New York Yankees

Both Brett Gardner and the New York Yankees declined his $2.3 million option for the 2022 MLB season, the club announced Thursday.

Given his age (38) and service time, retirement seemed a plausible outcome for the outfielder following the Yankees' loss to the Boston Red Sox in the American League Wild Card Game. However, he was emphatic about wanting to return to the Bronx postgame:

Perhaps the bigger question was whether the Yankees would want Gardner after one of the worst offensive seasons of his career.

The 2015 All-Star had a .305 weighted on-base average and a .362 slugging percentage, according to FanGraphs. Per Baseball Savant, he also ranked in the sixth percentile in expected batting average (.214) and the third percentile in expected slugging percentage (.312).

Aside from 2019, when he had 28 home runs, Gardner hasn't been much of a power hitter. As he gets deeper into his 30s, his rate of decline in that area is accelerating. His .223 and .222 batting averages in 2020 and 2021 are also his two lowest ever.

His .327 on-base percentage was only slightly lower than his career average (.342), so he at least found a way to compensate for his poor hitting.

It's difficult to ignore how he closed 2021 as well. He had a .250/.314/.458 slash line in 28 games across September and October, and four of his 10 homers came during that stretch.

The Yankees had to scratch and claw their way to a wild-card berth, and Gardner delivered when it mattered. He was also the kind of leader inside the clubhouse who could provide stability and perspective in tense times.

Joey Gallo explained in mid-September how the veteran conveyed to the team that "every day is a new day" and to "just win that day," per NJ Advance Media's Brendan Kuty.

While that advice isn't novel, Gardner laid out how perspective can get lost in the heat of a playoff race:

All season we've had a lot of ups and downs and we've played some really good baseball and there’s been times, even recently, when we’ve been really frustrating and we’ve played some bad baseball. I think this time of the year it’s important just to slow the game down and realize we still have a great opportunity ahead of us, not to think too far ahead and just focus on the day, focus on the task at hand.

Managing the clubhouse is a vital part of a manager's job—it's right there in the name—and those duties can be easier with players such as Gardner.

The fact that the Yankees are bringing their entire starting outfield back made him a bit expendable, though. Aaron Hicks is entering the fourth year of his seven-year, $70 million extension, while Gallo and Aaron Judge have one more year of arbitration remaining. And Giancarlo Stanton is bound to get some appearances in the field while mostly serving as the designated hitter.

It's still, of course, possible the two sides can work out a new deal. But at least for now, Gardner will be able to explore the open market in free agency.

The New York Mets are on to the next person in their search for a new head of baseball operations.

Per Andy Martino of SNY.tv, New York Yankees assistant general manager Jean Afterman declined an interview request from the Mets.

Martino noted the Mets asked for permission to speak with Afterman even though they "had the impression" she wasn't interested in leaving the Bronx.

The Mets have been struggling to find someone to run their front office despite casting a wide net for the job.

Theo Epstein, Billy Beane and David Stearns were their top targets, but Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported Oct. 18 all three men were no longer being considered. 

Other notables who have either turned down the job or declined an interview include Milwaukee Brewers general manager Matt Arnold, Los Angeles Dodgers assistant general manager Brandon Gomes and St. Louis Cardinals general manager Mike Girsch. 

Afterman has been in the Yankees front office since 2001 when she was hired as assistant general manager. She added the title of senior vice president to her resume in 2012.

Sandy Alderson is running the Mets' baseball operations department until they hire a president. He was hired as team president by owner Steve Cohen in September 2020. 

New York parted ways with acting general manager Zack Scott on Monday, per Martino. He had been on administrative leave after a DWI arrest in August. 

The Mets finished the 2021 season with a 77-85 record and in third place in the National League East. They have missed the playoffs in each of the past five seasons.   

Even though the eyes of Major League Baseball fans are trained squarely on the World Series, the end of the Fall Classic will bring about many questions for all 30 teams. 

This is certainly going to be a busy offseason, especially given the uncertainty around the labor negotiations and the likelihood of a work stoppage when the current CBA expires on Dec. 2.   

That is going to have a significant impact on when business will get done. Free agency officially starts five days after the World Series ends, but history has shown that teams don't usually make deals for marquee players until the winter meetings at the earliest. 

All of that is worth keeping in mind for the future. For now, though, there is plenty of buzz going on about some of the biggest players who could be on the move this offseason. 

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Xander Bogaerts Preparing to Hit Free Agency After 2022

After trading Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to the start of the 2020 season, the long-term future of the Boston Red Sox was tied directly to Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers turning into All-Stars. 

That mission was accomplished in 2021, as both players were named to the Midsummer Classic and played key roles in the Red Sox reaching the American League Championship Series. 

Devers and Bogaerts remain under contract to the Red Sox next season, but things get murky beyond that. 

Per ESPN's Joon Lee, Bogaerts is planning on using the opt out in his contract after next season to become a free agent. 

The Red Sox signed Bogaerts to a six-year, $120 million contract before the 2019 season. The deal includes a $20 million player option for 2023, per Spotrac. 

Timing is a crucial part of free agency. Bogaerts would almost certainly attract a lot of attention if he could opt out this offseason, but he would also be competing with the likes of Corey Seager and Carlos Correa as the top shortstop. 

The top potential free-agent shortstops after next season include Tim Anderson and Trea Turner, but there's a steep drop to in talent after those two players. Dansby Swanson, who only has one full season with an OPS over .800 in his career (2020), would likely be No. 3. 

Bogaerts will be 30 years old after next season, but he's remained a quality defensive shortstop even as he's gotten older. The three-time All-Star ranked eighth among all qualified shortstops in FanGraphs defensive value (8.3) and ninth in out of zone plays (106) in 2021. 

Hitting is one thing that Bogaerts has never struggled to do. He has a .290/.353/.459 career slash line and has slugged at least .493 in each of the last four seasons. 

As long as Bogaerts has another strong season in 2022, there's no reason for him not to see what the market has to offer him. 

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Anthony Rizzo Hopeful for Yankees Reunion

A disappointing 2021 season has left the New York Yankees with a lot of things to evaluate as they look to improve next year. 

First base is one area that could have an opening, depending on what the Yankees want to do with Anthony Rizzo. 

If Rizzo has his way, he will be wearing pinstripes next season. Bob Klapisch of the Newark Star-Ledger cited a family member as saying that Rizzo is "quite eager" to return to New York in 2022. 

According to a family member, Anthony Rizzo is quite eager to return to #Yankees in 2022. That’s an important first step, assuming NYY want him back. Have to assume they do.

— Bob Klapisch (@BobKlap) October 25, 2021

The Yankees will have nine free agents this offseason. Rizzo, Corey Kluber and Brett Gardner are the most prominent in that group. It seems unlikely that Gardner, whose .689 OPS in 2021 was his worst since he was a rookie (.582 in 2008), will be back. 

Kluber could go either way. The two-time American League Cy Young winner was effective when he pitched (3.83 ERA), but injuries limited him to 80 innings over 16 starts. He's only pitched 116.2 innings over the past three seasons combined and will turn 36 on April 10. 

Rizzo was a solid hitter in 2021 between his time with the Yankees and Chicago Cubs. The three-time All-Star had a .248/.344/.440 slash line in 141 games. 

The first-base market looks strong at the top, with Freddie Freeman and Brandon Belt leading the way.

Belt is a volatile player because of his injury history. He has missed at least 25 games in six of the past eight seasons, including 65 in 2021. Given that he will turn 34 on April 20, betting on him staying healthy going forward seems like a high risk. 

Freeman is one of the most durable players in MLB. The reigning NL MVP has only missed four games in the past four seasons combined. 

The Yankees could also bet on Luke Voit staying healthy. He's been a productive offensive player when he's been able to play. The 30-year-old has a .267/.357/.510 slash line in five MLB seasons, but that only covers 351 games because of injuries. 

Rizzo can't be counted to produce at the same level he did at his peak with the Cubs, but he just might end up being the safest option for the Yankees at first base because he rarely gets hurt. 

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Cubs Reportedly Shopping Willson Contreras

The Cubs are mired in the early stages of a rebuild that started last season by trading most of the remaining core from their 2016 World Series roster, including Rizzo, Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant. 

One of the few holdovers from that squad is Willson Contreras, though his future with the club is very much uncertain. 

Per The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer "will almost certainly shop" Contreras this offseason if the two sides can't agree to a long-term extension. 

Contreras is a difficult player to evaluate for a new contract because his career has been mired by inconsistency. He ranked 39th among all catchers last season in framing, per Baseball Savant.

It looked like Contreras made significant strides in that area during the 2020 season, when he ranked 10th overall.

The Venezuela native threw out a career-low 21 percent of basestealers in 2021, per Baseball Reference. It was his first time finishing worse than the league average in that category. 

Contreras' bat does put him among the better backstops in MLB. The two-time All-Star ranked fourth out of 15 catchers with at least 400 plate appearances in homers (21), fifth in slugging percentage (.438), sixth in on-base percentage (.340) and fifth in weighted on-base average (.337), per FanGraphs.

The 29-year-old made $6.65 million in 2021 and has one more year of arbitration remaining before becoming a free agent. 

Given the state of the Cubs roster coming off a 71-91 season, there's little incentive for the front office to keep Contreras. He plays a demanding position where few players can age gracefully. 

Buster Posey resurrected his career with the San Francisco Giants in part because of how he was managed. The 2012 NL MVP routinely only played two of three games in most series during the regular season. 

Contreras' up-and-down MLB career to this point does make him a risky gamble for any team. His upside is high enough to make him worth betting on, especially for a potential contender looking to upgrade its lineup. 

The free-agent class in the upcoming MLB offseason is going to be loaded. Players like Kris Bryant, Max Scherzer, Robbie Ray, Freddie Freeman and Kevin Gausman, among others, should have offers from all over the baseball world. 

But no other position will offer as much intrigue as shortstop, where five players—Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, Trevor Story, Marcus Semien and Javier Baez—represent one of the most talented crops of free agents at the position in...well, ever. 

And according to ESPN's Buster Olney, one team to watch out for—particularly when it comes to the pursuit of either Seager or Correa—is the New York Yankees:

"After a year of limiting their spending, the expectation is that the Yankees will land a shortstop, and that will likely be either Seager or Correa -- perhaps with the intention of eventually shifting that player to another spot. New York's top prospect, shortstop Anthony Volpe, is expected to graduate to the big leagues sometime in the next two seasons. There is a lot of sentiment that Seager will need to move to another spot sooner rather than later over the course of a long-term deal."

One evaluator told Olney that Seager was tailor-made for New York. 

"He's perfect for the Yankees, in what they need right now," that person said. "Left-handed hitter, big-market experience, a great hit tool. ... I have the same concerns about him that I do about Correa, about the games he's missed. But with [him], it's a bunch of different injuries, and not one major problem. ... He's going to need an almost near-immediate move to third base."

Seager, 27, hit .306 with 16 homers, 57 RBI, 54 runs and a .915 OPS in 95 games this season. There's no doubt he'd be a major upgrade for the Yankees, though the Los Angeles Dodgers will surely push to bring him back. 

Correa, also 27, has long been a nemesis of the Yankees. He had another typically solid campaign in 2021, hitting .279 with 26 homers, 92 RBI and 104 runs in 148 games, posting a .850 OPS. 

With the Houston Astros back in the World Series, Correa may be inclined to keep the team's core intact and return for the long haul. But if he tempts the market, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Yanks make a major play for his services. 

Of course, another question for the Yankees is which players they'll bring back. One prospective free agent who reportedly wants to return to the team is Anthony Rizzo, whom the Yankees landed in a midseason trade:

According to a family member, Anthony Rizzo is quite eager to return to #Yankees in 2022. That’s an important first step, assuming NYY want him back. Have to assume they do.

— Bob Klapisch (@BobKlap) October 25, 2021

Rizzo, 32, hit .249 with eight homers, 21 RBI and a .768 OPS in 49 games with the Yankees this season after spending the previous nine seasons with the Chicago Cubs. He's clearly on the wrong side of his prime years at this point, but he remains a solid enough option at first base and in the batter's box. 

It wouldn't be surprising to see Rizzo return to New York, though it also likely won't be high on the team's priority list, with shortstop likely taking precedent and the need to bolster the rotation behind Cole Gerrit a major need as well. 

Impending free-agent first baseman Anthony Rizzo is sure to have his fair share of suitors on the open market this offseason, but the three-time All-Star reportedly doesn't plan on going anywhere.

Newark Star-Ledger baseball columnist Bob Klapisch reported Monday that Rizzo is "quite eager" to sign a new contract to remain with the New York Yankees for the 2022 season.

The Yankees acquired Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs at this year's trade deadline. His lefty bat helped provide balance to the Yankees lineup, which is largely composed of right-handed batters.

In 49 regular-season games with New York, Rizzo had a .249 batting average and a .768 OPS. He hit eight home runs in pinstripes, bringing his 2021 total to 22. He blasted a solo homer in the Yankees' loss to the Boston Red Sox in the American League Wild Card Game.

Despite a fifth consecutive postseason appearance this year, the Yankees' 2021 season was largely a disappointment. New York was one of the streakiest teams in MLB, with winning streaks of 13, seven, six and five (two times), but also losing skids of seven, five and four (four times).

After being bounced in the AL Wild Card Game, the Yankees signed manager Aaron Boone to a new three-year contract. Since they didn't make a change at manager, they'll likely undergo a bit of an overhaul to improve on the field.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman already called the shortstop position an "area of need" this offseason, so New York figures to spend big to land a premier free agent. But the team has other holes to fill and would be wise to retain Rizzo, who was well-liked both by New York fans and the organization.

Klapisch said it's safe to assume the Yankees have a mutual interest in Rizzo returning to New York. A full season with the Yankees could lead to Rizzo returning to his All-Star level.     

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole reportedly got into a heated confrontation with teammate Brett Gardner after the longtime Yankees outfielder attempted to make light of MLB's sticky substance ban for pitchers.

Bob Klapisch of NJ Advance Media reported Gardner attempted to make light of MLB's midseason ban by walking around the clubhouse with a heavily pine-tarred bat. Cole, who was suspected to be among several pitchers who relied on Spider Tack and other foreign aids, became incensed and confronted Gardner.

The situation eventually resulted in Cole apologizing to Gardner, who is seen as a clubhouse leader and is by far the senior-most member of the Yankees clubhouse.

The ban appeared to have an impact on Cole, who looked like a different pitcher after the ban. Cole posted an 8-3 record with a 2.31 ERA and .198 batting average against over his first 14 starts before going 8-5 with a 4.12 ERA and .246 batting average against across his final 16 appearances, which came after the ban.

While Cole was still an effective pitcher in the second half of the season, he was not the same player. Several pitchers criticized MLB for making an in-season change—especially since it was an open secret across the sport that pitchers were using foreign substances.

Cole's sensitivity likely stemmed from the fact he had to alter his game while playing under the pressure of a massive contract. 

A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card sold for a little more than $2 million at auction over the weekend.

Final Sale Price: $2,029,500 pic.twitter.com/GSc48RXBIk

— Goldin (@GoldinCo) October 24, 2021

The card received a near-mint grade of 8, which is outstanding condition for a card of this age.

A similar card with a 9 grade went for $5.2 million at an auction in January.

Trading cards have seen a massive spike in value in recent years, with collectors taking advantage of the long-term investment opportunity as an alternative to the stock market.

Mantle made his first of 20 All-Star teams in 1952 and finished third in the MVP balloting at the age of 20.

Aaron Boone heard the rumors all season. He knew fans were calling for his job and media members were questioning his decisions.

A 13-game winning streak and a trip to the AL Wild Card Game quieted the detractors for a little while, but when the New York Yankees were unceremoniously eliminated by the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, the volume was turned up on those rumors. 

The one thing that wasn't turned up was the heat on Boone's seat. Tuesday morning, the club announced a new three-year contract for Boone with a club option for a fourth season. 

"The reality is, I know the rumors and everything that were out there but they were only that," Boone said in a Zoom press conference. "I've never stopped being under contract with the Yankees. Myself, my agent and my family have treated it as such. It was about walking through the process and the negotiations of getting me back to extend this."

It was an unpopular decision for the fans, who wanted him gone months ago and expected him to be gone as soon as the final was recorded in Boston. The Yankees parted ways with key members of Boone's staff last week, declining to renew the contracts of hitting coach Marcus Thames, assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere and third base coach Phil Nevin, a close friend of Boone's. 

"That was a couple of tough days for me," Boone acknowledged. "I even talked to Phil about coming back. Those are tough conversations you have. But that is the difficulty of this business."

If that's the case, why would Boone want to work for a team that doesn't let him make his own staffing decisions? It's clear he wants to finish what he started in New York. He did not give the team an ultimatum with Nevin. 

"I did not have a this or that, Phil stays or I go," he said. "Or I wouldn't be here right now."

This was an unpopular decision, but it was not a bad decision by general manager Brian Cashman and managing partner Hal Steinbrenner. Boone has his flaws as a manager, but the blame for this season does not solely lie with him. 

"I thought Aaron Boone was part of the solution," Cashman said. "He wasn't a problem or the problem."

The roster was poorly constructed. You can blame the lineup construction on Boone, but he had no choice but to roll out a lineup heavy on right-handed hitters in one of the most lefty-friendly ballparks in baseball because those are the players Cashman put on the roster. 

Key young players regressed and the hitting struggles were magnified by a few particularly bad months (the Yankees finished 13th with a .729 OPS). The defense was especially bad. The Yankees were good, but not good enough. Cashman thinks improvements can be made and that they can be made quickly, but he thinks there are pieces in place that, with the right supporting cast, can contend for championships. 

Those problems are Cashman's problems. 

Cashman admitted to some of his mistakes, like playing Gleyber Torres at shortstop instead of second base, which is probably where he belongs, but he's blocked by DJ LeMahieu. And LeMahieu had an uncharacteristically bad season at the plate, but much of that can be attributed to the core injury he played through, which was recently repaired surgically.

The longtime Yankees GM also lamented the team's overall athleticism and lack of contact hitting. He said the acquisition of Anthony Rizzo at the trade deadline was an attempt to address some of these issues (defense, lack of left-handed hitting). 

A general manager has to stand behind his manager, but Cashman didn't sound defensive in his hourlong press conference. He sounded like someone who is trying to build a championship club but knows it doesn't have the right pieces to contend yet. 

This matched up with Steinbrenner's statement that was issued when the team made the announcement. 

"We have a person and manager in Aaron Boone who possesses the baseball acumen and widespread respect in our clubhouse to continue to guide us forward," Steinbrenner said. "As a team and as an organization, we must grow, evolve and improve. We need to get better. Period."

The word "grow" might not be one fans want to hear, but Cashman looked at it as a positive, especially when it comes to Boone. 

"He's growing already, already has grown and will continue to grow. That's one of the reasons we're attracted to him," Cashman said. "You don't want to be in a position of, this is what you get and that's all you're getting, the ceiling is the floor, essentially. Ultimately, he's grown into one of the better managers in the game."

Cashman also said that if Boone had become a free agent at the end of the World Series, which is when his previous contract would have expired, then he would have been the most coveted commodity on the market. He isn't wrong. The San Diego Padres likely would have been interested, and over in Queens the Mets likely would have inquired as well, which would not have been a good look for the Yankees. 

There is a major disconnect between the fans and the front office. Part of that is the perception that Boone and the front office rely too heavily on analytics and lack a feel for the game. While that might be true at times, this is a common fan complaint in just about every sport these days. Basketball players don't have a feel for shooting anymore; they shoot based on when and where the numbers tell them to shoot. Hockey players don't have enough grit and tenacity anymore.

The best teams use the numbers as a tool, which is how Cashman described Boone's approach to advanced stats, saying the analysts present "a buffet of information" for the manager to choose from. 

Fans are also upset at Hal's reluctance to spend like his dad did. The Yankees are not over the luxury tax. It's no longer expected that the best free agents on small-market teams will end up in the Bronx when they hit free agency. 

But this is a different economic climate than when George Steinbrenner was running the team with an iron fist and an open wallet. While the return of fans in the stands during the 2021 season might have provided some sort of financial windfall, it might not be enough to make up for the losses of 2020. 

The Yankees have to make some key decisions soon. It might be time to move on from Gary Sanchez. It might be time to get a shortstop in free agency, even though the club has two highly touted infielders coming up through the system (Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza). It's a loaded class, but money is, of course, the question. And it's definitely time to invest in more starting pitching. 

So this isn't all on Boone. There are areas of improvement for everyone, him included. His bullpen management was criticized late in the season and he'll need to find ways to get more out of struggling young players like Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar. He's well-liked by his players, many of whom will still be around for the next few years.

Much of this is on Cashman and the front office to set up their manager for success. 

It doesn't have to be a popular move to be the right one. 

The New York Yankees are hoping to improve their roster after a disappointing finish to their season, and general manager Brian Cashman already has a specific position on the roster he wants to address.

"Bottom line, shortstop is an area of need," Cashman said Tuesday.

The Yankees moved Gleyber Torres from shortstop to second base after his disappointing performance this season. Third baseman Gio Urshela was shifted to shortstop while DJ LeMahieu and Rougned Odor split time at third. Cashman added that he feels Torres is "best served" at second base.

This could be the perfect time for Cashman to be searching for a shortstop because this year's free-agent class is robust at the position. Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Javier Baez, Trevor Story and Marcus Semien are all set to hit the open market this offseason. Each of those players is a former All-Star.

Baseball columnist Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote that he believes Seager would be the best fit for the Yankees to pursue. Seager's lefty bat would help provide balance to a righty-dominant New York lineup.

The Yankees signed Aaron Boone to a new three-year contract Tuesday. New York has made five consecutive postseason appearances but hasn't made it to a World Series since 2009. Cashman, who has been the team's GM since 1998, accepted responsibility for the team's recent lack of success in the playoffs.

"Ultimately, it falls on me," Cashman said. "Obviously if [controlling owner] Hal Steinbrenner or anybody wants to decide to make some changes down the line, that's above me."

Cashman is currently signed to a five-year contract through 2022.     

New York Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu is expected to be ready for spring training after undergoing surgery recently.

General manager Brian Cashman told reporters Tuesday that the 33-year-old had core surgery with an eight-week recovery timetable. 

Cashman also provided injury updates on a few other players entering the offseason:

Injury updates from Cashman:
*Taillon to have surgery Oct 28 - five-month recovery
*Hicks hoping to play winter ball, should be fine by December
*Voit expects to be ready for spring training

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) October 19, 2021

Prior to their final regular-season series of the year, the Yankees placed LeMahieu on the 10-day injured list with a sports hernia. 

"We just feel like he is too compromised right now," New York manager Aaron Boone told reporters about LeMahieu's injury. 

Coming off a third-place finish in American League MVP voting in 2020, LeMahieu signed a six-year, $90 million contract extension last offseason. He led MLB with a .364 batting average and AL with a .421 on-base percentage in the 60-game season. 

The 2021 campaign was the worst season of LeMahieu's three-year run with the Yankees. He had a solid .268 batting average and .349 on-base percentage, but his .362 slugging percentage was his worst since 2014 with the Colorado Rockies (.348). 

An eight-week recovery timeframe means LeMahieu should be back at full strength around mid-January. 

Taillon will almost certainly miss the start of the season with a five-month recovery period. He aggravated an ankle injury during a start Sept. 28, but he was able to pitch one more time in the regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Rays five days later. 

Hicks only played in 32 games this season after suffering a wrist injury. The 32-year-old has missed 377 out of a possible 870 regular-season games in six seasons with the Yankees. 

Voit dealt with knee issues throughout the entire 2021 season. He was limited to 68 games, posting a .239/.328/.437 slash line in 213 at-bats. 

Assuming the season starts on time—a dicey proposition, given the uncertainty around the collective bargaining agreement negotiations—the Yankees will report to camp in mid-February.