Bronx Bomber Ball

Coming into the third game of the series, due to game one of the four game set being postponed, the Yankees were looking to finish off the sweep after dispatching the Red Sox by multiple runs in the last two games. Photo Credit: Newsday

Well, it's been just about a week now since the Boston Red Sox eliminated the Yankees from playoff contention and we've all had some time to stew on it.  Obviously not the ending any of us wanted and made even more painful due to the fact that it was our arch-rivals who put the nail in the coffin.   Some of our contributors weigh in below about how this season ended, what to make of it all, and where the Yankees go from here heading into 2019.

In his first move of the July trade deadline, Brian Cashman has opted to improve on the lack of left handed arms in the bullpen by acquiring Zach Britton from the Orioles, as confirmed by Jon Heyman. The Orioles will receive RHP Dillon Tate, LHP Josh Rogers, and RP Cody Carroll in exchange for Britton. Britton will be an immediate presence in the late innings for the Yankees and provide the bullpen with another weapon to dismantle opposing offenses. Photo Credit: Sportfella.com

After dropping two out of three games to the Rangers in a slugfest series, the Yankees will head back to New York for a three-game set against the Angels as they try to take back the AL East from the Red Sox. The Yankees sit only a single game back of the Red Sox, while the Angels are four and a half back of the defending World Series champion Astros, who the Yankees face following this series. With the Red Sox playing the surprisingly good Atlanta Braves, if the Yankees could take two of three or sweep this series, they could very likely be sitting atop the AL East heading into their series against Houston.

Following a very strange two game set against the Marlins, the Yankees are set to square off against the second-place team in the AL East, the Toronto Blue Jays, in a four-game set over the weekend. With a disappointing 8-8 start to the season, the Yankees need to look for momentum here and try to reach the level of success expected of them to start the season. The Jays are on a four-game winning streak after stealing one from the Indians and winning three straight over the Royals. This series provides a perfect opportunity for the Yankees to prove themselves against a solid squad and gain some ground in the division race.

Despite acquiring Giancarlo Stanton, a move which makes the Yankees likely the most potent lineup in baseball, the Yankees aren’t finished making moves. Specifically, the Yankees want to compliment their deadly lineup by improving the rotation using the money they just cleared up in the Chase Headley deal earlier this morning which cleared up his $13 million salary and gives the Yankees more breathing room beneath the luxury tax. The two primary targets have been reported to be Michael Fulmer of the Tigers and Patrick Corbin of the Diamondbacks according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Photo Credit: USA Today

While the Yankees outfield seems to be more of a sure thing and even a log-jam at times, it doesn’t mean that the Yankees can’t have some fun and window shop. While the current free agent outfield class is pretty much filled with aging talent, there are a couple fun options that could be explored. Photo Credit: ESPN

The Yankees have several routes they could take over this offseason following a surprisingly successful season which saw the Yankees take the world champion Houston Astros to seven games in the ALCS. The Yankees could stay stagnant and keep the roster the same while allowing the young talent to continue developing and hope they’re enough to push for championship twenty eight, or, the Yankees could also opt to trade some of the current pieces to try and acquire pieces which better fit the roster and possibly take the Yankees over the hill from World Series hopefuls to World Series champions. Here are some of the pieces the Yankees could consider trading this offseason if they take that path: Photo Credit: AP

After over two weeks of the news that Joe Girardi would not be managing the Yankees in 2018 broke, the BBB writers have had a chance to react to the news. One of the greatest things about the staff is that we have a wide variety of opinions regarding our New York Yankees, so here are a few of our writer's thoughts regarding the news that Brian Cashman elected to go in a different direction from Girardi as he continues building another potential dynasty in the Bronx. Photo Credit: AP

Rebuilding isn’t supposed to go like this. Rebuilding teams aren’t supposed to make it to the ALCS in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. Yet, here the “rebuilding” Yankees are, one year removed from missing the playoffs, in the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2012 where they were swept by the Detroit Tigers. Hoping for a much different outcome this time, the Yankees will have to go through the Houston Astros who are making their first appearance here since 2005. After taking down the reigning AL champion Indians, the Yankees must now take down this Astros team who also won over 100 games and who made somewhat light work of a very solid Boston Red Sox team behind many hot bats, including the hot bat of AL MVP hopeful Jose Altuve. The Astros also beat the Yankees in five of the seven times they played this season, so winning this series will be no easy task, but with an insane amount of momentum and nothing to lose, the Yankees have a legitimate shot...

Entering their last series of the 2017 regular season, the Yankees are holding on to very slim division hopes as they need the Red Sox to lose their last three games and need a sweep of this series just to secure a division tie. Otherwise, the Yankees will enter the playoffs as the first Wild Card team and will face off against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium with an ALDS berth on the line. Even if the Yankees can’t manage to tie up the division, these three games could provide the Yankees with solid momentum going into the Wild Card matchup, and should be treated as a time to build this momentum, for whatever playoffs await the Yankees, against a Blue Jays team which has struggled all season and is going to finish the season under .500.

In a strange game which saw the Yankees and Rays play at Citi Field, the Yankees offense clearly missed the bus to the Mets home field as the Yankees fell 2-1 in game two of this series, despite a great performance from Sonny Gray. Gray was unable to hold off the Rays as they hit two solo shots, which the Yankees weren’t able to fully respond to. This was a heartbreaking loss which really should have ended up in a Yankee victory. Photo Credit: Frank Franklin II | AP

The Wild Card leading Yankees will head to Comerica Park Tuesday for a three-game matchup against the mediocre Detroit Tigers following their series loss to the Boston Red Sox. The series featured many highs and lows for the Yankees pitching staff, as they took on a potent Boston offense which has been on fire recently. Thankfully, the Tigers offense won’t be as much of a challenge to pitch against this series, as they are currently sitting at a measly 54-69 and are 1-5 in their last six games. With a lackluster opponent waiting, the Yankees should solidify their postseason spot and possibly gain a few games on the Red Sox if they drop a game or two against the AL Central leading Cleveland Indians.

Following last night’s back and forth affair which saw the Yankees fall short against the Red Sox in a three-run loss, the Yankees looked to bounce back and attempt to make up some ground in the AL East, as well as try and reinforce their lead on the first wild card spot. CC Sabathia took up the mound for the Bombers in this matchup, with the daunting Chris Sale on the hill for the Sox. Thanks to a huge performance from Tyler Austin and a solid pitching outing from Sabathia, the Yankees were able to take this one from the AL Cy Young hopeful and the Sox. ADAM GLANZMAN/GETTY IMAGES

Following a much-needed series win against the Seattle Mariners, the Yankees only trail the Red Sox by two and a half games in the American League East. Although the Mariners are not an overly formidable team, the series win over them was comforting, as it showed the Yankees are capable of beating the teams they should. The case in this two game series is similar, as the Reds are the current holders of the third worst record in the National League and overall sit 16 games below .500. The series also takes place in the Bronx, where the Yankees have played great ball. The Yankees have played two games against the Reds this season and split the games, while putting up ten runs in the first game. Prior to this series, the Reds dropped two of three games to the Marlins and a game to the Indians. Overall, these two games should be Yankees wins, and these are the matchups and players to watch in this two game series: GAME ONE (Tuesday, July 25 | First Pitch 7:05 PM EST) Luis Castill...

Once again, 2B Starlin Castro is headed to the 10 Day DL with another hamstring injury. This is the same hamstring which suffered an injury in late June which resulted in him being sidelined from June 26 until last Saturday. In his six games since coming back, Castro hit .227 in his 22 AB with three strikeouts, two walks, and a double. The injury was sustained last Wednesday and once again leaves the Yankees with an open roster spot which will be filled by INF Tyler Wade who was called up today following Castro’s placement on the DL. Wade was also called up earlier in the season during Castro’s most recent DL-stint. During this period, he played in nine games and was an overall disappointment as he hit .107 with ten strikeouts, four walks, four runs, two doubles, and just one RBI. The Yankees clearly believe the 22-year-old can provide decent production as he receives his second call up of the season. Wade also provides the Yankees with some versatility, as he can play several positio...

Following a marathon game two of the Red Sox series in which the Yankees outlasted the Red Sox through 16 grueling innings, the Yankees looked to continue the momentum and secure at least a series tie in game one of today’s doubleheader. Sabathia took the mound and managed six strong innings, followed by the bullpen with a surprisingly strong outing. Despite continued struggles from the Yankees main offensive weapon Aaron Judge, the Yankees still put up three runs on 12 hits to give Sabathia a well deserved win and take game one of the double header. AP Photo/ Michael Dwyer

Today it was announced that the Yankees once again have DFA’d 1B Chris Carter in a move which isn’t overly surprising. Carter has been less than stellar this season and has shown no improvement since being brought back to the major league roster after his previous DFA in late June, which lasted just a week before his replacement, Tyler Austin, hit the DL. Over his time with the Yankees this season, Carter has hit .203, with 37 hits overall in 182 AB, resulting in only 14 XBH and 26 RBIs this season. Carter’s main attraction last season with the Brewers was his power, and now that’s no longer a part of his game with only eight long balls through 61 games played. More specifically, in the four games since he was brought back on to the big league squad, Carter has hit just a measly .200 with 3 hits in 16 PA. In those 16 PA, Carter has also struck out six times and walked once. Therefore, his DFA should be no surprise to anyone who has witnessed him play over this recent stretch. ...