When the famed first Elvis Presley Christmas Album came out in October 1957, White Sox fans already had plenty to cheer about. The team had just finished its seventh straight winning season, part of a streak that would continue for another decade. The 90-win total wasn’t enough to challenge the dreaded Yankees, but the Sox […]
From South Side Sox
| about 2 months ago
| 3 reads
The 2025 Yankees’ season came to a closer about a month and a half ago, with the Blue Jays affirming their surprising AL East crown by taking out the Yanks in a four-game Division Series. You might be surprised at how quickly names can fade from your mind though, even from recent memory. If you’re […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| about 2 months ago
| 2 reads
Late Friday afternoon was a deadline on the otherwise-light Major League Baseball schedule for November, as teams had until 6pm ET to decide to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players or not. Five pitchers got the ax, with Mark Leiter Jr., Ian Hamilton, Scott Effross, Jake Cousins, and Michael Arias all becoming free agents. Some may […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| about 2 months ago
| 2 reads
The Yankees non-tendered five relievers at Friday’s trade deadline, the team announced. Mark Leiter Jr., Ian Hamilton, Scott Effross, Jake Cousins, and Michael Arias were not offered contracts by the team, making each of them a free agent and freeing up five spots on the 40-man roster. The Yankees also reached one-year deals with Clarke […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| about 2 months ago
| 2 reads
Welcome to Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World Series, the new/old favorite from Chris McShane and Brian Salvatore. This week, Brian and Chris talk trade rumors, more new coaches, and debate the (now decided) non-tender deadline. Chris’s Music Pick: Yuma Abe – Hotel New Yuma Brian’s Music Pick: Pulp – More You can listen or […]
From Amazin' Avenue
| about 2 months ago
| 3 reads
Mark Leiter Jr. is a middle reliever. Regardless of how this season went, barring an unforeseen breakthrough, he was going to make his money in the fifth and sixth innings. After being acquired at the 2024 trade deadline for Jack Neely and Ben Cowles, he struggled mightily, giving up an unsustainable amount of barrels and […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| about 2 months ago
| 2 reads
With Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt both recovering from Tommy John surgery to various degrees, Carlos Rodón out for at least the start of 2026, and the rest of the rotation bar Max Fried talented but inconsistent or still unproven, the Yankees could very well take a shot at a starting pitcher acquisition this winter. […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| about 2 months ago
| 2 reads
The Yankees’ progress through the offseason continues, as they have penciled in an outfielder and a pitcher and now have to survey the free agent field. Brian Cashman recently spoke to the media about their plans for the offseason, noting their need to fill two outfield spots when Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger were both […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| about 2 months ago
| 2 reads
FanGraphs | Michael Baumann: Four players, including Yankee outfielder Trent Grisham, accepted qualifying offers this week, by far the highest rate we’ve seen in an offseason. Previous to this winter, just nine percent of players took up the one-year offer, and that raises some questions about the future of baseball. The most optimistic side would […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| about 2 months ago
| 3 reads
2025 was the season that ensured Aaron Judge can no longer be tried by jury, as he has no peers. His third AL MVP, second consecutive, came in a campaign that is both historically remarkable, and also kind of what we expect from him. It didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but his […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 1 read
In a vacuum, there’s no reason to be upset with Trent Grisham accepting his qualifying offer to return to the Yankees. Grisham, despite entering the year as a fourth outfielder after narrowly avoiding being non-tendered, enjoyed a breakout season, which saw him mash 34 home runs and provide a steady leadoff presence in front of […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 1 read
If it feels like we’re in the part of the baseball calendar where the Final Jeopardy music might as well be playing, I sympathize. The offseason has yet to begin in earnest, and some players are still making decisions on qualifying offers, Trent Grisham most notably for the Yankees’ sake. Will they already know they […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 1 read
The Athletic | Jim Bowden: ($) After this week’s GM meetings in Las Vegas, some of the Yankees’ offseason priorities are coming into focus. Perhaps most notable is that a reunion with free agent starter Michael King, who the team shipped to San Diego as the centerpiece of the Juan Soto deal, is “a real […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 1 read
Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our bi-weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com. jmack175 asks: Are we really going to roll with McMahon at the hot corner for the next two years with his […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 1 read
When the Yankees lost Juan Soto to their crosstown rivals last offseason, there was no one-to-one replacement available. Instead, the team’s front office was forced to pivot to a group of veteran additions across the diamond. This consolation package, which included outfielder Cody Bellinger, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, and closer Devin Williams, was headlined by […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 1 read
Team News Diamondbacks’ Carroll to play for Team USA in 2026 World Baseball Classic “Couldn’t be more excited. It’s going to be awesome,” Carroll said. Carroll joins MLB stars Cal Raleigh (Mariners), American League MVP Aaron Judge (Yankees), pitcher Paul Skenes (Pirates), Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals) and Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs) suiting up for the U.S. […]
From AZ Snake Pit
| 2 months ago
| 2 reads
The Yankee rotation, when fully healthy, has the potential to be on the very shortlist for the best in Major League Baseball. Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, and Cam Schlittler is a very strong top five, not even mentioning that you then have Luis Gil, who was just AL Rookie of the […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 1 read
There was some uncertainty, but after a year-long battle with Cal Raleigh, Aaron Judge was named the American League’s Most Valuable Player last night. It’s Judge’s third such award in the last four seasons, cementing this stretch among the very finest runs ever authored by a player in MLB history. Over in the NL, Shohei […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 1 read
ESPN | Jorge Castillo: Yankees superstar right fielder Aaron Judge edged out challenger Cal Raleigh to notch his third career American League MVP, his second straight season winning the award (and third campaign in four years). He joins Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle as the only Yankees players to win three career MVPs […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 2 reads
Aaron Judge is your 2025 American League MVP. He narrowly beat out the Mariners’ all-world catcher Cal Raleigh to win the award for the third time in his career and the third time in the last four seasons, the others coming in 2022 and 2024. In winning his third MVP, he joined the illustrious group […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 3 reads
Welp, it was another great day for the big spenders, as the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees went home with some more hardware. MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani took home his third consecutive MVP award, including his second with the Dodgers, on Thursday night. On the AL side, Aaron Judge took home his […]
From Brew Crew Ball
| 2 months ago
| 3 reads
Despite a historic season that will set the standard for catchers for years to come, the Mariners’ Cal Raleigh fell short of the AL MVP award for 2025, which went to the Yankees’ Aaron Judge, who earned 17 first-place votes to Raleigh’s 13. Despite being an outcome many Mariners fans were prepared for as soon […]
From Lookout Landing
| 2 months ago
| 3 reads
The Yankee rotation faces a little more downside than I think we’d all like. Gerrit Cole is 35 and coming off Tommy John surgery, Carlos Rodón will likely start the season on the IL alongside Cole, Luis Gil never quite looked right coming off his own injury, and Will Warren was fine if unimpressive. That […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 2 reads
One of the better stories coming out of spring, J.C. Escarra was impossible to ignore at camp for the Yankees in 2025. He was a wonderful feel-good story, but the 30-year-old rookie also served as an adequate backup catcher for much of the ‘25 season. Although he occupies a spot that will never garner much […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 3 reads
Third base has been an uncertainty at best for the Yankees for the better part of this decade. Heading into the 2026 season, that still rings mostly true. Although the Yankees do have a solid third baseman in place, improvements can always be made one way or another. A potential significant one in this department […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| 2 months ago
| 3 reads