Chris Carelli, SNY.tv

The Yankees pushed ahead of the American League East with a strong first two months of the season and a fine start to June. However, since June 12, the Yankees are 3-10, which begs the question of whether they should be full-out buyers at the trade deadline.

The contention is not that the Yankees were flukes early on, but they had an awful lot of things fall perfectly into place for them. Of late, the Yankees have not been getting all the bounces, they've played a good deal of sloppy baseball and the injury bug seems to have infiltrated the roster. The truth is, the Yankees are far from one player away from pulling away from the pack and those are the types of teams that flat out buy at the deadline.

The Yankees have several areas which need refinement. The most glaring has to do with middle relief, which continues to be a plague to the Yankees. Yankees relievers have been an atrocity this month and for much of the season the bridge to the closer has been shaky at best.

The New York Yankees won the first game of their seven-game road trip Monday night against the Chicago White Sox. 

Elsewhere, Odell Beckahm Jr. was named the eighth best player in the NFL by NFL Network, the Mets trade rumors continue and the Nets introduce newcomers D'Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov. 

Jordan Montgomery struck out eight batters in seven strong innings while Tyler Austin hit his first home run of the season as the New York Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox, 6-5, Monday at Guaranteed Rate Field. >> Box score

Montgomery (6-4) allowed one run and five hits in what matched the longest outing of his career. After allowing back-to-back singles in the bottom of the third inning, he settled down to retire the next nine batters consecutively.

New York scored three runs in the fourth inning on an Austin sac fly, Chase Headley RBI single and Ronald Torreyes sac fly that turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead.

The New York Yankees are promoting minor-league infielder Tyler Wade to the majors and Jorge Mateo to Double-A Trenton, according to MLB.com's Matt Kardos.

Wade, 22, is hitting .313 with five home runs and 25 RBIs in 70 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He would likely take the place of second baseman Starlin Castro, who left Monday's game with a strained hamstring and may go on the disabled list.

Mateo is hitting .240 with four home runs, 11 RBIs and 28 stolen bases in 31 chances in 69 games with High-A Tampa. The 22-year-old shortstop is ranked MLB.com's No. 47 prospect and Keith Law's No. 55 prospect.

New York Yankees second baseman Starlin Castro suffered a strained right hamstring in Monday's game against the Chicago White Sox, according to ESPN's Andrew Marchand.

Castro left the game in the third inning when he pulled up short trying to beat out a ground ball. Manager Joe Girardi and trainer Steve Donohue examined him on the field, and Castro limped off it as he was taken out of the game.

He was 0-for-2 before he left, which dropped his batting average to .313. Rob Refsnyder replaced him in the field for the bottom of the third inning.

The injury is unrelated to the lingering wrist injury he has that caused him to miss Sunday's game.

New York Yankees RHP Adam Warren hopes to return from the disabled list next week for the team's last homestand before the All-Star break.

Warren last pitched June 13 and was placed on the 10-day disabled list on June 16 due to shoulder inflammation.

Warren has begun playing catch, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, and hopes to throw off a mound and throw one more bullpen session before he returns, according to NJ.com's Brendan Kuty.

New York Yankees designated hitter Matt Holliday will miss his second straight game on Monday against the Chicago White Sox reportedly due to fatigue stemming from an allergic reaction.

Holliday will undergo tests regarding an allergic reaction he initially suffered during the team's West Coast trip to Oakland.

The 37-year-old designated hitter had been feeling tired and threw up.

Holliday is hitting .262 with 15 home runs and 47 RBIs in 68 games this season.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge said he has not yet decided if he will compete in the Home Run Derby in two weeks, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Judge, who leads the majors with 26 home runs and leads the American League in batting average (.332) and RBIs (59), told reporters he has focused on playing games as opposed to the All-Star break.

The 25-year-old rookie leads all American League players with 3.44 million votes for the All-Star Game. Voting ends Thursday and the All-Star Selection Show is Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.

The Yankees (40-33) open a four-game set in against the White Sox (32-42) at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on Monday at 8:10 p.m.

The Yankees haven't discussed the possibility of designating RH reliever Tyler Clippard for assignment, GM Brian Cashman told the NY Daily News on Monday.

"If I feel that way, that's what we would do," Cashman said, whle speaking at Mariano Rivera's charity golf tournament. "You're the first person that's mentioned it. It's never come up. If that's something we choose to do (DFA Clippard) -- we just recently did it with (Chris) Carter -- the only time to talk about stuff like that is after you do it."

Clippard has allowed 10 runs on eight hits (including two home runs) while walking two and striking out one over his last three appearances (1 1/3 innings).

He has a 4.85 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with 35 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings (34 games) this season.

The Yankees annouced OF Jacoby Ellsbury has been reinstated from the 7-day concussion DL. 

He was shut down from all baseball activities during the first week of June due to concussion-related symptoms.

Ellsbury was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list on May 24 after he crashed into the center field wall during a game against the Royals.

He is hitting .281 with four home runs and 14 RBI so far this season. He also has 25 strikeouts to 13 walks and has scored 19 runs in 39 games played this season.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks is expected to miss three to four weeks with an oblique injury after leaving Sunday's game against the Texas Rangers, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

The Yankees announced Monday that they placed Hicks on the 10-day DL with a right oblique strain. 

Hicks left Sunday's game against the Rangers and was replaced by Mason Williams to begin the fifth inning. In the fourth inning, he twisted his body to catch a Jonathan Lucroy line drive, however it is unclear if that is when he sustained the injury.

After the game, Hicks told reporters he will go on the disabled list. He was hitting .290 with 10 home runs and 37 RBIs in 60 games this season.

The Yankees have recalled INF/OF Rob Refsnyder and RHP Ronald Herrera from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

LHP Tyler Webb and OF Mason Williams were optioned to Triple-A to make room on the roster.

Refsnyder, who had been sent down last week, was eligible to be called up before 10 days in the minors elapsed since he's replacing a player (Aaron Hicks) who is heading to the disabled list.

Michael Pineda was rocked by the Rangers, who hit three home runs against the right-hander on Sunday. The Rangers won the rubber match of the series, 7-6.

Elsewhere, the Mets sweep the Giants, Tim Tebow is promoted to High-A ball and the Yankees deal with injury trouble. 

Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge was the talk of New York's Old-Timers' Day at Yankee Stadium on Sunday.

"Unbelievable," Jorge Posada said to Daniel Popper of the Daily News. "I'm super happy for him. Great kid who has worked really hard to be up here, and it's not easy at his height to do the things that he's able to do."

"He makes this ballpark look like a little league ballpark," Goose Gossage said while watching batting practice. "I hope he sustains it. I hope that he builds on it. There's no place like playing in New York."

Both Posada and Tino Martinez said they have never witnessed a player with the type of power Judge possesses. Posada specifically mentioned the 495-foot monster home run Judge hit in Yankee Stadium earlier this month.

Michael Pineda struggled on the mound on Sunday, allowing three home runs as the Yankees fell at home to the Rangers by a score of 7-6.

Pineda was able to last only four innings, surrendering seven runs on six hits and a walk while striking out four. Six of the seven runs crossed home plate on the three deep balls.

The 28-year old entered yesterday's contest with a 6-1 record and a 1.92 ERA at home this season, but could not get into a groove on Sunday.

Pineda has now given up 17 home runs on the season, trailing only Masahiro Tanaka for the most allowed on the Yankees.

New York Yankees second baseman Starlin Castro said he expects to play Monday against the Chicago White Sox after missing Sunday's game with a wrist injury, according to the New York Post's Zach Braziller.

Manager Joe Girardi said Castro has been dealing with a wrist injury for six weeks and got a cortisone shot in his wrist on Saturday, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Castro, 27, is hitting .315 with 12 home runs and 45 RBIs in 72 games this season.

Michael Pineda gave up seven runs in four innings as the New York Yankees' comeback fell short in a 7-6 loss to the Texas Rangers on Sunday at Yankee Stadium. >> Box score

Pineda (7-4) gave up three runs in the first inning on an Elvis Andrus single and Adrian Beltre two-run home run, then allowed a three-run homer to Shin-Soo Choo in the second inning that put the Yankees down 6-0.

Gary Sanchez hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning that made it 7-4 and the Yankees added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on a Ronald Torreyes solo homer and Didi Gregorius RBI single, but Sanchez was thrown out at third base to end the inning.

The Yankees, after a walk-off win on Friday, fell to the Rangers, 8-1, on Saturday afternoon. Luis Cessa allowed three runs over five innings of work, but Tyler Clippard continued his struggles in the ninth inning. 

The Yankees have designated 1B Chris Carter for assignment and recalled INF Tyler Austin from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The move was completed following the team's 2-1 win over the Rangers on Friday, during which Carter went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. He had gone hitless in five of his last six games.

Masahiro Tanaka pitched eight scoreless innings and Ronald Torreyes drove in the winning run in the 10th as the Yankees edged the Texas Rangers, 2-1, on Friday night in the Bronx.

Tanaka delivered one of his best outings in what has been a trying season. He allowed only three hits, walked two and struck out nine. His matchup with countryman Yu Darvish turned out to be a classic pitchers' duel. Darvish was arguably even better than Tanaka, allowing two hits, walking nobody and striking out 12 in seven scoreless innings.

The game remained 0-0 until the top of the ninth inning, when Aroldis Chapman's third strike to Adrian Beltre got by Gary Sanchez, allowing Elvis Andrus to score. However, Brett Gardner's solo home run off Matt Bush tied the game in the bottom half of the frame and forced extra innings. Bush was still on the mound when Torreyes singled in Sanchez the following inning to win the ballgame.

The Yankees (39-31) open a three-game set with the Rangers (36-36) at Yankee Stadium on Friday at 7:05 p.m.

The Yankees allowed nine unanswered runs in a 10-5 loss Thursday night, as they dropped the series finale to the Angels. 

Elsewhere, the Mets continue their skid, the Knicks and Nets make their NBA draft selection, and the two local MLS teams gear up for the Hudson River Derby. 

Aaron Judge blasted his 25th home run of the year to help the Yankees jump out to an early 5-1 lead, but the Angels scored nine unanswered runs to beat New York, 10-5, at Yankee Stadium on Thursday. >> Click here for a full box score. 

Derek Jeter is closer to obtaining the necessary funds to purchase the Miami Marlins, but still does not have enough to complete the sale, according to The Miami Herald.

Jeter met with MLB Comissioner Rob Manfred and the Miami Marlins in New York on Thursday, and the meeting ended with the understanding that Jeter will continue to work towards finding the money he needs to buy the team, an MLB source said to the Miami Herald.

The Yankees have recalled LHP Tyler Webb from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and optioned INF/OF Rob Refsnyder, the team announced Thursday.

Webb, 26, has a 3.24 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 47 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings (21 appearances) this season for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

He has a 3.45 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in five minor league seasons.

The Yankees (39-30) finish a three-game set with the Angels (37-37) at Yankee Stadium on Thursday at 7:05 p.m.

The New York Yankees snapped their seven-game losing streak on Wednesday night. 

Elsewhere, the Mets lose to the Dodgers again, The Rangers lose Oscar Lindberg in the expansion draft and the Knicks fail to trade Kristaps Porzingis. 

The Yankees snapped their seven game losing streak with an 8-4 win over the Angels on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. 

Left-hander Jordan Montgomery allowed two runs on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings to earn the win. He lowered his season ERA to 3.74. 

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters Greg Bird was not ready for a return to the Yankees before facing a setback in Triple-A. 

Bird had a .143/.357/.238 slash line in six games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before fouling a ball of his injured right ankle last week. The team "pulled the plug" on his rehab after the incident. 

"The performance wasn't there," Cashman told reporters.

Though the Yankees dropped their seventh-straight game Tuesday, manager Joe Girardi is not panicking, per Brendan Kuty of NJ.com.

Girardi actually found something positive after the 8-3 loss to the Angels. He thinks his team's true colors are showing during the losing streak.

"I think you do," Girardi said when asked if his team can learn from the skid. "I think you find out a lot about the makeup of your club when you go through tough times. I think a lot of times you find out a lot more about your club now than you do when you're going through great times and how they respond every day."

Chris Carelli, SNY.tv

The Yankees lost their seventh straight game Tuesday and once again the main culprit was Tyler Clippard.

After the Yankees clawed back to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, Clippard immediately coughed up a home run to Cameron Maybin and then allowed a couple more hard hits before being removed by Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who said the right-hander "had another tough night." 

The Yankees bullpen allowed five runs in the late innings Wednesday against the Angels, dropping their sixth straight, 8-3. 

Elsewhere, the Mets are pounded by the Dodgers, the Nets acquire two players from the Lakers and the Knicks are reportedly mulling dealing Kristaps Porzingis. 

After New York fell into an early 3-0 hole, Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez homered in the fifth and sixth innings to help tie game, but Tyler Clippard and Jonathan Holder combined to allow five runs in the final three innings and the Yankees fell to the Angels, 8-3, at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. >> Click here for a full box score 

The Yankees (38-29) return home for a three-game set with the Angels (36-37) at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.

Aaron Judge said he has received an invitation to participate in the upcoming home run derby at Marlins Park in July, according to the Associated Press.

Judge said he was invited last week but has not yet made his decision. In April, he said that he would "probably do it if they asked me," according to NJ.com's Randy Miller.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi does not have a problem with Judge participating, and said the team's schedule will make it easier.

The Yankees suffered a terrible blow over the weekend when top prospect Gleyber Torres suffered a season-ending torn UCL in his non-throwing shoulder when he slid head-first into home on Saturday. Torres will undergo Tommy John surgery and hopes to be ready for spring training next year.

WIth Torres, who was expected to take over at third at some point in the near future, out of the picture for the rest of the season, New York might look to add a third basemen. Ken Davidoff of the NY Post explores several options for the Yankees at third base.

Chase Headley has been New York's starting third baseman this season, hitting .244/.329/.364 with four home runs and 29 RBI. Less than halfway through the season, Headley has already made 11 errors in the field, exceeding last season's 10 errors. With the 33-year old set to make $13 million this season and $13 million next season, the ideal scenario for the Yankees is for Headley's production to improve both at the plate and on the field.

The Yankees' tough week of baseball had its final blow Monday as news broke that their top prospect Gleyber Torres would require Tommy John surgery on his non-throwing arm after sliding akwardly into home plate. He was expected to make his debut in the majors at some point this season. The Yankees expect him to be ready just in time for 2018 Spring Training.

Elsewhere in New York sports the Mets dropped a slugfest to the Dodgers, a Jets legend passes away, and the NBA draft is just two days away. 

Top Yankees infield prospect Gleyber Torres needs Tommy John surgery due to the left elbow injury he suffered over the weekend, the team announced Monday.

He will miss the remainder of the season and is expected to be ready to return when spring training begins in 2018.

"It's difficult news, but at least it's a correctable problem," GM Brian Cashman said, according to the New York Daily News' Christian Red. "It's his non-throwing arm. He should be ready for spring training. He's young and has his whole career ahead of him. He'll return to form and still possess all of his abilities."

Yankees LHP CC Sabathia will likely miss at least six weeks due to his hamstring injury, GM Brian Cashman said Monday, according to Christian Red of the NY Daily News.

Sabathia was diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain after undergoing an MRI last week. 

He exited last Tuesday's start against the Angels after four-plus innings due to the strain.

New York Yankees minor league RHP Matt Marsh was suspended 50 games for failing a second drug test for recreational drugs, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

Marsh, 25, is 3-2 with a 2.49 ERA in 15 games with Double-A Trenton and High-A Tampa this season. Since he was promoted to Double-A, Marsh is 2-2 with a 3.68 ERA in 10 games, striking out 16 batters in 14 2/3 innings.

The Yankees signed Marsh as a non-drafted free agent in 2014. Since joining the Yankees organization, Marsh is 13-9 with a 2.42 ERA in 84 games (eight starts).

Chris Carelli, SNY.tv

The luxury of having a deep and talented farm system eventually develops into an "issue" - 40-man roster crunches.

The Yankees will have a multitude of 40-man roster decisions to make this winter ahead of the Rule 5 draft with a plethora of players requiring either movement elsewhere or being assigned to the Yankees roster, before potentially losing them to the draft. The 40-man roster can be a major guessing game; which players will mean the most to the team's future and which might be considered expendable? If the Yankees were wise, they would begin to make some of those decisions now versus waiting for the trade deadline or the winter in an effort to reduce some of the guessing.

The Yankees have made various transactions over the last several days which were directly affected by their desire to not disrupt the 40-man roster. The Yanks called up a Douple-A pitcher, Ronald Herrera, to add depth to the bullpen. The Yankees recalled Luis Cessa to make a spot start Sunday. New York decided to bring up Mason Williams to play center field in Aaron Hicks' absence. Beyond those recent moves, Rob Refsnyder remains a Yankee.

After a four-run third inning for Oakland, the Yankees fell, 4-3, as they lost their sixth straight game. 

Elsewhere, Jacob deGrom homers, Eric Decker heads south, Bradley Wright-Phillips scores twice and the Rangers, Islanders and Devils announce their protected players list ahead of the NHL Expansion Draft. 

Luis Cessa gave up four runs in four innings as the New York Yankees lost their sixth straight game in a 4-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Sunday at Oakland Coliseum. >> Box score 

Cessa (0-1) surrendered four runs in the third inning as the Yankees were swept in a series for the first time this season.

With the Yankees up 2-0, Cessa allowed a two-run double to Chad Pinder before Khris Davis hit a two-run home run later in the inning to give the A's a 4-2 lead.

The New York Yankees activated LHP Aroldis Chapman off the disabled list before Sunday's game against the Oakland Athletics.

Chapman went on the disabled list on May 14 with rotator cuff inflammation in his throwing shoulder.

Over the past 30 days, the Yankees' bullpen has six saves, six blown saves and a 4.03 ERA. "My team needs me," Chapman said, according to the New York Daily News' Mike Mazzeo.

Masahiro Tanaka allowed five runs and eight hits in four innings Saturday as the Yankees lost their season-high fifth game in a row as the A's won 5-2 in Oakland. 

Jonathan Holder allowed two runs in the eighth inning as the Yankees lost to the Athletics, 7-6, on Friday night. Luis Severino struggled in the second inning, allowing four runs, but settled down the rest of the way. Those were the only runs he gave up over six innings. >> Box score