TOMMY KAHNLE & GLEYBER TORRES ARE STARS IN THE MOTOR CITY!

One thing the Yankees have made a habit of in recent years? Cutting ties with players way too fast. It’s like a reflex—if a guy doesn’t perform at MVP levels every second he’s on the field or if they need to make space for a high-priced name, he’s suddenly expendable. Never mind how much work they put in. It's all BS. Unfortunately for Gleyber Torres and Tommy Kahnle, they are the latest examples of that all-too-familiar story.

Let’s start with Gleyber. The man came up as a top prospect, had a monster early stretch in New York, and even when he dipped a bit, he was still better than most of what’s out there. He played through ups and downs, was held to a nearly impossible standard, and unlike others (cough Volpe cough), he didn’t get the same patience or grace. Instead of building around him, the Yankees basically made him walk a tightrope. One slip? Gone.

And now? He’s in Detroit, absolutely raking. He’s slashing .323/.379/.462 and playing some of the best defense we’ve seen from him in years. You’d think the Yankees would’ve seen that coming—but nope, too busy rearranging the deck chairs again.

Then there’s Tommy Kahnle. The guy was always reliable, always ready, and always brought an edge to the bullpen. He gave everything to the Yankees—emotion, effort, energy—and in return? Shown the door. Apparently, when you’re not making $20 million a year or don’t have a shiny new nameplate, your contributions don’t count for as much.

Now Kahnle’s the closer in Detroit. He’s got a 1.29 ERA over six appearances and three saves already. And, let’s be honest—given the state of the Yankees’ bullpen right now, maybe someone in the Bronx front office is having a few second thoughts.

It’s the same old story. The Yankees fall in love with names and contracts and forget about the guys who grind, who deliver, and who connect with the fans. They let players walk who could still help—because they’re too quick to hit the eject button and too slow to trust their own talent.

So yes, congratulations to Gleyber Torres and Tommy Kahnle. They deserved better in New York, but they’re thriving in Detroit, and that’s something to celebrate. It stings a little as a Yankee fan, sure—but if the front office won’t appreciate them, at least the rest of us still do.

Because sometimes the Bronx just doesn’t know what it’s got ‘til it’s gone.

YANKEES MAY HAVE FOUND THEIR BREAKOUT RELIEVER!

Hold onto your pinstripes, Yankees fans—Fernando Cruz might just be the secret weapon you didn’t know you needed! This is exactly what Brian Cashman had in mind: snagging a couple of "lightning in a bottle" guys who could set spring training ablaze. CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson is all-in on Cruz as a breakout candidate, saying he’s got "high confidence" that the right-hander is ready to make a leap in 2025.

Okay, sure—Cruz was on last year’s breakout list too, and usually, that’s a bit like showing up to summer school: not ideal. But Cruz’s story feels different. A change of scenery could be just the magic spell he needs to transform into a Bronx gem. The smart money says the Yankees will toss Cruz’s ineffective cutter into the Hudson River—a pitch that served up nine of his 15 home runs allowed over the past two seasons. Instead, expect New York to unleash his filthy splitter, following the blueprint they used with Tommy Kahnle and his devastating changeup. That splitter isn’t just good; it’s downright disrespectful to hitters, holding them to a minuscule .353 OPS over the last two years. With a few tweaks, Cruz could morph into a high-leverage nightmare for Aaron Boone and the defending American League champs.

With the return of Luke Weaver and the addition of Devin Williams, the Yankees’ bullpen was already shaping up to be a strength. But if Cruz can cash in on this breakout potential, that bullpen could go from "tough" to "absolutely terrifying." Let’s not forget, the Yankees sent José Treviño to the Cincinnati Reds this offseason to snag Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson. Now it’s Cruz’s turn to make the Yankees look like trade wizards.

Get ready for some Cruz control in the Bronx—this ride could get wild!

THE YANKEES REALLY STIFFED KAHNLE, HUH?

Tommy Kahnle was the kind of guy you couldn’t help but root for—a hard-throwing, high-energy reliever who seemed to genuinely love being a Yankee. I dug him in pinstripes. He wasn't just punching a clock in pinstripes; he wore them like a second skin. And in October, when the lights were brightest, Kahnle delivered. He helped the Yankees win their first pennant since 2009, finishing the postseason with a sparkling 2.08 ERA in nine appearances. He notched a win, a save, and three holds, giving New York everything he had.

But of course, this is the Yankees we’re talking about. After this past World Series, Kahnle hit free agency. And you’d think, after six seasons of service and a postseason performance worth writing home about, the Yankees would at least pretend to be interested in bringing him back.

Nope. Not even close.

On Wednesday’s episode of Foul Territory, Kahnle pulled back the curtain on just how quickly the Yankees slammed the door on him. “Before anything really started to pick up, they were kind of like, ‘We don’t think we can meet your numbers,’” he said. “I feel like they didn’t even try, to be honest.”

"I feel like they didn't even try to be honest"

Tommy Kahnle says the Yankees made no effort to re-sign him as a free agent pic.twitter.com/IzcIp8B8Xb

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 19, 2025

Ouch.

It wasn’t just that the Yankees passed on Kahnle—they barely even gave him a glance. And for a team with New York’s financial muscle, claiming poverty on a guy who ended up signing a one-year, $7.75 million deal with the Detroit Tigers feels ridiculous. The Yankees probably spend that much annually on clubhouse snacks. But for whatever reason, they just couldn’t find room in the budget—or maybe in their hearts—for Kahnle.

Let’s be real: this wasn’t about money. The Yankees could lose $7.75 million between the cushions of the Steinbrenner family couch. This felt more like apathy, or maybe stubbornness—the kind of move that makes you wonder if the front office is sometimes too busy staring at spreadsheets to see what’s right in front of them.

And Kahnle isn’t just some guy. Over the last three years, he’s been one of the better relievers in the league, posting a 2.44 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and a healthy 10.1 K/9 across 96 innings. The Yankees' bullpen isn’t exactly overflowing with shutdown arms, and bringing Kahnle back could have been a no-brainer for a team with championship aspirations. But instead, they let him stroll off to Detroit without so much as a “Thanks for your service.”

Of course, this is baseball. It’s a business. Players come and go, and loyalty only goes as far as the next contract. But it’s hard not to feel like Kahnle got a raw deal. He wanted to be a Yankee. He played like he wanted to be a Yankee. And yet, when the time came, the Yankees couldn’t even muster up the effort to try.

This is becoming a bit of a pattern, too. The Yankees, with all their history and mystique, have a strange habit of dragging their feet when it comes to keeping the good soldiers around. They either overthink it or just don’t think about it at all. 

Kahnle may have landed on his feet in Detroit, but his departure leaves a little sting...no question. It’s not just the loss of a talented arm—it’s the feeling that the Yankees, in their endless pursuit of The Next Big Thing, might be losing sight of the little things that make a team worth rooting for.

And maybe it’s just business. But it sure feels personal.

TOMMY KAHNLE IS GONZO

The Tigers have signed reliever Tommy Kahnle to a one-year, $7.75 million contract, ending—at least for now—his third stint with the Yankees. New York loses one of its most reliable postseason arms from 2024.

Not everyone is thrilled about the move. The Detroit Free Press isn’t impressed, citing concerns about Kahnle’s control and durability:

"The first red flag: His walk rate has been below average in each of the past two seasons, at 11.5% in 2023 and 10.6% in 2024. The second red flag: Kahnle, who underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2020, has missed at least two months in each of the past three seasons with arm injuries."

Clearly, DFP isn’t a fan. But personally? I like Kahnle. I was hoping the Yankees would bring him back.

Meanwhile, the Tigers have been busy this offseason, adding three free agents—all on one-year deals. Along with Kahnle, they signed right-hander Alex Cobb and infielder Gleyber Torres to contracts worth $15 million each.

Best of luck to Tommy!

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.

THE WONDERING & WAITING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH JONATHAN LOAISIGA

Jonathan Loaisiga has been the Yankees’ ultimate "what if" for years — what if he could stay healthy, what if his 98-mph fastball and vicious curve could anchor a bullpen, what if he didn’t spend more time in the training room than on the mound? 

The tantalizing potential has always been there, and don't get me wrong, he's had really good moments. But Jon has had so many injuries. After missing much of 2023 with arm issues, Loaisiga managed just three appearances in 2024 before tearing his UCL and undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. For a power pitcher who lives off high velocity, a second go-around with this procedure is a daunting hurdle. Now, as a free agent rehabbing in Houston and aiming for bullpen sessions in January, Loaisiga is drawing interest from 14 teams, including the Yankees, who are once again scouting the right-hander they’ve watched for his entire career.

While there’s undeniable upside in Loaisiga — a guy who can dominate when his arm isn’t threatening to stage a mutiny — the Yankees’ interest feels like a microcosm of their puzzling offseason approach. Sure, the bullpen needs work, with Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, Tim Hill, and Tim Mayza all hitting free agency, but pinning hopes on a two-time Tommy John veteran reeks of either desperation, stinginess, or sentimentality. My opinion of course, and I love Loaisiga. 

The Yankees’ current bullpen strategy feels less like a plan and more like a shrug, especially since the team seems paralyzed while waiting for Juan Soto to decide his next move. Rather than addressing glaring needs, they’re sitting on their hands, scouting Loaisiga as if he’s some secret weapon rather than a roll of the dice. My opinion of course, and you can have yours.

You can’t help but feel bad for us Yankees fans who, after watching years of overspending on shiny-but-unreliable free agents, are now enduring an offseason of thrift-shop strategizing. Loaisiga is talented, sure, but shouldn’t the Yankees be gunning for surer bets to fix their bullpen? 

The idea of bringing him back is, at best, an emotional hedge — they like the guy, they don’t want him to sign elsewhere, and they’re hoping he’ll return to his 2021 form. But when that hope starts to look like the core of the strategy, you can’t help but shake your head. The Yankees have spent seven years waiting on Loaisiga to stay healthy, and now they’re waiting on Soto to make a decision before addressing their real needs. It’s hard not to wonder: is this desperation, cheapness, or just the Yankees being weird? Maybe it’s all three.

Stay tuned, folks.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO CLAY HOLMES?

The Yankees need an overhaul this winter. They've got a lot of area that needs tweaking and I am anxious to see which areas the Yankees prioritize outside of Juan Soto. One area I will be watching very closely is the bullpen. Considering Clay Holmes had 13 blown saves in the 2024 season the Yankees have to be moving on to someone else.

Not to mention that Luke Weaver came in, brought back stability at the end of the bullpen and just impressed the hell out of me. He had the swag of a closer and he stole the spotlight. Weaver earned the closer role so there's no real NEED to bring Holmes back, in my opinion.

You could make the argument that he's worth holding onto just as a bridge to Weaver, but the Yankees have enough deficiencies to improve upon, why hold onto him in a new role when they can try to make real improvements that are needed on this team? I'm tired of watching the Yankees take their recycled approaches and hoping that a different outcome will happen. That's the approach that leads to a World Series loss. We need fresh new faces, and fundamentals.

Last year we talked about the possibility of RUMOR: YANKESS MAY BE DONE WITH HOLMES AS A CLOSER and now we can safely say that's happening, because as unsuccessful as he was as a closer the Baltimore Orioles are rumored to be interested, check it out HERE. If the Orioles are interested, and he does leave for an AL East rival I am not going to spend a lot of time crying about it. Instead, I will hope he blows saves against us.

At the end of the day, I just don't see Holmes as a necessity. I think the Yankees would be better served bringing back Tim Hill and Tommy Kahnle if the prices are right and bringing in some fresh blood. In a perfect world, the Yankees would get their bullpen upgrade from Tanner Scott who is the best bullpen arm available and could be costly but would also make the bullpen stronger. If the Yankees want to make another run in 2025 Hal Steinbrenner is going to have to open up his wallet to pay for some upgrades the Yankees need. He spent a lot of money forming a highly flawed roster and he's going to have to spend more money to fix it.

The Yankees were dedicated to Holmes, and in the end, it didn't work out. Now it's just time to move on. Have fun in Baltimore, Holmes, or wherever it is you land for next season.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

YANKEES STAY RESILIENT & THE INDIANS WILL STAY INDIANS FOR ME

The Indians are tough.  No other way to describe it.  If anyone thought that Cleveland would roll over while in Cleveland, they would be sadly mistaken.  Last night the Yankees came together as a team, alittle from everyone to pull through in the win and brought us to 3 and 1 in the ALCS, but never for a second think that we got this in the bag.

Yes, Stanton has been great. Yes, Kahnle was on and by the way, Gleyber Torres is the unsung hero. Mark Leiter Jr couldn't pitch himself out of a paper bag in the regular season... but last night he did his job. By the way, back to Gleyber, he's been incredible in the post season for us, but we're not done yet. And those Cleveland fans? They are really extraordinary.  Bottom line we cannot celebrate until we can.

ESPN writes:

"It feels like nothing until we get it done,"

I AM TAKING POSTSEASON GIANCARLO STANTON OVER EVERY PLAYER IN MLB HISTORY pic.twitter.com/Ikyuuh1uu7

— Addison (@YankeeWRLD) October 19, 2024

Stanton said. "As far as I'm concerned, we haven't done nothing."

Stanton played a starring role in Game 3 as part of the one-two punch that stunned Emmanuel Clase, baseball's best closer, with two outs in the eighth inning. First Aaron Judge lasered a tying two-run home run. Then Stanton hammered the go-ahead blast. It was the first time Clase had given up multiple home runs in a game in his career."

The best part of last night? Boone didn't use Luke Weaver.  He was becoming obsessed with him and to not use him gives the kid a night off and the Indians become less familiar.  It was a good move by Boone. What wasn't a good move was putting Jazz Chisholm in the 4-hole.  I understand the building of confidence for Austin Wells and dropping him in the lineup, but there were more worthy guys right now to drop in the 4-hole... Jazz is not one of them.  

Whatever the case, things worked out and Cleveland, while fighting hard, were defeated.  Yanks win 8-6.

Next game? Today.  Let's get this Yanks!

Oh and by the way, I leave you with this;  I got an email, someone asked my why I still use the word "Indians" when describing the Guardians.  Well, it's two-fold. For 1, it's generational. I grew up when the Indians were the Indians.  Two, the decision to change the name was because a bunch of people with no connection to the history of the name decided to take it upon themselves and change it like they were the hero, and that's weak and they should be ashamed.

You see, Louis Sockalexis a member of the Penobscot tribe played ball for the Cleveland Spiders in 1897. the Owner at the time had Louis on the team and changed the name to Indians.  While this may mean nothing to you, it was significant at the time for a Native American to play baseball. Now because Louis was Native American, he got a lot of crap for it. A sign of the times... America was never perfect; we still aren't when it comes to race.  But these days if you ask Louis's relatives, the Indian name carries on Louis's legacy as a Native American in the major leagues.

According to the Maine Public:

"Indian Island resident Chris Sockalexis, whose grandfather, Byron Sockalexis, was a second cousin once removed of Louis Sockalexis, is one of the few remaining distant relatives of Louis...

“Our biggest concern with the name change is that the history of Louis Sockalexis within the [team] may become lost in the shuffle. We do not want the legacy of Louis to fade into the background.”

According to Ed Rice, author of “Baseball’s First Indian: The Story of Penobscot Legend Louis Sockalexis.”, “By the time he was a teenager, he was playing on teams with adults,” Rice said. “He was clearly an extraordinary player — better than most of the adults he ended up playing with.”

I am a big fan of true history. Not history that is made up and changed because people today think they're helping. The truth is Louis will be forgotten because the Indians changed their name to the Guardians.  What the hell's a Guardian anyway?

So for me, it will always be Indians. And hopefully tonight the Yankees beat the Indians and advance to the World Series.  Let's hope.

YANKEES PUT CLAY HOLMES ON NOTICE & WILL GET "CREATIVE" WITH CLOSER ROLE

You can only f*ck up so many times and expect to keep your job. That's how it works in the real world, and it's finally happening in Yankee land. Clay Holmes now has 11 blown saves, and that's just not going to cut it for a team that is considered a "World Series favorite" going forward. It's about time!

The Yankees have a closer problem, and it can't be ignored anymore. Even Aaron Boone can't just brush it off completely. Now he is just dancing around the issue (read more HERE) but that is just what we expect from Baboonie. 

"In the short term, just try to put these guys in the best position to be successful," Boone said Wednesday. "How that shakes out may vary a little bit every night, but in the short term, that's the way we’ll go. Want to support Clay through this. … The reality is he's really not that far off from being the dominant guy we know he can be. But in the short term, we'll certainly be a little creative down there."

Bust out your coloring books and crayons, it's arts and crafts time boys and girls! Seriously, this is going to be a mix and match situation. Considering we are in the home stretch of the season, this experimentation is not a comfortable place to be in. So what's Baboonie going to do?

The Yankees "options" include names like Jake Cousins who I admit I am intrigued by. He has closer-like stuff but not a ton of experience in this role. He's also allowed a run in three straight appearances which can't be ignored. Every game matters right now. Tommy Kahnle and Luke Weaver could also be options but again not a lot of experience and I don't think they are as appealing of an option as Cousins. I know Mark Leiter Jr is another name floated as a possibility but I'm a hard pass there.....he and his 6.08 ERA can take a seat next to Holmes on the bench.

Last winter there were so many rumors floating around about the Yankees looking to upgrade their closer and it didn't happen. At the trade deadline they only added two relievers, there unfortunately wasn't a market to upgrade this season....and now the Yankees are scrambling to put a band aide fix on this.

Now the Yankees will get creative because they honestly don't have other options. Maybe Holmes can "earn" his closer role back like Boone hinted at but either way.....the Yankees need to make some tough decisions over the winter and reinforce the bullpen no matter what.

If we want a real "creative" solution, why not expand on the Holmes decision to also include getting rid of Brian Cashman and Boone? 

#wishfulthinking

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

COULD JHONY BRITO BE THE YANKEES FIFTH STARTER?

When I heard that the Yankee recalled Jhony Brito from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre I was so pumped. I get why they sent him down, to an extent. He has options, they didn't need a fifth starter for a few days and as the Yankees deal with injuries, everyone gets shuffled. But Brito has shown the Yankees that he is the real deal, unlike Clarke Schmidt whose performance over his last two outings were terrible. Schmidt doesn't have it—not just based on this season, but on multiple opportunities to see him in games over the last couple of seasons. Brito is gritty, he showed us he could dig deep with his pitches, and he belongs in the starting rotation.

"Brito delivered five scoreless innings during his MLB debut last Sunday. The 25-year-old spent most of last season at Triple-A and had a 3.31 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 53:24 K:BB across 70.2 innings. Josh Donaldson (hamstring) and Jonathan Loaisiga (elbow) were placed on the injured list," reported CBS Sports. Making room for Brito to make his second debut in Orioles Park on Saturday. 

And in Baltimore, Brito gave the Yankees five quality innings, mixing pitches even when he didn't have his fastball command. The YES commentators had nothing but praise for the Yankee rookie—highlighting his poise, his guts and yes, his grit. 

Almost mirroring his debut outing, Brito remained focused and calm on the mound against batter after batter. He is just the kind of guy this team needs as their fifth starter. “He kept pounding the strike zone,” Boone said. “It was more of what we’ve seen. He was very at ease out there, very comfortable. It’s just a really good performance, and an important performance for us when we needed a little bit of length,” reported MLB.com following his win against the Giants last week. Boone had similar praise for his young pitcher after he picked up his second win, this time a 4-1 win over the Orioles. 

With guys like Luis Severino (15-day IL), Carlos Rodon (15-day IL and is expected to throw a live batting practice session on Monday), Jonathan Loaisiga (15-day IL), Lou Trivino (10-day IL) and Tommy Kahnle (60-day IL) all unavailable, Brito brings hope and possibility back into the pitching staff. 

The Yankees can't only win on days when Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes pitch. They need more from their starting and closing rotations and that more very much might be gritty 25-year-old Jhony Brito. And why not him? If you can have rookie shortstop with no major league regular season experience in your starting lineup, why can't you have a pitcher facing the same new opportunity? If the Yankees are going to compete for a championship in 2023, they have to be able to pivot. This is one such chance to do just that. Let's get gritty and let the kid stay. He is earned his spot. 

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

YANKEES SHUT DOWN BIG TOMMY KAHNLE

According to Bryan Hoch, Tommy Kahnle is on the mend. All because he has biceps tendonitis. Well, that sucks.  The reports are he could be dealing with that for about a month. I guess better now than later, right?

Clutchpoints writes:

"If Kahnle is not ready for Opening Day, it is possible that both Domingo German and Clarke Schmidt make the roster for the start of the season, according to Hoch. Domingo German and Clarke Schmidt are in a competition for the fifth spot in the starting rotation due to the injury to Frankie Montas.

With Kahnle’s status in question, the loser of that competition would go to the bullpen."

It's also worth mentioning that Kahnle has dealt with this injury before. It was in 2018. Then of course you have to remember he had Tommy John.

Let's just hope he makes a full recovery.

WHY I HAVE A NEW FOUND RESPECT FOR TOMMY KAHNLE

We all bleed Yankee Blue here and so does Tommy Kahnle. We also love beating the Red Sox and the season hasn't even started yet but we already have one nice victory under our belt....and I love Kahnle more for it, too.

Free agency is a whirlwind for players and fans alike. We get to sit and talk about rumors while players are looking for contracts that give the most money, but also give the most years. It's all about the money AND the stability. Ask Carlos Correa about that - I loved watching him go from a 13 year deal all the way down to six. I actually laughed hysterically at him. He's nothing like Kahnle. It's karma.

In case you missed it, read more HERE because it might change the way you feel about Kahnle. I always liked the guy but now I like him more because he has real love for the game. It's about more than just the money, he has unfinished business with the Yankees. He wants another chance to win it all....in pinstripes.

"There were a couple of teams interested right away and one of them was the Yankees. I didn’t expect them to be interested in me again. To see them come out of the gate and be right in it — I had some good conversations with them. I know everyone missed me. I always loved being a Yankee. It just made sense to me to return. ... I was really close to going to Boston but in the end, I made the choice of the familiarity of knowing all of the coaches and knowing what role I would have going into this situation. ... It just felt right. One of my big goals in my career is to win a World Series and be a part of one. I left in a weird way and I want to come back and help this team and city get a World Series ring." 

How can you not have mad respect for him after reading that? He "left in a weird way" and wanted to come back and finish what he started. He could've signed with Boston for more money.... but he didn't. For once, it wasn't all about money. He said "no" to more so he could be a Yankee again. THAT gives me chills up my spine. THAT is something you just don't find often anymore, and it makes me a bigger fan.

Baseball may not be back yet - but Kahnle's attitude is already a walk-off homerun in my opinion. It reinvigorates my love for the game because it's a refreshing change. Now I'm more anxious to see him on the mound again.

Welcome home, Kahnle!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

 

LUCAS LUETGE GONZO!

Lucas Luetge is no longer a New York Yankee. It will take some time into the season to see if this one will sting a bit or not. Luetge was good for the Yankees.  But the Yankees are betting that the rotation and the already solid bullpen will allow them to cut one loose, and that "one" is Luetge.

SB Nation writes:

"The New York Yankees announced tonight that they traded reliever Lucas Luetge to the Atlanta Braves for minor leaguers Caleb Durbin and Indigo Diaz. The lefty was designated for assignment a week ago when they signed reliever Tommy Kahnle....

Durbin is a 5-foot-8 right-handed infielder who was picked in the 14th round by the Braves in the 2021 MLB Draft. He played second base for 32 games in High-A after being recalled from Middle-A. The 22-year-old slashed .220/.306/.330 with a wRC+ of 79....

Diaz was selected in the 27th round of the 2019 MLB Draft... In 2022, he was a 24-year-old righty reliever pitching in Double-A and had an ERA of 3.08 with a FIP of 4.27 and an xFIP of 5.37. Diaz fanned 63 batters in 49.2 innings."

Building up that minor league system is vital and I like these moves that we're making alot.

WE GOT KAHNLE, BUT WHAT ABOUT JUDGE?

Can we please concentrate on Aaron Judge please? I love Tommy Kahnle, but is it necessary? I mean our relievers are top ten in the American League and third best in the playoffs.  Look, I'm glad Tommy's back, but we have important things going on.

ESPN writes: 

"Right-hander Tommy Kahnle and the New York Yankees are in agreement on a two-year, $11.5 million contract, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN's Jeff Passan."

Look, this is good, I appreciate this. But we have a big fish we need to real in, and its Judge.

WOULD THE YANKEES CONSIDER BRINGING TOMMY KAHNLE BACK?

When Tommy Kahnle was on the Yankees, I was a big fan. When he was in New York, Tommy's numbers were respectable. 4 years, 4.01 ERA, 157 strikeouts and under 50 walks.  He did the job and he did it well.   You gotta wonder if a few years later he still has it. I say yeah, and guess what, he's available.

Empire Sports NY writes:

"Kahnle came to the Yankees in a trade with the White Sox in 2017 and quickly became a bullpen staple. His high-90s fastball paired with a deadly changeup. He posted 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) as a Yankee before Tommy John surgery knocked him out of the shortened 2020 season. Even better, Kahnle was well-loved in the clubhouse thanks to his endless optimistic energy.

It’s been a long road back but Kahnle made the most of his month with the Dodgers in 2022. Kahnle’s fastball was still in the 92nd percentile and his average velocity sat at 95.7 mph."

Jon Heyman Tweets:

Tommy Kahnle has 10 plus teams expressing interest after strong September return with Dodgers (0.63 WHIP, 2.84 ERA). Ex Yankee also benefits from demand outstripping supply in relief market.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 27, 2022

Look, the Yanks have alot of bigger things to worry about, like Judge, but this is something they should definitely consider.

We shall see.

WE'RE GETTIN NOTHIN FOR CHRISTMAS?

Tomorrow is Christmas and I was hoping the Yankees would give us DJ LeMahieu under our Christmas tree, but unless there is a Christmas miracle, it doesn't sound like this will happen. 

There's been some movement this week, but nothing for the Yankees unfortunately. I'm hoping that means we see some action soon. Here's what has happened in case you have missed it as you made

plans for whatever your holiday looks like this year....

1) Tommy Kahnle has a new home

Kahnle is now an Ex-Yankee, read more HERE. He just had Tommy John surgery in August so we weren't going to see him in 2021 anyway but the Dodgers signed him with 2022 in mind. I will definitely miss the 2019 Kahnle and I wish him well but I also hope that we won't have to be pitching against him in 2022 if he does make a great rebound.

2) James Paxton is in high demand

Earlier this month Scott Boras started creating hype about Paxton and it appears it worked. Paxton threw for scouts from "as many as 20 teams" and he reached 94 mph. Paxton is one year removed from a 15-win season so if the Yankees move on and don't have a change of heart it sounds like other teams are willing to take a chance.

3) Cashman is patient with DJ LeMahieu

I think far too patient according to the latest news HERE. Brian Cashman says he's fine with however long it takes to re-sign LeMahieu as long as it does happen. The Yankees remain confident that a deal will be worked out, but the longer it takes the more we anxious and uncertain we as fans become. DJ isn't going to sit around and wait forever, even though he does want to play for us again. There's a lot of interest especially from the Toronto Blue Jays so the more time that passes, the more impatient all of us become.

I don't feel confident with the Yankees current "strategy" if that is what we even want to call it. Everything is on pause until DJ LeMahieu signs, and hopefully with us. I wish we had signed DJ already, because right now all I can think about is gettin NOTHIN for Christmas....

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj