I HAVE MAD RESPECT FOR CLAY HOLMES

The Mets made waves Friday, snatching up a free agent from the Yankees—but not that free agent. No, Juan Soto is still out there deliberating on where to spend the next 12-15 years of his life, but in the meantime, the Mets locked down Clay Holmes on a three-year, $38 million deal (pending a physical). While it might not be Soto-level headlines, this signing is intriguing for one big reason: Holmes, a reliever for a while now, wants to be a starter.

Let’s pause for dramatic effect.

Yes, Clay Holmes, a man who has spent seven years coming out of the bullpen, has decided it’s time to embrace his inner Justin Verlander. To his credit, he’s got guts. Holmes has been a reliable (though occasionally nerve-wracking) reliever, posting a career ERA+ of 113 across 311 games—307 of which were relief appearances. But now, at 31 years old, Holmes is ready to reinvent himself. If nothing else, you’ve got to respect the audacity.

Holmes didn’t exactly burst onto the MLB scene. Drafted by the Pirates, he spent seven years in the minors and then three-plus seasons as a middling reliever in Pittsburgh, where he compiled a forgettable 4.93 ERA. Then, like a phoenix rising from the ashes—or maybe just a guy who needed a change of scenery—Holmes found new life with the Yankees.

When the Yankees acquired him at the 2021 trade deadline for two minor leaguers (who are probably running batting cages somewhere), Holmes immediately clicked. He slashed his ERA to 1.61 in 25 games and quickly became a bullpen staple. By 2022, he replaced Aroldis Chapman as closer, made his first All-Star team, and looked like the Yankees’ new ninth-inning sheriff.

But then came 2023. Holmes started 2023 strong but hit turbulence late in the season. By September, he was removed from the closer’s role after racking up 13 blown saves. The Yankees pivoted, using him in a setup role during their postseason run, where he pitched respectably (2.25 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 12 innings). Still, the shine had dimmed, and questions about his long-term role swirled.

Apparently, Holmes had an answer: starter.  Enter the Mets, who are apparently feeling experimental these days. They’ve signed Holmes with the plan to convert him into a starter, despite his complete lack of experience in the role at the major-league level. The Mets clearly see potential, and hey, $38 million isn’t chump change. Maybe they’re hoping for another Nathan Eovaldi-type reinvention. Or maybe they just really like rolling the dice.

As for Yankees fans, it’s hard not to feel a mix of emotions...slightly. On one hand, Holmes’ bullpen heroics in 2021 and 2022 earned him a lot of goodwill. On the other hand, there’s something oddly satisfying about seeing the balls on this guy wanting to start a new in Queens in a pretty significant role. It takes guts to pivot your career after all these years, especially under the bright lights of New York. That said, I’m skeptical. Reinventing yourself as a starter at this stage is a tall order, and Holmes’ track record doesn’t scream “ace material.”

At the end of the day though, there’s mad respect for Holmes taking this leap. It’s not every day a two-time All-Star reliever says, “You know what? Let’s rewrite the script.” Whether it works out or not, Holmes deserves credit for betting on himself—and for pocketing $38 million while doing it.

ORIOLES ARE TRYING TO LOCK IN CLAY HOLMES

The Baltimore Orioles are trying to patch up their bullpen after another postseason meltdown, and guess who they’ve got their eye on? Clay Holmes. That’s right—our Clay Holmes. According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Orioles are sniffing around Holmes like a dog at a picnic, and honestly, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. On one hand, good for Clay; on the other hand, what are we even doing here if he ends up in Baltimore AND HE'S GOOD AGAIN?

Now, let me be clear: I like Clay Holmes. I’ve always liked Clay Holmes. Sure, he wasn’t perfect—13 blown saves will test anyone’s patience—but he always showed up, did what he was asked, and, when he was on, he was lights out. He gave us some huge moments this season, and even when things went sideways, you could tell he cared. Holmes isn’t one of those guys who shrugs off a bad outing—he feels it, and that’s why I rooted for him.

But the idea of Holmes in Orioles orange? Interesting. It’s like finding out your ex is dating someone you hate—someone who lives next door and blasts terrible music at all hours. Picture this: Yankee Stadium, bottom of the ninth, and here comes Clay Holmes out of the visitors’ bullpen, looking calm, collected, and ready to mow down our lineup. And then... he does it! Do you know how awkward that would be? 

Look, I get it. Baltimore needs bullpen help. After another October where they folded faster than a cheap lawn chair, they’re desperate. And Clay Holmes is exactly the kind of guy they’d want—an All-Star in two of the past three seasons, a high-leverage arm with a track record of getting big outs. Sure, he struggled late in 2024, but who didn’t? The Orioles see potential, and they’re not wrong. If they sign him and he rebounds, they’ll look like geniuses. And we’ll look like chumps.

Here’s the worst part: we all know how this script goes. Holmes goes to Baltimore, figures it out, and starts locking down saves like he’s Mariano Rivera. Suddenly, he’s the guy we were all hoping for—just not for us. Instead, he’s slamming the door on the Yankees in big games while Orioles fans pretend they always believed in him too. You think it was tough watching Nathan Eovaldi carve us up in Texas? Just wait until Clay Holmes does it in our own division.

So yeah, this would suck. Big time. I like Holmes, I really do. But the thought of him pitching for Baltimore? That would suck, especially if he's lights out.

CASHMAN HAS NO CHOICE, HE HAS TO DO BETTER

Frankie Montas. Joey Gallo. Carlos Rodon. Just 3 names that make you want to pull your hair out.  Cashman made those moves, and those players did nothing for us.  The worst in my estimation has to be Montas who went through a physical and was still hurt because he was apparently hiding and injury. But that comes down to his integrity and the medical staff's lack of awareness when it comes to the human body.  But all of them were greenlit by Cashman who is walking around high and mighty over his Yankee career with literally nothing to show for it. In fact 4 guys he gave up were champs with the Rangers.  4 guys... Chapman, Montgomery, Heaney and Eovaldi.  How in the world is this guy wrong all the time?

The Yanks needs to do something bigly for the 2024 season.  Something that would resemble the 2009 season when George made him go out and get Swisher, Teixeira, Sabathia and Burnett.  But what? Is it Juan Soto and Cody Bellinger?  No one really knows. But Clutchpoints has this:

"Cashman asserted the Yankees would be in the conversation to pursue a host of players:

“We’re knocking on those doors, we’re having those conservations. Hal Steinbrenner and his family have always run it the way that if there’s some opportunity worth pushing on, they’re always there to allow that to happen,” the Yankees GM said, per Bryan Hoch."

Well... that sounds like more of the same to me. The only difference is George is dead, and if he were alive Cashman would be out of a job and George would personally invite these guys up to his box and get a handshake agreement quickly.

Look, the state of the Yankees is in shambles. I don't really think they plan on improving this team, their front office or even take a "deep dive" into fixing anything. I absolutely believe they want us all to forget about it.  

But we're fans... we don't forget.  We need to bring a championship back to the Bronx.  That's the bottom line.

JUAN SOTO TO THE YANKEES IS "A THING" FOR SURE

Will it happen? That's the big question.  Look, we already saw so many problems with what Cashman has done.  His intention was to make the Yankees better, but in turn what happened was quite the opposite... bad analytics and bad luck gave us a whole lot of bad moves.  And now we're all pissed off about it.  

But the Juan Soto "blockbuster trade" chatter is very real, but at what expense?  Is Juan Soto a true superstar or are we all buying into the media buzz that is relentless into trying to convince every Yankee fan that a world with Soto in the Bronx is better than a world without him.  

My question is who we giving up and just how great IS Juan Soto? Both are valid questions. Oh and here's another question... will Cashman give away guys that have proven themselves to be the future of the Yankees because he's panicked?  It's a huge thing to think about. Why? Because let's face it... the analytics department has not been fired yet, and Cashman just goes on bad gut moves and bad information.  Don't believe me? Ask Jordan Montgomery. Ask Nathan Eovaldi. 

Inside the Pinstripes says that the idea of Soto to the Yankees is being monitored pretty damn closely.

"... according to The Athletic's Chris Kirschner....

" The Yankees have been closely monitoring the Padres' roster, specifically Soto, and the team's payroll crunch since before this season's trade deadline. With the Padres floundering at the deadline, the Yankees had one of their veteran scouts in San Diego taking inventory of their roster. Yankees officials unsurprisingly think very highly of Soto."

At the end of the day, Soto hit 35 homers last season with a respectful average of .275. He works walks and that's good, but he's a big body. I'd rather he homer 70 times than walk as much as he does.  The point is him getting on base is fine, but walking doesn't knock in runs and that's what we need. In the simplest of terms, we need him hitting a baseball with men on base to get those men home.  I'd rather he rakes up RBIs than lose that power bat with a walk.  And to that's what bothers me the most about Juan Soto... and it should bother you too.

The other thing is who do we ship to San Diego and if we do, can we at least package him with Blake Snell so we get a solid lefty arm that isn't Carlos Rodon? Cause Lord knows we need that too.

There's a lot to unpack here... but I just wanted to make you aware.  If you read THAT JUAN SOTO RUMOR IS BACK AGAIN WITH NEW LIFE!, you know Bleeding Yankee Blue is following this very closely.

More to follow.

 

REMEMBER PHELPS? HE IS HANGING UP HIS CLEATS

Nostalgia hit me hard when I hopped on Twitter late yesterday afternoon and saw David Phelps announced retirement. It's hard to believe that 10 years ago we watched him break into the big leagues as a Yankee. My how time flies.

For the first three seasons of his career, he threw 299 1/3 innings with the Yankees over 40 starts and  posted a 4.21 ERA. He quickly became a favorite of mine so when the Yankees traded him to the Marlins over the 2014-2015 season I was pretty disappointed. In return, the Yankees got Nathan Eovaldi, Garrett Jones and then Low-A pitcher Domingo Germán, who is still a Yankee today. Funny how trades pan out sometimes.

After his time with the Marlins he bounced around to five other teams and spent the last two seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays where he posted his best numbers since he played for the Marlins, he tossed 63 2/3 innings of 2.83 ERA ball through 65 appearances. His resurgence would've landed him another contract somewhere in the league, but he decided to retire instead.

One of the reasons why I was disappointed to see him leave the Yankees was because I loved his attitude and his passion. When he was on the mound, he gave it everything he had. Even when he didn't have his best stuff that day, you could tell he was such a competitor. It's tough to hear about players retire sometimes, but I am actually happy to hear him hang them up now. Sure, he is healthy enough to go another year....but he's battled some rough injuries over his career. Now he gets to go out on top and I think that is the best way to do it. End it on a high note.

So Phelps....best wishes and happy retirement. Thanks for the memories! You were one hell of a competitor and the game needs more guys with your dedication.

By the way, if you didn't know already, we interviewed Phelps. So be sure to check out EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: DAVID PHELPS. It's a great interview, released on July 20, 2014.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

YANKEES POUNCE... BEAT BOSTON IN THE 8TH

You have to appreciate the latest energy by the New York Yankees. A loss here and there are gonna happen, but the energy seems different lately and I like it. Yesterday it seemed like they were done against the Sox, but they came back when they needed to. And it happened in the 8th when the Sox got complacent. You gotta love baseball... it's so unpredictable.

MLB writes:

"Rougned Odor kissed Fenway Park’s Green Monster with a game-tying, two-run double and Gleyber Torres’ soft flare found turf in right field to create the Yankees’ first lead of the afternoon, part of an unlikely rally that fueled a 4-3 victory over the Red Sox on Saturday.

“It’s a really good win on a day when we were lackluster for the first seven innings or so,” said outfielder Brett Gardner, who helped spark the comeback with an RBI single. “Things weren’t looking good, so it’s definitely nice to be able to come out of here with the win. It’s a crazy game we play.”

Gardner squared a curveball for a two-out, two-strike hit that chased home Estevan Florial with the Yankees’ first run, helping New York swipe a victory from Boston -- their third win in 12 tries this season.

That knocked out right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who had been excellent through seven innings, handcuffing his former club by striking out eight without a walk. Giancarlo Stanton greeted right-hander Adam Ottavino with a ground-rule double that bounced into the seats along the right-field line."

Bottom line... it's what the Yankees needed and it's all coming together at the right time.  Go Yanks!

GIO GONZALEZ JUST FORCED THE YANKEES TO MAKE A DECISION

We've been watching this for a couple of weeks now. We knew decision day was coming, and this time Gio Gonzalez took control and is forcing the Yankees to make a decision. Gio opted out of his contract on Saturday, which gave the Yankees 48 hours to either release him or add him to the 25-man roster. Time is ticking, and by the end of today we will see what the final decision is.

We knew this was coming and shouldn't be too surprised to see him opt out. The Yankees added him as insurance for CC Sabathia's health concerns and Luis Severino too. If Domingo German hadn't been as reliable as he has been maybe this would be a different story. The Yankees like what they have seen from German and are comfortable enough with Jonathan Loaisiga as depth. Even so, the old saying goes you can never have too much pitching depth. Maybe if Gio wasn't expensive pitching depth on an already expensive payroll they would keep him. I just don't see the Yankees keeping him at this point. Adding him to the 25-man roster adds a $3 million base salary and an additional $300,000 per start.  Who knows though, maybe I'm wrong.

(Photo: Michael Majewski)

I can't blame Gio for opting out. The Yankee starting rotation has thankfully been healthy thus far, even with the very full listed of injured players. The Yankees seem set with their starters, which makes Gio expendable for now. If he has no clear path to the majors here, all he needs is one other team to give him a chance.

And that's not unrealistic at this point. There are teams out there that are struggling with pitching. The Angels need help, the Red Sox will be without Nathan Eovaldi for awhile and surgery could be on the table. The Mets also have their own tricky situation with their ace Jacob deGrom and other ineffective starters.

Photo: Times Leader

So Gio may be in demand and in a new job pretty quickly. According to MLBTradeRumors HERE, the Mets are watching the situation with Gio closely. Degrom has a "barking" elbow and he has been placed on the injured list, but may strangely choose to forgo an MRI, read more HERE. Strange approach but, whatever. Add the ineffectiveness of Jason Vargas to the current state of the Mets pitching staff and they may be in immediate need of rotation help.

Something tells me we may still see Gio in New York, and we shouldn't be surprised. If Gio was a position player he'd definitely have a spot right now on this team. Weird how baseball works. If this is the end of Gio as a Yankee, I still wish him all the best.

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

OPENING DAY IS HERE!

Finally! It's been a crazy long winter. It's a long time to miss baseball and think about how close we've come the last two seasons. Now, it's time to finish the job. The third time is the charm and the Yankees have the team to get the job done.

It's not easy accepting that after a 100 win season it's not enough to win the division. That's crazy, actually. That was good for second place and a wild card spot. Aaron Hicks had it right when he said he's tired of losing and Aaron Judge is already thinking beyond Opening Day. He's thinking about winning the division and then the World Series, read more HERE. I like the hunger and determination.

So here we are, Opening Day and the start of winning that division title. I hope Judge hits the ground running with that intensity and desire to get back on top right away. Sure, it is early and you don't win a World Series in April but if you fall behind early you can lose it. The Yankees have a good team, but what does the rest of the division look like?

Toronto Blue Jays

The most interesting thing about the Blue Jays are some of their young guys that will contribute throughout the season. They aren't built to "win now" and they lost their star power now that Marco Estrada and Russell Martin are gone. They don't have great hitters, defenders or pitchers. On paper they look boring. The only exciting names here are Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who will be up at some point  after he recovers from an oblique injury and Elvis Luciano. The Blue Jays got Luciano in the rule 5 draft this winter, he just turned 19 years old, never pitched above rookie ball but made it on to the Opening Day roster!

Tampa Bay Rays

It will be interesting to see what happens to the Rays this season. After winning 90 games last season you would think they would look to make some moves, add some payroll and be more competitive but they didn't do that. They added Charlie Morton to their rotation and he gives the Rays a strong top three in the rotation now, but they still don't have the bullpen or bats that the Yankees and Red Sox do. The Rays will be pesky as always, but it would take a perfect storm for them to take the division at this point.

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles lost 115 games last season with big names like Manny Machado, Zack Britton, Jonathan Schoop and Adam Jones. All of those guys are gone now. The Orioles are just starting a long term rebuild that started this offseason with a brand new manager and GM because after 115 season loss you definitely cant keep them around. It's going to take some time to rebuild. The Orioles are starting with changes to organizational leadership, not the players. There's really nothing exciting to watch here, except maybe some easy wins when they play the Yankees.

Boston Red Sox

Its weird that the defending World Series Champions didn't have much of an offseason. All they did was re-sign Nathan Eovaldi and Steve Pearce which is boring. They should have re-signed Craig Kimbrel and Joe Kelly. They still could but to be starting the season without them is a bold decision and makes it seem unlikely. The bullpen is the biggest weakness this team has and Kimbrel is an elite closer so it seems dumb on Boston's part. They will still score a ton of runs with their potent offense and they still have a very competitive starting rotation. They will eventually make improvements to that bullpen, but until then the key is to keep the games close and knock the starters out as soon as possible. The defending World Champs can't be crazy enough to have the highest payroll in the game and a weak bullpen, right? I mean....we wouldn't do that but if the Red Sox want to gamble let them! They may have an advantage with their starters, but our offenses are both definitely stacked but anyone can see our bullpen is far superior. I don't think the Red Sox win 108 games again this season but they are still going to be a thorn in our side.

I think the Yankees have what it takes to take the division this year and get back to the World Series. We're also hungry. Now we just have to be hungrier than everyone else and win series to get there. It's going to be a LONG season, but let's start it off right with a series win over the Orioles! Thank goodness baseball is back.

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

YANKEE PITCHING UPDATES & MISHAPPS!

MisHAPP....get it?

Photo: New York Daily News

Happ likes it. In this picture he's smiling at me.

Anyway... last night Ken Rosenthal took a rare swing and a miss with J.A. Happ. It was reported that Happ signed a three-year deal to return to the Bronx, but later he retracted his statement. It happens, even Rosenthal is human. No biggie.

I've seen multiple reports out there that Happ is holding out for a third year, and is willing to sign with the first team to offer it to him. It is rumored that he has a few two-year offers on the table from other contending teams.

Photo: Yahoo Sports

Happ did pitch well last season, especially against the AL East so him holding out for a third year isn't hard to understand from his point of view. The real question is, should the Yankees feel comfortable giving him that third year he's looking for or are the Yankees just being cheap?

Some sources believe a Happ deal can still happen even without that third year.

I am not eager to give Happ a third year, but then again I am not eager to miss out on another starting pitcher either. The Yankees already missed out on deals with two of the top two starters this season due to ONE year. It's odd to see the Yankees get outbid on a guy, especially over one extra year, but it has already happened twice in this young offseason.

Photo: NBC Sports

The Yankees maxed out their offer on Patrick Corbin at five years but he signed for six. The Yankees didn't want to go beyond three years on Nathan Eovaldi, but Boston gave him four. It's only December, but one year has been a deal breaker for the Yankees so far....will it continue? The Phillies are also in on Happ, too. Will they give Happ the third year? They also lost out on Corbin, so maybe they are feeling extra aggressive.

Photo: New York Post

I guess we will have to wait and see what happens with Happ, and if Joel Sherman is right. One thing we know definitely won't be happening is a reunion with Lance Lynn. He just signed a three-year deal with the Texas Rangers.

I'm surprised Lynn got a three-year deal....and that he got $30 million after his struggles last season. I was thinking Lynn might get to years at $15-16 million. Lynn struggles (a lot) and gets three years, but Happ hasn't yet. Did the Rangers out-bid themselves or is a three-year deal just going to be the minimal going rate?

Photo: USA Today Sports

Oh and in case you liked Charlie Morton, he's no longer an option either. He just signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, so we'll be seeing a lot of him.

So if the Yankees do miss out on Happ, who is next? Dallas Keuchel? We already know THE BRAVES WANT KEUCHEL. DO THE YANKEES? It's a good question. The big names are disappearing, and after Happ the list gets shorter. It would be nice to not have to bat against him anymore. He's willing, he's able and he's proven in the postseason. I think more teams should have shown more interest in him by now.

Can't forget the bullpen either. There have been a lot of rumors out there, and if there is any merit to some of these a reunion with Zach Britton or David Robertson could be bleak.

The Yankees did meet with Adam Ottavino's agent last night. He's a local boy that would be dynamite to help strengthen the bullpen. Oh and he says he would strike Babe Ruth out "every time," read more HERE. Hey, at least he doesn't lack confidence.

It's definitely early, but if the Yankees want to make the necessary improvements to win a championship we NEED the pitching. It sucks losing a guy, especially over one-year. I don't think it becomes a pattern though, at least I hope not. If it does the list gets way too short and names like Gio Gonzalez rise to the top, and that scares me.

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

STEALTH GENIUS

Getting impatient? Me too.

What's up Cashman's sleeve? What are we going to do? Are we gonna make a move? Are we not? No one knows.  It's crazy.

Photo: USA Today Sports

Since Nathan Eovaldi went to the Sox and Corbin signed with the Nationals, Yankeeland is pissed and going nuts.  The latest craziness is that the Yanks never made an offer to Corbin.  To that I say good.  Clearly Cashman saw or heard something in that meeting that made them feel like they wouldn't be interested.

Photo: USA Today Sports

Maybe Corbin said "6 years" and the Yanks said "nah".  Maybe they looked through his medical reports and was red flagged. Maybe they just didn't like his personality. A lot of maybes... but I trust Cashman on this one.

There are 2 ways of looking at this;  Cashman is making a deal behind the scenes that no one knows about or sees as obvious to him.  Or... they don't really like what's out there.

I don't know the answer.  In fact, I wasn't even going to write anything today because the Yankee wait game is boring. There is nothing to talk about. Plus.. the speculation from the blogs sucks... us included.    But here's what we won't do... we won't speculate and go nuts.

Photo: Los Angeles Times

It is what it is. We need to be patient. We need to wait and see.  Here's what I don't want.  I don't want Manny Machado.  I don't want Bryce Harper.  I do want pitching.  At this point, I'd love a free agent.  I'd love Dallas Keuchel… but if the Yankees can make a smart move to trade for Corey Kluber and not give away substantial youth and talent in the process... go for it.

There is no question the Yankees need starting pitching.  I guess it could be Charlie Morton. Maybe Happ. Hell... I guess it could be the Indians, Trevor Bauer, but no idea that that's the direction the Yankees are going.  Again... a lot of craziness and no true indication about where the Yankees are doing and what they are thinking.

Photo: New York Daily News

We're all guessing folks. We all know ZERO about what is in Cashman's brain and that's what makes Brian Cashman so valuable.  Sure... he could have brought Robinson Cano back to the Bronx to play first... but he knew that was stupid and that's why the Mets will be losers in that deal.  The point is, Cashman doesn't rush. He sets the stage, he's stealth in his dealings and pounces when least expected and that's why we need to appreciate his slowness.  He's looking at EVERYTHING.

Be patient. It's all I can suggest as a fan base.  This guy's been there for a long time for a reason... he's that good.  Sure, we've ripped him once in a while here at BYB, but ultimately, he knows how this works and knows what we need.

Think about it, he needs to balance money, the luxury tax, not giving away amazing talent but still trying to get the best player he can.  In this case, it NEEDS to be a starting pitcher. It has to be.  If we do, we have a very good chance in 2019.

Have trust in Cashman.

THE BRAVES WANT KEUCHEL. DO THE YANKEES?

The dude's willing to shave that ridiculous beard.  Go for it Cashman!

New report out states that the Atlanta Braves are very interested in Dallas Keuchel.  And now that Patrick Corbin is off the market and Eovaldi is most definitely going to the Red Sox, it's my feeling that the Yankees need to start to put all their money in a bag and sign a free agent starting pitcher.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that Dallas Keuchel is "high on their wish list". IN short, the Braves really like the guy. But can they and will they pull the trigger and nail down this stud starter?

Keuchel has made it clear that he'd be willing to go anywhere, including come to New York.  Back in November he said that he'd shave to come to New York. Forbes writes what Dallas said at the time:

"'For the right opportunity, I would happily shave this beard off,' Keuchel said. 'For sure.' He added that New York City has a certain appeal to it. 'Everyone’s in play right now,' the 30-year-old said. 'The lure of the city would be really cool. I like pitching in Yankee Stadium.'”

Hey look, who knows, right? Here's what I do know... the Yankees got Paxton in a trade and now they need to sign a free agent.  Is it Kluber? Is it Keuchel? Hell... is it Happ?  It's gotta be one of these guys, doesn't it?

We need to see.  I love Dallas. I'd love to see him in pinstripes... even though Pinstripe Alley disagrees.

There's enough opinion for everyone out there when it comes to the free agent, rumor market.

Stay tuned...