New York Yankees News

Fernando Cruz  • RP  •  Yankees  |  Alex Jackson  • C  •  Yankees

Yankees Acquire Fernando Cruz, Alex Jackson From Reds

The New York Yankees acquired right-handed reliever Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson from the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night in exchange for catcher Jose Trevino. Both Cruz and Jackson will give the Yankees some extra depth at their respective positions going into 2025. Cruz, 34, has experience in high-leverage situations out of the bullpen, but his numbers in two full seasons in Cincy haven't been very impressive. He has a 4.88 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 207 strikeouts and 63 walks in 132 2/3 innings pitched. However, Cruz also had 23 holds in 2024 and could rack up some holds as more of a middle-relief option in pinstripes next year. Jackson, 28, will be competing with J.C. Escarra and Jesus Rodriguez in spring training to be the backup to Austin Wells in 2025. The former first-rounder in 2014 hit just .122 with three homers and 12 RBI in 58 games with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2024.
10 hours ago   
Paul Goldschmidt  • 1B  •  Yankees

Paul Goldschmidt Agrees With Yankees On One-Year Deal

Free-agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and the New York Yankees agreed on a one-year, $12.5 million deal on Saturday, pending a physical, according to a source. Goldschmidt was also receiving interest from the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and New York Mets, but he'll instead head to the Bronx and replace Anthony Rizzo as the club's regular first baseman in 2025. The 37-year-old right-handed slugger has been an All-Star seven times and was the National League MVP in 2022 with the St. Louis Cardinals, but he declined significantly on offense in 2024 with a .245/.302/.414 slash line with a career-worst .716 OPS and 22 home runs in 154 games. Although Goldy was better in the second half, it's concerning that his strikeout rate rose to a career-high 26.5% while his walk rate was at a career-low 7.2%. There could be some juice left, and New York isn't a bad landing spot.
10 hours ago   
Joey Gerber  • RP  •  Yankees

Joey Gerber Signs Minor-League Deal With Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays have signed relief pitcher Joey Gerber to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training. Many baseball fans might not know who Gerber is, which is fair considering he hasn't pitched in the MLB since 2020. The 27-year-old posted a 4.02 ERA, 1.15 WHIP across 15 innings in 17 appearances with the Seattle Mariners in shortened 2020 season. Since then, Gerber has dealt with a handful of injuries and really hasn't pitched too much. He posted a 2.43 ERA, 1.35 WHIP in 26 appearances in the New York Yankees minor league system last season. He figures to compete for a spot in the bullpen during spring training.
3 days ago   
Colten Brewer  • RP  •  Yankees

Yankees Sign Colten Brewer To Minor-League Deal

The New York Yankees signed free-agent pitcher Colten Brewer to a minor-league deal on Tuesday, according to a source. Brewer, who throws from the right side, spent the 2024 campaign with the Chicago Cubs and had a 5.66 ERA (3.12 FIP) and a 1.59 WHIP with 22 strikeouts, nine walks and his first career save in 20 2/3 relief appearances over 16 outings. The 32-year-old will now provide right-handed depth out of the bullpen for the Yankees going into the 2025 season. Brewer's season was cut short last year after he fractured his left hand while punching a dugout wall in frustration in early July. He started throwing to hitters in August and should be fully ready to go for spring training in February. Brewer is off the fantasy radar and has a career 5.10 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP with 114 strikeouts and 70 walks in 120 innings over his six MLB seasons.
3 days ago   
Jonathan Loáisiga  • RP  •  Yankees

Yankees Hoping To Have Jonathan Loaisiga In Late April, Early May

New York Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake said the hope is that right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga (elbow) will be ready to pitch for the team in late April or early May. Loaisiga avoided Tommy John surgery and instead had a UCL repair of his right elbow in April of this year. The 30-year-old veteran still has some rehab to do, but as long as he doesn't suffer a setback, his 2025 debut won't be delayed for too long. Despite not being fully healthy, the Yankees re-signed the Nicaraguan hurler. Loaisiga made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Yankees and has a 3.44 career ERA (3.59 FIP), a 1.23 WHIP, seven saves and a 207:72 K:BB in 219 2/3 innings over 163 appearances (11 starts). Because of his injury, Loaisiga is most likely to be a bullpen option for the Yankees when he returns, giving him little fantasy appeal.
3 days ago   
Devin Williams  • RP  •  Yankees

Yankees Name Devin Williams As The Closer

Unsurprisingly, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that right-handed reliever Devin Williams will serve as the team's closer next season. This was fully expected when the Yankees acquired Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason. The 30-year-old two-time All-Star will have an even higher fantasy ceiling as an elite closer heading into 2025 now that he's in the Bronx. The former second-round pick by the Brewers in 2013 had a pristine 1.73 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 51 saves in 119 1/3 innings pitched for the Brewers in 2022 and 2023. He got a late start to the 2024 season after having back surgery and threw only 21 2/3 frames in the regular season, but he was lights-out again with a 1.25 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 14 saves and 38 strikeouts. Williams will be highly coveted as a top fantasy close. His arrival in the Bronx will push Luke Weaver into the eighth-inning setup role.
3 days ago   
Cody Bellinger  • CF  •  Yankees

Cody Bellinger's Defensive Options Remain Open

New York Yankees' recent trade acquisition Cody Bellinger could play first base, left field, or center field for the Bombers, according to manager Aaron Boone, who said on Wednesday that a report that Bellinger was told he would play center field was "fake news." This means that top prospect Jasson Dominguez is still in play for the center-field job and leaves open the possibility of signing a first baseman, which could put Bellinger in left field. Nevertheless, it sounds like Aaron Judge will transition back to right field, regardless of what transpires. Bellinger himself has said he'll play wherever he's needed and to let the offseason play out. The lefty slugger is ranked right around 124 in early 2025 fantasy drafts, so we'll see how his new surroundings affect his ADP in the coming months.
3 days ago   
Cody Bellinger  • CF  •  Yankees

Cody Bellinger Traded To The Yankees

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Chicago Cubs are trading first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees in exchange for right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet and cash. Bellinger has spent the past two seasons playing with the Cubs. After hitting 26 home runs in 2023, Bellinger took a slight step back last summer, tallying just 18 round-trippers. In addition, he carried a .266/.325/.426 line, which was also a decline from the .307/.356/.525 line he held in 2023. Under the hood, Bellinger generated an underwhelming 32.9% hard-hit rate with a poor .301 xwOBA. However, with the short porch in right field. Fantasy managers should expect Bellinger to see his home run numbers be more in line with 2023 production. Bellinger will likely see most of his starts in center field, which would move Aaron Judge back to right field. Cody Poteet will likely operate as a high-leverage option in the Chicago bullpen as he posted a solid 2.22 ERA and 1.07 WHIP but could see an occasional start as he did make four last summer.
4 days ago   
Devin Williams  • RP  •  Yankees

Devin Williams Surprised To Be Headed To New York

Former Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams said he was a bit surprised when he learned he was traded to the New York Yankees this offseason. However, Williams called it "a tremendous honor" to join the Yankees after he initially thought he'd be dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 30-year-old right-hander was sent to the Yankees in exchange for left-hander Nestor Cortes, second base prospect Caleb Durbin and cash considerations last weekend. Williams got a late start in 2024 while recovering from a back injury that required surgery, and although he only threw 21 2/3 innings in the regular season, he returned to lights-out form, posting a 1.25 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 38 strikeouts and 14 saves. The two-time All-Star should immediately take over closing duties from Luke Weaver in the Bronx and will have even more fantasy upside as an elite closing option in 2025.
4 days ago   
Cody Bellinger  • CF  •  Yankees

Cubs, Yankees Still Apart On Money In Trade Talks Involving Cody Bellinger

The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that there is still a money gap in the trade talks for outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger with the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees. Heyman describes the situation as a matter of "who blinks first," if ever. A trade could still go down between the two clubs this winter, but the Yankees are also considering signing/trading for first baseman Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Carlos Santana, Josh Naylor and Nathaniel Lowe, among others. The Cubs are even more willing to trade Bellinger and try to offload his contract after acquiring All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros last week. The 29-year-old Bellinger, a former MVP in 2019 with the Dodgers, came back to Earth in 2024 in Chicago after hitting over .300 with 26 homers in 2023. The left-handed hitter could be enticing in fantasy in the Bronx, but his poor contact numbers and high strikeout rate are cause for concern.
5 days ago   
Devin Williams  • RP  •  Yankees

Devin Williams Traded To The Yankees

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the New York Yankees have traded for Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Devin Williams. In exchange, the Brewers are acquiring infield prospect Caleb Durbin and starting pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. Williams has operated as the closer in Milwaukee for the majority of the past three summers. Last season, he missed the opening four months of the campaign due to a back injury but returned to his elite form during the second half. Across 21 2/3 innings of work, the right-hander held a stellar 1.25 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP while tallying 14 saves. Under the hood, he generated an impressive 43.2% K rate and allowed hard contact at an excellent 32.4% rate. In addition, he also boasted a 2.11 xERA and .143 xBA. In 2023, Williams tallied a career-high 36 saves while carrying a 1.53 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. Fantasy managers should expect Williams to operate as a bona fide ninth-inning option in the Bronx and be in a great position to lead the sport in saves pitching on a competing team. Durbin will likely compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster, following a successful Arizona Fall League showing, while Cortes should have a consistent spot in their rotation.
Dec 13   
Jonathan Loáisiga  • RP  •  Yankees

Jonathan Loaisiga Signs One-Year Contract With Yankees

According to Jorge Castillo of ESPN, the New York Yankees have signed relief pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga to a one-year contract. This deal includes a team option in 2026. The 30-year-old was only able to log four innings of relief before suffering a torn UCL, which cut his season short. The right-hander held a modest 3.06 ERA and 4.17 ERA during 2023 and 2022, which was a stark drop compared to the stellar 2.17 ERA he posted during his 2021 breakout campaign. During this season, Loaisiga held a strong 1.02 WHIP with a 16:69 BB:K ratio across 70 2/3 innings of work. While he has battled the injury bug over the past few seasons he could be worth a look in deeper formats that score holds as he will likely operate as a high-leverage relief option during the 2025 campaign. However, given his recovery window, he may not be ready in time for Spring Training.
Dec 12   
Max Fried  • SP  •  Yankees

Max Fried, Yankees Agree On Eight-Year, $218 Million Contract

Free-agent left-hander Max Fried and the New York Yankees agreed to an eight-year, $218 million deal on Tuesday, pending a physical, according to sources. It becomes the largest guarantee in baseball history for a left-handed pitcher and sends Fried from the National League East with the Atlanta Braves to the American League East. Fried will not have any deferred money and won't be able to opt out of the contract. Although injuries have set back the 30-year-old southpaw before, the Yankees were willing to take the risk because of Fried's ace potential when healthy. The two-time All-Star has a career 3.07 ERA (3.29 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP and 23.9% strikeout rate in his eight big-league seasons (all in Atlanta). He has made at least 28 starts in four of the last five full seasons but he also has topped 180 innings just once. The move to the AL East won't be easy, but Fried's ground-ball tendencies in the Bronx should help.
Dec 11   
Max Fried  • SP  •  Yankees

Max Fried Nearing His Free-Agent Decision

Free-agent left-hander Max Fried, the top remaining lefty starter on the open market this offseason, is expected to choose his next team by this Thursday, according to major-league sources briefed on the talks. The finalists for Fried's services figures to be the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays out of the American League East. Those three teams are also believed to be going after free-agent right-hander Corbin Burnes. The Texas Rangers are also in on Fried, but it's uncertain if they have the ability to invest heavily. Fried, a two-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and former World Series champion, is expected to command a deal for five to six years at 30 years old. The Yankees are "all over" Fried after failing to re-sign outfielder Juan Soto, according to one source with knowledge of the talks. If healthy, Fried has the ability to be a fantasy ace, although a move to the AL East could be tough.
Dec 10   
Aaron Judge  • CF  •  Yankees

Aaron Judge Likely Moving Back To Right Field In 2025

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on Monday at the MLB winter meetings that it "makes sense" to move outfielder Aaron Judge back to right field in 2025 after failing to re-sign superstar outfielder Juan Soto in free agency. And with Judge likely going back to right field, outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez is a leading candidate for starting center-field duties. The 32-year-old Judge's outfield positioning likely won't matter to most fantasy managers. A toe injury in 2023 limited the power-hitter to only 37 long balls and 75 RBI in 106 games, but the six-time All-Star bounced back in a big way in 2024 to win his second MVP award by leading the league in homers (58), RBI (144), walks (133), on-base percentage (.458), slugging (.701), OPS (1.159) and total bases (392). RBI opportunities might not be as plentiful with Soto now in Queens, but otherwise Judge is an elite class of power.
Dec 10   
Jasson Domínguez  • CF  •  Yankees

Jasson Dominguez A Leading Candidate To Play Center Field In 2025

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that it "makes sense" to move outfielder Aaron Judge back to right field in 2025 after the team failed to re-sign superstar outfielder Juan Soto. Manager Aaron Boone mentioned outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez as a leading candidate to start in center field next year, even though Trent Grisham remains under contract. Dominguez, a switch-hitting 21-year-old Dominican, dealt with multiple injuries in 2024 and only played in 18 games at the major-league level with the Yankees after debuting in eight games in 2023 in his rookie campaign. He hit just .179 with two homers and five stolen bases in 56 at-bats last year but has an incredibly high ceiling in both fantasy and real life for the Yankees if he finally is given a shot at regular playing time in the Bronx next year. If he plays a full season in the majors and is healthy, Dominguez should be a lock for a 20-20 showing.
Dec 10   
Marcus Stroman  • SP  •  Yankees

Marcus Stroman Could Be Possible Trade Candidate

According to Gary Philips of the New York Daily News, New York Yankees starting pitcher Marcus Stroman could be a potential trade candidate. Stroman signed a two-year contract with the Yankees last offseason but could already be on his way out of the Bronx. In his first season as a Yankee, the right-hander held a 4.31 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, which was his worst mark since the 2018 campaign. His underlying metrics were not overly positive as he generated a poor 4.94 xERA and struggled to generate strikeouts at a low 16.7% K rate. Earlier this week, Michael Kay of the YES Network reported that the Yankees had a successful meeting with free agent starting pitcher Max Fried, which could also suggest that Stroman's tenure in New York could be coming to an end. Given his poor underlying metrics, Stroman will likely only be viewed as a low-end streaming option for fantasy purposes in 2025.
Dec 7   
Ben Rice  • 1B  •  Yankees

Ben Rice Dubbed Yankees' Top Hitting Prospect For 2024

MLB Pipeline named first baseman/catcher Ben Rice New York's top hitting prospect of the 2024 season. Rice opened the summer by getting his second look at Double-A and performed quite well as he posted a .261/.382/.511 line with 13 home runs across 49 games. The 25-year-old then earned the call to Triple-A and continued to showcase his upside power as he hit another 12 long balls in a smaller 30-game stint and carried an impressive .661 SLG. The Dartmouth product then spent most of the remainder of the season in the major leagues. Rice got off to a hot start, launching seven home runs across his first 35 games. However, he then struggled over his last 15 contests, where he tallied just two total hits. Fantasy managers should closely monitor who the Yankees bring in during free agency, as Rice could compete for the starting first base job during Spring Training.
Dec 1   
Trent Grisham  • CF  •  Yankees  |  JT Brubaker  • SP  •  Yankees

Yankees Avoid Arbitration With Trent Grisham, JT Brubaker

The New York Yankees avoided salary arbitration with outfielder Trent Grisham and right-hander JT Brubaker (oblique) by agreeing to one-year deals on Friday. Grisham, 28, will earn $5 million in his second season in the Bronx. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter saw his fantasy stock drop considerably in pinstripes in 2024, as he was essentially the team's fourth outfielder. The former first-rounder hit a disappointing .190/.290/.385 with a .675 OPS, nine home runs, 31 RBI, one steal and 21 runs scored in 179 regular-season at-bats. Depending on what the Yankees do in free agency this offseason, Grisham could have a path to a bigger role in 2025, but at best, he'll likely be in some sort of platoon in the outfield against right-handed pitching. Grisham is mostly useful for his glove at this point in his career and isn't anything more than a bench bat in AL-only leagues.
Nov 23   
Aaron Judge  • CF  •  Yankees

Aaron Judge Wins American League MVP Award

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was named the 2024 American League Most Valuable Player on Thursday night after receiving all 30 first-place votes for the award. It's Judge's second career MVP award as he beat out the Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. and teammate Juan Soto. The honor was well-earned, as Judge led the majors in home runs (58), RBI (144), OPS (1.159) and wins above replacement (11.2) this year while spending most of his time in center field in the Bronx. He also led the Yankees back to the World Series, although they fell short against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Judge's 223 adjusted OPS was the highest for a right-handed hitter since 1900, according to ESPN research. He becomes the seventh Yankees player to win multiple MVPs, joining Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Alex Rodriguez and Roger Maris.
Nov 22   
LEGEND
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