yes, the Padres and Angels might be sniffing around too. Flaherty’s former manager in St. Louis, Mike Shildt, is now in San Diego, and the two reportedly still have a good relationship, but the Padres are stuck in NL West chaos, and the Angels? Well, they’re the Angels. They’d need a miracle to convince anyone they’re serious contenders. The Yankees, on the other hand, are built to win now, and Flaherty could be a huge part of that.

Let’s not forget how close Flaherty already came to wearing pinstripes. Back by the trade deadline, the Yankees reportedly had a deal lined up to acquire him from the Tigers, only to back out after reviewing his medicals. But guess what? Flaherty looked just fine down the stretch and into October. If the Yankees are still fretting about his health, they need to take a deep breath and remember that pitchers aren’t exactly made of titanium. Roll the dice, sign him, and reap the benefits.

Flaherty has shown he can handle the spotlight, and there’s no bigger stage than Yankee Stadium. He’s been through the highs and lows of a career already, battled injuries, and come out on the other side ready to compete. And let’s talk value. If Flaherty’s price tag stays under $100 million, this could be one of the better deals of the offseason. For a team like the Yankees that routinely tosses around big bucks, this feels like a no-brainer.

Yankees fans deserve a front office that learns from its mistakes. Flaherty slipping through their fingers once was bad enough. Letting it happen again would be unforgivable. If the Yankees want to stay serious about contending—and avoid another season of playoff heartbreak—they need to act fast.

Flaherty in pinstripes just makes sense. Yankees, make it happen. Don’t overthink this one.

TWO SIGNIFICANT GUYS THAT CAN HELP THE YANKEES DOWN THE STRETCH

The Yankees are not sellers. They were never sellers. The fact that people think they are when they're only 8 games back is ridiculous.  Now look, there is no doubt that many Yankee fans don't see this team making the playoffs this year, and that's fair. They've been stinking up the joint, but that doesn't mean the front office gives up.  It's right about now that Cashman and company have to prove their worth because some of the guys he's picked up have all gotten hurt.  Frankie Montas comes to mind immediately.

If the Yankees can get a nice third baseman and extra outfielder, both with the potential to get on base, that may be all they need to really get over the hump and make the playoffs.  Inside the Pinstripes writes of Jim Bowden's prediction:

Another move that could make sense reportedly is a deal with the Washington Nationals for third baseman Jeimer Candelario and outfielder Lane Thomas...

An impending free agent, Candelario, 29, is having perhaps the best year of his career as he’s slashed .256/.336/.483 with 16 home runs and 52 RBIs....

Thomas, 27, should have represented the Nationals in the All-Star Game as he’s having a breakout season, slashing .293/.341/.486 with 16 homers and 54 RBIs. "

And before you freak out about who we're giving up, the key to this is giving up a few prospects.  Remember, the Yankees can't give up, so they can't afford to give away solid players on their active roster. If they did, they'd be considered sellers, which they are not.

While it may seem strange, it might be the best way to improve our offense (and defense) and have a run.

All this talk about Cody Bellinger and Jack Flaherty is all fine and good, but I suspect doing that would give away more than we want.  Down deep I believe the Yankee front office wants to get the Yankees to the playoffs to say "well we did our job". Right now, Cashman is under a microscope.  Trust me when I tell you, if the Yankees don't make the playoffs, Yankee fans will lose their minds, and they should.  But Hal needs to do more if we miss... he needs to fire Aaron Boone and show Cashman the door.  It hasn't been a very fun season to be a fan.

Let's see what happens next.

GERRIT COLE'S SURPRISE RANKING BY MLB NETWORK HAS US ALL TALKING!

MLB Network has an offseason tradition that some prople really like. On Saturday, the top ten starting pitchers were revealed and Gerrit Cole was on the list, but some Yankee fans may not like where he was ranked.

Our new ace was unranked last season which is crazy to think about. The Yankees have been in love with Cole for a long time because baseball fans everywhere consider him to be one of the best (if not THE best) in the game. The Yankees have been trying to get Cole for years, so how could he have been unranked until now? So I guess finally getting on this list is recognition he deserves, but should he be ranked third best?

That's where MLB Networks "The Shredder" has ranked him. If you are unfamiliar with "The Shredder" it is a tool that factors Statcast data with a mix of analytics and traditional statistics. So those of you who like to talk about WAR, it is factored into the rankings. It is also important
to know that the rating formula used focuses on player performances from the past two seasons and a variety of offensive and defensive numbers and no human bias is incorporated into the ranking process.

Even though there is no human bias in the rankings I still find the lists to be debatable. I've never been a huge fan of MLB Network's "The Shredder" specials that list the top 10 "right now" as they call it but my husband loves them. Here is the rankings that came out this weekend.

Are there any names missing on this list but are included on yours? I have a big one that isn't included. How did World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg not make the cut? He dominated during the playoffs and then got a big fat payday during the offseason but doesn't get a ranking. It doesn't make sense. And if these rankings are based on two years of stats I would think Chris Sale should also land somewhere on this list (as much as I hate to admit it).

And how is Hyun-jin Ryu number five in the rankings above Zack Greinke? And Mike Clevinger and Jack Flaherty are on this list? They are absolutely good pitchers. They are difference makers for sure, but top 10? I think that is a stretch. They would not crack the top in my rankings.

As we said before, human bias plays no part in these rankings but it makes me sick to my stomach that a disgrace to the game of baseball is ranked number two right now. Justin Verlander complained about cheating when he was a Detroit Tiger but two months later when he was traded to the Houston ASSTROS he became a hypocrite and participated in a massive cheating scandal that proves he has no integrity and compromised the game. He should not get recognition for being a top ten pitcher in baseball for that especially after VERLANDER POKES FUN ABOUT THE ASTROS CHEATING & FAILS.  He's a disgrace to the game we all love.

At any rate, here is a complete list of "The Shredder" top ten right now for every position. Even if we had no bias about Cole, would you still rank Cole as number three? Tell us what you think.

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