Twins manager Rocco Baldelli narrowly beat out Aaron Boone to take home the 2019 AL Manager of the Year Award.

The voting was extremely close, as both Baldelli and Boone finished with the same amount of first-place votes, but Baldelli received four more second-place votes to swing things in his favor.

There's no denying Baldelli had an excellent debut season as the Twins' manager. Taking over for a team that won just 78 games in 2018, Baldelli led the Twins to a 101-win season and a trip to the ALDS.

While going after the big-name starting pitchers on the free agent market may be the top priority for the Yankees this offseason, the team's situation at shortstop is certainly worth keeping an eye on.

SNY's Andy Martino has previously reported that the Yanks are not expected to pursue Didi Gregorius, who's manned the position for them since Derek Jeter retired after the 2014 season, "very aggressively," and at least one other team has already been rumored as a possible destination for the 29-year-old.

Speaking at the GM meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Tuesday, Brian Cashman spoke about the future of the position for the team, discussing both internal and external possibilities.

At the GM Meetings down in Scottsdale, Yankees GM Brian Cashman spent some time talking to reporters on Monday night to discuss a plethora of topics. None, though, were more important than his comments on the luxury tax. 

Whether or not Cashman will be allowed to exceed the $208 million luxury tax for 2020 will determine who he can go after in free agency. And by who, it would be a player like Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg -- the top two pitchers on the market.

At the moment, Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner has not given Cashman a directive for managing his offseason spending, so passing that luxury tax threshold to sign an elite free agent could be in the cards. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Brian Cashman confirmed on Tuesday that the Yankees will engage with free agent starter Gerrit Cole. That pursuit is likely to take months, but early word is that another potential Yankee target might choose his next team sooner than later.

According to industry sources, agent Scott Boras has indicated to teams that Cole is unlikely to sign anywhere before January, but the markets for Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon should move faster than expected.

The Yankees will also pursue Strasburg, at least to some extent. They are almost certainly not interested in Rendon because of their belief in the futures of Gio Urshela and Miguel Andujar.

The Yankees decided against extending a qualifying offer to free agent Didi Gregorius, and now it seems they may be content to let him walk to a new team without trying too hard to bring him back.

Industry people do not expect the Yanks to pursue Gregorius "very aggressively," SNY's Andy Martino reported on Monday night.

Martino reported on Nov. 7 that it was a close call regarding whether or not Gregorius would return to the Bronx in 2020, but that Gregorius' side did not think a "pillow contract" -- the term for a one-year deal to restore health or value -- was necessary since he came back from Tommy John surgery in June and has already proven his health.

Both Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg will be on the open market this offseason, and according to Yankees' general manager Brian Cashman, the team will be looking at one or both of the starting pitchers.

Speaking to reporters at the GM Meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., Cashman knows the price will be high, but says the team will certainly do their due dilligence when it comes inquiring about the right-handers.

"We're going to talk to Strasburg. We're going to talk to Cole," Cashman said. "We're going to talk to the higher-end guys and talk to some surprise guys I'm sure. It's hard to predict, but obviously anybody would have interest in players like that.

Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen already said he's going to take a look at what can be done to improve the team's bullpen this offseason. 

Could that start with someone in their own backyard? 

According to SNY's Andy Martino, the Mets are looking at Yankees' free agent Dellin Betances as an option to bolster their bullpen. 

Carlos Mendoza will become the Yankees' new bench coach, replacing Josh Bard, reports WFAN insider and SNY Contributor Sweeny Murti. 

Mendoza, 39, had been the Yankees' infield and quality control coach since 2018. As quality control coach, he helped to serve as a bridge between the front office and dugout. 

Prior to joining the Yankees' big league staff, Mendoza worked in the minors for New York from 2012 to 2017 in various capacities, including manager of Single-A Charleston in 2012 and infield coordinator from 2013-2017.

The annual GM Meetings take place from Nov. 11-14 in Scottsdale, Ariz. On hand will be Yankees GM Brian Cashman and his staff, along with representatives from the 29 other teams.

While the big event of the offseason is the Winter Meetings each December, things often start to take shape at the GM meetings.

Here are five questions Cashman should be asked as the GM Meetings begin...

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

We'll be talking about Pete Alonso and Aaron Judge for years to come, especially if their careers keep soaring from here. How lucky are we to have dueling sluggers with personality plus tearing up the same baseball town at the same time? 
 
Alonso, who broke Judge's rookie home run record last season, likely will add another connection to Judge on Monday, when the National League Rookie of the Year is announced. The Mets first baseman must be the choice, unless there is a significant tear in the space-time continuum or something similarly seismic. Judge won the AL Award in 2017 when he set the homer record Alonso (53 homers) eventually beat by one. 
 
With all these links between the two, comparisons are natural. Who's better? Where will their careers end up? SNY asked some baseball brains to talk about the similarities and differences between the sluggers and we looked at some numbers from their respective rookie seasons. 

The Yankees recently elected not to extend a qualifying offer to Didi Gregorius, and now suitors are starting to line up for the shortstop's services.

According to MLB Network's Jon Heyman, the Cincinnati Reds have interest in the 29-year-old. The Reds signed Gregorius as an amateur free agent back in 2007, and he made his MLB debut for the team in 2012.

SNY's Andy Martino has previously mentioned the Reds and the Brewers among the teams who could be in the mix for the left-handed-hitting shortstop.

The MLB's domestic violence case against Domingo German is entering its final stages and could be resolved within the next few weeks, it was reported by Ken Davidoff and Dan Martin of The New York Post.

German's offenses reportedly aren't as egregious as those of Astros closer Roberto Osuna, who served a 75-game suspension, but are considered worse than those of Mets reliever Jeurys Familia, who was suspended for 15 games, per the Post's reporting.

German missed the final nine games of the regular season and the nine games the Yankees played in the playoffs, so it is unclear whether or not those games will be included as time served once the numbers are decided on by the MLB.

The Yankees have found their new pitching coach.

SNY's Andy Martino has confirmed that the Yankees are hiring Matt Blake as their new pitching coach. Blake was previously a pitching coordinator with the Indians and was also an area scout for the Yankees. 

ESPN's Jeff Passan was the first to report the hiring. 

On Thursday, it was announced that Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu has won the AL Silver Slugger Award.

It's the first Silver Slugger of LeMahieu's career, as it comes in his first season in the American League where he batted .327 and set career-highs in three major categories: 26 home runs, 33 doubles, and 102 RBI in 145 games.

LeMahieu can add this accolade to his long list of awards, including three Gold Gloves (2014, 2017, and 2018) and three All-Star appearances (2015, 2017, and 2019).

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Every New York sports fan has their one favorite player or coach, past or present, that they absolutely love. They've given years of service to help your favorite team win, and they've done so while playing or managing at the highest level. 

But not every marriage has come to a happy ending in the Big Apple. 

While this city has had its fair share of legends on every team, there have also been some pretty bad breakups throughout each league. And, as agents of chaos in this case, we're here to remind you of some of the ugliest divorces that your favorite teams have seen in recent years. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Not long ago, it seemed assured that Didi Gregorius would remain a member of the Yankees' new core, not a homegrown player but one essential to their culture.

He had already effectively replaced an icon in Derek Jeter. Fans liked that he tweeted emojis. The front office liked his personality and production.

After a tough season returning from Tommy John surgery, Gregorius' future is far murkier. There are signs that the player and team are apart on value, and that other clubs are more likely to pursue him in free agency.

The Yankees quickly retained Brett Gardner after the 2018 season and it seems like they could strike quickly on him again.

Gardner, who is an unrestricted free agent, is in talks with the Yankees about a potential return in 2020, Jon Heyman reported on Thursday.

It would not be a surprise if a deal for Gardner got done similarly quickly to the one-year deal the Yanks agreed to with CC Sabathia during last year's GM Meetings, SNY's Andy Martino noted, calling a reunion a "no brainer."

Aaron Judge is known for his bat, but he has been just as big for the Yankees in the field.

And on Wednesday, he received recognition from Major League Baseball for his efforts.

MLB announced the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Awards with New York's star right fielder among the nine players honored.

CC Sabathia announced his retirement after the ALCS, but he might not be done helping the Yankees.

Sabathia has spoken to fellow California native Gerrit Cole -- the best free agent starting pitcher on the market and a potential Yankees target -- "many times" about what it's like to play for the Yankees.

"If you give that m-----f---er enough money, he's going to want to come here," Sabathia said in a clip from his latest R2C2 podcast. "I am speaking from experience."

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Clint Frazier, his "legendary bat speed" and all, has been a magnet for attention in his young career. That doesn't figure to change this winter when the Yankees probably have to determine once and for all whether he's a trade chip or a promising cog in their outfield. 

Trouble is, there isn't an easy answer. 

Frazier, who's still only 25, was the headliner in GM Brian Cashman's widely-praised deal that sent ace reliever Andrew Miller to the Indians at the 2016 deadline. He was the fifth pick in the 2013 MLB Draft and most believed he'd morph into an offensive force. 

Former Yankee and current YES Network analyst David Cone interviewed for the team's pitching coach vacancy, per YES Network's Jack Curry. 

Cone told Curry that the process, which involved GM Brian Cashman, manager Aaron Boone and other Yankees officials, was "interesting." And while conveying his joy in interviewing for the role in the first place, he said he is unsure "where things will go from here."

The Yankees wanted a change from Larry Rothschild, who was fired after spending nearly a decade in the position for the pinstripes. Cone, though, doesn't have any big league experience, as he went right into the broadcast booth following his first retirement (he tried a comeback with the Mets in '03 but it didn't work out).

The Yankees fell short of a World Series title in 2019, but it was still a successful campaign.

Manager Aaron Boone was at least acknowledged for that path traveled.

Boone was named an American League Manager of the Year finalist, Major League Baseball announced on Monday. 

Didi Gregorius is officially a free agent after the Yankees didn't extend the qualifying offer to the shortstop.

The Yankees had until 5 p.m. on Monday to extend the $17.8 offer to Gregorius. If they did so and he rejected it, the Yankees would have received a compensatory pick. 

This move isn't too surprising from the Yankees, as it was always a toss-up as to what they would do regarding the veteran shortstop. Gregorius didn't have the best 2019 season to give himself a strong case for a new contract. After recovering from Tommy John surgery, Gregorius returned in June, but didn't have that good of a year at the plate. 

After months of rehabbing, Yankees RHP Dellin Betances finally returned to the mound just to get injured once again. After a scoreless inning against the Blue Jays, it was later revealed that Betances had partially torn his Achilles and would hit the IL to start rehab on that injury. 

But now it looks like he might be ready for Spring Training next season. 

According to SNY's Andy Martino, Betances "will be fully recovered" from his injury in December, and will resume the offseason like he normally would heading into the new year...

The National Baseball Hall of Fame released their 2020 Modern Baseball Era ballot, and three former Yankees have made the cut in Thurman Munson, Don Mattingly, and Tommy John. 

First, for those that don't know what this particular ballot is, the Hall of Fame has multiple ballots for players that missed out on their chances in the original ballot. There is also the Early Baseball (Prior to 1950), Golden Days (1950-1969), and Today's Game (1988 to present) ballots. 

Munson quickly became a fan favorite with the Yankees when he won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 1970, and he would put together the accolades to be considered for the Hall soon there after. He played all 11 seasons in pinstripes, with a .292/.346/.410 slash line with 113 career homers and 701 RBI. He made seven All-Star teams, six of which came in consecutive seasons from 1973-1978. 

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

In trying to predict what the Yankees might do this off-season, only one question really matters for a team that is loaded in so many areas:

Are they ready to open the vault for the best pitcher in baseball at the moment? 

I believe they are, even if it's partly as a response to public pressure to win another championship. Other than that, it looms as a fairly quiet winter for a team coming off back-to-back 100-win seasons. 

Aroldis Chapman has reached a new deal with the Yankees and will remain with the team through the 2022 season, it was first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Chapman added an extra year at $18 million to go with the existing $30 million he was set to receive over the next two seasons, so now the Yanks will give the closer $48 million over the next three years.

Chapman was in talks with the Yankees to try and rework the remaining two years and $30 million left on his contract, it was reported ealier in the night on Saturday by MLB Network's Jon Heyman, and it looks that the two sides came to a quick agreement.

On the same day he celebrated winning the World Series with a parade in Washington, Stephen Strasburg opted out of the final four years and $100 million left on his contract to become an unrestricted free agent.

Strasburg, who was named the World Series MVP, now officially joins Gerrit Cole at the top of the starting pitcher market, a place the Yankees will do most of their big shopping this offseason.

Despite his opting out, Strasburg isn't immediately expected to leave Washington, as he has grown comfortable with the city and would rather not be in the spotlight of an ace pitcher on a new team, SNY's John Harper said in a column earlier this week.

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter | : 

Bang your bat on the dugout ceiling if you want Brett Gardner to return to the Yankees in 2020. 

That thumping you hear? Might be GM Brian Cashman or manager Aaron Boone whaling away with a Louisville Slugger. 

And why not? The Yankees could use Gardner for a 13th season in pinstripes. And not just because Aaron Hicks recently had Tommy John surgery and figures to be out for at least eight months.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Yankees have a lot of decisions to make with their own free agents, including the futures of Brett Gardner and Dellin Betances. But they're already on the clock when it comes to perhaps their hardest call.

New York has until Monday at 5 p.m. to decide whether to extend a qualifying offer to free agent infielder Didi Gregorius.

Aroldis Chapman "prefers" to remain with the Yankees, reports Jon Heyman. However, Heyman notes that if an extension can't be reached quickly, Chapman will opt out of the final two years of his deal and become an unrestricted free agent.

Chapman, 31, has $30 million remaining ($15 million in both 2020 and 2021) on the five-year, $86 million deal he signed with New York before the 2017 season.

If Chapman opts out, the Yanks will have the option of extending a qualifying offer to him.

On Wednesday night, the 2019 MLB season came to an end with the Washington Nationals beating the Houston Astros in seven games in the World Series. Fans already looking forward to next season can now place their bets for the 2020 World Series winner.

According to DraftKings, the Yankees open with +550 odds to win the 2020 World Series.

They are tied with the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers for the best odds to win it all next season.

In a move that was expected, the Yankees have declined the $20 million option on Edwin Encarnacion for the 2020 season, making him a free agent.

The option for 2020 contained a $5 million buyout.

The 36-year-old Encarnacion was acquired by the Yankees from the Mariners in June in exchange for 19-year-old right-handed pitching prospect Juan Then. The Mariners also paid down a significant portion of Encarnacion's remaining salary for 2019.

The 2019 MLB season is officially over, as the Nationals defeated the Astros in Game 7 to capture their first World Series title. 

And now Gerrit Cole is officially a free agent. 

Cole fully recognized that fact after suffering a loss at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday night. The media wanted to talk to Cole after the game, and he was reportedly hesitant to speak after saying this...

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With the World Series over (unfortunately without the Yankees starring in it), the hot stove season -- free agency, trades, and all the intrigue -- is officially here.

For the Bombers, they have eight players potentially set to hit free agency. And there's a strong chance that all of them will be playing for new teams in 2020.

The Yankees have a few top players who could hit the market, like Aroldis Chapman, Didi Gregorius, Dellin Betances, and Brett Gardner. So what should the Yanks do? Who should they bring back? 

Aaron Hicks underwent successful Tommy John surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, he posted Wednesday in an Instagram story.

Hicks provided an update on his health and looked ahead to a return for the 2020 season, which he said would be "bigger and better."

"Surgery went well," Hicks said. "Thanks for all the prayers and support."

The Yankees, who fired pitching coach Larry Rothschild on Monday, have interviewed "rising star" Chris Fetter to be his potential replacement, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. 

According to Passan, Fetter has drawn lots of interest from other major league teams, with the Mets among them. 

Fetter, 33, has been the assistant coach/pitchers for the University of Michigan since 2018.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

If the so-called robot umpires are the future for baseball, and certainly the questionable home plate umpiring in the World Series has produced a new outcry toward that end, then Frank Viola figures he'll be remembered for something more than winning a World Series MVP and an American League Cy Young Award. 

"I was the first guy thrown out of a robotic-umpire game," Viola says with a laugh over the phone. "I'm in the history books."

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

It's obvious that Gerrit Cole should be far and away the Yankees' top priority this offseason. But what if he really is determined to play in California, as so many people seem to think? 

Or what if Hal Steinbrenner isn't ready to break the budget for an ace? Where would Brian Cashman turn, then, for top-notch starting pitching -- the Yankees' only real need this winter? 

They will be looking for someone who can dominate a postseason start, not a regular season innings-eater, so that narrows the field considerably. 

The Yankees will be looking for a new pitching coach as Larry Rothschild was fired on Monday, the team announced.

Rothschild has held the position since 2011, and has helped the pitching staff stay at the top of the league each season. However, with one year left on his contract, the Yankees decided to move on and try someone else in the role. 

"I want to personally thank Larry for his near decade of commitment to this organization," Cashman said in an official release. "Larry cares deeply about his craft and the pitchers under his tutelage, and he played a significant role in our successes over the past nine seasons. There's a reason why Larry has had the type of distinguished baseball career he's had, and it starts with experience and dedication that is difficult to emulate."

Yankees pitcher Aroldis Chapman has been named the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year. He'll be presented with the award prior to Game 4 of the World Series on Saturday.

Chapman was named to the All-Star team for the sixth time in his career in 2019 and finished the season with 37 saves (one shy of his career high), a 2.21 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 57 innings. 

The left-hander is the second Yankee to win the award, which was introduced in 2014 when MLB began giving a Reliever of the Year honor to each league. Andrew Miller earned the title in 2015. 

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Yankees enter the 2019-20 offseason looking to add to a team that came up just short of reaching the World Series this past season. They don't have many big decisions to make (more on that below), but have been both first and second-guessed about their continued lack of reliable ace-level starting pitching.

With Gerrit Cole about to hit the free agent market (the Yanks are expected to at least try to sign him) and other enticing starting pitching options expected to be available, the Yanks have a chance to drastically improve their rotation.

As they look to improve, the Yanks already have a lot committed to payroll for 2020 -- a number that will likely hover right around the luxury tax threshold. Their payroll obligations drop significantly starting in 2021. Here'a a deep dive...

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter | : 

Gary Sánchez might be the most polarizing Yankee not named Giancarlo Stanton. He's a slugging wunderkind but went so cold both at the plate and behind it during the Postseason that he's sparked public debate over whether he should be in pinstripes next year.

But if GM Brian Cashman's comments Thursday are any indication, Sánchez isn't going anywhere. Cashman, a longtime defender of Sánchez, says the 26-year-old is a fixture who is "part of the solution" in Yankeeland.

"I thought Gary Sánchez had a great season, obviously outside of the injuries," Cashman said during his season wrap-up press conference at Yankee Stadium.

It was just one year ago that Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters that Didi Gregorius needed Tommy John Surgery. Fast forward to Thursday's end-of-season news conference, he deliver the same news -- this time regarding Aaron Hicks. 

Hicks needs the surgery to repair a torn UCL in his throwing elbow, and he'll need about 8-10 months to recover. That means the Yankees will need to prepare without Hicks for a good chunk of the first half of the new season. 

So who should fill in his center field role in the meantime? 

Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu has been named a finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award.

LeMahieu played multiple positions for the Yankees this season due to injuries, but played second base in 75 games, including 66 starts. He recorded a .993 fielding percentage and only had two errors.

The other finalists for the AL 2B Golden Glove are Houston Astros star Jose Altuve and Yolmer Sanchez of the Chicago White Sox.

CC Sabathia threw his last pitch at Yankee Stadium in Game 4 of the ALCS, walking off the mound to an ovation after a shoulder injury forced him to head off. However, if that gruesome shoulder injury didn't take place, Sabathia revealed that he would've come back for his 20th MLB season. 

Yes, you read that correctly. But it wouldn't have been as a starter. On the latest episode of Sabathia's "R2C2" Podcast with YES Network's Ryan Ruocco, Sabathia said he liked being in his bullpen role and thought he could certainly work in it next season. 

"Oh, next summer I would've been coming back for sure. 1000 percent," Sabathia said. "If I didn't do that with the shoulder, I would've been coming back."

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Yankees were first-guessed last offseason and again at the trade deadline when it didn't seem they would add more impact starting pitching, and were second-guessed when that choice to not add wound up happening.

They were also first and second-guessed when not trading for Justin Verlander (August of 2017) and Gerrit Cole (January of 2018), and not ponying up enough money to sign Patrick Corbin (December of 2018).

On Thursday, when reminded that the above three pitchers were currently pitching in the World Series and asked if the Yankees regretted passing on them, GM Brian Cashman stood behind the team's decisions during an at-times animated exchange with Sweeny Murti of WFAN.

During his end of season news conference on Thursday, Yankees GM Brian Cashman revealed that Aaron Hicks will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair his UCL in his right elbow. The procedure will take place in Los Angeles on Oct. 30, and the expected recovery is around 8-10 months.

Hicks was battling to return to the Yankees toward the end of the season after what was called a right elbow flexor strain at the time. He was performing baseball activities, but wasn't able to throw for awhile. Hicks fought through it and eventually made his way onto the Yankees' ALCS roster. 

This is the same news Cashman dropped last year in the same news conference, which involved Didi Gregorius needing to undergo Tommy John surgery as well. He returned on June 7 this season. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Remember last October, when we reported that the Yankees did not plan to strongly pursue Manny Machado, and weren't interested in Bryce Harper at all?

Well, we bring more hopeful news today. Slightly.

Our early feel, based on conversations with major league sources, is that the Yanks are expected to engage on Gerrit Cole, for the simple reason that he's currently the best pitcher in baseball and would look great at the top of their rotation.