Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

After signing catcher Yasmani Grandal on Wednesday, the White Sox are expected to pursue free agent pitcher Zack Wheeler, according to major league sources.

Wheeler, who has spent his entire big league career with the Mets, is also on the Yankees radar -- though the team seems initially lukewarm on him, at least compared to the big prize of the pitching market, Gerrit Cole.

There is reportedly a proposal under consideration by Major League Baseball that would eliminate roughly 40 minor league teams after the 2020 season, with the logic being that the elimination of those teams would lead to improvements -- including regarding ballparks -- throughout the minors.

If the proposal, first reported by Baseball America, comes to fruition, the number of minor league teams affiliated with Major League Baseball would drop from 160 to roughly 120. 

One of the teams that could be impacted is the Staten Island Yankees, currently the Yankees' Short-Season A-ball affiliate, and team president Randy Levine released a statement Thursday.

The Yankees announced a slew of moves Wednesday night, as the upcoming Rule 5 Draft made them switch up their 40-man roster to protect valuable assets within the organization. And as a result, veteran OF Jacoby Ellsbury was released by the team. 

With the move, Ellsbury's rough tenure with the Yankees officially comes to an end, as he had trouble coming back from injuries that included his oblique, back and hip. He needed surgery to repair his hip in 2018 and has been rehabbing since. 

But these injuries won't deter Ellsbury from returning. Just because the Yankees let him go doesn't mean the 36-year-old's career is over. 

The Yankees made the move to protect seven prospects and avoid December's Rule 5 Draft by adding them to their 40-man roster ahead of Wednesday's 8 p.m. ET deadline.

New York added OF Estevian Florial, RHP Deivi Garcia, RHP Luis Gil, RHP Brooks Kriske, RHP Luis Medina, RHP Nick Nelson and RHP Miguel Yajure to its MLB roster.

As corresponding moves, it released OF Jacoby Ellsbury while designating 1B Greg Bird and LHP Nestor Cortes for assignment.

Before the 8 p.m. ET deadline Wednesday for the Yankees' 40-man roster, New York made two major moves to create room.

The Yankees released center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and designated first baseman Greg Bird for assignment.

New York also designated left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes while adding outfielder Estevian Florial and right-handed pitcher Deivi Garcia, among seven additions to the 40-man roster.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Brian Cashman has made it known that the Yankees will be pursuing Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg this offseason. But landing either of them could be an uphill climb.

There is no mandate for the Yanks to get under the $208 million luxury tax threshold, so they should conceivably be able to outbid any team for Cole or Strasburg. But will that matter? Cole is rumored to prefer a team on the West Coast and the Nationals are expected to aggressively move on trying to retain Strasburg. 

Perhaps money conquers all and the Yankees get their man. But if they don't -- and they still want to add a pitcher with ace-level upside -- they'll need to have fallback options. Here they are, ranked...

The Yankees are interested in signing free agent starting pitcher Zack Wheeler. Here's the latest...

Nov. 21, 12:58 PM:

After coming to terms with Yasmani Grandal, the White Sox will pursue Wheeler, reports SNY's Andy Martino. 

Wheeler is also on the Yankees' radar, according to Martino, who adds that they seem "initially lukewarm on him" when compared to Gerrit Cole.

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Let's get this out of the way early: Derek Jeter should be elected unanimously to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Duh. 

Will he get 100 percent of the vote of the Baseball Writers Association of America in this election cycle? Well, that's one of the biggest questions this voting season, and it'll be a talking point until the Class of 2020 is announced Jan. 21. 

Does it really matter? Of course not. He's getting in next year, whether everyone votes for him or a few sit back and make him pay some sort of absurd "first-ballot tax" because he might not have had the same kind of monster career as, say, Hank Aaron. Or if they despise his fielding because the new defensive metrics weren't in love with the Yankee star. 

Yankees GM Brian Cashman has made it clear that the club will pursue free agent Gerrit Cole this offseason. Here's the latest...

Nov. 18, 9:08 AM:

There have been whispers that the California native Cole's preference is to sign with a team on the west coast, but one of those teams might not be in pursuit.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Most experts view the Yankees' farm system overall as middle of the pack, with many of their most exciting prospects -- including 16-year-old wunderkind Jasson Dominguez -- in the lower levels.

But the Yanks have a handful of prospects who could potentially make an impact during the 2020 season, including their No. 1 overall prospect.

Deivi Garcia, RHP

The diminutive Garcia (he's just 5'9") took the minors by storm in 2019, striking out 120 batters in just 71.1 innings as he stormed through High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton and his name began to surface in rumors as a potential headline piece for an impact pitcher at the trade deadline.

The 2020 National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has been released, and "The Captain" has made it. 

Derek Jeter highlights the multiple Yankees that are up for election, and it is safe to say he should be a first-ballot inductee. The real question is whether or not he'll join Mariano Rivera as a unanimous selection, after the legendary closer became the first member to be inducted with 100 percent of the vote. 

Playing all 20 seasons in pinstripes, Jeter was a 14-time All-Star that had a career .310/.377/.440 slashline with 3,465 hits -- the most in Yankee history. He collected the Rookie of the Year award in 1996 and his stardom only rose since then. Jeter also has the hardware with five World Series rings, while being named the World Series MVP in the 2000 Subway Series. 

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Brian Cashman said last week he has received numerous inquiries from teams about trading Miguel Andujar, and while Gio Urshela's emergence makes that idea tempting for the Yankees, the pros and cons of it lean toward such extremes that finding the right deal could be difficult.

Consider, for example, these contrasting points of view from two scouts I talked to this weekend:

"Andujar's ceiling as a hitter is so high that I'm not sure the Yankees could get anywhere near the value they should for him," one scout said. "He's got an innate ability to make contact, square the ball up and hit it hard, which everybody saw in his rookie year, and he'll only get better as he continues to see major-league pitching."

After the Yankees asked Major League Baseball to investigate the Houston Astros for whistling to convey signs in this year's American League Championship Series, the league announced that it found no evidence of wrongdoing, and left it at that.

As it turns out, the reality of the situation was a bit more complex.

A league official sitting on the dugout level did not report whistling. But when MLB reviewed video of Game 1 in Houston, officials did hear frequent loud whistling on the footage, sources told SNY. However, the league could not conclusively determine if the sounds were coming from the Astros dugout or the crowd.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

During the first game of this year's American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park, as the Yankees started jawing at the Houston dugout about sign stealing, Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron raised his middle finger and directed the gesture toward the opposing bench.

This infuriated New York's third base coach Phil Nevin, who yelled at Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, "Tell your f--king hitting coach I'm going to kick his f--king ass."

Managers A.J. Hinch and Aaron Boone also exchanged words, and the Yankees ultimately asked Major League Baseball to investigate the Astros for using whistling to convey pitches to their hitters (MLB said they found no evidence of wrongdoing in that instance).

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Tino Martinez can't believe it, either.

The former Yankees great is as perplexed by the club's recent championship drought as some of the Bronx Bombers' most ardent fans.

Much of the focus of the Yankees' offseason has been on their pursuit of Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg, but they also have big decisions to make on three of their own free agents.

Didi Gregorius (who the team did not extend a qualifying offer to), Brett Gardner, and Dellin Betances are all free to walk. And GM Brian Cashman doesn't seem ready to let all of them go.

Gregorius and Betances have the same agent, and Cashman said Thursday that the two sides sat down at the GM Meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz. to talk about Gregorius, with Betances "also in that conversation."

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

So Theo Epstein is open for business, seemingly determined to shake up a roster that has fallen short of expectations since the Cubs' curse-busting championship in 2016.

He told reporters at the GM Meeting in Arizona this week that "change is not always easy but it's necessary," and declared "there are no untouchables" when it comes to the possibility of a trade this offseason.

Yes, with his once-youthful core of position players now speeding toward free agency, and a payroll that went over the luxury-tax threshold this season, Epstein apparently is ready to consider any and all deals that could save the Cubs some money while still giving them a shot in 2020 at another championship.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman updated the team's pursuit of free agents Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg on Thursday night, and detailed his approach when it comes to how the Yanks hope to attract their targets to the Bronx.

"Everything we're getting right now is information, we're either providing (or) expressing interest," Cashman said while preparing to sleep outside Yankee Stadium to bring attention to Covenant House. "You get some definition of -- depending on the agent -- of what might be."

But it's so early in the process in my conversations with personnel that obviously, clearly, the bigger the name -- and they've earned the right -- the bigger the contract, the bigger the expectation, the bigger the money. There's gonna be some opportunities for people to take advantage of their great performance, obviously, in this marketplace. And they're gonna come out really well."

Cashman said on Monday at the GM meetings that the Yanks would pursue Cole and Strasburg, adding on Tuesday that he has "no mandate" from ownership to get under the $208 million luxury tax threshold.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks about his ninth sleep-out with the Covenant House.

Cashman has been on the Covenant House Board since 2011, mentioning that this is the foundation's largest fundraiser every year.

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

While Joe Torre says he won't be involved in Major League Baseball's investigation into the Astros, the league's chief baseball officer has no problem offering his strong opinion on the accusations that Houston used technology, including cameras, to steal signs during their 2017 World Series run:

"It's disturbing to me, I don't think there's any secret," Torre said Thursday evening. "Sign stealing has always been a part of our game, but in the legitimate way - you get to second base and if you see something the catcher is doing, you try to let the hitter know."

On Thursday night, Joe Torre was in attendance for his Safe At Home annual gala.

The former Yankees and Mets manager, and now Chief Baseball Officer for all of Major League Baseball, was asked to weigh in on the current sign-stealing accusations against the Astros, and while Torre oversees league operations and on-field discipline, he said that this topic doesn't fall under his umbrella. 

"That's the other side of the office, and I'm not copping a plea, but it's disturbing to me," Torre said. "I don't think there's any secret. Sign-stealing has always been a part of our game, but in the legitimate way. If you're at second base and you see something the catcher's doing, you try to let the hitter know." 

"But to use the technology, which you can't get away from, to get a leg up, I always want the ability on the field to determine who the winner is. I just don't think it's a level playing field and it's not good for our game."

Yankees' DJ LeMahieu has already been awarded a Silver Slugger this offseason, and on Thursday he followed that up by finishing fourth in AL MVP voting.

Angels star Mike Trout took home his third AL MVP award in the past six years, after receiving 17 of the 30 first-place votes and a total of 355 points. He beat out Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, who finished second after receiving the other 13 first-place votes and had 335 points. Oakland A's shortstop Marcus Semien finished third with 22 third-place votes and 228 points overall.

LeMahieu ended up with six third-place votes, 10 fourth-place votes, and a total of 178 points.

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Didi Gregorius came to New York nearly five years ago tasked with replacing a pinstriped legend at a high-profile position. He was the shortstop-after-Derek Jeter, but he never seemed to let that looming shadow engulf him and he crafted a strong career as a Yankee.

Now, however, Gregorius is a free agent and it's hard to peg whether his future is in the Bronx. Will the Yankees, who saw the value of depth last season, bring him back even though they have a potential replacement on the roster?

Or is Gregorius, the best free agent shortstop, headed for a nice multi-year deal elsewhere, even after his disappointing return from Tommy John surgery this year? 

As Yankees GM Brian Cashman assesses his 26-man roster for next season, he'll most likely take a long, hard look at Miguel Andujar. 

Why? Well, where does he truly fit?

He'll be 25 at the start of the season, and his 2018 campaign that saw him as the runner-up for Rookie of the Year made the Yankees very happy to see him trending in the direction of the other young superstars on their team. 

Former Yankees player and exec and new Mets manager Carlos Beltran was among those who played a "key role in devising the sign-stealing system" the Astros used in 2017, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. 

According to Rosenthal, Red Sox manager Alex Cora -- who was the Astros' bench coach in 2017 while Beltran was a player in what was the final season of his career -- was among the other members of the Astros to play a "key role" in the sign-stealing.

Rosenthal added that MLB's investigation into the Astros is "virtually certain" to include interviews with current manager A.J. Hinch, Cora, and Beltran.

The Yankees have had more continuity at shortstop in the last 25 years than most teams could dream about.

Derek Jeter locked down the spot for a remarkable 20 seasons, putting up a Hall of Fame career in pinstripes. Then, Didi Gregorius was acquired from the Diamonbacks after Jeter retired, and he went on to call the position home for most of five seasons.

But as of now, Gregorius is on the open market as a free agent, and the Yankees have many cards that they could play to fill that role. Perhaps they look at the trade or free agent market, or perhaps they look inward.

Gleyber Torres became the Yankees primary shortstop last season while Gregorius was recovering from Tommy John surgery, and is certainly in play to take over that role on a full-time basis moving forward.

As the collective baseball world convenes in Scottsdale, Ariz., for the GM Meetings, Wednesday saw super-agent Scott Boras take center stage.

Boras, who represents the biggest names on this year's free agent market, including Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, and Anthony Rendon, met with reporters to discuss the state of the game, from his perspective, and how the free-agent landscape looks heading into hot stove season. 

On Cole, whom the Brian Cashman has publicly declared the Yankees would be in on this offseason, Boras had a creative way of explaining how many teams he expects to be in on the superstar starting pitcher.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman said on Monday that the team has interest in free agents Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg -- the cream of the starting pitching crop. And there is no mandate from Hal Steinbrenner to get under the luxury tax. But there are lots of other strong options if Cole and Strasburg land elsewhere.

One of those options is Madison Bumgarner, who -- along with Zack Wheeler and others -- is part of the next tier of starting pitchers down from Cole and Strasburg.

And Cashman said late Tuesday that he plans to speak with Bumgarner's agents.

The Yankees hit the jackpot in the international free agency signing period this year when they landed their top prospect in the Dominican Republic's Jasson Dominguez. 

The 16-year-old, standing at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds is switch-hitter with uber amounts of talent and upside. But Baseball America, which does extensive research on the many prospects roaming around baseball, just released their grades for him. 

They're outrageous. 

The Yankees accused the Astros of whistling from the dugout as a means to steal signs during Game 1 of this year's ALCS. Houston Manager A.J. Hinch called those accusations "a joke." A new report, though, suggests those accusations -- first reported by SNY's Andy Martino -- probably weren't "a joke."

In a wide-ranging report by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers and unnamed sources shed light on an elaborate sign-stealing operation the Astros used during their championship season in 2017.

According to the report, the Astros utilized a camera in center field to relay signs, which is a violation of MLB rules. Once the signs were known, someone would bang on a trash can near the Astros' dugout to relay the kind of pitch that was coming.

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."