Carlos Rodón couldn't button his shirt by the time the 2025 season ended. Yet he kept pitching with an elbow that ached all season. For years, actually. Now that it's surgically repaired, the #Yankees' southpaw is hoping for an April return.

"I would concede it’s in his best interest to be getting everyday reps,” Brian Cashman said of Jasson Domínguez, but the #Yankees can't offer that in the majors as things stand. That could mean a demotion for The Martian.

“He looked like a Cy Young pitcher," Austin Wells said. “He looked like Gerrit Cole,” Aaron Boone added after the Tommy John recipient's first pen of the spring impressed onlookers. Cole was also pleased, but he's not getting ahead of himself. #Yankees

A new ep of The Bronx Beat is out, and it features our first guest: @chriskirschner.bsky.social! We talked about Cam Schlittler's inflammation, a bunch of #Yankees notes from the early days of camp, and what this time of year is like from a reporter's perspective.

The #Yankees have found another flier for their bullpen: Rafael Montero. The vet finished strong with DET last season & can get hitters to chase, but walks were a problem for him in 2025.

As Max Fried embarks on his second season with the #Yankees, he is using his ALDS clunker vs. the #BlueJays — which included some pitch-tipping concerns — as fuel. "That definitely left a bad taste in my mouth and motivated me throughout the offseason.”

Cam Schlittler said he has "zero" concern about his back inflammation (he also said his lat has bugged him). Here's everything you need to know about the aches and Schlittler's timetable. #Yankees

“He definitely has the potential to do great things,” Paul Goldschmidt said of Ben Rice. With the #Yankees set to lean on the latter, the former is embracing being a role player in this late stage of his career.

As #Yankees camp began, players endorsed the return of a similar roster: “We’re running it back because at the halfway point [last season], we thought we built a team that was going to go to the World Series, and we still believe that wholeheartedly."

A new ep of The Bronx Beat is out! In it, @ryangarciaesm040.bsky.social & I discuss the Paul Goldschmidt signing & its impact on Ben Rice/the #Yankees' bench, the Bombers' risky bullpen approach, why spring training is the best time of year for beat writers & more:

With #Yankees camp about to open, here are some names and competitions to keep an eye on this spring:

Don’t let New York’s frigid weather fool you: spring training is about to begin. With that in mind, here are a few of the big storylines and questions surrounding the #Yankees heading into camp:

Episode 2 of The Bronx Beat is out! In this ep, @ryangarciaesm040.bsky.social & I talk about the #Yankees' search for a righty bat, NRIs I want to get a look at in camp, and some friendly spring training reminders. Stick around for my Tampa dining recommendations!

Episode 2 of The Bronx Beat records in a bit. Gonna take a few more mailbag questions, so if you've got any good buzzer beaters, drop them in the replies! Thanks to everyone who tuned into the first show! 👇

Here's a quick breakdown of the #Yankees' NRI list, which includes pitching prospects Carlos Lagrange and Ben Hess.

Filled in on the @viewsfrom314ft.com pod with @pamsson.bsky.social again today. We were treated to a seminar on the #Yankees' farm system from @seidler.bsky.social. Enjoy! www.patreon.com/posts/episod...

Ty France? Miguel Andujar? Austin Slater? Paul Goldschmidt? Randal Grichuk? A look at some of the remaining free agent options as the #Yankees continue to explore adding a right-handed hitter:

The debut episode of The Bronx Beat, my new Fireside Yankees podcast with @ryangarciaesm040.bsky.social, is out! In this ep, we discussed the #Yankees' framing of their offseason, storylines I'm watching for in camp, a few young pitchers, the changing media landscape & much more!

Brian Cashman noted some "young pups" when talking about the #Yankees' pitching staff last week, including Elmer Rodríguez & Carlos Lagrange. This offseason, Matt Blake has said the 22-year-olds are further ahead than Cam Schlittler was at this point.

As always, I had a blast doing the @viewsfrom314ft.com pod with @pamsson.bsky.social. We talked about... ⚾️ The #Yankees' rather similar roster (and their messaging around it) ⚾️ Some of the RH bats still on the market ⚾️ The rest of the AL East ⚾️ My new pod & more

Some personal news: I'm starting a podcast with @ryangarciaesm040.bsky.social and the crew at Fireside Yankees! We'll be discussing all things #Yankees, my Daily News work, life on a beat & more! The debut pod is tomorrow! If you've got any questions for our first mailbag, comment below! ⚾️🎙️🔥

The #Yankees’ list of World Baseball Classic participants has continued to grow, with a few pitching prospects, a coach and another top reliever joining Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and David Bednar.

Cody Bellinger is back with the #Yankees. So is Trent Grisham. So what does that mean for Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones in 2026? “That maybe complicates some things for them,” Aaron Boone said, though the manager didn't want to get ahead of himself.

Cody Bellinger's new deal with the #Yankees features lots of perks. Among them: language tying his opt outs to a potential work stoppage in 2027. A source familiar with the matter said such language hasn't been standard this offseason:

Angel Chivilli had a 7.06 ERA last season. So why did the #Yankees trade for him? "He’s a 23-year-old power arm that’s got a tool package that’s pretty exciting." A look under the hood at what makes Chivilli an intriguing project for a bullpen that still has questions:

"I'm excited to run it back with those guys,” Cody Bellinger said, perhaps unintentionally triggering #Yankees fans who are unhappy with a roster that, despite what Brian Cashman said, has gone largely unchanged this winter. On The Run It Back Bombers:

The #Yankees finally found a new international scouting director in Mario Garza. The internal hire has experience in player development & Latin America and follows years of high-priced misses & a few collapsed deals with incoming IFAs. www.nydailynews.com/2026/01/27/y...

Meet Tijn Fredrikze. The 18-year-old Dutch pitcher is believed to be the first European-born & raised prospect to sign with the #Yankees since 2013. He has a long way to go (literally & figuratively), but he's already got some lofty goals. "I want to be a Hall of Famer."

If you're a #Yankees fan and you haven't taken this survey yet, I'd love to get your input! 👉 s.surveyplanet.com/iclo3o9e

If you're a #Yankees fan and you haven't taken this survey yet, I'd love to get your input! 👉 s.surveyplanet.com/iclo3o9e

With Cody Bellinger's new deal, the #Yankees' projected 2026 payroll has surpassed $300M (a figure Hal Steinbrenner called unsustainable), $304M (the highest tax threshold) and, depending on your preferred site of reference, $319M (last year's stated payroll). And yet, some holes remain:

Attention #Yankees fans: As I await offseason activity & prep for spring training, I'm curious as to what readers want to see more/less of this season with regards to coverage. If you have the time to complete this quick survey, I'd appreciate it! s.surveyplanet.com/iclo3o9e

With Cody Bellinger returning (and Freddy Peralta traded to the #Mets), what can the #Yankees do next? The Bombers say they like their mostly unchanged roster, but they could still use some pitching & a righty bat. Plus: how does Jasson Domínguez fit in?

Cody Bellinger's free agency has come to an end, but his time with the #Yankees will continue. After much delay, Bellinger has the long-term deal (5 years, $162.5 million + perks) he previously failed to get, while NY lands its top target. More here:

Attention #Yankees fans: As I await offseason activity & prep for spring training, I'm curious as to what readers want to see more/less of this season with regards to coverage. If you have the time to complete this quick survey, I'd appreciate it! s.surveyplanet.com/iclo3o9e

With 2 more years of eligibility on the BBWAA ballot, Andy Pettitte still has lots of ground to gain if he is to get into the Hall of Fame. However, the former #Yankees starter saw his vote share increase significantly this year, going from 27.9% to 48.5%.

The #Yankees signed an OF who can also play 1B on Monday. No, not that guy. Seth Brown's minor league deal gives NY some organizational depth, though. The former A, a lefty, owns a .712 OPS and 100 wRC+ over parts of 7 seasons.

Ryan Weathers said the deal that sent him from the #Marlins to the #Yankees — the trade partners who brought his dad to the Bronx — came as “pure shock.” “I just couldn’t believe that the New York Yankees were a team that I could ever have a chance to play for.”

Not the most relevant topic today, but prior to the Ryan Weathers trade, I had put together a list of platoon outfielders the #Yankees could pivot to if Cody Bellinger ends up elsewhere. Some notes in here on a few free agents:

Ryan Weathers is a nice get for the #Yankees, as the 26-year-old comes with lots of upside, elite stuff & 3 years of control. He also has injury concerns, which is partly why the Yanks, still capable of such a move, should keep hunting for a frontline SP:

As the international signing period nears, the #Yankees still don't have an international scouting director. Two sources spoke to NYDN Sports about the search – which isn't close to complete – Donny Rowland's exit, the Wandy Asigen situation & more:

New @NYDNSports with @bmadden1954: The #Yankees have offered Cody Bellinger over $30 million per year, but there's still a notable gap between the two sides as the veteran's free agency (and that of others) lingers. More here on where things stand:

With 2025 almost over, I just wanted to say Happy New Year, and thanks to everyone who supported my work this year! If you want to look back at some stories from the #Yankees' season, I put together a list of my favorites: ghphillipsblog.wordpress.com/2025/12/29/m...

Some Winter Meetings leftovers on 2 shortstops in the #Yankees' system: ⚾️ Jeff Kent had jokes (and a scouting report) for his son, Kaeden, after getting into the Hall of Fame: www.nydailynews.com/2025/12/30/y... ⚾️ Brian Cashman briefly discussed George Lombard Jr.'s development:

For some #Yankees, the newest faces on Aaron Boone’s staff will be familiar ones, as Dan Fiorito & Jake Hirst bring player development experience & coached NY's younger hitters when they had MiLB success. Now they have a chance to help in the majors:

With no significant additions to the #Yankees' bullpen thus far, Camilo Doval is poised to play a prominent role next season. Counting on the talented but erratic righty comes with risk, but the Yanks hope some end-of-season tweaks help Doval in 2026.

With the holiday season in full swing, you'll see some prewritten stuff from me at NYDN Sports over the next week. First up: a look at how Carlos Rodón took on more of a leadership role and helped young #Yankees like Cam Schlittler and Will Warren this year: www.nydailynews.com/2025/12/24/c...

With the #Yankees' lineup so left-handed as things stand, a productive & available Giancarlo Stanton will be key for the Bombers. With that in mind, here's what the Yanks have said about the DH, bothered by tennis elbows the past 2 years, this offseason:

The AL East continued to import new talent on Sunday night. Once again, it didn’t end up in New York. While the #Yankees have retained some depth pieces and still have targets on the board, their division rivals have already improved:

With #Yankees fans still waiting on an external addition, the team is bringing back Paul Blackburn, another member of the 2025 squad, on a low-cost deal. Blackburn didn't have great numbers last year, but the Bombers did see some things they liked.