3:13 PM EDT, Thu March 28, 2024
Pinstripe Alley 8 hours ago
Keys for Nestor Cortes against the Astros

Keys for Nestor Cortes against the Astros

Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/ How to navigate the gauntlet of Houston’s Opening Day lineup. As recently as three weeks ago, the Yankees were among the minority of clubs around the league in having their Opening Day starter sorted. Reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole looked set to defend his crown a year after reestablishing the mantle as the best pitcher in the league. But then we learned the team’s ace would miss the first 10-12 weeks of the season with elbow inflammation, and all of a sudden the team’s plans for the starting rotation were...
Pinstripe Alley 9 hours ago
Today on Pinstripe Alley - 3/28/24

Today on Pinstripe Alley - 3/28/24

Photo by Bob Levey/ Let the games begin! Opening Day is here at last! We are READY for it. I’m not even afraid to use the all-caps. It’s merited! Today on the site, Peter will preview Nestor Cortes’ Opening Day start by strategizing how the southpaw can attack the Astros’ lineup, and Andrés will preview recent trade acquisition Jon Berti’s 2024 season. Sam will then opine about the Yankees’ unwillingness to add top-tier starting pitching despite Gerrit Cole’s absence, and Matt will remember the time 60 years ago when Whitey Ford started Opening Day as the...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 27, 2024
New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros: Series preview

New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros: Series preview

Photo by Adam Hunger/ The Bombers open up the 2024 season in Houston for an all-too-familiar matchup. Our long national nightmare is over, and the regular season is just about upon us. The Yankees wrapped up their spring schedule on Tuesday, and have headed down to Houston to kick off the 2024 season against the Astros. We won’t be seeing Gerrit Cole on Opening Day like we hoped, but these are real games with real stakes, and there is much to be excited about. Thursday: Nestor Cortes vs. Framber Valdez (4:10 pm ET) Behind the injured Cole, Nestor Cortes gets the nod...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 25, 2024
NYY news: The rotation is set

NYY news: The rotation is set

Photo by New York Yankees/ Luis Gil named fifth starter; Warren sent to Triple-A; DJ LeMahieu unlikely to be ready for start of season; Yankees’ bullpen starting to take shape; Carlos Rodón confident despite up and down spring. New York Post | Greg Joyce: In case you missed it yesterday, the Yankees officially made a decision regarding their fifth starter, naming Luis Gil. After an incredible spring, Gil locked down the spot that had been opened up by Gerrit Cole’s injury. Gil has some big league experience, including an impressive 2021 debut, but has missed most...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 24, 2024
Luis Gil named Yankees’ fifth starter

Luis Gil named Yankees’ fifth starter

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports Gil was named the winner of the fifth starter competition. Also, DJ LeMahieu is officially doubtful for Opening Day. Gerrit Cole’s absence for the first few months of the regular season as he recovers from elbow inflammation has left a Cy Young-sized hole in the starting rotation. No pitcher can fill that void. In the meantime, the Yankees compensated by moving their four regulars up a spot, leaving the fifth starter slot vacant. New York held a competition for the role this spring among guys like Luis Gil, Will Warren, Luke Weaver,...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 24, 2024
Doc Newton: The Opening Day starter who was gone within a month

Doc Newton: The Opening Day starter who was gone within a month

Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, New York’s Opening Day starter in 1909 pretty quickly descended from that spot. The news that Gerrit Cole is going to be out for at least a month or two to start the season was obviously a bit of a bummer. While the diagnosis could’ve been worse, his loss will likely be felt in some form or fashion. One thing that Cole’s injury has guaranteed is that his run of Opening Day starts will come to an end. Every year since his first with the Yankees in 2020, Cole has been tabbed as the pitcher to kick off every new season,...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 24, 2024
NYY News: Gil vs. Warren

NYY News: Gil vs. Warren

Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via It’s down to Luis Gil and Will Warren for the final rotation spot; the Mexico trip roster; an interview with Austin Wells; NY free agents with most at stake in 2024 NJ.com | Max Goodman: Ever since the injury to Gerrit Cole’s elbow was revealed, the biggest story at the Yankees spring training facility has been the competition for the fifth spot in the starting rotation. Although a slew of arms had been in the running, it seems to have become a two-horse race with just a few days to go: Luis Gil, the young starter who has...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 22, 2024
Fans surveyed for the 2024 MLB division winners

Fans surveyed for the 2024 MLB division winners

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports MLB fans were asked about the possible division champions. Which teams are predicted to emerge victorious? As has become a yearly occurrence, SB Nation came out with its MLB-wide survey assessing who the public thinks will take home each division. This type of exercise is always an interesting temperature check for the expectations around each club ahead of 2024. For the Yankees in particular, the timeline of this survey is of particular note given the recently confirmed absence of Gerrit Cole. To contextualize, it was taken over the...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 21, 2024
Yankees 2, Braves 5: Battery ready for Opening Day

Yankees 2, Braves 5: Battery ready for Opening Day

Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/ Nestor Cortes and Austin Wells are eyeing an end to the spring slate. Nestor Cortes never really envisioned a scenario where he would be starting Opening Day for the Yankees. But in a week, he’ll be getting the ball to kick off the 2024 campaign in Houston with Gerrit Cole on the shelf. Before that could happen though, he needed one more spring tune-up start on Thursday afternoon, and the NL East dynamo Braves sent out an intimidating lineup to face him at their North Port complex. Atlanta won, 5-2. Cortes threw 62 pitches in...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 21, 2024
The fifth starter competition: Gil and Weaver

The fifth starter competition: Gil and Weaver

Luis Gil | Photo by New York Yankees/ Among the competitors for the fifth starter gig, Gil and Weaver who can provide MLB experience. Will one of them get the nod? The Yankees have determined that Nestor Cortes will be their Opening Day pitcher next week. They haven’t, however, named the fifth member of their rotation to open the 2024 campaign. Gerrit Cole will miss some time recovering from an elbow injury, and in the meantime, the Yanks will need someone to join Cortés, Carlos Rodón, Marcus Stroman, and Clarke Schmidt. Who will be the chosen one? In a recent...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 21, 2024
NYY News: Monty talks resume

NYY News: Monty talks resume

Photo by Adam Hunger/ Yankees re-engaging with Montgomery; Judge returns to Yanks lineup; Verdugo covers minor league players’ haircuts; LeMahieu hopeful about his injury and Opening Day; Ohtani’s interpreter fired New York Post | Jon Heyman: Blake Snell is a member of the San Francisco Giants after signing his new deal. Now, the Yankees, who stopped talking to Snell after he rejected their initial offer, are still looking around for a pitcher who could come in and fill a starting spot while Gerrit Cole heals. Of course, there are some in-house options, but one...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 20, 2024
Yankees 12, Pirates 0: Judge returns, Stanton amazes

Yankees 12, Pirates 0: Judge returns, Stanton amazes

Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports The Yankees got their captain back, and just as encouragingly, Giancarlo Stanton looked as good as he has in years. Spread the news: Aaron Judge is back, and, just maybe, so is Giancarlo Stanton. It’s been a bumpy last week and a half in Yankee camp, with injury concerns arising regarding the Yankees’ most important players. While we won’t see Gerrit Cole for a while, thankfully, Judge’s oblique problems seem minor, and he and his slugging running mate showed out in a 12-0 win over the Pirates. The much-ballyhooed 2-3 combo...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 20, 2024
Yankees 2024 Season Preview: Luis Gil

Yankees 2024 Season Preview: Luis Gil

Photo by Adam Hunger/ Luis Gil’s return from injury has become one of the main stories of the spring. Let’s roll back the clock to August 2021 for a second, shall we? As the Yankees were in the process of trying to dig out of the sizeable first half hole they had put themselves into, the entire starting rotation decided to hit the injured list at the same time. With Corey Kluber, Domingo Germán, and Luis Severino already on the shelf, Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery found themselves on the COVID IL, forcing the Yankees to call upon a young right-hander in Luis...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 18, 2024
Yankees Making the Team Meter: Week Four

Yankees Making the Team Meter: Week Four

Injuries to Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge raise all sorts of questions. It’s a Monday in March, and you know what that means — it’s time for another edition of the Pinstripe Alley Making the Team Meter! As spring training goes, this week can be described as nothing short of a disaster for the Yankees: Gerrit Cole, Aaron Judge, and DJ LeMahieu were all sent for tests, with Cole set to start the season on the injured list with an elbow injury and Judge not having played since last Sunday. These injuries complicate what had already been an intense battle for the final spots in...
Pinstripe Alley Mar 18, 2024
Today on Pinstripe Alley - 3/18/24

Today on Pinstripe Alley - 3/18/24

Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via One last week of warmups starts today. Starting today, there’s exactly one week of spring training left. One week for some prospects and fringe candidates for the roster to make their case and claim a spot for the Opening Day team. There’s a high probability that some of the guys who miss the cut end up making it to the bigs at some point, but there can only be 26 guys at a time and the team has a number of interesting options to consider now that they’ll be running a different starter with Gerrit Cole on the shelf. The...

Gerrit Cole Photos

Yankees Player News