Bronx Bomber Ball

News broke last night that the Yankees had made their first splash of the summer trade season by acquiring slugger Edwin Encarnacion from the Seattle Mariners. Encarnacion is the American League home run leader and will be a welcomed addition to the team he has hit well against over the course of his career. To many including myself, this trade was very fuzzy at first glance. The Yankees did not have a need to acquire an offensive player, especially when their pitching has been their weakness, thus far. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton’s imminent returns further blurred the reasoning behind this trade. However, after further thought, I have come up with six implications that result from this trade, all of which help make sense of this move. Kathy Willens | AP

Coming into the night on a three-game losing streak, and after dropping eight of their last 11 contests, this game was one the Yankees needed. Fortunately for them, the bats came to life, and the pitching was solid, as New York downed the White Sox, 8-4. The win, coupled with Tampa’s loss, allowed the Yanks to regain their half-game lead in the American League East despite their recent struggles. Photo Credit: Nam Y. Huh/AP Photo

For much of the 2019 season so far, the Yankees have played great baseball. They are currently sitting in first place and have grabbed that spot in the standings despite an almost comical slew of injuries that began in spring training and hasn’t let up since. While the injuries have struck every part of the roster, one group that was particularly hard hit was the outfield. The Yankees entered this season with a group of outfielders that boasted multiple All Star and MVP-caliber players. With some of these players now set to return, what will this group look like going forward? Credit: Brad Penner/USA Today Sports

The New York Yankees started their road trip in the south side of Chicago Thursday night against the White Sox. The Yankees saw a familiar face on the mound in a struggling Iván Nova, who started out his big-league career with the team and played with them until 2016 when he was traded to Pittsburgh. Heading into this start, Nova was sporting a 6.28 ERA with a 1.62 WHIP, averaging around two runners on base per inning. Lefty J.A. Happ took the mound for the Yanks who has been pitching better as of late, but was still approaching the start with a 4.48 ERA.   Photo Credit: AP

As a follower of the Yankees, the richest franchise in baseball and fifth in all of sports, they’re often associated with superstar names when guys become available because they have the money, pedigree, and even the assets if it’s via trade. Look no further than the latest example of a potential trade target that would require a massive package, shortstop Francisco Lindor of the Cleveland Indians. Photo Credit: Ken Blaze/USA Today Sports

For the third time in the last 27 days, the Yankees found themselves playing a double-header. In the first two twin bills, New York won both games, but today they split the day/night duel with their cross-town rivals, the Mets. After going 1-1 today, the Yankees are now 41-25 on the season and sit tied atop the American League East standings with the Tampa Bay Rays. Photo Credit: Frank Franklin III/AP Photo

With their sixth-round pick, 195th overall, in the 2019 draft, the New York Yankees selected right-handed starting pitcher, Hayden Wesneski, out of Sam Houston State. He was a 33rd round pick in the 2016 draft, but decided to go to college instead, where he thrived. Wesneski played three years as a Bearkat and threw at least 84 innings in each.  His best year in school was certainly this past season, where he posted a 3.32 ERA in 105.2 innings, including two complete games in 15 starts.  Standing at six-foot-three, Wesneski has a plus fastball, as well as an average slider and changeup in his arsenal, according to scouts.  In his three years at Sam Houston State, Wesneski compiled a 25-9 record in 51 appearances (44 starts).  To go along with his 288 IP, he had an ERA of 3.56 and struck out 224 while walking only 76 men.  We were fortunate enough to get to speak with Wesneski and get to know him a little bit better as a person and a player. Below is an intervie...

After an exciting 10th inning win in Cleveland, the Yankees are coming back home for a two-game series against the crosstown rival Mets.  The Yankees, who are now tied for first place, will be trying to right the ship after a little slide last week where they lost five of seven.  The Mets on the other hand are coming in a game under .500, and are third in the NL East, five games back of the Phillies.  Last week, they impressively took two of three from both the Giants and Rockies.  In 2018 the Yankees were 4-2 in the subway series, and hopefully they can use this quick series to get back on track.

The New York Yankees looked to avoid getting swept in Cleveland in Sunday afternoon’s bout with the Indians.  The Yanks went with the opener today and sent Chad Green to the mound to face off against Cleveland’s Shane Bieber.  It took almost 4 hours and 10 innings to get it done, but the Yankees left Cleveland with a 7-6 win over the Indians. Photo Credit: David Dermer | AP

Prior to tonight’s series opener in Cleveland, the Yankees reinstated shortstop Didi Gregorius from the 60-day IL. Thairo Estrada was optioned to AAA following yesterday’s contest. Gregorius returns after undergoing Tommy John surgery last October; he sustained the injury on a headfirst slide into home during the ALDS. Photo Credit: Elsa/Getty Gregorius is a welcome addition to a Yankees lineup that is slowly but surely beginning to overcome the injury woes it has faced this season. He’s become a stalwart in the heart of the Yankees’ order over the past three campaigns, putting up high averages and solid power numbers while becoming a fan-favorite in the Bronx along the way. In 134 games last season, Sir Didi posted a .268/.335/.494 slash with 27 home runs and 84 RBI. Didi’s insertion back into the lineup will mean more regular days off throughout the infield, a unit that has fared quite well in his absence. While Gio Urshela will stay put at third, Gleyber Torres will slid...