New York Yankees

The New York Yankees balked at adding a third year to its contract offer for Justin Verlander, according to Brendan Kuty of NJ.com.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Monday that the New York Mets agreed to a two-year, $86.6 million contract with Verlander. Should the right-hander hit 140 innings pitched in 2024, there is a $35 million option in his contract that will vest for 2025.

In a vacuum, you can understand why a team would hesitate to commit up to three years to Verlander. He turns 40 in February and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020. Sooner or later, the three-time Cy Young Award winner will start to fall off, and it could be sooner rather than later.

However, this will be viewed by many as a missed opportunity for the Yankees.

The Bronx Bombers have the financial resources to not only sign Verlander but also insulate themselves from the consequences if he doesn't work out. They have a clear need to bolster the starting rotation, too.

There's no reason—other than the team ownership being too thrifty—for the franchise to not make this happen. Then you have the optics of the Yankees getting outgunned by the Mets, something that would've been unthinkable a generation ago.

The price for the next best starting pitcher on the market might even be too high for New York.

Kuty reported left-hander Carlos Rodón is hoping to sign a six-year pact that averages around $30 million annually, and it's unclear whether the Yanks are "in for around that kind of commitment."

Fans have been growing restless for some time at what they perceive to be a lack of ambition from the Steinbrenners. As long as the team remains one of the most valuable in sports, the owners don't seem to care much.

The New York Yankees are "very much" in on Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds, per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Mackey reported Saturday that Reynolds had requested a trade from the Pirates. MLB Network's Jon Heyman added that contract extension negotiations between the two sides had reached an "impasse," resulting in the trade request.

The Pirates released the following statement on Reynold's request, per MLB.com's Justice delos Santos:

"While it is disappointing, this will have zero impact on our decision-making this offseason or in the future. Our goal is to improve the Pirates for 2023 and beyond. With three years until he hits free agency, Bryan remains a key member of our team. We look forward to him having a great season for the Pirates."

Reynolds is not due to become an unrestricted free agent until 2026, so there's no desperation from the Pirates to move him. However, if they are overwhelmed by an offer, he could be on the move.

Reynold's trade request is somewhat of a surprise after he told reporters in October that he was looking forward to growing with a young Pittsburgh team.

"It's fun to have a consistent group that you're playing with," Reynolds said, per delos Santos. "Like I was saying with all the young guys, I think the future's bright, so obviously I'm looking forward to next year and the years after that. I think we're going to get better."

The 27-year-old has spent the first four years of his MLB career in Pittsburgh, bursting onto the scene in 2019 when he finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.

During the 2022 campaign, Reynolds slashed .262/.345/.461 with 27 home runs, 62 RBI and seven stolen bases in 145 games. His best season came in 2021, when he hit .302/.390/.522 with 24 home runs, 90 RBI and five stolen bases in 159 games en route to his first-ever All-Star Game selection.

If the Yankees were to acquire Reynolds, he would take over in center field for Harrison Bader. However, he could also be a fallback plan for the club if it fails to re-sign superstar outfielder Aaron Judge this winter.

It's unclear what it would take for the Yankees—or any team—to acquire Reynolds. However, it would likely take at least multiple top prospects.

The Baltimore Orioles are reportedly among the teams pursuing free-agent pitcher Carlos Rodón.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported the Orioles have joined the New York Yankees, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants in the mix for the lefty.

Rodón, who turns 30 on December 10, spent the 2022 season with the Giants. He went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA and 1.03 WHIP while striking out 237 batters in 178 innings pitched.

The Mets are expected to be active in the free-agent pitching market after losing Jacob deGrom to the Texas Rangers. Heyman reported the Mets' top focus at the moment is Justin Verlander, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see them get more aggressive with Rodón in the aftermath of deGrom's departure.

The Yankees have been more intently focused on Rodón as they attempt to shore up their rotation behind Gerrit Cole. It's likely they will lose Jameson Taillon to the open market this winter, and Rodón would be a significant upgrade in that rotation slot. The Yankees also remain intently focused on retaining AL MVP Aaron Judge.

The Orioles are coming off a solid 83-79 season and could see the playoffs on their horizon if they find consistency in the rotation. Baltimore finished 21st in starter ERA last season, and Jordan Lyles was the only starter who topped 150 innings pitched.

Rodón has some major injury concerns—the 2022 season was the first time since 2016 he'd topped 150 innings—but his top-of-the-rotation stuff is undeniable. Landing him would be a major coup for the Orioles and would strike a blow to the rival Yankees' offseason plans.

The Aaron Judge sweepstakes appears to be a two-horse race between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants.

Per MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Giants are a "very realistic possibility" for Judge, and the odds for both teams are "very close to 50-50" (starts at 4:55 mark):

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Wednesday that the Yankees have offered around eight years and $300 million for the 2022 American League MVP, but they could increase it.

The Giants' offer to Judge isn't known, though Morosi noted if they make an offer in the range of $40 million per season, they have a "legitimate chance" to sign him.

Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout is the highest-paid player in MLB based on the total value of his contract ($426.5 million) and the highest-paid position player by average annual salary ($35.5 million).

While it doesn't sound like Judge will approach the total value of Trout's deal, he could pass his average annual salary. An eight-year, $300 million contract would pay $37.5 million per season.

Pitchers Max Scherzer ($43.3 million) and Gerrit Cole ($36.0 million) are the two highest-paid players in MLB by AAV.

The Giants have long been seen as the biggest threat to sign Judge away from the Yankees. One person who met with members of the team's ownership group told Randy Miller of NJ.com in October they "won't be underbid" for the four-time All-Star.

Judge met with Giants officials for two days in San Francisco last week. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reported the Giants connected Judge with representatives for Stephen Curry, hoping the Golden State Warriors superstar could help their free-agent pursuit.

The Yankees have remained confident since free agency began that they will re-sign their superstar slugger. It seems unlikely they will make any other significant moves before he makes a decision.

According to Passan, Judge could make his pick during the winter meetings that begin Sunday in San Diego.

Judge hit the market at the right time after a historic 2022 season. He set an AL record with 62 homers and led MLB in on-base percentage (.425), slugging percentage (.686) and total bases (391).

The New York Yankees reportedly have made a big offer to 2022 American League MVP Aaron Judge with the hope of getting him to re-sign.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Yankees "have an offer on the table" in the range of eight years and $300 million.

Passan did note the team "could increase" the offer if another suitor makes a serious play.

The San Francisco Giants have been viewed as Judge's most likely destination if he leaves New York. It's unclear at this point if the Giants have made a formal offer, but they did host the four-time All-Star on a visit last week.

According to Passan, Judge will likely make his decision during the winter meetings that begin on Sunday in San Diego.

If the deal Judge signs is for $300 million over eight years, it will be the richest average annual deal for a position player in Major League Baseball history. Mike Trout currently holds the title with a $35.5 million average salary from the Los Angeles Angels.

Max Scherzer ($43.3 million) and Gerrit Cole ($36 million) are the top two players in MLB by average annual salary.

The newly reported offer from the Yankees is a significant increase over what they proposed to Judge before the start of the 2022 season.

General manager Brian Cashman told reporters on April 8 that Judge turned down an offer of $17 million for 2022 plus $213.5 million over seven years. The average value of the deal over eight years would have been $28.8 million.

Judge significantly increased his value with a historic performance last season. He set a new American League record with 62 homers and became the first player since Barry Bonds in 2004 with at least 11 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs.

The Yankees went 99-63 during the regular season and won the American League East for the first time since 2019. They defeated the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, but were swept out of the playoffs by the Houston Astros in the ALCS.

As is often the case during the offseason, some MLB teams might be in a holding pattern until the biggest fish in free agency gets reeled in.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Wednesday that "the high-end market could move, perhaps quickly" once Aaron Judge agrees to a contract.

According to Passan, the New York Yankees are prepared to offer around $300 million over eight years and might go higher depending on any competing bids.

Because of his asking price, Judge has a limited pool of suitors. In addition to the Yankees, the San Francisco Giants have met with the American League MVP. The Los Angeles Dodgers could make a run, too.

Even assuming those are the only three teams that are looking to sign the native of Sacramento, California, his decision will carry big implications.

The Giants could set their sights on one of the next best outfielders. Brandon Nimmo, Mitch Haniger and Andrew Benintendi are all available, while Cody Bellinger and Michael Conforto are both intriguing free agents.

Passan speculated the Yankees could take the money they earmarked for Judge and put it toward one of the top-end shortstops on the market, with Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson all likely to get nine-figure offers.

San Francisco could adopt the same approach if it wants to flex its financial muscle after missing out on Judge.

Wherever the 30-year-old winds up, some of the free agents might be waiting to see the final terms of his new contract.

Eight years and $300 million would give the four-time All-Star an annual salary of $37.5 million, eclipsing Mike Trout's $35.5 million average salary and setting a record for a position player.

You wouldn't expect another player to get a bigger contract than Judge, but a record-setting pact could help shape what the likes of Turner, Correa, Bogaerts, Swanson, Jacob deGrom, Carlos Rodón and Justin Verlander demand.

YES Network is open to adding Derek Jeter and Don Mattingly to its New York Yankees broadcasts for the 2023 MLB season.

"You don’t say no to Derek Jeter and Don Mattingly; if there is a place for them in your universe, you find a way to make it work," said John Filippelli, YES president of programming and production, to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post. "We haven’t had any in-depth discussion with either. If they are A) available and B) interested, you probably at least have to have a conversation."

Marchand reported Jeter "has shown no penchant for broadcasting" and is thus an unlikely candidate at this stage. Front Office Sports' Michael McCarthy reported in February that ESPN was looking to bring him in, but not much came from that. The legendary shortstop reunited with former teammate Alex Rodriguez for an episode of the "KayRod Cast" in August.

Mattingly, meanwhile, told Marchand he "[has] something else burning fairly hot right now." The 61-year-old left his role as manager of the Miami Marlins earlier this fall and may continue to harbor a desire to coach in MLB.

David Cone has been a fixture in the booth for years, but the five-time All-Star joined ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball team in 2022, which limited how many games he could work for YES Network.

Marchand wrote how YES "delved into free agency with mixed results" for its broadcasts.

Jeter and Mattingly obvious have the requisite qualifications as players. The former is a five-time World Series champion and the defining figure for the Yankees' dynasty across the 1990s. The latter was a six-time All-Star and the 1985 American League MVP during his 14 years in pinstripes.

Excelling in a given sport doesn't mean somebody can succeed when talking about it for a living. Jeter in particular would be an odd fit since he went out of his way to be mostly uninteresting when he played in the Big Apple.

Based on Marchand's report, the idea might be a nonstarter anyway.

New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton will face more pressure to stay healthy and carry the club's offense if Aaron Judge departs in free agency.

The Yanks can only wait as Judge, who set the American League record with 62 home runs this year, goes through his free-agent process. Nothing indicates he's leaning toward leaving the Bronx, but tension will remain until he announces his decision.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Thursday the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants remain the "biggest threats" to lure away the superstar outfielder, though the Yankees continue to hold the edge in the high-profile pursuit.

While New York appears to remain in a strong position to retain Judge, the question of what happens if he leaves is still part of the equation.

Some additions, either via trade or free agency, would be necessary to fill the massive void, but a healthy year from Stanton would also provide a massive boost.

The 33-year-old five-time All-Star made 158 appearances during his first season with the Yankees in 2018 but hasn't reached that number over the subsequent four years:

• 2019: 18 games played
• 2020: 23 (60-game season)
• 2021: 139
• 2022: 110

That equates to 53.1 percent of the Yanks' games since 2019.

Stanton's power numbers were strong in 2022. His 31 home runs equate to a 45.7-homer pace over a full 162-game campaign. His other numbers were underwhelming, however, including a career-low .297 on-base percentage.

It'll be important for the 2017 National League MVP to post an OBP closer to his career average (.354) should he slide up the order, likely to the No. 3 spot, if Judge exits. Paired with continued pop, that would help the Yankees offense remain afloat.

New York ranked second in runs scored (807) and fourth in OPS (.751) in 2022.

The Yanks would have no way to directly replace Judge if he lands in L.A., San Francisco or elsewhere. It'd require a team effort to make up for his MVP-level production. That effort would start with a monster campaign from Stanton.

The Yankees will hope it's a storyline they never have to explore and that Judge is back in pinstripes to open the 2023 season.

Toronto Blue Jays star Alek Manoah called out Gerrit Cole in a video published Monday, reviving accusations of cheating during the latter's career.

Appearing on Serge Ibaka's How Hungry Are You? (starts at 11:19 mark), Manoah named the New York Yankees ace for his alleged use of sticky substances in response to a question about "the worst cheater" in Major League Baseball history.

"He cheated," Manoah said. "He used a lot of, like, sticky stuff to make his pitches better. And he kinda got called out on it."

This isn't the first time a fellow player has accused Cole of using sticky substances to improve his arsenal.

Josh Donaldson, who is now Cole's teammate, threw out an accusation while speaking to The Athletic's Dan Hayes in June 2021.

"Is it coincidence that Gerrit Cole's spin rate numbers went down [Thursday] after four minor leaguers got suspended for 10 games?" Donaldson said. "Is that possible? I don't know. Maybe. At the same time, with this situation, they've let guys do it."

Donaldson was referencing four minor league pitchers who were suspended for using foreign substances during games.

In response to the accusation, Cole didn't deny that he had used something on the grounds of "customs and practices that have been passed down from older players to younger players."

Midway through the 2021 season, MLB did increase its efforts to crack down on pitchers' use of substances during games. Umpires now check a pitcher in between innings or if they get removed from a game to make sure they are on the up and up. Starting pitchers usually get checked multiple times per game.

Per Baseball Savant, the spin rates on Cole's fastball, curveball and changeup have decreased in each of the past three seasons. His fastball went from a peak of 2,530 rpm in 2019 to 2,505 in 2020, 2,452 in 2021 and 2,428 in 2022.

Cole's slider did tick up from 2,582 rpm in 2020 to 2,600 in 2021, but it dropped to 2,569 last season.

Of course, declining spin rates don't necessarily mean Cole was using a substance and stopped when MLB began enforcing its rules. It could be a natural function of aging and arm speed, as he's now 32 years old.

If nothing else, Manoah's comments will add fuel to the Blue Jays-Yankees rivalry as the two teams prepare to fight it out in the American League East next season.

Anthony Rizzo is hopeful of Aaron Judge returning to the New York Yankees for more reasons than one.

Fresh off re-signing with the Bronx Bombers, Rizzo would obviously love to continue playing alongside one of MLB's best players. In his mind, Judge's fate carries a larger importance, too.

"I hope Judge stays just for the sake of the game," he told reporters. "Because you see a lot of franchise icons not getting what they deserve for the team that they have done so much for."

As perhaps the most prestigious MLB franchise in the country's biggest sports market, there typically isn't much concern about one of the Yankees' top stars flying the coop.

And while team chairman Hal Steinbrenner isn't quite as free-spending as his father, signing Gerrit Cole to a nine-year, $324 million contract in 2020 showed ownership is still willing to go above and beyond for elite talent.

Judge could be an exception, though.

The Yankees made a final offer of seven years and $213.5 million to the four-time All-Star before the season got underway. He proceeded to hit an American League record 62 home runs and finish with a 1.111 OPS.

ESPN's Kiley McDaniel projected Judge to get a nine-year, $324 million deal this winter.

Despite how much his value has skyrocketed, you still assume New York to be his likeliest landing spot.

The Yankees can't afford to lose him, with their American League Championship Series exit exposing how dependent upon the 6'7" slugger they had become. They're also one of the few teams that can give him the money he wants.

It would be ironic if Judge weren't in pinstripes in 2023.

To Rizzo's point, the Yankees are usually the ones benefiting when a team doesn't properly value a homegrown star.