CBS Sports | Mike Axisa: The Yankees were slated to play two games in London against the Blue Jays on June 13th and 14th next year, but those plans have been scrapped due to a scheduling conflict. West Ham United is scheduled to play a soccer match at the London Stadium venue on May 24th and there will not be enough time to convert the stadium to baseball. It is not the first international series to get scrapped in recent years, MLB abandoning plans to play a series in Paris after failing to find
a promoter. The Yankees memorably kicked off the London Series against the Red Sox back in 2019, sweeping the two-game set as both teams combined to score 50 runs across the two games. The only remaining international series before the current CBA expires is set for April 25th and 26th next season in Mexico City between the Diamondbacks and Padres.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty ($): Kuty looks at three different positions that could have competition when it comes to a prospective postseason starting lineup. Shortstop is the obvious million dollar question given Anthony Volpe’s partially torn labrum and general poor play on both sides of the ball paired with José Caballero’s strong run in pinstripes. However Kuty believes that Volpe will be given preference based on recent comments from Aaron Boone, Volpe’s performance last postseason, and the Yankees desire to have the more versatile Caballero as a weapon off the bench.
The third starter in the rotation is also a conundrum between Cam Schlittler and Luis Gil. Both have looked dominant at times and untenable as a playoff starter at others, and Kuty bases his pick of Gil purely off playoff experience — Gil has it, Schlittler doesn’t. Finally, there’s the question of starting catcher. Kuty believes the Yankees will stick by Austin Wells and his elite pitch framing and defense despite a woeful year at the plate. Ben Rice will still have opportunities at first against righty pitching and behind the plate when Wells needs a night off.
MLB Trade Rumors | Darragh McDonald: When the Yankees acquired Caballero from the Rays at the deadline, they agreed to send Everson Pereira and a player to be named later to Tampa Bay. The Yankees announced that they have now completed the trade, Marshall Toole heading to the Rays as the PTBNL. Toole was selected in the 15th round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Wofford. The 22-year-old outfielder has posted an .885 OPS with 44 stolen bases in 96 games at Single-A Tampa this year and is seen as years away from the majors while Caballero has had an instant impact on the big league squad and their playoff ambitions.
NJ Advance Media | Max Goodman ($): Giancarlo Stanton’s return from injury is not the only reason that Jasson Domínguez has lost playing time. The left fielder recently had to undergo an emergency root canal to address a serious tooth infection, leaving him unavailable for the Boston series and the first two games against the Twins. Domínguez remains far from the finished product as a viable outfield defender, but it must be noted that he has held his own at the plate in his age-22 season, batting .258/.331/.391 with ten home runs, 47 RBI, 22 stolen bases, and a 103 wRC+ in 118 games.
