Latest news with #ChrisKirschner
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees make announcement on Gerrit Cole's return from injury
Yankees make announcement on Gerrit Cole's return from injury originally appeared on The Sporting News It's a good news, bad news situation for the New York Yankees. Gerrit Cole is making progress in his return from injury, but it won't be enough. The good: Cole has begun his throwing program, according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone's comments to reporters on Monday. But the bad news came from The Athletic's Chris Kirschner, who quickly answered the question everyone was thinking: "No, he is not an option in any capacity this season," wrote Kirschner. MORE: Twins' Ryan Fitzgerald reminds us why we love sports after a career spent in the minor leagues Cole underwent Tommy John surgery in spring training after experiencing discomfort in his right (throwing) elbow and learning that he needed reconstruction after a torn UCL. As expected, the Tommy John was a season-ending injury for Cole. The hope with that surgery is that the recovery lasts 12 months and not longer. The fact that Cole has begun his throwing program less than six months since the surgery is an optimistic sign that he may be ready to pitch by the start of the 2026 regular season. Cole's injury was just the first domino of many pitching injury issues the Yankees have had this season, not to mention a bunch of hitter injuries, too. MORE: Athletics use the first switch-thrower in MLB history That's part of the reason the Yanks are now third in the AL East and trying to turn their season around late to avoid an epic collapse out of the postseason field altogether. It'd certainly be nice to have Cole on the mound for some of the big games down the stretch, but that won't be happening. The Yankees will just have to settle for the good vibes that Cole has begun to throw at all, even though it won't impact the 2025 season. MORE MLB NEWS: Guardians' Nic Enright reaches special personal milestone in comeback from cancer Umpires don't like Guardians star Steven Kwan Blue Jays' Ernie Clement shows lifelong hitting ability in historic night for Toronto Mookie Betts admits 'this season's over' after brutal struggles Justin Verlander makes decision on his retirement plans Yankees are paying 3 players a combined $43.8 million to not play for them
New York Times
28-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Five key Yankees trade deadline questions: How could they upgrade the bullpen?
After first upgrading the infield through trades for Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario, the New York Yankees have turned their attention to the pitching staff, in particular the bullpen, as Thursday's MLB trade deadline draws near. To discuss the deadline and set up a crucial week for the club, Yankees beat writer Chris Kirschner hosted a live Q&A with The Athletic subscribers on Monday afternoon. Here are five key questions (plus a bonus one) that were asked and answered during the chat. For more deadline coverage, read the full Q&A transcript, visit our Yankees section for new stories, or check out our live blog for the latest all week long. 1. Can/will they acquire an ace starter or top-flight reliever for one of their top-five-to-10 prospects, or would it require a haul (of multiple top-10 prospects)? — Brett M. The cost would be more than just one of their top-five-to-10 prospects if the Yankees were to acquire an ace or a top reliever. I think they will try landing relievers who have multiple years of control because they have to factor in their 2026 bullpen, too. Devin Williams, Luke Weaver and Jonathan Loáisiga are all free agents at the end of the year. Advertisement 2. Of the quality closers on the market (Jhoan Duran, Ryan Helsley, David Bednar), who has the Yankees' front office been most linked to, and where do you see a deal most likely coming to fruition? — Garreth H. The two names I have heard are Duran and Bednar. It's not a given that the Twins will move Duran. Helsley is certainly the most obtainable one out of the group you listed. It's very likely that he is traded in the next few days. 3. Will any (of the Yankees') current MLB players potentially be in trade packages? Who could they reasonably include in a package with prospects? — Anonymous U. I think current major-league players to watch in possible trades include Jasson Domínguez, Trent Grisham and maybe Will Warren/Cam Schlittler. 4. Could Schlittler be placed in the bullpen if another starter is acquired, (and with) Luis Gil coming back? — Matthew M. Yes, as I've written a few times, it's possible they could shuffle the rotation and move someone to the bullpen. That's also a way to internally improve a beleaguered group. 5. Do you see the Yankees trading for another position player, or are they focused only on pitching at this point? — Andrew W. I think if they could add another position player, preferably a right-handed bat, they will do so. But make no mistake: the majority of the focus right now is on adding pitching. A question about the team's fundamentals/sloppy play: For teams that don't have this issue, is it because they have more fundamentally sound players or is it because something's lacking in the Yankees' player development or coaching approach? … They don't play clean baseball, but how the heck do you fix that? — Peter V. I do not know how (a team) fixes this in midseason. You're even seeing players like Paul Goldschmidt, who's the oldest guy in the clubhouse, make mistakes. So the Yankees can't be blamed for developing him into a sloppy player. It is bizarre that the sloppiness has continued. They have to take a much more critical eye to this in the offseason and figure out why it keeps happening with different personnel. (Top photo of David Bednar and Henry Davis: Justin Berl / Getty Images)
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees Get Horrible News in $600 Million Cubs' Kyle Tucker Pursuit
Yankees Get Horrible News in $600 Million Cubs' Kyle Tucker Pursuit originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Cubs have a tough Kyle Tucker decision coming up, but the easiest thing to do is hand him a $600 million check and leave the room. If Tucker wants to stay in Chicago, the Cubs must do whatever they can to keep him around. Advertisement Tucker is one of the premier talents in baseball. Only 28 years old, he'd be perfect to be the franchise cornerstone for the next decade. Unfortunately, for the Cubs, there will be many teams interested in him in Major League Baseball. Some believe that the New York Yankees will be one of those teams, but according to a recent report from Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, he doesn't expect that to be the case, giving the Cubs some good news this week. Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the New York Mets during the fourth inning at Citi Penner-Imagn Images "They had interest in trading for Kyle Tucker this past offseason before the Cubs traded for him," Kirschner wrote. "With how the Cubs (and Tucker) are playing, I would imagine Chicago will try its best in re-signing him long-term. Otherwise, what is the point of trading for him (unless they win the World Series)? Recent history suggests the Yankees won't be the team that lands Tucker in free agency. When was the last time the Yankees landed a major external position player?" Advertisement If the Cubs don't have to worry about the Yankees, and the Los Angeles Dodgers aren't willing to give Tucker too much money, it's tough to say that any other team in the league should outbid them. The Cubs make a ton of money; those are the two other biggest markets they must worry about. Perhaps the New York Mets could get creative, but they already gave Juan Soto a contract that will likely not be seen for a very long time. Related: Cubs Manager Craig Counsell to Leave Struggling Star in Heart of Lineup This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
24-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Talking Yankees trade deadline, Aaron Boone's biggest strength, Jasson Domínguez's splits
Chris Kirschner discussed Jasson Domínguez, Luis Gil and various Yankees topics during a wide-ranging live Q&A with The Athletic subscribers on Tuesday. But, unsurprisingly, many of the questions centered on how the team will approach the July 31 trade deadline. Here are some highlights from Tuesday's live discussion. To see answers to more Yankees questions, read the full Q&A. (Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and length.) With Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s versatility, the Yankees have the luxury of adding either a second baseman or third baseman via trade. Who are the top names that you think the Yankees will go after at second or third? I would brace yourself for the possibility that this trade deadline might be a dud. There are too many teams still in the mix. Maybe that changes in a month, but in the expanded playoffs era, we've seen organizations would rather hold or buy than sell. Sneak into the playoffs and who knows what happens. Advertisement If the Diamondbacks sell, Eugenio Suárez should be the No. 1 target for the Yankees. One issue with Suárez is many teams with better prospects will likely be interested in him. Do the Yankees have enough to land what could be the best player available? On a lesser level, Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon could be an option. He kind of fits the Yankee mold. He hits the ball extremely hard, is a good defender, and would frustrate the hell out of the fan base because he strikes out a lot. After losing Cabrera for the season, there is no viable backup at (shortstop), as Oswald Peraza has proven he can't hit. Why don't the Yanks find a reasonable backup so Anthony Volpe can sit on the bench for awhile and figure out how to hit, run and field in key situations? I would imagine that one of their focuses at the trade deadline will be trying to upgrade Peraza's spot on the roster. That's why you'll likely hear Isiah Kiner-Falefa's name pop up in trade rumors. Peraza is not a viable major leaguer. The Yankees need better reinforcements. Peraza's spot on the roster is much more important than many may think. He's the backup shortstop right now. You kind of need one because of the position's importance on the field. I've seen too many fans in their make-believe trade scenarios try to upgrade the bench without having anyone there who can play shortstop. If you're getting rid of Peraza, you need to bring in someone who has shortstop experience. Does Peraza have any value, at all, to any other team, or does he get (designated for assignment) when the team trades for a backup infielder who can hit? If Peraza had value, I think he would have been traded by now. He's next in line, on the position player side, to get DFA'd. Maybe a rebuilding team would send a lottery-ticket prospect to the Yankees to skip the waiver-wire line. But, yeah, Peraza has been disappointing. Spencer Jones has to be getting promoted to AAA soon, right? — Michael M. Thanks for the opportunity to plug the twice-a-week podcast I do with the director of 'The Captain,' Randy Wilkins Advertisement In Monday's episode, I discussed Jones at length. He's a very strange prospect: unbelievable raw numbers, but some alarming flaws right underneath the surface. The contact rates are still bad. He's still striking out at a high clip. And yet, it seems like he's ready for a promotion. This is my conspiracy theory take: Maybe the Yankees want to keep him in Double A a bit longer to show other teams how well he's performing and then sell high at the deadline. If you move him up now and he struggles at Triple A, maybe his value dips. In short, I would not be stunned if Jones gets moved next month. Should Dominguez try to hit lefty full time? His righty swing just doesn't seem to work that well, and the track record for righty hitting going back to minors hasn't been that great. — Stan H. It's too early to say, even though the splits are horrible. For his career, Domínguez has an .819 OPS against right-handed pitching and a .512 OPS against left-handed pitching. The stats say that he should give up switch hitting, but remember he's only 22 years old and doesn't have much professional experience. He lost the 2020 minor-league season, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and had a few injuries. He played about two seasons' worth of games in the minors. I just think he needs more experience before it's completely written off. There's no denying, though, that the splits are unsightly. I hear a lot of Yankees fans complain about Boone — his decisions, his lineups, his bullpen usage, his seeming lack of accountability for players … the list goes on. Can you articulate what qualities Boone actually brings to the table as a manager and leader of men, besides his positivity? How much of their winning is because of, or despite, him? — Kris A. First, it's impossible to quantify how much a manager helps or hurts their team on the field. He's not out there hitting, fielding or pitching. Undoubtedly, Boone's biggest strength is managing the personalities on the roster. On any given day, the Yankees have two really good players sitting. He has to make sure those guys who are losing playing time don't get upset or bring anyone else down. He deserves credit there because their culture is in a good spot. It obviously helps having Aaron Judge, too. But on the field, the Yankees have the second-best offense in the sport, the best starting pitching ERA over the past two months and a bullpen that ranks eighth in ERA. Boone deserves some credit for that. He can't just get hate when things go poorly. Is there a statistical way to prove that the Yankees have more depth/are getting more production from their lineup this year versus last year with Juan Soto? — Jp L. Last year, the Yankees had six regular players above a 100 wRC+ in their lineup. This year, the Yankees have eight regulars above a 100 wRC+. That doesn't include J.C. Escarra, who's also over a 100 wRC+, or Giancarlo Stanton. The stats show that they have more depth. (Top photo of Eugenio Suárez: Chris Coduto / Getty Images)
New York Times
23-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Subscriber Q&A with Yankees writer Chris Kirschner
June 24, 2025 at 12:00 PM EDT Yankees beat writer Chris Kirschner will answer subscribers' questions about the team during a live Q&A from noon to 12:45 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Questions can be submitted ahead of time or during the Q&A. Chris Kirschner June 23, 2025 9:00 am EDT
