Latest news with #GiancarloStanton
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a day ago
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Yankees trade deadline targets: 7 players New York could pursue, from Merrill Kelly to Ryan Helsley
The Yankees have already been aggressive leading up to the trade deadline, acquiring 3B Ryan McMahon from the Rockies and utility infielder Amed Rosario from the Nationals. Is more help on the way? New York faces increasingly long odds to win the AL East as the Blue Jays surge, but with Aaron Judge avoiding a serious injury to his elbow and planning to return at some point in the early days of August, the franchise is still holding out hope for a late-season run. With McMahon and Rosario in the fold, pitching could be the Yankees' target in the final days and hours before the deadline. Unless Judge's prognosis is worse than the franchise is letting on, don't expect another aggressive move for a position player. The Yankees won't bench Giancarlo Stanton with the way he has been hitting, so they are likely to live with Stanton temporarily playing the field while Judge serves as a designated hitter until he's fully recovered. LIVE: Yankees trade rumors tracker McMahon and Rosario, meanwhile, helped address the Yankees' infield needs ahead of the season's final two months. 📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp Who could join them in the Bronx? Here are seven prime trade targets for the Yankees leading up to the July 31 deadline. Yankees trade deadline targets Merrill Kelly, SP, Diamondbacks The Diamondbacks are open for business, and Kelly is as reliable as any veteran starter on the market. The 36-year-old has a 3.22 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across 22 starts this season, in line with the numbers from his past two full seasons in 2022 and 2023, and he posted a 2.25 ERA across four starts during Arizona's run to the World Series in 2023. The Yankees need a reliable arm behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodon with Clarke Schmidt out for the remainder of the season, and a 1-2-3 of Fried, Rodon, and Kelly would be formidable, to say the least. Mitch Keller, SP, Pirates If the Yankees want a controllable starter, Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller could be available for a steeper price. A durable arm who hasn't missed meaningful time over the past five seasons, Keller has a history of strong starts and slow finishes to the season, but he has held up well this year with a 3.53 ERA and 3.42 FIP across 21 starts. Keller doesn't miss many bats, but he has impressive control and is under contract through 2028. Ryan Helsley, CL, Cardinals Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley said he expects to be traded, and one would have to think that's the most likely scenario with St. Louis teetering in the NL wild-card race. The Cardinals' closer has a 2.03 ERA and 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings over the past four seasons, notching 103 saves. The Yankees' bullpen plans have faltered this season, with Devin Williams flashing far too much inconsistency and Luke Weaver struggling after returning from injury. Regardless of who gets the ninth inning, Helsley would help settle down the back end of the 'pen. David Bednar, CL, Pirates A two-time All-Star, Bednar struggled mightily in 2024 and got off to a similarly concerning start this season before being optioned to the minors. As it turns out, that stint in the minor leagues fixed him. Bednar has not allowed a run since mid-May, dropping his ERA into the low 2s and giving the Pirates a legitimate weapon at the back end of their bullpen once again. Bednar is under contract through 2026, so he would come at a cost in any deal. MORE:14 players who could be traded before July 31 deadline Sandy Alcantara, SP, Marlins A former Cy Young Award winner, Alcantara has suffered through a fairly brutal season after missing all of 2024 with Tommy John Surgery. Between his track record and a recent encouraging seven-inning outing against the Padres, however, it wouldn't be surprising to see Alcantara moved — and the Marlins are certainly listening. If the Yankees are confident they can fix Alcantara, they would have a fairly cheap rotation option for their 2026 rotation. Griffin Jax, RP, Twins The Twins are far from guaranteed to trade Griffin Jax or Jhoan Duran, but a strong offer could get one moved. Jax should come a bit cheaper, though his underlying numbers paint a different picture than his 4.00 ERA. The right-hander has a terrific 2.07 FIP, nearly in line with last season when he enjoyed some better luck and posted a 2.03 ERA. With a career-high 14 strikeouts per nine innings, Jax could be a sneaky addition to the back end of the Yankees' bullpen without any pressure to have him close out games. Willi Castro, IF/OF, Twins Do the Yankees have room for another infielder after adding McMahon and Rosario? According to the New York Post's Joel Sherman, the door is at least open for another bat to join the fray, and he adds that Twins Swiss Army knife Willi Castro is someone the Yankees have long admired. Sherman suggests the Yankees could try to package Castro with a Twins reliever in a deal. While they might have to figure out how the pieces all fit in that scenario, Castro's versatility and solid bat by utility man standards could make him a valuable piece for New York given the team's serious defensive issues in the infield.
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a day ago
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Aaron Judge headed to injured list, but Yankees and their captain avoid worst-case scenario
NEW YORK – Forced to send Aaron Judge to the injured list, the Yankees still received very good news Saturday afternoon on their MVP captain's aching right elbow. Judge is dealing with a flexor tendon strain, but an MRI revealed that the ulnar collateral ligament is fine. "If they'll let me, I'll start DH-ing once this 10-day (IL stint) is up,'' Judge told reporters, including the YES Network. "If I can hit, get me out there.'' According to manager Aaron Boone, the slugging right fielder won't be throwing for the next 10-14 days, though he'll be able to resume swinging a bat in the next few days. Boone confirmed it's possible that Judge could return immediately after his 10-day IL stint. 'All in all, good news,'' Boone told reporters following a 9-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Yankee Stadium. 'Because, I think all of us kind of feared the worst,'' said Boone, a reference to reconstructive 'Tommy John'' surgery that would've ended Judge's season – and very possibly the Yanks' season with it. Yankees' alignment without Aaron Judge But when Judge returns, he'll strictly be a designated hitter for an unspecified time, which directly impacts Giancarlo Stanton, who is solely a DH. Due to Judge's situation, Boone said he's already spoken with Stanton about the possibility of playing some outfield. Stanton was receptive toward working as an outfielder in the coming days, preparing to be an occasional right field option once Judge returns to the lineup. "Whatever's going to put us in the best opportunity to win,'' said Stanton, telling reporters he'll be "ready'' when needed as an outfielder, though he hasn't played defensively since 2023, when he made 33 outfield appearances. Stanton also homered again Saturday, and over his last 12 games he's batting .350 (14-for-40) with six home runs and 13 RBI. Currently, the Yankees have enough to cover their outfield with Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham and Jasson Dominguez on a daily basis. In the interim, the Yankees could recall right-handed hitting outfielder Everson Pereira from Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he's posted an .869 OPS in 67 games with 19 homers and 52 RBI. Or the Yankees could promote lefty-hitting prospect Spencer Jones, who has mashed in his first 19 games at Triple-A with a .400 batting average, 13 homers, 25 RBI and a 1.407 OPS. Jones did not play Friday night for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, due to back spasms. Yankees' Aaron Judge wanted to avoid IL stint Judge first experienced elbow discomfort on a throw home Tuesday night in Toronto, on an RBI single by George Springer. He noticeably winced again on a later throw but had publicly insisted he was fine. Having informed the organization of his situation, Judge hoped Thursday's team off day would be enough to remedy matters. But when Judge was noticeably compromised on his throws during Friday's 12-5 loss to the Phillies, the decision was made to send him for an MRI on Saturday morning. Until that point, Judge was reluctant to enter an MRI tube and wanted desperately to avoid an IL stint. "I was pretty adamant about playing (Friday),'' said Judge, but it 'came to a point where I didn't want to hurt the team'' since he couldn't throw beyond 60 feet. 'You get upset. You feel like you're letting the team down, letting the fans down, especially in an important time of the year,'' said Judge, with the Yankees' now straining to maintain their AL wild card status, five days ahead of MLB's trade deadline. Judge has already received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection to promote healing, and now he'll have a couple of down days before resuming his swings. 'And then we'll see where we are when we get to that 10-day mark,'' Boone said of Judge's activation, which would be Aug. 5 at Texas at the earliest. This article originally appeared on Aaron Judge headed to injured list with flexor strain but Yankees avoid worst-case scenario
Yahoo
a day ago
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Yankees announce lineup vs. Tampa Bay Rays for July 28 game
NEW YORK - In the coming days, Giancarlo Stanton is due to begin taking fly balls in the outfield - a direct response to Aaron Judge's stay on the injured list. Judge's right flexor tendon strain has put him on the injured list through Aug. 4, at least. When he returns, he'll be a designated hitter for a period of time. How long of a period isn't known, but that impacts Stanton, who has been solely a DH for some time. And currently, Stanton has been one of the Yankees' hottest hitters. Entering Monday, the right-handed slugger is batting .327 (16-for-49) with six homers, 13 RBI and a 1.112 OPS over his last 14 games. 'Whatever's going to put us in the best opportunity to win,'' said Stanton, panning to 'work out there'' beginning this week and 'be ready when needed.'' 'Everyone's going to have to step up and weather the storm until (Judge is) back,'' said Stanton, willing to take fly balls in the outfield and to see how that goes. Here's the Yankees' third lineup since Judge's injury, as they open a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays that concludes Thursday, the MLB trade deadline: Yankees lineup vs Rays on Monday This article originally appeared on Yankees lineup vs Rays announced for July 28. See who is in
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a day ago
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Load up on Yankees with Aaron Judge on mend — starting with Giancarlo Stanton
As the fantasy baseball season enters the late summer grind, roster flexibility and timely additions remain critical. While this list won't feature popular waiver pickups like Matt Shaw or Ryan McMahon, several other hitters are producing heading into Week 17. From established veterans heating up to call-ups carving out everyday roles, here are five players to consider adding now to boost your offensive output for the upcoming scoring period. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups Giancarlo Stanton - OF, New York Yankees (40% rostered) Stanton may not be the most under-the-radar name, but he's shockingly under-rostered at just 40% in Yahoo leagues. The Yankees' slugger has rediscovered his groove in July, batting over .340 with a 1.100+ OPS since the All-Star break. Statcast continues to back the performance — he ranks in the upper tier in average exit velocity (mid-90s), hard-hit rate (above 50%), and barrels. Matchup-wise, the Yanks have a three-game homestand against the Rays to start the week and close with a favorable road trip versus the Marlins. With Aaron Judge (elbow) on the injured list, Stanton offers a ton of power and potential run support in the heart of the Yankees' lineup. Ramón Laureano - OF, Baltimore Orioles (21% rostered) Laureano is another undervalued asset, especially in category leagues. Over the last 30 days, Laureano has quietly batted .292 with a .884 OPS, five home runs, 13 runs, 19 RBI and one stolen base. In just the past week, he's added another three dingers, four runs, and seven RBI — good for 72nd in category formats in Week 16. Now entrenched in Baltimore's everyday lineup, Laureano has become a well-rounded contributor offering power, speed, and run production. He's also likely to face several righties this week, facing the Blue Jays and Cubs. Laureano is slashing .298/.352/.565 with a .917 OPS against RHP this season. Ángel Martínez - 2B/OF, Cleveland Guardians (26% rostered) Guardians CF Lane Thomas' prolonged recovery from a foot injury opened the door for Martínez to play an everyday role for Cleveland. Since the All-Star break, the Cleveland utilityman is hitting .317 (13-for-41) with four doubles, a homer, and eight runs scored with a .892 OPS. While his season line sits at .247/.280/.403, Martínez has seen significant improvements in his contact rates and barrel metrics in recent weeks. Maybe it's because he's moved up in the batting order, hitting no less than second in the Guardians' lineup since mid-July. The Guardians kick off the week against the Rockies (positive) and close it out against the Twins. I'd be looking to add Martínez in deeper leagues while he's riding a mini hot streak. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Francisco Álvarez - C, New York Mets (17% rostered) Álvarez had a career-low .652 OPS before being optioned to Triple-A on June 22. After blasting 11 homers with a 1.233 OPS in 19 Triple-A games, he overstayed his welcome and was recalled on July 21. Since his recall last week, Álvarez is riding a five-game hitting streak, batting .353 and tallying a home run, six runs, and two RBI. And most importantly, he's firmly in line for regular playing time for a contender. Although his season slash (.240/.329/.364) is modest, Álvarez's recent stint in the minors taught him to be patient with his approach offensively, and it's already showing. There should be ample plate appearances available this week with the Mets playing against the Padres and Giants, both of whom have primarily right-handed pitchers. Rostered in just 17% of Yahoo leagues, another big week from the Mets' backstop will push him from a must-add in two-catcher leagues to a top-12 option in 12-team leagues. Colson Montgomery - 3B/SS - Chicago White Sox (13% rostered) The White Sox rarely present appealing fantasy options, but this is about riding a hot bat. Montgomery knocked three homers (in consecutive days) with eight RBI just last week, finishing as a top-25 option in category formats. And, he's been nearly a top-50 player since the All-Star break, hitting .265 but slugging a robust .588. Montgomery is building a compelling case for fantasy relevance, as he's earning a steady role in the White Sox lineup, alternating between SS and 3B. The White Sox objectively stink, but he's bringing a ton of power for an infielder and should be considered a streaming option against the Phillies and Angels this week.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton breaks silence on playing the field after Aaron Judge injury
Giancarlo Stanton just wants to win. That's what the New York Yankees' usual designated hitter emphasized on Saturday after news that Aaron Judge is going on the Injured List. The Yanks might have to use Stanton in the outfield on occasion, especially if Judge has to DH upon his return. "It doesn't matter," Stanton said of where he plays in the field. "... Whatever helps the team win." Stanton hasn't played the field at all this season after elbow issues in spring training. He also doesn't run well these days. MORE: Diamondbacks' final trade plans for Eugenio Suarez revealed It's likely Stanton would be a well-below-average fielder. But the Yankees may have to try it, at least on occasion. They'll surely give him a few workouts out there first to see how tough it might be for Stanton. MORE: Emmanuel Clase just had one of the weirdest days in MLB history The big fella was once a solid fielder with a strong arm, but that was a long time ago. Will he put a glove on his hand again? The Yankees have to at least consider it. MORE MLB NEWS: Juan Soto is the unluckiest hitter in MLB Blue Jays make Toronto history not achieved since 1992 World Series team Ryan McMahon is most similar statistically to a Yankees legend Justin Verlander reaches historic MLB milestone that may never be touched again There's a sad truth to Aaron Judge's injury for Yankees Edwin Diaz is MLB's best pitcher since learning his legs were different lengths
