Though the Yankees’ rotation was dealt a substantial blow yesterday with the news that Luis Severino would be shut down entirely for another six weeks, the organization isn’t hitting the panic button and making a sudden push for lingering free-agent Dallas Keuchel, SNY’s John Harper reports. New York general manager Brian Cashman would prefer to “exhaust all of the alternatives” before pursuing Keuchel unless the former Cy Young winner’s price tag drops even further. SNY’s Andy Martino tweets a similar sentiment, suggesting there’s no interest in Keuchel at this time.
The Yankees will be getting some help for a beleaguered rotation this weekend, however, as manager Aaron Boone revealed to reporters Wednesday that CC Sabathia will be activated from the injured list and make his 2019 debut on Saturday (Twitter link via Newsday’s Erik Boland). The Yanks also have Gio Gonzalez tuning up in Triple-A, and given that the lefty has an April 20 opt-out in his minor league contract, it seems likely that he’ll get a look sooner rather than later.
More out of the Bronx…
- Third baseman Miguel Andujar made 25 throws from 60 feet this week and has been cleared to swing a bat on Friday, the team told the media today (Twitter link via George A. King III of the New Pork). It’s not yet clear if the young slugger will be able to avoid surgery to repair the small tear in his right shoulder’s labrum, though both he and the Yankees are hopeful that he can avoid going under the knife. In his absence, DJ LeMahieu has been hitting well while manning the hot corner, though injuries to both Andujar and Troy Tulowitzki have tested the Yankees’ infield depth.
- Center fielder Aaron Hicks has begun to hit soft-toss in addition to his throwing regimen, tweets James Wagner of the New York Times. He’s also been running the bases recently and is optimistic that he’ll be able to take on-field batting practice in the near future. Meanwhile, Giancarlo Stanton has begun to swing a bat as he works his way toward a return. Both players figure to need to minor league rehab assignments before they’re able to suit up to return to the Yankees, but it seems that each is proceeding free of any setbacks at present.
They are going to go get a pitcher at some point, might as well go get keuchel now before Boston or someone else does for the playoffs and he beats them in the playoffs…. again
Would he be willing to save his beard?
*shave
Can’t wait for a star player to get traded there and go “nah” just to see what happens. Would the Yankees go that far to keep up a “tradition” since 1973?
I’d presume they could fine him, wonder what the mlbpa would have to say about it though
It’s funny, but that could be a big problem. I get that the Yankees want a certain look, but their facial hair policy could prove to be an unnecessary barrier for some free agents. These guys are not accountants or stockbrokers, they are ballplayers and a large percentage are country farm boys that have no desire to look like New York businessmen. It just seems like a completely outdated policy.
I agree. It’s completely outdated. Many professionals in other professions have facial hair and even long hair.
If a woman were ever to play for the Yankees, however unlikely, would they for her to cut her hair short too?
You do realize every single free agent is well aware of the Yankees beard policy?
hiflew Keuchel has said this off-season that he would be willing to shave
Link please.
cbssports.com/mlb/news/dallas-keuchel-is-willing-t…
No but the will have to shave their beards. Lol
Traded players don’t have a say tho
It’s not just about “a look”. The Yankees want to project professionalism. I love the policy. I’m old though, so yeah I get that it’s not the younger generations preference, but the employER still has some say in this world.
That does not strike me how they want to run their team these days. Their vision, at least of late, seems more focused and disciplined.
Speaking of that, seems very good to have Gio in the Minors for precisely this kind of situation.
No bearded player is going there. There will be no Keuchel or Kimbrel in New York. Same reason Harper was never going there either.
You’re an idiot if you think these guys won’t shave for multi million dollar contracts.
Right?
People who overvalue their own beard are weirdos anyway. I think beards are cool as much as the next guy but there are guys that are just obsessed with their beard and its dumb
If they couldn’t just sign somewhere else for a comparable contract then yes.
Only a idiot would think a guy would shave his beard who already has made more money than the vast majority of people will ever sniff at in their lifetime. These guys can just walk away and buy a island anytime they want.
Keuchel said that he is willing to shave his beard for the right opportunity.
Exactly right. Literally every single player in the history of the game, is HAPPY to shave for millions of dollars a year, and a chance to play with a perennial contender. Yankees are still and will always be the team all players want to play for.
I dont think the reason Harper didnt become a Yankee was because of his beard lol. Harper didnt turn down the Yankees.. the Yankees never even approached.
Johnny Damon.
Hal is not going to get a pitcher!
Not sox. Trying to stay under that cap. Unless of course, he drops his $$ way down
Keuchel can look like Clark Kent and the Yankees still will not sign him. This is the new Yankees….rings are not important to their bean counter!
Stupid statement. Good job trolling I suppose.
Boston would not go after him, too pricey for what he is, but they may go after a reliever, unless Redsox don’t shape up they will be the sellers. Porcello would be the first on the block.
“…King III of the New Pork.”?
King writes for the Post lol
Long live the New Pork!
Sadly I believe as long as Boone is managing and Gardner is leading off it doesn’t matter how many moves they make. If Girardi still was there Gardner would be on the bench and this terribly baseball wouldn’t be played.
@Ricky Jackson Exactly. They need a real manager, not some puppet sitting in the dugout blowing bubbles.
Boone managing is the first problem in New York! He’s awful. Cannot manage pitching and makes questionable decisions almost daily. He gets out managed almost every game. Sure they won 100 games last year, but anyone can manage that team to 100 regular season wins with their talent and how weak the AL is. He got embarrassed in the postseason. Wish Boone would be fired today
Boone is the First problem? The team won 100 games in his first season, what does a coach need to do to earn respect if that is not it? Marlins, Boston and others teams of he past have had arguably better talented teams and did not win 100 games. That is a silly comment that anyone could manage talent to win 100 games. It is just not true and we have seen many examples of longer tenured and successful coaches not being able to manage that many wins.
If anyone watched spring training Gardy was tearing it up, and added with the injuries lead off made sense. I am sure if offensive production stays the same he will drop in the lineup just as they did last year.
You can blame Boone for keeping Gardner in the leadoff spot but you can’t blame him for playing him.
,
A) He doesn’t make personnel decisions,
B) I think the intent was to break camp with Hicks, Judge, Gardner with Stanton as the DH and Frazier in AAA with the hope that he would shake the rust off, earn a call up and take over the LF job full-time thus pushing Gardner back to where he belongs, as the back up CF and 4th OF.
C) With as many injuries in the OF, does Boone have any other choice but to play Gardner?
You can’t place blame on Boone for anything other than where he pencils in Gardner in the lineup and I’m not sure if it wasn’t the right choice to bat him leadoff early into the season. Probably time to adjust.
You can only blame Hal and the front office for the lineup. Boone is only doing it because they pay him. Things we do to keep the money coming? I would love to hear them tell Billy this is the lineup.
I notice your silence now that your defense of cashman has more holes than Swiss cheese.
Every tine I and other noted that happ cc and gardy were a waste of 35 mil you lambasted us. The acquisition of tulo and Paxton insufficient and sub par
Your silence is as noteworthy as your arrogance.
For nearly 3 weeks your boasting has been nothing more than negligent.
I just hope you stay mute
Geeson, slow down. We are not even one month into the season. Was Sale a waste of money for Boston – I mean he is 0-3, with a 9 ERA just 3 weeks in.::
Mikeyank…. thoughts?
Jeez guys, Gio isn’t THAT bad. He literally came 6th on the 2017 Cy Young ballot. Just use him!
They may be still trying to maximize what he has to offer by way of more work in the Minors.
He didnt really have a Spring Training. He, like every other late signee, needs time to get stretched out. If Keuchel got signed today we probably wouldnt see him for a few weeks to a month, maybe more if the team is patient
We have to pay him 300,000 dollars per start that’s why
Well the Yankees aren’t going to pay Keuchel unless he comes off his high horse. He’s nothing special and doesn’t deserve to be paid on a multi year deal hence why he isn’t signed. I agree with the Gardner point but when your depth is being challenged you have to play him. Maybe he shouldn’t be leading off but who should please don’t tell me Gleyber.
Why not they way over paid for Hurtowirzki. $5 million for 3 days. But hey Cashman is a “ Genius” that hasn’t won squat in 10 years.
They paid Tulo the league min didn’t they? Toronto is the one paying his 20$mil a year
Correct. The Yankees are paying tulo the veteran minus which is somewhere in the mid $500k for the season. The rest is paid by Toronto. Not sure why anyone has an issue with that signing. They went out and got LeMahieu and I doubt anyone expected andujar to get injured in the manner in which he did. They can’t have star players on the bench backing up every position. Certainly not ideal, but they have better depth than most.
Why is vet minimum mid 500k when players under control aka judge at 600k something?
Yep it is,
They are paying Tulowitzki the league minimum, might want to do some research on that
D.J. is a great leadoff hitter and has won a batting title, would set the table for Judge….
And DJ is hot, Gardy is not
Why would Keuchel sign with the Yankees, he’d have to shave his beard.
Keuchel said early in the off-season he would shave if he signed in NY
Cant get Keuchel til after June. He received a qualifying offer from Houston so we would have to give up a top draft pick. After June draft no pick is forfeited. Anyone tell me why LeMahieu is not leading off.
I can’t see the draft pick being that big of a deterrent. It’s not even a first, I believe. Keuchel just wants too many years at big money while showing signs of a decline. If he doesn’t sign until June, there’s a very real chance he struggles for a month while catching up, so a team might only get 2-3 months of actual production. They aren’t going to pay 20+ million for that.
LeMahieu is not leading off because the Yankees coaching staff and front office has no clue. The Yankees would be better off with CBS buying the club….I say this sarcastically.
The Yankees are .500 after two weeks with 11 players on the IL. Its not the end of the world. I’d like to see the field of 3B Geo Urshela, 2B DJ LeMaheau, C Andrew Romine and DH Gary Sanchez during this period.
The Yankees are 5-7 Garry.
where are all the cashman apologist now? claiming the IL is the issue? every move he made this off season but DJ has been a disaster.
Sad part is, the off-season was so simple. Add Corbin (in addition to #3 SP pax), add harper or machado and move on.
But no- cash is such a genius and so savvy and sophisticated that we needed tulo gardy happ and CC (that’s a wasted 35 mil right there), plus a pen that has the spending GDP of 50 million which is nearly equal to 6 other team 25 man payrolls.
Yup- for a guy with unmatched economic power behind him he’s done a great job.
“where are all the Cashman apologist now?” They commented on the Yankees offseason in review article. There’s the 2-3 biggest and you’ll know them if you flip back over to it. Things such as how Gardner and CC were so cheap, why add 60 million in unneeded payroll, and Paxton is a solid #2.
gardner is not cheap- 9.5 million. adam jones for example is making 3.
Paxson is no #2, at least not so far, and adding ONLY him was the mistake. i have no issues with him being on the team, rather than he was the only addition to the rotation.
60 mil for team worth 5 billion and one with 650 mil in annual revenue is like me buying a small coffee at DD
Forgot about their excuses for getting Happ instead of Corbin. Their take on not paying what Corbin got was, the age factor, and the price paying that much for his mid thirties…like it’s their money. What they spent on CC, Happ, and Ottavino they could’ve signed Corbin. This all falls back to that ridiculous trade for Stanton, but the apologists will say how cheap they got him.
Steinbrenner’s taking that money and putting it right in their bank accounts. Cashman is their puppet.
It’s been a horrible off season for any Yankee fan. When Gardner or Bird are plugged in the lineup I don’t watch them at all. That goes to tell you how many Yankee games I watched this season
cashman should have been sent out to pasture a long time ago. He can’t sign big names. No one likes him and they won’t sign with him. Ask verlander & sale.
I typically am on board with Cashman but exhausting all alternatives before pursuing Keuchel? The alternatives are not good, or at least not as good as Keuchel and they will not provide the boost which he can provide. This is a win now team and Cashman and Hal seem to be on board with waiting and wasting time. Go chase the championship. Now is the time to take advantage of Boston’s struggles. Now is the time to create some distance in the standings as it’s only a matter of time before they start clicking. With the current pitching staff they’re lucky to get the Wild Card again.
Aaaannnd the yankeeeeeees stink!
Isn’t it criminally dangerous to have Stanton yanking balls at 112mph at minor-leaguers? Just activate him when ready, for the children’s sake!
I’m not a know it all by any means but I use to post over at the yesnetwork forums and I never met a bunch of Yankees fans that know nothing about baseball or the Yankees.
My off season rant was this..
The Yankees better not bring back Brett Gardner he’s going to play 140 games to many. What do they do bring him back bat him lead off.
Yankees should have went to the FA market for a LH first baseman. G Bird is not a MLB Caliber player. They have been going with him since 2015 and getting no place.
Please move on past CC he can’t get past 5 innings and he will tax the bull pen there are better FA options out there.
Please fix the SP rotation go out and sign and trade for two top flight SP. Not the Happs or Colons of the world.
The Yankees have done completely nothing this off season to fix their needs. On the Yesnetwork forums I was told Gardner is a god, CC is great and G Bird will come around. I moved on from posting to the !diotsa of the world.
Now here we are the season is live and the Yankees just stink so bad I cannot continue to watch Bird and Gardner play and I won’t..
I think we all know who would have made this team better for cash only but they refused to go out in the FA market and put them over the edge.
Don’t give me their over the cap who cares it ain’t your money. The Yankees have become cheap and boring to watch. WTF in their right mid turns on the TV to see Gardner and Bird. Enough stop going to games until they put and fix this team without slapping dirt on the wall to see what sticks.
– One Yankee fan who is horrified with this team!
P.S This teams needs an over haul from a new Gm to management to staff period. The Yankees will not win with the current staff and players.
“Don’t give me their over the cap who cares it ain’t your money” Right on dog, right on.
spot on…. Cash has been a disaster and Boone is a puppet. As bad as Pax is he’s cy young compared to happ and cc,
when will the heat turn on them????
Paxton is another pitcher that is gonna shrink in the limelight of NY.
Gardy needs to be a part time player, and not hit leadoff anymore. Fraziers time is now. And When Andujar comes back Tyler Wade should be traded.
Andujar more than likely won’t be back until sometime in 2020.
Andujar is throwing already. The course of treatment is typical for his type of injury.
Throwing drills are far from game ready. Than there’s the whole swinging aspect. Nothing is typical of this injury other than surgery, Cereal is probably spot on.