New York Yankees News

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Cam Schlittler • SP • Yankees

Cam Schlittler Expected to Face Hitters Soon

New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler (back) came away from his bullpen session on Tuesday "feeling good," according to Meredith Marakovits of YES Network. Schlitter had no issues with his back. He will throw another bullpen session and then likely start facing live hitters in camp. The 25-year-old is recovering from a minor middle-back issue and still has time to get ready for Opening Day in late March. If healthy by then, Schlittler is expected to be part of the season-opening starting rotation in the Bronx with some of their other regulars injured. The 6-foot-6, 225-pounder and former seventh-round pick in 2022 out of Northeastern University was very impressive in his first 14 MLB starts in 2025, going 4-3 with a 2.96 ERA (3.74 FIP) and 1.22 WHIP with 84 K's and 31 walks in 73 frames. Even with some regression likely coming in Year 2, Schlittler is a fine SP4 investment in redraft fantasy leagues.

21 hours ago

Ryan McMahon • 3B • Yankees

Ryan McMahon to Get Reps at Shortstop This Spring

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the plan is to get infielder Ryan McMahon some reps at shortstop this spring to see if that can be an option with Anthony Volpe (shoulder) expected to miss the first month of the season, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Phillips adds that this would purely be for emergency purposes, as Jose Caballero is expected to man the 6 regularly in the Bronx to begin the year with Volpe sidelined. The 31-year-old McMahon has only played three innings at shortstop back in 2020 with the Colorado Rockies in his pro career. He still has pop -- he's hit 20-plus homers in six straight seasons -- but the nine-year veteran hit an ugly .214/.312/.381 with a .693 OPS, 53 RBI, 62 runs scored, and three steals in 154 regular-season games last year in Colorado and New York. Because of his struggles against same-handed pitching, McMahon is set for a platoon at the hot corner for the Bombers, causing him to lose most of his mixed-league appeal.

Yesterday

Anthony Volpe • SS • Yankees

Anthony Volpe Could Return in April

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) said on Monday that an April return is "definitely" possible, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Volpe underwent surgery to fix a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder last October. Initially, he was expected to return in May, but he has already started his hitting progression with dry swings, and it now sounds like there's a chance that his return could be moved up a little bit. Before he's cleared to play, though, Volpe will need to hit a few benchmarks. First, he'll need to do tee work and soft toss. Then, he'll have to show that he can dive on his shoulder. That final task is likely still a few weeks out, but nevertheless, it's encouraging that he's making progress and could be ahead of schedule. Volpe had 19 homers and 18 steals last season, and he ranks as RotoBaller's #25 shortstop for fantasy baseball in 2026.

2 days ago

Gerrit Cole • SP • Yankees

Gerrit Cole Throws Another Bullpen, Progressing Well in Recovery

New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) threw another bullpen session in camp on Tuesday, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Cole had Tommy John surgery with an internal brace last March and missed all of the 2025 season, but the 35-year-old former Cy Young winner has been throwing since August and is making good progress. He will not be ready for the start of the 2026 season, but if he avoids any setbacks in his rehab, Cole could be ready to make his season debut in late May or early June. He could even pitch in some Grapefruit League games before the end of spring training. The six-time All-Star shouldn't be expected to return to pre-injury form immediately, and the Yankees will most likely ease him back into the rotation. The former ace should be stashed in all fantasy leagues, but he'll be a wild card since he's thrown only 95 innings since the start of 2024.

2 days ago

Cam Schlittler • SP • Yankees

Cam Schlittler to Resume Throwing on Tuesday

New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (back) is expected to resume throwing from the mound on Tuesday. The Yankees have been cautious with Schlittler, who is currently dealing with back inflammation. Schlittler should be fine in the long term, but the team doesn't want to risk aggravating the issue. For the time being, Schlittler is expected to be fully ready to go in time for Opening Day. He's coming off an excellent rookie campaign in 2025. He posted a 2.96 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and an 84/31 K/BB ratio in 14 starts. The 23-year-old is expected to be a mainstay in the Yankees' rotation in 2026.

4 days ago

Spencer Jones • CF • Yankees

Spencer Jones "Currently Blocked" from Playing Time with the Yankees

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that outfield prospect Spencer Jones is "currently blocked" from playing time at the big-league level, per Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. A former first-round pick by the Yankees in 2022, Jones will turn 25 years old in May. He posted monster numbers split between Double and Triple-A in 2025, hitting .274/.362/.571 with 35 home runs, 80 RBI, 102 runs scored, and 29 stolen bases across 506 plate appearances. However, swing-and-miss remains a major concern in Jones' profile, as he logged a 35.4% strikeout rate. The Yankees currently have established veterans Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, and Aaron Judge penciled in as their starting outfielders, while Giancarlo Stanton is locked in as the designated hitter. Even if one of those four players were to suffer an injury, fellow Yankees outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez may be ahead of Jones in the outfield pecking order. Barring a trade or multiple outfield injuries in New York, it appears as though Jones will begin the 2026 season in the Minors.

5 days ago

Jasson Domínguez • LF • Yankees

Yankees Want Everyday Reps for Jasson Dominguez

The New York Yankees want to give outfielder Jasson Dominguez everyday reps, but they might not be able to offer that at the major-league level to begin the 2026 season, according to general manager Brian Cashman. It means that Dominguez could begin the year at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 23-year-old Dominican switch-hitter lost his path to regular playing time last year when the team brought back Trent Grisham to play center field and Cody Bellinger to play left field. Aaron Judge is locked into right field, so Dominguez won't have a clear path to consistent playing time in the majors unless there's an injury to one of those three outfielders or designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton. Oswaldo Cabrera could beat Dominguez out for the last bench spot. Dominguez, who is known as the Martian, is loaded with talent and possesses speed, but his defensive limitations make it challenging for the Yankees to justify carrying him as a bench player. He slashed .257/.331/.388 with 10 homers and 23 steals in 123 regular-season games last year. Dominguez is one injury away from being very attractive in fantasy in 2026.

5 days ago

Clarke Schmidt • SP • Yankees

Clarke Schmidt Seen Throwing on Friday

New York Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt (elbow), who is on the 60-day injured list as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery last July, was seen throwing in the outfield in camp on Friday, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Schmidt won't be an option for the Yankees' starting rotation until some point after the All-Star break in mid-July. The 29-year-old also opened last year on the IL due to a shoulder injury that he suffered in spring training. He struck out only 73 batters in 78 2/3 total innings over 14 starts in 2025, but Schmidt held a solid 3.32 ERA (3.95 FIP) and 1.09 WHIP in his sixth year in the big leagues with the Bombers. Schmidt does a great job of keeping hitters off balance and inducing weak contact, but durability has been a concern, and he's only gone over 100 innings pitched in one of his five MLB seasons. Fantasy managers should have better stash candidates in single-year leagues in 2026.

6 days ago

Gerrit Cole • SP • Yankees

Gerrit Cole to Return in May?

New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) said he's still targeting a June return, give or take some days, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Cole said his estimated timeline of 14 to 18 months hasn't changed since his Tommy John surgery with an internal brace in March of last year, so that could get him back at some point in May "on the earlier side." Manager Aaron Boone said on Wednesday that the 35-year-old former Cy Young winner could pitch in Grapefruit League games at the end of camp if he keeps progressing. Cole has been throwing since last August and should progress to live batting practice in a couple of weeks. The six-time All-Star will be a wild card in 2026 for both the Yankees and fantasy managers. Expecting him to immediately return to ace form wouldn't be wise. RotoBaller has Cole ranked as the No. 87 starting pitcher this year.

6 days ago

Luis Gil • SP • Yankees

Luis Gil Throwing Live Batting Practice on Thursday

New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil will throw live batting practice as he looks to get ready for a full 2026 season. Gil will face Aaron Judge, Amed Rosario, and Paul Goldschmidt out of the gate. The 2024 American League Rookie of the Year got a late start to 2025, making his season debut in early August. He went 4-1 with a 3.32 ERA and 4.63 FIP with 41 strikeouts in 57 innings in the regular season. Gil is expected to compete with Clarke Schmidt for the fifth spot in the rotation for the Yankees this spring training, and the 27-year-old from the Dominican brings a high ceiling if he can return to his 2024 form. In 2024, he had 10.15 K/9, but that dropped all the way to 6.47 K/9 in his limited work last year, causing his FIP and xERA to climb even though his ERA remained low. His progress will be important to watch, and it's a great sign that he's ready to throw live BP this early in the spring.

7 days ago

Giancarlo Stanton • DH • Yankees

Yankees Expect Giancarlo Stanton to be "Good to Go" in Camp

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone expects designated hitter/outfielder Giancarlo Stanton and his elbows to be "good to go" when he arrives at spring training, according to the New York Daily News' Gary Phillips. Boone typically slow-plays getting the oft-injured Stanton into games in camp, which should especially be the case this spring after the 36-year-old veteran had his 2025 season debut delayed until mid-June due to serious tennis elbow in both of his arms. Reports surfaced last week that Stanton's elbows will need to be managed again this year, but as of right now, everything looks good. He only played in 77 regular-season games last year, but he had a strong .273/.350/.594 slash line, .944 OPS, 24 home runs, and 66 RBI. Injuries seem inevitable with the right-handed slugger, as are plenty of strikeouts, but the power remains.

Feb 11

Gerrit Cole • SP • Yankees

Gerrit Cole Could Pitch in Spring Training Games

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) could start throwing live batting practice in a couple of weeks and might graduate to Grapefruit League action by the end of spring training, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Cole had Tommy John surgery with an internal brace last March and didn't pitch at all in 2025. The 35-year-old veteran and former American League Cy Young winner has been throwing since last August, though, and he could be ready to make his 2026 debut in late May or early June, barring setbacks along the way. Cole, a six-time All-Star, will obviously be a pretty big injury risk for fantasy managers this year, especially since his stuff was down in 2024 before he was sidelined. It's a pretty big stretch to expect Cole to immediately recapture his 2023 form when he returns from a long layoff this year.

Feb 11

Ben Rice • 1B • Yankees

Ben Rice to See Bulk of Playing Time at First Base?

Despite the return of first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year deal, New York Yankees first baseman/catcher Ben Rice should see the majority of playing time at first base in 2026, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. "I think Benny's going to definitely be planning to get the bulk of the playing time over there. And I'm definitely fine with whatever role they need me to [do]," Goldschmidt said. The Yankees said early in the offseason that Rice would play "a lot" against left-handed pitchers, but the return of Goldy complicates things at first base. Goldschmidt had a .981 OPS against southpaws in 2025, so he should play often at first in those situations. Rice, meanwhile, could give Austin Wells a break behind the dish against lefties. As long as Rice swings the bat like he did last year (26 home runs in 138 regular-season games), fantasy managers shouldn't have to worry about his playing time. Rice is a top-10 fantasy first baseman at RotoBaller.

Feb 11

Giancarlo Stanton • DH • Yankees

Giancarlo Stanton's Elbow Will be Monitored in 2026

The New York Yankees will manage designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton's (elbow) playing time this year after he missed a significant portion of the 2025 season with severe tennis elbow in both of his arms, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. It's an issue that has not healed, and it could lead to more rest days for the 36-year-old veteran right-handed slugger. The five-time All-Star and former MVP played in only 77 games last year, but he slashed a strong .273/.350/.594 with a .944 OPS, 24 home runs, 66 RBI, and 36 runs scored for the Yankees in 281 regular-season plate appearances when he was on the field. Fantasy managers will take on a lot of injury risk as well as contact issues when drafting Stanton, but his demise may have been a bit premature, and he also added outfield eligibility in some leagues going into 2026.

Feb 9

Yanquiel Fernández • RF |

Max Schuemann • 3B • Yankees

Yankees Acquire Max Schuemann From Athletics

Athletics infielder Max Schuemann was traded to the Yankees on Monday for pitching prospect Luis Burgos. The A's designated Schuemann for assignment this past Friday, but he'll now head to the Yankees and should compete for a backup role in the spring. The 28-year-old spent time at third base, shortstop, and second base last year, as well as every outfield spot, so he is versatile. However, over his two seasons in the majors, the right-handed hitter has registered a .212/.306/.297 slash line with a .275 wOBA and 78 wRC+, so there isn't much there in the way of offense or fantasy relevance. Burgos posted a 2.44 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 11.8 percent K-BB% last season in the Dominican Summer League, but the 20-year-old has yet to pitch stateside professionally. Recently acquired outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez was DFA'd in order to make room for Schuemann.

Feb 9

Ben Rice • 1B • Yankees

Ben Rice Could See More Time as Catcher Following Free-Agent Addition

New York Yankees first baseman/catcher Ben Rice could shift to a larger role behind the dish following the signing of veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt split time at first base with Rice last season and typically kept the young first baseman in a platoon role. However, earlier this offseason, Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted that Rice would play "a lot more" against left-handed pitchers. With Goldschmidt rejoining the Bronx Bombers, Rice now faces much more competition for a consistent role. Despite this, The Athletic's Chris Kirschner noted that Goldschmidt's return could move Rice firmly into the No. 2 catcher role, behind Austin Wells. With another infielder on the team, the Yankees could look to keep Rice as the primary first baseman and backup catcher to save an outfield spot, which could allow Jasson Dominguez to stay on the other MLB roster. Last summer, Rice flashed immense upside, posting a .255/.337/.499 line with 26 home runs. He carries top-5 upside at the catcher position and could become a top-3 option if he were to see a full-time role.

Feb 7

Clarke Schmidt • SP • Yankees

Clarke Schmidt Still Targeting Second-Half Return

According to Meredith Marakovits of the YES Network, New York Yankees right-handed starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (elbow) is still targeting a second-half return. Schmidt underwent an internal brace procedure last July and remains on track to return to the bump during the back half of the 2026 campaign. Before suffering the injury last summer, Schmidt was quite productive, logging 78 2/3 innings to the tune of a 3.32 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP. During this stint, the right-hander struck out 73 batters while generating a strong 3.02 xERA and an elite .198 xBA. In 2024, Schmidt was productive as well, posting a 2.85 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across 85 1/3 innings. Managers in deeper formats with IL spots should consider stashing Schmidt closer to his return, as he could provide solid SP3/SP4 upside down the stretch.

Feb 7

Anthony Volpe • SS • Yankees

Anthony Volpe Unlikely to Return Until May?

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) will start the 2026 season on the injured list after recovering from left-labrum surgery last October, and he's unlikely to return until at least May, according to Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media. Volpe's fantasy value obviously will take a pretty big hit this year with the expectation that he'll miss at least the first month of the campaign. He initially injured his left shoulder while diving for a ball on May 3 and required several cortisone shots to get through the season. It most definitely hurt Volpe's offensive production in 2025, and he finished with a depressed .212/.272/.391 slash line with a .663 OPS, career-low 19 home runs, career-high 72 RBI, 65 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in 153 regular-season games. It could take the 24-year-old some time to work his way back as well in 2026. Until Volpe is cleared to make his season debut, speedster Jose Caballero is expected to handle most of the work at the 6 in the Bronx.

Feb 7

Ben Rice • 1B • Yankees

Ben Rice to Lose Playing Time With Veteran First Baseman Returning?

The New York Yankees are bringing veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt back on a one-year deal, which could negatively affect the playing time for left-handed-hitting first baseman Ben Rice in 2026. Manager Aaron Boone said last month that Rice would play a lot against left-handed pitchers this year, but that could change a bit now that Goldy is back in the fold. Although Goldschmidt isn't the hitter he once was, he did kill southpaws in 2025 to the tune of a .336/.411/.570 slash line and .981 OPS in 168 plate appearances. The 26-year-old Rice hit only .208 against lefties in 119 regular-season plate appearances, although he did slug .481 against them with seven home runs. Goldy's return isn't great news for Rice's overall fantasy upside, but he will still be on the strong side of a platoon and can also pick up playing time behind the plate. RotoBaller considers Rice a top-10 first base option in 2026.

Feb 6

Cade Winquest • SP • Yankees

Cade Winquest an Option for Yankees Opening Day Roster?

New York Yankees right-hander Cade Winquest, the team's Rule 5 pick from the St. Louis Cardinals, is trying to become the first Rule 5 pick to stick with the Yankees since Billy Parker in 1973. The 25-year-old former eighth-round pick in 2022 from the University of Texas at Arlington went 5-7 with a 3.99 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 110 strikeouts and 39 walks in 106 innings over 25 appearances (23 starts) with High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield last year in the Cardinals organization. Winquest relies mostly on a mid-90s fastball and a big-breaking upper-70s curveball. He has a 4.19 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 219:92 K:BB in 212 2/3 frames in his three seasons in the minor leagues. MLB.com lists Winquest as a candidate to make a push for an Opening Day roster spot this year, but fantasy managers in single-year leagues can ignore him for now.

Feb 6

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