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Brian Cashman On Yankees’ Deadline Interest In Marcus Stroman

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Considering the bevy of rumors linking Marcus Stroman to the Yankees before July’s trade deadline, it wasn’t a surprise rebuilding Toronto sent the right-hander to New York during the summer. It was, however, unexpected that Stroman ended up with the Mets instead of the Yankees.  It turns out the Yankees’ interest in Stroman – although real – wasn’t especially high, general manager Brian Cashman reveals to Yahoo Sports’ Wallace Matthews in a quality piece profiling the longtime executive.

“We were interested in Stroman but we didn’t think he would be a difference-maker,” Cashman said. “We felt he would be in our bullpen in the postseason.”

That’s an eyebrow-raising quote in regards to Stroman, who was plenty effective in the Yankees’ division – the American League East – from 2014-18. Despite Stroman’s successful track record, his remaining year and a half of affordable team control and the Yankees’ apparent need for starters, they held firm when the Jays “were demanding” outfielder Clint Frazier in a package for the hurler, Matthews reports. Frazier drew plenty of rumored interest from around the league before the deadline, at which point he was languishing in the minors, but he stayed put. While Frazier’s latest recall didn’t come until rosters expanded at the beginning of this month, he has picked up some starts of late as the Yankees’ outfield deals with injuries to Aaron Hicks and Mike Tauchman.

Whether the Yankees were right to seemingly prioritize Frazier over Stroman is up for debate. No matter which side you’re on there, it’s hard to have complete confidence in the AL East winners’ rotation – something they didn’t address at the deadline –  as the playoffs approach. The Yankees just lost Domingo German for the season because of a domestic violence investigation (though Cashman obviously couldn’t have foreseen that), and CC Sabathia will end his illustrious career in the bullpen after a rough, injury-plagued regular season as a starter. Sabathia’s fellow aged lefty, J.A. Happ, has joined him in struggling for most of this year, but Happ has rounded back to form lately. Even better than Happ’s recent success? Ace Luis Severino just debuted last week after a season-long battle with injuries, and James Paxton has been on a roll since mid-August.

In the event the Yankees need four starters in a postseason series, Severino, Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka (who hasn’t been great in 2019) and Happ will present their four best traditional options. While there’s a strong case that Stroman’s preferable to at least one member of that quartet, the Yankees didn’t regard him as enough of an upgrade to surrender significant young talent for him over the summer.

Yankees Notes: Gleyber, Encarnacion, Sabathia

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Gleyber Torres holds the dubious distinction of being the only member of the Yankees Opening Day lineup to not spend time on the injured list this season–a distinction that it appears he will maintain now that Aaron Boone has said he expects Torres back in the lineup on Tuesday (link). Torres was out of the lineup on Saturday and Sunday due to a hamstring issue, but Boone told Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News that Torres is going to avoid an IL stint (link).

“Gleyber’s good. I just decided yesterday that I wanted to give him one more day going into the off day, but I’m obviously encouraged by the MRI and just from speaking with him, he feels good,” the Yankees manager told Ackert.

In less insightful news, Torres is very good at baseball. In this, his second full big league season, the Venezuelan has hit .284/.343/.546 with 38 bombs while playing passable defense at short and second.

More news from around the Yankee clubhouse…

  • Torres’ teammate Edwin Encarnacion may be ready to return to action as soon as this Wednesday, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com (link). After suffering a “mild” oblique strain on Sept. 12, Encarnacion has been sitting benchside as New York prepares for the postseason. Limited to just 44 games with the Yankees since they acquired him from Seattle in June, Encarnacion has recorded a  .249/.325/.531 line with 13 home runs in pinstripes this year. Of course, now that fellow mashers Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Luke Voit are back healthy, it remains to be seen how Encarnacion will be deployed moving forward.
  • In a rare piece of non-injury-related Yankee news, today marked a very special afternoon for laureled New York hurler C.C. Sabathia. Similar to those offered to Yankee legends Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera before their final games in New York, a video tribute before Sunday’s game looked back fondly on Sabathia’s decade-long career in the Bronx. Interestingly, the emotional occasion provided an opportunity for Sabathia to disclose to Ackert that he may be interested in a Yankees front office role after his playing days are up–much like former Yankee players and current employees Andy Pettitte and Carlos Beltran. “We’ll have to wait and see what happens. But yeah, for sure,” Sabathia told Ackert when asked if such a role would interest him. “I talk to Carlos all the time, I talk to Andy all the time, obviously. It seems like they have a pretty fun role. It’s something like I feel like I can do.” The 39-year-old Sabathia holds a 4.99 ERA (5.73 FIP) through 106.1 innings and 22 starts this year.

Aaron Hicks Unlikely To Return In Postseason

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  • Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks, still recovering from elbow issues, has begun to throw from 90 feet, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. When we last heard from Hicks, a second opinion recommended several more weeks of rest after suffering a setback in early September. At this time, Hicks and the Yankees are still optimistic that he won’t require Tommy John surgery, though that’s not guarantee—he’s due for another evaluation shortly. However, the timeline has all but confirmed that Hicks won’t be ready to return at any point in the postseason.

Yankees Postseason Pen Picture In Flux

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Joel Sherman of the New York Post had an interesting profile today of a Yankees pitching staff at a crossroads (link). After losing Domingo German and Dellin Betances to suspension and injury, respectively, over the past several days, the AL East-champion Bombers find themselves with a pitching picture very much in flux. “I don’t look at it as frustrating,” pitching coach Larry Rothschild told Sherman. “I look at it as a problem to solve. We have to figure out what we are going to do. You would love to have those two guys obviously. But we don’t, so we have to move forward.” As Sherman points out, German’s loss may be particularly impactful, as his multi-inning ability may force skipper Aaron Boone to opt for a 13-man pen in the playoffs instead of a 12-man pen.

Gleyber Torres Headed For MRI

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11:47am: Per Hoch, the MRI on Torres’s right hamstring came back negative, revealing some good news for the Yankees. Assuming that he continues to feel better in the coming days, Torres shouldn’t be required to miss an extended period of time.

10:14am: Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres, who exited Friday’s game against the Blue Jays with an injury to his right leg after he slipped and fell on the outfield grass, will have an MRI done today on his right hamstring, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. The 22-year-old Torres told skipper Aaron Boone that he felt good this morning, but the team wants to be sure that there wasn’t any serious damage incurred on the fall.

While the Yankees season has been defined by an improbable run of injured stars, Torres has been one of the few regulars that has managed to stay on his feet all year, leading the team with 140 games played. That alone makes it doubly frustrating that the budding star’s health might be compromised so late in the season. However, with Torres citing improvement today and the results of the MRI yet to come, there may well be no reason to panic.

After a fantastic rookie season in 2018, Torres has followed that up with an even better 2019, in which he has slugged 38 home runs. He’s seen his OPS jump to .889 and has even managed to hold his own at shortstop, posting respectable advanced defensive stats in more than 650 innings there. Of course, those metrics are imperfect and ought to be taken with a grain of salt, but it’s nonetheless a surprising development for a player who was forced off of shortstop and only returned as a result of injury.

With the postseason right around the corner and home-field advantage still at stake, another injury scare is surely the last thing the Yankees need in late September. However, one might at least point to the return of Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Severino, along with the impending arrivals of Edwin Encarnacion and Gary Sanchez, as silver linings in the situation.

Gleyber Torres Exits With Apparent Injury

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Another day, another alarming health situation for the Yankees. Second baseman Gleyber Torres left the team’s game against Toronto on Friday after slipping on the outfield grass and potentially suffering an injury to his right knee (video via MLB.com). Torres initially stayed in the game in the wake of his fourth-inning fall, but the Yankees removed him after the sixth. Injuries to stars has been one of the main themes of the Yankees’ season, but they’ve weathered all of them en route to 100 wins and an American League East championship. The Yankees are still playing for homefield advantage throughout the postseason, though, and will obviously aim for a World Series title once the playoffs arrive. With that in mind, New York can ill afford to lose one of the best middle infielders in baseball in the 22-year-old Torres. [UPDATE: Torres “felt a little weak in his lower legs,” manager Aaron Boone told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com and other reporters. He’ll get checked out Saturday.]

Luke Voit Switches Agencies

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Yankees first baseman Luke Voit has switched representation and is now a client of Excel Sports Management. Agent Casey Close will represent him, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes reports.

This is a high-profile hire for Voit, who’s on the verge of wrapping up his first extensive season in the majors. Voit debuted with the Cardinals back in 2017, but the 22nd-round pick from 2013 has truly blossomed since the Yankees acquired him from the Redbirds just over a year ago.

Now 28 years old, Voit has slashed .273/.385/.482 with 21 home runs in 470 plate appearances this season. The hulking Voit has given New York that prolific production for a minimal salary, and barring an extension, he won’t be eligible for arbitration until after the 2020 campaign.

In the event a new deal doesn’t come together before Voit’s first arbitration trip, he’ll try for an even better (and healthier) 2020 campaign. Voit has missed a fairly significant amount of time this year with core injuries, which have hurt his counting stats and will also prove detrimental to his cause during arbitration. That archaic process places a great deal of importance on home runs, runs batted in and plate appearances.

MLBTR has already noted Voit’s agency change in our Agency Database. If you see any notable errors or omissions, please let us know via email: mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com.

Latest On Edwin Encarnacion, Gary Sanchez

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Despite the litany of injuries they’ve dealt with this season, the Yankees earned their 100th victory of the season and clinched the American League East on Thursday. Now, with the playoffs looming, they’ve got a couple of injured sluggers on the way back. Designated hitter/first baseman Edwin Encarnacion should rejoin the team on a season-ending road trip that runs from Sept. 24-29, per manager Aaron Boone, while catcher Gary Sanchez could be ready for the Yankees’ Division Series matchup (via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com).

Encarnacion hasn’t played since he suffered an oblique strain on Sept. 12. Those injuries often require players to sit for several weeks (as was the case with Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge earlier this season, for instance), but it appears Encarnacion will come back from his in relatively short order. One of the game’s most prolific sluggers in recent memory, Encarnacion has slashed a respectable .249/.325/.531 with 13 home runs in 197 plate appearances since the Yankees acquired him from the Mariners back in mid-June. He has, however, battled multiple injuries since he first donned the pinstripes, including a right wrist fracture that shelved him from Aug. 4-Sept. 3. The Yankees have rotated Luke Voit, DJ LeMahieu, Gleyber Torres and Giancarlo Stanton at DH during Encarnacion’s current absence.

Like Encarnacion, injuries have hampered Sanchez on more than occasion this season. He hasn’t played since Sept. 12 because of a left groin strain – the same issue that shelved him for two weeks earlier in the summer. The powerful Sanchez has enjoyed a productive season when healthy, as his .233/.318/.531 line with 34 home runs in 440 PA shows, and is far and away the most talented offensive catcher the Yankees have. Backup Austin Romine has held his own with the bat this month, but the Yankees would obviously prefer to have Sanchez back in the fold come playoff time.

Blue Jays Claim Breyvic Valera, Designate Ryan Dull

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The Blue Jays announced that they’ve claimed infielder Breyvic Valera off waivers from the Yankees and, to create room on the 40-man roster, designated right-hander Ryan Dull for assignment. Toronto claimed Dull himself off waivers from the Yankees just two days ago. He’d yet to pitch in a game for the Jays.

The Yankees claimed Valera, 27, off waivers from the Giants back in May. He appeared in a dozen games for New York and hit .219/.324/.313 in a small sample of 37 plate appearances. The well-traveled Valera has appeared with four different big league teams in the past three seasons, having also spent time with the Orioles, Dodgers and Cardinals in addition to his minor league time with the Giants organization. He was one of the five players the Dodgers sent to Baltimore in last summer’s Manny Machado blockbuster, though it was clear even at the time that Valera wasn’t considered a vital piece for that trade, in which outfield prospect Yusniel Diaz was the headliner.

Dull, 29, has bounced from the A’s, to the Giants, to the Yankees and the Blue Jays via waivers in the past six weeks alone. The righty hasn’t had success in the Majors or in Triple-A this season, but he’s only a few seasons removed from looking like a quality bullpen piece in Oakland. While Dull has been tagged for 17 earned runs through just 11 1/3 innings in the big leagues this year and also has a 5.29 ERA across three Triple-A affiliates, he was one of Oakland’s best relievers back in 2016. That year, he tossed 74 1/3 innings of 2.42 ERA ball with nearly a strikeout per frame and just 1.8 BB/9. He’s since been hampered by shoulder and knee problems, but Dull has some MLB success and a minor league option remaining, so he could still land elsewhere via yet another waiver claim. If not, he’ll be able to elect free agency at season’s end.

Dellin Betances Suffers Partial Achilles Tear

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TODAY: After Betances visited another doctor for a second opinion, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch and other reporters that surgery wasn’t recommended.  Betances will wear a walking boot for the next four weeks.

TUESDAY: Yankees reliever Dellin Betances has suffered a partial tear of his left Achilles’ tendon, Jack Curry of the YES Network was among those to report. Betances incurred the injury Sunday in Toronto, per the New York Times’ James Wagner, who adds that surgery’s currently under consideration. The right-hander will go for a second opinion, according to Wagner.

This figures to conclude an injury-ruined season for Betances, a four-time All-Star setup man whose sole 2019 outing came Sunday, when he struck out both batters he faced. Betances missed the first five-plus months of the season as a result of shoulder and lat problems. The soon-to-be 32-year-old’s newest injury could bring to an end a fruitful Yankees tenure for Betances, who’s set to become a free agent after the season. Regardless, it’s safe to say the significant health issues that have haunted Betances this year will tamp down his earning power if he does reach the open market in a couple months.

No matter what the future holds for Betances, this is yet another monumental injury for a New York club that has dealt with one after another all season. While the Yankees have barely received any contributions from the likes of Betances, ace Luis Severino (who made his 2019 debut Tuesday) and outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, and have battled plenty of other injuries, they nonetheless own the majors’ best record at 99-53. The club’s on the cusp of its first division championship since 2012, and even though it’s shorthanded, it’s undoubtedly on a small list of the game’s World Series favorites with the postseason around the corner.

It stands to reason the Yankees would boast an even better record with a healthy version of Betances, who was in an elite class of relievers from 2014-18. The normally durable Betances made no fewer than 66 appearances in any of those five seasons, during which he combined for a league-high 373 1/3 innings of 2.22 ERA/2.26 FIP pitching with 14.63 K/9 against 3.91 BB/9. New York’s relief corps has done well to weather the storm without its premier pre-ninth inning arm this season, evidenced by its overall 4.11 ERA/4.18 FIP, though it’s clearly less formidable without the towering Betances looming.

Relievers Zack Britton, Adam Ottavino and Tommy Kahnle have helped fill Betances’ void in front of closer Aroldis Chapman this season. They’ll obviously have to continue their standout work into the fall if the Yankees are going to claim their first championship since 2009.

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