Bronx Bomber Ball

Per reports from Jeff Passan and several other outlets, the Yankees are the first MLB team to report a case of coronavirus within its system.  

The criteria used to review first impressions of ace Gerrit Cole, the pitcher that Yankees fans have dreamed of for many a season, are different than I originally thought it would be.  

With Aaron Hicks undergoing Tommy John surgery in the winter and targeting a July/August return date, and Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge’s statuses for Opening Day unknown, the Yankees outfield could see some changes throughout the opening weeks of the season as players try to establish themselves as contributors to the team. 

One of the young guns making a ton of noise early on in the Spring has been 2017 first round draftee Clarke Schmidt. Schmidt did not see any action at all in 2017, as he underwent Tommy John Surgery in April – just two months before the draft – but the Yankees still liked what they saw in him and decided the take the risk.

Colorado Rockies’ star third baseman Nolan Arenado has not been shy this offseason about his desire to play elsewhere. This time last year, Arenado had just signed an eight year $260 Million extension and the Rockies were coming off back-to-back playoff appearances. This year, the circumstances aren’t nearly as happy for both sides. The Rockies had a disappointing 71-win season and are projected to be one of the worst teams in the league again. This prompted Arenado to request a trade this offseason, with the leverage of an opt-out clause following the 2021 season.



The Rockies would be scrutinized mightily if their star were to walk out after next season and they lose him for nothing but compensatory picks. This makes a possible trade much more likely, and a trade this offseason would net the team the most assets, as any team trading for Arenado would have him for at least two full seasons. So that begs the question: will the Yankees make a run for Nolan Arenado?
The short answer: No, A…

Look, I get it. Injuries happen.There’s no way around that.But the total shitstorm we are currently experiencing AGAIN has the feel of something much, much worse than just some early Spring Training getting-the-kinks-worked-out nonsense.  The Yankees are once again falling apart in front of us and it's not even March.  I am absolutely worried right now.

Brian Cashman says Luis Severino needs Tommy John surgery. — Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) February 25, 2020This hurts. After missing most of the 2019 season with a shoulder issue, Luis Severino's 2020 season has ended before it even began with the news today that he needs Tommy John surgery. 
Last week it was reported that Sevy would be returning to New York for further testing after feeling stiffness in his forearm, and this morning Brian Cashman announced the worst possible outcome. In the announcement, Cashman said that the plan is to get the surgery done as soon as possible, as he is currently evaluating which Doctor he will utilize to perform the surgery.

Following an injury-riddled season in 2019 where fans saw just one outing from 6’8” right-hander Dellin Betances, Yankees nation caught a case of the Christmas blues when word broke that he had signed a one-year deal that would send him across the East River to play in Queens. As a result of suffering a bone spur injury behind his right shoulder before Opening Day, along with tearing his Achilles tendon in his return on September 15, Betances missed virtually the entire season. Though the Yankees bullpen performed at an elite level in 2019 despite Betances’ absence, he is still one of the best relievers in baseball when healthy.

Despite being one of the team’s top starting pitchers for the entirety of the 2019 season, Domingo German was not a part of the Yankees’ postseason run due to his suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.  German was held out of the final week of the regular season, and the entirety of the playoffs - a total of 18 games in all - before finally getting hit with an 81-game suspension this winter that will carry into June.