All articles tagged with #new york yankees
New York aggressively used the automated ball-strike system, going 5-for-5 on ABS challenges (including multiple consecutive challenges in an inning) against umpire Mike Estabrook, creating chances despite a modest offensive night. Aaron Boone praised the approach after a 2-1 loss to Seattle, highlighted by Cal Raleigh’s walk-off hit off the Yankees’ night and upcoming rehab notes for Rodón and Volpe.
The New York Yankees opened 2026 by blanking the San Francisco Giants in both games of the Opening Series (7-0, then 3-0), with Aaron Judge overturning a pitch call via MLB's new Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge to fuel a two-run homer and seal the win. The back-to-back shutouts mark the first time the Yankees have started a season with consecutive shutouts, while the Giants were shut out in consecutive opening games for the first time in franchise history.
Max Fried worked 6 1/3 scoreless innings (after a rocky start) as the Yankees erupted for a five-run second inning and rolled to a 7-0 Opening Day win over the Giants at Oracle Park, backed by a 10-hit attack. Judge went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts, but the rest of New York’s lineup delivered, and the win marked the Yankees’ fifth straight Opening Day victory.
Gerrit Cole said he’s feeling 'really strong' in his final spring start, throwing 26 pitches over 1⅓ innings (averaging 96.3 mph, up to 98) as he continues Tommy John rehab; the Yankees are targeting a mid‑May return on a 14–18 month timeline, with a light workload ahead before Tampa, the April 3 home opener, and a possible rehab assignment afterward.
The Yankees selected Randal Grichuk’s contract to make the Opening Day roster, locking in a $2.5 million salary for 2026 and sidestepping an opt-out threat from his Article XX(B) deal by adding him to the 26-man roster (a 40-man roster move will still be required). Grichuk, a right-handed outfielder, provides backup/spot-start depth behind Judge, Grisham and Bellinger, with Dominguez and Spencer Jones starting in Triple-A. He’s seen as a platoon option against left-handed pitching, offering value despite uneven numbers vs righties, as the Yankees balance playing time for their younger outfield prospects.
Gerrit Cole finally pitched in anger 54 weeks after Tommy John surgery, delivering a clean, 10-pitch inning in a spring start vs. the Red Sox with promising velocity as a positive first step in his rehab. The roundup also notes Oswaldo Cabrera’s emotional reaction to Venezuela’s World Baseball Classic win and possible roster implications, a defensive preview praising the Yankees’ left side but flagging potential vulnerabilities, and Carlos Lagrange emerging as a major-league-ready option who could soon factor into the Bronx lineup.
Gerrit Cole delivered a sharp 10-pitch spring debut with upper-90s fastballs and a low-90s slider in a 1-0 Yankees win over the Red Sox, continuing a wave of positive news in camp.
Columnist Joel Sherman argues Aaron Judge is a first-ballot, perhaps unanimous, Hall of Famer even if he never takes another major league swing, with his place in Yankees history secured by a Monument Park retirement and his impact shaping his all-time resume.
In a 5-3 spring-training win for the Yankees over the Phillies, Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter impressed in his 2026 spring debut, delivering two strong innings with whiffs and standout secondary pitches, signaling potential despite the loss.
Giancarlo Stanton says tennis elbow makes even simple tasks like opening a bag of chips difficult, keeping him out of early spring games as the Yankees start him slowly with a target return around March 3 and a path toward a full season with planned rest days.
Gerrit Cole, coming off elbow surgery with an internal brace, is targeting a late-April return as the Yankees plot a careful ramp-up to a rotation boosted by top starters returning from injuries.
The New York Yankees reportedly re-signed Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal worth about $5 million or less, bringing the veteran back to the Bronx as a platoon option at first base and a leadership presence. New York is also seeking balance with a right-handed bat elsewhere, and Goldschmidt’s return helps cover first base and DH duties while the club runs back a similar roster. The deal carries CBT implications and comes amid chatter that other teams; Goldschmidt performed well against left-handed pitching and remains a trusted clubhouse presence as the Yankees navigate a full 40-man roster heading into spring training.
Paul Goldschmidt remains a potential Yankees target in MLB free agency, offering New York a chance to chase a championship even if the Padres emerge as a rival landing spot and Arizona seems less likely after adding Carlos Santana; the Yankees would likely need to offer more than the $1 million bid they made to Slater, with other right-handed options like Grichuk or Ty France also in the mix.
The column notes the Yankees’ ongoing search for a right-handed bat who can play multiple positions (first base, third base, and the outfield) while limiting strikeouts. With a lefty-dominant lineup and catchers (Rice, J.C. Escarra, and Austin Wells) also hitting left-handed, New York would benefit from balance alongside Wells, potentially enabling Escarra to be traded or used for depth at Triple-A. Rice is expected to remain at first base, underscoring the need for a flexible bat to complement Wells and stabilize the roster.
Reports link the Yankees to a Paul Goldschmidt reunion while also targeting Nick Martinez and Austin Slater, with Slater reportedly receiving a major-league offer earlier this offseason as New York reshapes its roster amid payroll and rotation questions.