Bronx Bomber Ball

After an incredibly nerve-wracking few weeks (six months) the Yankees and Aaron Judge have agreed to terms on a contract to keep the big man in pinstripes. The deal was broken by Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi Wednesday morning and the reported terms of the deal are nine years and a whopping $360 million. The eyes of the baseball world have been on Judge this offseason as he was the premier free agent in this year’s market. The Yankees obviously wanted to keep their homegrown star but there were not too many hard reports and facts about Judge’s movements and desires as the offseason wore on. In the face of fierce competition, the Yankees got their man and now the conversation will begin as to when he is made the next captain of the Yankees, something that has been widely assumed but that Ken Rosenthal reported is expected in his article for The Athletic Wednesday morning. Credit: The Associated Press

Photo credit: NJ.com Admit it: Isiah Kiner-Falefa wasn't your pick for starting shortstop for the Yankees while they were making their offseason moves. Trevor Story and Carlos Correa were on the market.  You watched in agony as each of them came off the board in the free agency fever dream after the MLB lockout.  And the Yankees, in Hal-Cashman era fashion, end up with IKF (who was originally traded to the Twins but was literally freed up so that they can go get Correa… AGONY, right?).  And then you realize that you were in for a surprise. While IKF got off to a rough start in Pinstripes, he has more than righted the ship in recent weeks.   According to the New York Post ’s Joel Sherman, IKF “initially struggled on both sides of the ball -- a few bobbles mixed with a 6-for-28, seven-strikeout first 10 games.”  But, as of May 5th, he is hitting .311 (23-for-74), with 15 runs, seven RBIs and five walks.  And unlike a parade of his teammates, he’s done al...

The New York Yankees entered the 2021 season as World Series favorites but struggled through mediocrity and general malaise over the course of the entire season before fizzling out well short of their goal in the American League Wild Card Game at the hands of hated rivals Boston Red Sox.  Two weeks after their playoff elimination, it was announced Manager Aaron Boone's contract would be renewed for three more seasons with a fourth-year option.  Writers of the BBB weigh in on both below:   Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Photo credit: Chicago Sun-Times It's been a roller coaster race to the trade deadline (with a miserable loss to the Rays in between) for the Yankees since last night.  After yesterday's acquisition of Joey Gallo, Brian Cashman is trying to outdo himself.  YES' Jack Curry had it first:  The Yankees are trading Alcantara and Vizcaino for Rizzo. The Cubs are picking up all of Rizzo’s remaining salary. — Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) July 29, 2021 Yes, you read that correctly -- Anthony Rizzo is now a New York Yankee -- seemingly right out from under the noses of the Boston Red Sox .  The Yankees are sending two minor leaguers, OF Kevin Alcantara (Yanks' No. 12 prospect) and RHP Alexander Vizcaino (Yanks' No. 9 prospect), to Chicago in exchange for Rizzo.  The Cubs will also pay the Yankees the remaining $5.5 million left of Rizzo's salary for the 2021 season (his full season salary is $16.5 million).  Per ESPN -- "Rizzo wasn't in the lineup in the Cubs'...

Credit: MLB.com                                 

Prior to the start of Yankees Summer Camp, the Yanks’ once-faithful backup catcher, Austin Romine, bid the Bronx farewell and signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers.   However, the Yankees go into the 60-game 2020 regular season with three catchers: Gary Sanchez, Kyle Higashioka and Chris Iannetta.  Photo credit: Newsday

It's the offseason news that Yankees fans have longed to hear.   While nothing is "in stone" yet, and anything can change in the coming weeks, the Yankees Front Office is reportedly in talks with both Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg.  Photo Credit: New York Post

The Yankees announced in the morning of October 28th that Larry Rothschild, veteran pitching coach who started in his position in 2011, has been relieved of his duties and will not return for the 2020 season.  Photo Credit: New York Post “I want to personally thank Larry for his near decade of commitment to this organization,” Brian Cashman said in a statement. “Larry cares deeply about his craft, and the pitchers under his tutelage, and he played a significant role in our success over the past nine seasons.” The New York Yankees today announced that Larry Rothschild will not return to the coaching staff for the 2020 season. pic.twitter.com/5rTA6a3noA — New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 28, 2019 Going into the 2020 season, Cashman will have to look for a replacement for Rothschild to work alongside Aaron Boone with the Yankees’ pitching staff. Possible candidates discussed by Yankees color commentators include the likes of David Cone, Brent Strom current...

Aaron Boone, rightfully so, is a candidate for the 2019 American League Manager of the Year. While the baseball community at large isn’t surprised by this candidacy, it’s safe to say that Boone, in spite of leading the Yankees to 100 wins, was not in the running in 2018.   Boone faced his fair share of critics in his rookie year as the Yankees’ manager, and filled the shoes of a predecessor who brought a very different management style to the Bronx (a style that fans grew used to after ten years of loyal service).   So, what brought Boone over the top during the 2019 season?   Why wasn’t 100 wins and a playoff bid as a rookie manager enough to be considered for the honors of Manager of the Year last year? Why is Boone already a top contender for the award? Photo Credit: The Athletic

Let’s just get this out of the way first. I’m thinking it. You’re thinking it. Now, the world has gotten the chance to see it on full display this past weekend.   DJ LeMahieu has been, without question, the single biggest free agent signing by any team this season.   His numbers through his first 76 games in pinstripes?   A .345/.392/.534 slash line, 12 home runs, 61 RBIs (his career high for an entire season is 66!), and an absurd .486 (35-for-72) batting average with runners in scoring position.   He has accounted for a 4.0 WAR and was just recently voted the starting second baseman for the 2019 MLB All Star Game.   He has been more than any Yankee fan could have ever imagined when he was inked to a two-year, $24 million deal this past Winter. Photo Credit: AP

On July 29, 2018, the Yankees sent struggling reliever Chasen Shreve, along with Giovanny Gallegos, to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for a little-known first baseman: Luke Voit, a career .240 hitter. You know what happened next. In 64 games as a Yankee to this point, Voit is sitting on a .301/.390/.611 slash with 21 home runs. Fleecing teams has become almost routine for Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman during his 22 seasons at the helm. Nick Swisher for Wilson Betemit in 2008, Didi Gregorius for Shane Greene in 2012, Aaron Hicks for John Ryan Murphy in 2015; the list goes on and on. The next member of the club could be here already and we just don’t know it yet - literally. Photo Credit: New York Post In a last-minute deal before the start of the regular season, the Yankees acquired outfielder Mike Tauchman from the Rockies for minor-league pitcher Philip Diehl. Tauchman had proven to be a modest hitter at Triple-A who hadn’t been able to put it together in the...

The Yankees’ offseason started in October. While that’s only two months ago, to Yankees fans, it feels as though it’s been longer. Why? I can’t speak for all Yankees fans, but based on my own feelings as well as what I’ve read on Yankees Twitter and heard from angry callers on WFAN… it’s safe to say that we’re losing confidence in our front office. And the buck stops with Brian Cashman. Photo Credit: SportingNews

Per Mark Feinsand, the Yankees have an agreement to bring back LHP J.A. Happ. The deal is for two years guaranteed with a vesting option for a third year. It will guarantee Happ $34M over the first two years , but that number could increase if a buyout is included on the third year option.  Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP Photo 

In the wake of sought-after free agent pitcher Patrick Corbin signing with the Washington Nationals today, the Yankees need to pivot quickly, and the best option might just come in the form of an old friend.   Photo Credit: Adam Hunger/USA TODAY Sports Nathan Eovaldi, after being acquired by the Boston Red Sox this past Summer, put the entirety of his skillset on display as he was a key cog in the Red Sox’s rotation as they went on to win the World Series.   After being acquired from Tampa Bay at the non-waiver trade deadline in July, Eovaldi went 3-3 in 12 games (11 starts) with a 3.33 ERA.   Where he shined the most, however, was in the postseason. In his first ever career postseason start, against our New York Yankees no less, Eovaldi dazzled over seven innings of one run ball.   He would make another start in the ALCS against the Astros, again picking up the win over six strong innings, allowing only two runs, before making four rel...

After what seemed like an eternity of Sonny Gray pitching out of the rotation, despite immense struggles, reports flooded in around 4pm today that Gray had been informed that he had lost his spot in the Yankee rotation to the newly acquired Lance Lynn. Brian Cashman informed the media on a WFAN appearance. Gray sealed the deal after he was bombarded by a terrible Orioles lineup for what most called his worst start of the season. Photo Credit: NY Post

In a span of 48 hours earlier this week, Yankees' General Manager Brian Cashman pulled off two trades to bolster both the starting rotation and bullpen as the Yankees hit the dog days of summer, still within striking distance of Boston for the AL East crown.  New York has one of the stronger lineups in baseball and few spots for obvious upgrades, so Cashman chose to focus on the other side of the ball.   Photo Credit: Frank Franklin/AP Photo

Yankees fans have witnessed an incredibly fast turnaround over the last two plus years. An old, overachieving team that didn’t stand a chance against Dallas Keuchel in the 2015 Wild Card Game has been transformed into one of the most exciting young teams in baseball. The Yankees of 2018 are overflowing with good young players –– several who would be starting on many MLB teams (lol Mets) are buried in AAA with no clear fit on the 25 man roster. Going back even further, this was a lineup the Yankees trotted out exactly five years ago. A dark time between the Murderers Row Plus Cano of the last truly contending Yankees team from 2009-12 and where we are today.   Photo Credit: NJ.com

After spending time on the DL with two hamstring injuries, Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka is expected to make a rehab start in Triple A this week with Scranton before possibly returning to the rotation in the Yankees’ upcoming series against Baltimore, as Brian Cashman said Tanaka returning to face Baltimore is “the best case scenario”. Tanaka’s return will mark the end of a rookie’s rotation spot, as Tanaka will replace one of either Jonathan Loaisiga or Domingo German. Photo Credit: Brad Mills | USA Today Sports

As we close in on the Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline on July 31st, it's about that time of year where we start analyzing potential trade targets as well as which prospects might be on the move as part of those deals.  Our own Maxx Hotton recently completed a series of pieces in which he previewed potential trade packages for  Jacob deGrom ,  Cole Hamels , JA Happ , and  Madison Bumgarner .  However, the trade deadline (as well as the weeks immediately following the conclusion of the World Series) are also a time for teams to starting thinking about future roster constructions and get their 40-man rosters in shape.   Left to Right: Justus Sheffield, Chance Adams, Dillon Tate Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post