From Bryan Hoch:
Gerrit Cole is back on the mound, an encouraging sign as the Yankees right-hander continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery performed on March 11.
Cole posted a video to his Instagram story on Saturday, tossing a fastball during a recent bullpen session at Yankee Stadium.
The 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner has been throwing since August and has said that it is “fair to say” he expects a relatively normal offseason, which he said would include continuing his rehab in California through the winter months.
“We have a good setup in California and good communication,” Cole said in August. “I can upload my throwing program to the [internal] platform and pretty much talk every day. There’s not a whole lot of urgency to get [to Tampa] right away.”
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said recently that the club does not expect Cole, who turns 36 during the upcoming season, to be ready for Opening Day.
It would be awesome if he could return in-season. A healthy Cole should still be a very good pitcher.
About the Author
I saw an interesting post on social media about the fact that the Tigers lost to the Mariners in a heartbreaking winner takes all game, and then the Mariners lost to the Blue Jays in a heartbreaking winner takes all game, and then the Blue Jays lost to the Dodgers in a heartbreaking winner takes all game. I totally forgot about the Mariners and Tigers ALDS. That feels like a lifetime ago!
Yes and that’s crazy
Cole isn’t saying he’s in the best shape of his life? That’s a tell – we should not be counting on him.
Brian I just came across your content farm post on FB and hoo boy the comments were a window into the part of the internet that’s icky
I gotta assume that someone was actively sending those people to make those comments. There is no way I suddenly got an influx of strange morons.
Here is the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee ballot for the @BaseballHall Class of 2026!
Voting results from a 16-person panel will be announced December 7th.
https://x.com/mlb/status/1985386121241772438?s=61&t=fhOaqwtc8q2TMSXUDRjPeg
I’d put Sheffield in. Bonds and Clemens too but they won’t make it and I don’t know why they’re on the ballot
I’d put Murphy in, maybe Sheffield, no one else.
Again, it’s Bonds’ own fault I can’t know what he was actually capable of, can’t even feel the slightest bit sorry for him.
We knew what bonds was before the steroids. HOF track. Moron
Who’s on the committee, and who picked them?
We knew what track he was on, sure.
But other players have fallen off before.
And what he would actually have done we’ll never know.
I’m certainly not saying I don’t think he would have been good enough – barring injury, etc., etc., it seems extremely likely. He surely would not have been what we saw, though – stats on that era make thatt abundantly clear.
Ultimately, only one person prevented us from seeing what he actually would have been, and that is Barry Bonds.
I won’t bother calling you a moron because you have a different opinion, fwiw.
Pete, I’m pretty sure Big Fan was calling Bonds the moron…
You’re probably right, now that I reread it!
Yes I was referring to Bonds. No one on this site is a moron and the proof is they are on this site. QED.
Bellinger officially opts out. Not a surprise as it had been leaked a while back.
I think Tucker is a better bet. Belli has had seasons where he was meh. Are we sure you want to sign a player like that in his 30s?
The Braves had way too long of a managerial search to just end up with their current backup manager, Walt Weiss.
Nifty short from Pitching Ninja on Yamamoto’s trainer and his focus on the core. Yamamoto hasn’t been altogether injury free – has had hip and rotator cuff issues – but I wonder how those training methods would translate to other pitchers.
Though knowing the Yankees, they’d probably hit Judge with a javelin.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VvlmXIItVyg
amazing
Andy McCullough, who is very well sourced at the Dodgers, was hinting they would sign Tucker
Dodgers will sign everybody. Payroll tax be damned.
Then the Yanks will sign the sloppy seconds. Remember Kei Igawa? Ellsbury?
The Kei Igawa story was dark
Not surprised. This has been rumored for a while.
Shota Imanaga is a QO away from leaving the Cubs. He’s 32 and coming off an off year, with a good WHIP but an ungood HR/9. Think he’d be a nifty addition to the Yankees’ clubhouse and to the rotation, particularly after Schlittler’s inevitable UCL repair in July.
Can’t believe Bieber picked up his player option.
Pinstripe Alley: Yankees prospect Enmanuel Tejeda had a monster day for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League on Tuesday. The 20-year-old recorded five hits, three RBI, and three stolen bases in a 21-14 victory over Scottsdale. No Arizona Fall League player had recorded that stat line since 2024 and no one’s done it in MLB since Jimmy Rollins in 2008.
Five hits and he raised his BA to 246.
Blind Squirrel acorn day?
Yankees pick up Tim Hill option, not Lasagna’s.
Relievers are so insanely volatile.
I wonder whether there’s something physically wrong with Weaver, or whether it’s mechanical. When he’s on, he’s untouchable. It’s hard to fathom the chasm between good Weaver and bad Weaver. But how can it be that they can’t figure it out?
I wouldn’t even mind bringing Loaisiga back, but just not on a guaranteed deal, and CERTAINLY not for $5 million.
Some rumors are linking the Yankees to Schwarber. How would that POSSIBLY work? He can’t play left field any more, can he? Could you do a Rice/Schwarber platoon at first, where Rice catches on the other days? Schwarber and Stanton split time against righties?
He could never ‘play’ the OF. Oh, they stuck a glove on his hand and pointed him out there. But play it? No.
Not enough DH’s.
Are people really just saying this because they’re just giving up on Tucker at the first hint of Dodger interest? Man, that’s what it must have been for non-Yankee teams all our lives!
Embarrassing.
…
FWIW, I like Schwarber’s bat (of course) and LOVE Schwarber’s personality on this team, but they’d have to restructure half the roster.
Donnie Baseball leaving the Blue Jays right after they made it to the fucking World Series. That’s pretty goddamn odd, right?
Like, I totally get the idea of him throwing his hat into the ring for the two remaining open manager jobs (San Diego and Colorado), but why leave this job before he gets either one of those other two jobs?
Wanted by the Mounties.
Mattingly won’t return to Jays. Bench coach gig at Phils a possibility or an unnamed managerial position.
How would a bench job in Philly be better than a bench job in Toronto? It’s so weird.
Have you seen the sports illustrated video of the 3b coach telling IKF to take a smaller lead? Costs Toronto the WS!
No idea if that has anything to do with Mattingly but I can dream up some ….
https://www.mlb.com/news/don-mattingly-leaving-blue-jays-coaching-staff
Kuty says he doesn’t expect the Yanks to seriously be in on Tucker. I mean. Why would they.
I’m predicting CashGod old-fart specials of 1-2 year deals on onetime wishlister JT Realmuto (to convert to 1B) and, oh, let’s say Raisiel Iglesias to round out the pen.
Ehhmmmm… why? What worthwhile move DOES he expect?
What other move seriously presents itself?
That’s the ONLY move.
If they’re not in on Tucker – really, if they can’t land Tucker – then screw them.
I mean, they’re the New York fucking Yankees!
…but of course the whole problem is that they’re really not.
https://www.mlb.com/news/kyle-schwarber-free-agency-profile-team-fits
QO to Trent as expected.
MLBTR The Yankees announced that they have selected right-hander Kervin Castro to their 40-man roster. The move prevents him from becoming a minor league free agent.
New York took Castro in the second round of the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 draft in 2023 from Houston. He missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Castro made 35 appearances for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this past season, pitching to a 1.53 ERA with a solid 27.4% strikeout rate. He earned four saves and five wins as a member of the RailRiders’ bullpen.
It would be so like Cashman to miss out on Tucker… and sign Alonso. He didn’t do it last year, and then Alonso went out and played great instead of declining.
Now that he’s actually ready to decline…
MLBTR 1. Kyle Tucker, RF: 11 years, $400MM
Tim Dierkes’ prediction: Dodgers / Anthony Franco’s prediction: Yankees / Darragh McDonald’s prediction: Phillies / Steve Adams’ prediction: Giants
8. Cody Bellinger, OF/1B: five years, $140MM
Tim: Yankees / Anthony: Rangers / Darragh: Yankees / Steve: Yankees
13. Edwin Diaz, RP: four years, $82MM
Tim: Dodgers / Anthony: Giants / Darragh: Yankees / Steve: Blue Jays
14. Michael King, SP: four years, $80MM
Tim: Orioles / Anthony: Tigers / Darragh: Orioles / Steve: Yankees
16. Devin Williams, RP: four years, $68MM
Tim: Giants / Anthony: Blue Jays / Darragh: Dodgers / Steve: Mets
18. Trent Grisham, CF: four years, $66MM
Tim: Angels / Anthony: Rays / Darragh: Angels / Steve: Astros
• Well, 11 years for Tucker is through his age 39 season, so no. Maybe 7/280.
• Edwin Diaz, career 39 blown saves.
I can see Hal offering Tucker 10/320 and not going above, and Tucker signing with LA for 25/500 or some other financial shenanigans.
@slangsonsports.bsky.social
Juan Soto has won a Silver Slugger in three straight years with three different teams
The only other player to win a Silver Slugger in three consecutive years with a different team was Mike Hampton:
1999, Astros
2000, Mets
2001, Rockies