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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/way-too-early-cody-bellinger-predictions-with-yankees');   ga('set', 'title', 'Way-too-early Cody Bellinger predictions with Yankees');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Way-too-early-Cody-Bellinger-predictions-with-Yankees-1.jpg"></figure><h1>Way-too-early Cody Bellinger predictions with Yankees</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T17:08:01-08:00">December 23rd, 5:08pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T17:08:01-08:00">December 23rd, 5:08pm</time><address><a>Russell Steinberg</a>Russell Steinberg covers Major League Baseball and the New York Liberty for ClutchPoints. A baseball and basketball lifer, he has written for Boardroom, SLAM, SB Nation, The Next, and more. He graduated from NYU in 2012 and still returns to serve as PA announcer and occasional broadcaster for the school’s basketball and volleyball teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>For a while, it seemed like it wouldn’t happen, but <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-new-york-acquires-cody-bellinger-cubs-blockbuster-trade">Cody Bellinger is now a member of the New York Yankees</a>. The reigning American League champions acquired him and cash from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pitcher Cody Poteet on December 17, giving the Yankees needed help to their lineup.</p><p>And while Bellinger is a former MVP, it’s hard to predict what to expect from him in 2025. After his MVP season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019, his performance cratered, reaching a nadir in 2021, when, in an injury-shortened season, he hit .165 with -1.7 bWAR. His 2022 season was better, but still below-average, and he signed with the Chicago Cubs in 2023 looking to salvage his career.</p><p>Bellinger did exactly that, hitting .307 with 26 home runs in 2023, before taking a small step back this past season. Despite his inconsistency, insiders think he is set up to succeed in New York.</p><p>“People believe <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-cody-bellinger-aaron-judge-play-after-yankees-trade">Yankee Stadium is going to be a good fit</a> for him,” MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand said <a href="https://x.com/MLBNetwork/status/1869160273610740021" rel="noopener">in the aftermath</a> of the trade. “Left-handed guys with power certainly seem to thrive in that ballpark with the short right field porch. He’s not going to have to come in and be an MVP in the middle of the lineup.”</p><p>Without the pressure of needing to carry a lineup, but with a considerable advantage like that short Yankee Stadium porch, here are some way-too-early predictions for how Bellinger can perform in 2025.</p><h2><b>Cody Bellinger will hit more home runs than any season since his 2019 MVP campaign</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cody-Bellinger-1-1.jpg"><figcaption>Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The number to beat is 26 — the home run total from his resurgent 2023 season. Bellinger hit 47 home runs in 2019 and it would be unreasonable to expect that out of him next year, even in a ballpark like Yankee Stadium. FanGraphs <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/cody-bellinger/15998/stats?position=1B/OF" rel="noopener">projects</a> him to hit 23, so upper-20s is certainly within reach. And <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-cody-bellinger-mvp-potential-in-the-tank">Bellinger himself believes</a> he still has that sort of power left in the tank.</p><p>“I’ve done it, had a good amount of home runs my rookie year. I do think that it is in the tank,” he said in an appearance on the YES Network. “You never know the future, I try not to set future numbers, I just want to go out and play the best baseball I can play — defense, running the bases, and just helping the team win.”</p><p>For those wondering how well he can take advantage of the short porch in the Bronx, Bellinger hits about half of his home runs to the pull side and nearly the rest to centerfield. Yankee Stadium is 314 feet down the right field line, a reasonable distance, but hitters feast in the right-center area where the fence does not move as far back as it does in most other parks. It eventually hits 385 in right-center, but not before the area immediately in front of the bleachers swallows up more than its share of fly balls.</p><h2><b>Bellinger will spend most of his time in centerfield</b></h2><p>One of the benefits to the Yankees trading for Bellinger is that he gives the team some needed versatility. Aaron Judge spent most of the 2024 season in centerfield, but with Bellinger and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-aaron-judge-jasson-dominguez-plans-after-juan-soto-departure">top prospect Jasson Dominguez in tow</a>, he can slide back over to right field.</p><p>Bellinger has only played 41 career games in left field, so while that’s technically on the table, Dominguez is far more likely to play there, at least for the time being. The Yankees probably do not want to keep Judge — their team captain, American League home run king and two-time MVP — in centerfield as he approaches his mid-thirties, leaving Bellinger as the most likely candidate.</p><p>The new Yankee could also play first base if something happens to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-paul-goldschmidt-12-5-million-contract">recent signee Paul Goldschmidt</a>. Goldschmidt is a former National League MVP and has played at least 150 games in every full season since 2015. That run has to end sometime, but his durability was a major draw for a Yankees team whose veterans have struggled to stay healthy in the recent past.</p><h2><b>The Yankees’ outfielder will exercise his option and stay with New York after 2025</b></h2><p>Bellinger came to the Yankees with two years remaining on his deal with the Cubs. He’ll earn $27.5 million in 2025, with the Yankees on the hook for $25 million of that. Bellinger also has a $25 million player option for 2026, his age 30 season, with a $5 million buyout.</p><p>He makes too much sense in New York for him to opt out of that deal. With it not terribly likely that Bellinger ascends all the way back to his MVP form and commands a much bigger contract, the odds of him exercising his option feel higher than not.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Way-too-early Cody Bellinger predictions with Yankees

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb-rumors-yankees-carlos-santana-paul-goldschmidt-backup-plan');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Yankees had Carlos Santana as Paul Goldschmidt backup plan');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/MLB-rumors-Yankees-had-Carlos-Santana-as-Paul-Goldschmidt-backup-plan.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Yankees had Carlos Santana as Paul Goldschmidt backup plan</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T16:55:40-08:00">December 21st, 4:55pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T16:55:40-08:00">December 21st, 4:55pm</time><address><a>Mike Gianakos</a>Mike Gianakos is the former editor-in-chief of High Times magazine, where he also spearheaded the video department and event production. He is a longtime podcaster and even longer suffering NY Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Yankees were looking to upgrade at first base in free agency. On Saturday, New York agreed to a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-paul-goldschmidt-12-5-million-contract">one-year, $12.5 million deal</a> with veteran Paul Goldschmidt. However, the team had a backup plan in place if they weren’t able to land the former National League MVP.</p><p>The Yankees intended on <a href="https://x.com/BNightengale/status/1870612924630196562" rel="noopener">turning to</a> Carlos Santana if they couldn’t get a deal done with Goldschmidt, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale on X. After New York got their first baseman, the Cleveland Guardians signed Santana.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-guardians-listening-trade-offers-josh-naylor-lane-thomas">Guardians had been listening to trade offers</a> on their All-Star first baseman Josh Naylor this offseason. On Saturday, the team <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/diamondbacks-news-acquires-josh-naylor-trade-guardians">sent Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks</a>, opening up a spot at first. Following the trade, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/guardians-news-reunite-with-carlos-santana-after-josh-naylor-trade">Cleveland signed Santana</a> to a one-year, $12 million contract.</p><p>The flurry of moves was set into action when <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-nolan-arenado-shockingly-shot-down-astros-trade">Nolan Arenado blocked a trade to the Houston Astros</a> on Thursday. That caused Houston to pivot to free agent Christian Walker, who agreed to a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/astros-news-houston-christian-walker-nolan-arenado-trade-fiasco">three-year, $60 million deal with the Astros</a>.</p><h2><b>The Yankees were eyeing veteran 1B Carlos Santana as an insurance policy</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Carlos-Santana.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-yankees-linked-paul-goldschmidt-carlos-santana-missing-christian-walker">missing out on Walker</a>, the Yankees pivoted to Goldschmidt with 38-year-old veteran Carlos Santana as an insurance policy. Once New York inked Goldschmidt, the Guardians landed Santana to replace Naylor. The 15-year veteran played 150 games for the Minnesota Twins in 2024, producing 26 doubles, 23 home runs, 71 RBI and 2.5 WAR.</p><p>Goldschmidt, who is a year younger than Santana, spent the last six seasons of his 14-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals. The seven-time All-Star played in 154 games last year, recording 33 doubles, 22 homers, 65 RBI and 1.3 WAR.</p><p>While Goldschmidt had a down season in 2024, he’s only a couple years removed from elite production, having won the league MVP in 2022. Goldschmidt is the second former MVP the Yankees have added this offseason, after bringing in <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-new-york-acquires-cody-bellinger-cubs-blockbuster-trade">Cody Bellinger via a blockbuster trade</a> with the Chicago Cubs.</p><p>The Yankees hope that Goldschmidt can add some pop from a corner infield spot while providing veteran leadership. And, it’s possible his addition could have another benefit. Now that Goldschmidt is in New York, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-yankees-paul-goldschmidt-nolan-arenado-effect">Arenado could decide to join him</a>. The two spent the last four seasons together in St. Louis, which might motivate the Gold Glove third baseman to agree to a trade that sends him to the Bronx.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Yankees had Carlos Santana as Paul Goldschmidt backup plan

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/yankees-news-paul-goldschmidt-12-5-million-contract');   ga('set', 'title', 'Yankees, Paul Goldschmidt agree to $12.5 million contract');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/New-York-signs-Paul-Goldschmidt-to-12.5-million-contract.jpg"></figure><h1>Yankees, Paul Goldschmidt agree to $12.5 million contract</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T10:04:57-08:00">December 21st, 10:04am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T10:25:13-08:00">December 21st, 10:25am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Yankees and former MVP Paul Goldschmidt are <a href="https://x.com/BNightengale/status/1870528776343576605" rel="noopener">reportedly in agreement</a> on a one-year, $12.5 million contract, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. New York has been linked to multiple first baseman throughout the offseason. They were most recently connected to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/astros-news-houston-christian-walker-nolan-arenado-trade-fiasco">Christian Walker, but he landed a $60 million deal with the Houston Astros</a>. Goldschmidt, however, will provide offensive stability from the right side of the plate while offering important veteran prowess.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-yankees-linked-paul-goldschmidt-carlos-santana-missing-christian-walker">Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana emerged as candidates to be signed by the Yankees</a> after Walker agreed to a deal with the Astros. Santana, a switch-hitter, would have added balance to the Yankees’ lineup. However, they ultimately agreed to a contract with Goldschmidt, who spent the 2024 season with the St. Louis Cardinals.</p><h2><b>Paul Goldschmidt set to join Yankees</b></h2><p>At 37 years old, Goldschmidt’s signs of decline were impossible to ignore during the ’24 campaign. The seven-time All-Star hit just .245 with a .716 OPS and 22 home runs this past season. Goldschmidt won the National League MVP in 2022, though, so he’s just a couple of years removed from playing at a superstar-caliber level.</p><p>Will Goldschmidt play up to that level in 2025? Probably not, but he could still provide a boost at first base for the Yankees. New York is looking to return to the World Series after falling short in the ’24 Fall Classic against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are seemingly attempting to build a complete roster with positive production at most positions, something Goldschmidt should be able to help with.</p><p>The Yankees likely are not done. New York may remain active this offseason, whether it is via free agency or through potential trades. Some fans thought the Yankees were in serious trouble after losing Juan Soto in free agency, but they have responded quite well, adding Goldschmidt, Max Fried and Cody Bellinger already.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Yankees, Paul Goldschmidt agree to $12.5 million contract

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb-rumors-yankees-paul-goldschmidt-nolan-arenado-effect');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB Rumors: Yankees’ Paul Goldschmidt interest could have Nolan Arenado effect');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/MLB-rumors-Yankees-Paul-Goldschmidt-interest-could-have-Nolan-Arenado-effect.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB Rumors: Yankees’ Paul Goldschmidt interest could have Nolan Arenado effect</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T00:08:37-08:00">December 21st, 12:08am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T00:09:32-08:00">December 21st, 12:09am</time><address><a>Nathan Yasis</a>Nathan Yasis is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints, specializing in the NBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>From 2021 to 2024, the St. Louis Cardinals enjoyed the luxury of having two elite corner infielders, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cardinals-st-louis-not-trade-paul-goldschmidt-nolan-arenado-2023">Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, anchoring their lineup</a>. Now, the New York Yankees are reportedly ramping up efforts to acquire Goldschmidt, the veteran first baseman—and there’s growing speculation that Arenado could join him in the move to the Bronx.</p><p>Sources indicate that Paul Goldschmidt’s possible move to New York <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/paul-goldschmidt-nolan-arenado-yankees-rumors?partnerID=mlbapp-iOS_article-share" rel="noopener">could play a pivotal role</a> in convincing his former teammate, Nolan Arenado, to waive his no-trade clause and join the Yankees.</p><p>Arenado, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, has been a key target for New York, which reportedly approached the Cardinals earlier in the offseason regarding a trade. However, those discussions stalled as St. Louis was unwilling to take on the contract of veteran pitcher Marcus Stroman.</p><p>Acquiring both Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, who have been teammates in St. Louis for the past four seasons, would enable the Yankees to reconfigure their infield. Jazz Chisholm Jr. could transition from third base to second base, joining Anthony Volpe at shortstop. This adjustment would create a more cohesive infield for the reigning 2024 American League champions.</p><h2><b>Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado playing together for the Cardinals</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Paul-Goldschmidt-and-Nolan-Arenado-celebrating-with-the-Cardinals.jpg"><figcaption>Jeff Curry-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In December 2018, John Mozeliak orchestrated a trade to acquire Goldschmidt, sending pitcher Luke Weaver, catcher Carson Kelly, and infielder Andy Young to the Arizona Diamondbacks. At the time, Goldschmidt was in the final year of his contract. To secure his long-term services, St. Louis extended him with a five-year, $130 million deal, keeping him with the team through the 2024 season.</p><p>Mozeliak acquired Arenado from the Colorado Rockies, securing $51 million alongside him, in exchange for pitchers Austin Gomber, Tony Locey, Jake Sommers, and infielders Mateo Gil and Elehuris Montero. Although Arenado has faced some difficulties in the past two seasons, the deal stands out as a major triumph for the Cardinals.</p><p>In their four seasons as teammates with the Cardinals, Goldschmidt and Arenado combined for an impressive collection of honors: three Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers, four All-Star selections, and top-three finishes in the 2022 NL MVP race, with Goldschmidt taking home the award. These achievements underscore the significant impact they made in St. Louis over a relatively brief span.</p><p>Where these two future Hall of Famers fall short is in the Cardinals’ team success during their tenure. Since 2021, St. Louis has claimed just one division title and made the playoffs in only two of four seasons with Arenado and Goldschmidt leading the roster. The team’s overall record of 337-311 over that span, translating to a .520 winning percentage, reflects solid but unremarkable performance.</p><p>The Cardinals’ postseason performance with Arenado and Goldschmidt on the roster has been nothing short of disappointing. The team was swept in the Wild Card series in both 2021 and 2022, with the two stars combining for a dismal 2-for-22 at the plate. They failed to record a single extra-base hit, drew just two walks, and struck out seven times across those games. Their playoff struggles played a significant role in the Cardinals’ inability to advance beyond the Wild Card round in either year.</p><h2><b>The Yankees potentially acquiring Goldschmidt and Arenado</b></h2><p>In response to the disappointment of losing superstar <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/juan-soto-bold-predictions-765-million-mets-contract">Juan Soto to their crosstown rivals, the New York Mets</a>, the Yankees have made bold moves to bolster their roster. They signed left-hander Max Fried to a lucrative eight-year, $218 million deal, while also trading for elite closer Devin Williams and versatile first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger. Adding Goldschmidt and Arenado would further enhance the Yankees’ lineup, offering veteran support for reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge.</p><p>A key obstacle in any potential trade with the Yankees is that Paul Goldschmidt, now 37, is reportedly seeking a multi-year deal, according to sources. This could give the Yankees pause, especially considering that Goldschmidt posted career lows in several major offensive categories over the past two seasons, following his 2022 National League MVP award.</p><p>Arenado, 33, has three years and $74 million left on his contract, with Colorado still responsible for $10 million and $12 million deferred. This reduces the commitment for a new team to about $60 million. Arenado exercised his full no-trade clause to block a proposed deal between St. Louis and Houston, which would have required the Cardinals to pay an additional $15-20 million of his salary.</p><p>Goldschmidt and Arenado will certainly be missed in St. Louis, but it’s hard not to feel that more could have been achieved during their time with the team. It’s a bittersweet conclusion to a challenging chapter in Cardinal history.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB Rumors: Yankees’ Paul Goldschmidt interest could have Nolan Arenado effect

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/reds-news-trade-jose-trevino-3-player-deal');   ga('set', 'title', 'Reds trade for Yankees catcher in 3-player deal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Reds-trade-for-Yankees-catcher-in-3-player-deal.jpg"></figure><h1>Reds trade for Yankees catcher in 3-player deal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T19:43:50-08:00">December 20th, 7:43pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T20:19:11-08:00">December 20th, 8:19pm</time><address><a>Tristin McKinstry</a>Tristin McKinstry is an experienced sports writer who got his start back in 2014. He is an Associate Editor with ClutchPoints and is one of the staff's NHL experts. Tristin has worked professionally with The Inquisitr and GIVEMESPORT in the past, and his work has also been featured on Last Word On Sports, XFL News Hub, and USFL News Hub. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Communications at Southern New Hampshire University.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cincinnati Reds</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-juan-soto-new-york-message-mets-free-agency">New York Yankees missed out on Juan Soto</a> at the MLB Winter Meetings. And they have sought to bolster their roster ever since. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-cody-bellinger-new-york-trade-cubs">The Yankees started this by trading for Cody Bellinger</a> in a deal with the Chicago Cubs. Fans are awaiting their next big move. But on Friday night, they made a small trade with the Cincinnati Reds involving catcher Jose Trevino.</p><p>The Yankees have traded Trevino to the Reds, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. In return, New York <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1870310088256242064" rel="noopener">received two players</a>. The Bronx Bombers acquired right-handed reliever Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson.</p><p>Trevino has spent the last three seasons with the Yankees. For a time, he served as the team’s primary catcher. However, he was bumped down the depth chart in 2024. Rookie Austin Wells received the lion’s share of playing time for New York last season. Trevino and Wells helped New York to a World Series appearance, though they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers.</p><p>Jose Trevino carries a career slash line of .236/.275/.362. He turned in his best performance in 2022. Trevino slashed .248/.283/.388 that year with 11 home runs and 42 RBI. His performance earned him his only career All-Star nod to date. And now-former Yankees catcher won a Gold Glove for his efforts behind the plate.</p><p>The Reds have sought some added catching depth behind Tyler Stephenson. Stephenson enjoyed a breakout season for Cincinnati in 2024. He slashed .258/.338/.444 while hitting 19 home runs, 66 RBI, and posting a 2.4 bWAR. Veteran catcher Luke Maile served as his backup, but he currently remains a free agent.</p><p>Trevino gives Cincinnati a better backup option behind Stephenson. In this deal, they give up a 34-year-old reliever who made his MLB debut in 2022. Cruz has pitched to a 4.52 ERA over the last three seasons. He has struck out 36% of opposing hitters during that span, as well. Meanwhile, Jackson has played 124 MLB games and serves as a depth option for the Yankees.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Reds trade for Yankees catcher in 3-player deal

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb-rumors-yankees-paul-goldschmidt-free-agency');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Yankees’ Paul Goldschmidt pursuit faces competition from 4 known teams');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/MLB-rumors-Yankees-Paul-Goldschmidt-pursuit-faces-competition-from-4-known-teams.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Yankees’ Paul Goldschmidt pursuit faces competition from 4 known teams</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T17:24:24-08:00">December 20th, 5:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T17:24:24-08:00">December 20th, 5:24pm</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Yankees were linked to first baseman <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/astros-news-houston-christian-walker-nolan-arenado-trade-fiasco">Christian Walker before he agreed to a $60 million contract with the Houston Astros on Friday</a>. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-yankees-linked-paul-goldschmidt-carlos-santana-missing-christian-walker">Yankees are now being mentioned as a possible suitor for Paul Goldschmidt or Carlos Santana</a>. However, when it comes to Goldschmidt, they are <a href="https://x.com/BNightengale/status/1870198655443185915" rel="noopener">reportedly facing competition from at least four teams</a>, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.</p><p>“While the Yankees still are showing strong interest in 1B Paul Goldschmidt, there’s plenty of competition: The Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals and New York Mets are all engaged in talks with Goldschmidt, too,” Nightengale wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Goldschmidt, 37, displayed signs of decline during the 2024 season with the St. Louis Cardinals. Currently a free agent, Goldschmidt previously dealt with retirement rumors. It appears he will play again in 2025, though. The question is where?</p><p>The Yankees are looking to add a first baseman. New York recently acquired Cody Bellinger in a trade, and he is capable of playing first base if necessary. The Yankees’ outfield defense could use a boost, though, and Bellinger is a reliable presence in the outfield.</p><p>As mentioned, Goldschmidt did not have his best season in 2024. He slashed .245/.302/.414/.716 across 154 games played. Goldschmidt added 22 home runs, 33 doubles and 11 stolen bases. The former Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks star would provide a first base upgrade for New York, however.</p><p>So will the Yankees sign the 2022 MVP and seven-time All-Star? Well, they are seemingly interested. Goldschmidt is reportedly drawing plenty of interest, however. The Yankees could always turn to Carlos Santana as well, who could balance the lineup since he is a switch-hitter.</p><p>The Yankees’ pursuit of a first baseman will be something to monitor as free agency continues. New York has responded well since losing Juan Soto to the Mets, but will they find an answer at first base? Only time will tell.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Yankees’ Paul Goldschmidt pursuit faces competition from 4 known teams

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb-rumors-yankees-roki-sasaki-move-will-concern-mets');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Yankees’ Roki Sasaki move will concern Mets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/MLB-rumors-Yankees-Roki-Sasaki-move-will-concern-Mets.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Yankees’ Roki Sasaki move will concern Mets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T16:13:14-08:00">December 20th, 4:13pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T16:13:14-08:00">December 20th, 4:13pm</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. A die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic, Brayden further channels his baseball enthusiasm through his podcast, where he delves into the latest in sports with engaging commentary. He also serves as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School. His commitment to sports journalism is evident in his diverse experiences with ContraCosta.news and his dedication to delivering compelling and insightful content.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-the-dark-horse-threat-to-dodgers-padres-for-roki-sasaki">battle for Roki Sasaki, Japan’s pitching phenom, is heating up,</a> with the New York Yankees and Mets vying for his services in a high-stakes free agency race. On Thursday, both teams met with Sasaki in Los Angeles, marking a rare direct competition between the cross-town rivals <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/clay-holmes-admits-mets-deal-came-with-juan-soto-twist">following their head-to-head pursuit of Juan Soto earlier this offseason.</a></p><p>The Yankees and Mets <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/12/20/sports/yankees-made-pitch-to-roki-sasaki-on-same-day-as-mets/" rel="noopener">each made their respective pitches</a> to Sasaki, a 23-year-old right-hander whose electric arm and immense potential have made him one of the most coveted free agents on the market. This doubleheader of meetings underscores the intensity of the recruitment process, with other major players like the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres also in the mix, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.</p><p>While specifics of the Yankees’ in-person presentation remain unclear, General Manager Brian Cashman revealed earlier this week that the team had prepared a virtual pitch to secure their meeting with Sasaki.</p><h2><b>Could Roki Sasaki end up going to the Yankees or Mets?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Roki-Sasaki.jpg"><figcaption>Sam Navarro-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>“He’s obviously a tremendous talent. It’d be nice to have Yankee Stadium be his home, but the decision will be up to him. All we can do is share everything and anything that we can about ourselves and what we provide.” Cashman said.</p><p>The Yankees’ case is bolstered by their rich history with Japanese players, including Masahiro Tanaka, who is a known favorite of Sasaki. However, there are hurdles to overcome. Sasaki has reportedly had negative experiences with Japanese media and may prefer a smaller market. Additionally, the Dodgers—seen as the frontrunner—offer a West Coast location and proximity to other Japanese stars like Yu Darvish of the Padres, who is said to be close to Sasaki.</p><p>Sasaki’s posting by the Chiba Lotte Marines has sparked league-wide interest, thanks in part to the relatively low cost of signing him under international amateur rules. Because he’s under 25, Sasaki is only eligible for international bonus pool money, capping his potential signing bonus in the $5 million to $7 million range.</p><p>Cashman, recognizing the challenge of competing in such a competitive market, admitted uncertainty about the Yankees’ chances. “I appreciate having the opportunity to connect,” he said. “After that, ultimately, it’s the individual’s choice.”</p><p>If the Yankees manage to sign Sasaki, it could create rotation dilemmas for a pitching staff that already includes Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, and Marcus Stroman. A six-man rotation, a strategy often used to accommodate Japanese pitchers accustomed to pitching once a week, could be in the cards.</p><p>For now, the Yankees and Mets await Sasaki’s decision, with his signing window opening on January 15. Until then, the fight for one of baseball’s brightest prospects remains fiercely contested.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Yankees’ Roki Sasaki move will concern Mets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/juan-soto-shoots-down-yankees-family-mistreatment-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Juan Soto shoots down Yankees family mistreatment rumors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Yankees-news-Juan-Soto-shoots-down-New-York-family-mistreatment-rumors.jpg"></figure><h1>Juan Soto shoots down Yankees family mistreatment rumors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T12:02:31-08:00">December 20th, 12:02pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T12:31:13-08:00">December 20th, 12:31pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>While it was always clear that Juan Soto would go to the highest bidder this offseason, some fans speculated that the New York <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-brian-cashman-disputes-suite-drama-juan-soto-departure">Yankees’ rumored mistreatment of his family</a> played a role in his decision to leave. However, that was fake news.</p><p>Soto said <a href="https://x.com/Enrique_Rojas1/status/1870161405867094333" rel="noopener">“that was a lie,”</a> via ESPN’s Enrique Rojas.</p><p>“Juan Soto said in @GrandesELD [Dominican outlet Grandes en los Deportes] that no one from the Yankees mistreated his family…He also said he asked the Mets for permission to play 10 games with Tigres del Licey in winter ball, but not for this season,” Rojas reported.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-insider-reveals-yankees-stance-juan-soto-ditching-ny-mets">Rumors circulated after Soto signed</a> a record 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets that he was upset about his family not getting a free suite at Yankee Stadium. The generational talent was<a href="https://nypost.com/2024/12/09/sports/steve-cohen-wasnt-going-to-let-anything-stop-juan-soto-pursuit/" rel="noopener"> supposedly also upset</a> by an “overzealous Yankees security guy who disallowed a family member and his chef/driver from certain areas,” via The New York Post’s Jon Heyman.</p><p>However, Soto also said in the interview that the Yankees <a href="https://x.com/TalkinYanks/status/1870172299900383434" rel="noopener">are a “1A organization”</a> and that he had a great experience in pinstripes, via Talkin’ Yanks.</p><p>While these rumors were fun fodder for giddy Mets fans, it’s time to put those narratives to bed.</p><h2><b>Yankees had funny retaliation to Juan Soto rumors</b></h2><p>The Bronx-based New York club wasted no time re-tooling after Soto’s departure, acquiring starting pitcher Max Fried, closer Devin Williams, and outfielder Cody Bellinger. After the bad press with the rumors about Soto’s family, general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone made sure to shower Fried’s family with love at his<a href="https://x.com/DJ_Sixsmith/status/1869428595397144902" rel="noopener"> introductory press conference</a>, via The New York Post’s DJ Sixsmith.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman deliver flowers to Max Fried’s mom and girlfriend to start the press conference. <a href="https://t.co/DXZ23qLdZW">pic.twitter.com/DXZ23qLdZW</a></p><p>— DJ Sixsmith (@DJ_Sixsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/DJ_Sixsmith/status/1869428595397144902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Giving flowers to Fried’s mother and girlfriend could have been coincidental, but when putting two and two together, its easy to see the underlying meaning. Regardless, there’s no doubt that the Yankees will be extra cordial with incoming players’ families as they continue to make moves this offseason.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Juan Soto shoots down Yankees family mistreatment rumors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb-rumors-yankees-linked-paul-goldschmidt-carlos-santana-missing-christian-walker');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Yankees linked to Paul Goldschmidt, Carlos Santana after missing on Christian Walker');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Yankees-linked-to-Paul-Goldschmidt-Carlos-Santana-after-missing-on-Christian-Walker.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Yankees linked to Paul Goldschmidt, Carlos Santana after missing on Christian Walker</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T11:46:31-08:00">December 20th, 11:46am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T11:46:31-08:00">December 20th, 11:46am</time><address><a>Dan Fappiano</a>Dan Fappiano is a Connecticut based sports journalist and a graduate of both Tunxis Community College and Central Connecticut State University. Dan has spent time covering high school and professional sports in both the print and online medium. He hopes to see his beloved Chicago Bears win a Super Bowl someday.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-what-resonated-max-fried-joining-ny">Yankees have stayed plenty busy this offseason</a>, signing Max Fried while trading for Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger. However, after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/astros-news-houston-christian-walker-nolan-arenado-trade-fiasco">Christian Walker signed with the Houston Astros</a>, the Yankees must now pivot their first base plans.</p><p>New York <a href="https://x.com/BNightengale/status/1870168346966274162" rel="noopener">is focusing their attention</a> on Paul Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The Yankees didn’t want to give up the draft pick that would’ve been attached to Walker’s signing.</p><p>With Anthony Rizzo a free agent, Ben Rice is currently poised to enter the year as New York’s starter at the cold corner. However, he hit just .170 over his first 50 major league games with seven home runs and 23 RBI. As the Yankees seek revenge for their World Series blunder, the team may be more confident with an established veteran at first base.</p><p>Goldschmidt is coming off of a down year, hitting .245 with 22 home runs, 65 RBI and 11 stolen bases in his final year with the St. Louis Cardinals. However, the Yankees would certainly take that stat line over Rice’s and know that if Goldy can hit his ceiling, they’d reap even greater rewards.</p><p>The first baseman is a former MVP, seven-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger and four-time Gold Glover. Over 1,928 major league games, Goldschmidt has hit .289 with 362 home runs, 1,187 RBI and 169 stolen bases. He may not be the high-profile player he was when he arrived in St. Louis, but Goldschmidt would still pack at punch at first for New York.</p><p>Santana continued his power surge in 2024, matching his 23 home runs from a year prior. But while he drove in 71 runs, Santana hit at just a .238 clip. Adding Santana would give the Yankees yet another big bat, they would just be a bit concerned about consistency.</p><p>Regardless, Santana has become a well respected player over his 15 years in the league. He’s hit .242 with 324 home runs and 1,082 RBI over 2,080 career games. Furthermore, Santana is a former All-Star, Gold Glover and Silver Slugger.</p><p>Neither Paul Goldschmidt or Carlos Santana draw as much buzz as Christian Walker. But they also won’t cost as much. But will remain on the Yankees’ radar until a first base resolution is made.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Yankees linked to Paul Goldschmidt, Carlos Santana after missing on Christian Walker

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb-rumors-yankees-arent-expected-sign-pete-alonso-christian-walker');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Why Yankees aren’t expected to sign Pete Alonso, Christian Walker');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/0-Why-Yankees-arent-expected-to-sign-Pete-Alonso-Christian-Walker-0.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Why Yankees aren’t expected to sign Pete Alonso, Christian Walker</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T06:06:03-08:00">December 20th, 6:06am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T06:06:03-08:00">December 20th, 6:06am</time><address><a>Christopher Hennessy</a>Christopher Hennessy graduated with a journalism degree from Fordham University in 2022. He has also worked at Spectrum News One in Albany, New York and with The Hockey Writers as a New York Islanders writer. Chris is originally from Connecticut and is a lifelong New York Yankees, Islanders, and Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Yankees<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/juan-soto-bold-predictions-765-million-mets-contract"> lost Juan Soto to the New York Mets in free agency</a>. After one year in The Bronx, he went across town and sent Brian Cashman on to Plan B. That has included Max Fried, Cody Bellinger, and Devin Williams all joining the fray. But the Yankees still need someone to play first base and many assumed they would be in on Christian Walker and Pete Alonso. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6008454/2024/12/19/blue-jays-vladimir-guerrero-bo-bichette-yankees/" rel="noopener">does not think it will be</a> an expensive first baseman coming to The Bronx.</p><p>“The Yankees appear increasingly likely to go with a more inexpensive option at first base than Alonso or Walker, according to sources briefed on their pursuits,” Rosenthal reported. “The free-agent alternatives include Paul Goldschmidt, Carlos Santana, Justin Turner, Anthony Rizzo, and Josh Bell.”</p><p>They could also make another trade, which would be their third of the offseason. “The Yankees also could trade for the Cleveland Guardians’ Josh Naylor ($12 million in final year of club control); Texas Rangers’ Nathaniel Lowe ($10.7 million with one year of arbitration remaining); or the Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy Díaz ($10 million with a $12 million club option for 2026).”</p><p>Which of the lower-cost options is the best for the Yankees? Considering their poor defense cost them and they lost a power bat, they need a lot to be back in the World Series.</p><h2><b>Best first base options for the Yankees</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Josh-Naylor.jpg"><figcaption>Scott Galvin-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Josh Naylor has been a solid first baseman for the Cleveland Guardians for the past five seasons. He made a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-gerrit-cole-fires-back-at-guardians-josh-naylor-after-rock-the-baby-celebration-goes-viral">name for himself rocking the baby and taunting Gerrit Cole</a> in the 2022 ALDS. Now, they could be teammates with the Yankees. The trade would not cost them a ton, he has a solid glove and hits for power. A lefty swing like Naylor’s in Yankee Stadium would be huge for their lineup.</p><p>The Rangers are looking to slash payroll and could trade Lowe this offseason. He has a silver slugger and a gold glove to his name and has home run power. This could be a solid addition that would only cost prospects, which the Yankees have been fine giving up this year.</p><p>The one player Rosenthal mentioned that the Yankees must avoid is Anthony Rizzo. The Cubs legend came to the Yankees in 2021 and was great through the 2022 season. He was never quite the same after suffering a concussion in May of 2023. His power and defense disappeared and he should not be an option for the Yankees.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Why Yankees aren’t expected to sign Pete Alonso, Christian Walker

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/yankees-news-cody-bellinger-mvp-potential-in-the-tank');   ga('set', 'title', 'Yankees’ Cody Bellinger claims there’s still MVP potential ‘in the tank’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/12-19-24-bellinger-featured.jpeg"></figure><h1>Yankees’ Cody Bellinger claims there’s still MVP potential ‘in the tank’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-19T12:42:06-08:00">December 19th, 12:42pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-19T12:42:06-08:00">December 19th, 12:42pm</time><address><a>David Korn</a>David Korn is an MLB associate editor at ClutchPoints. He is also a producer at MLB Network Radio and covers college basketball for A10Talk. David graduated from George Washington in 2023, where he was the radio play-by-play broadcaster for their Men's and Women's Basketball teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Cody Bellinger had a disappointing 2024 season with the Chicago Cubs. After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-new-york-acquires-cody-bellinger-cubs-blockbuster-trade">being traded to the New York Yankees, Bellinger</a> is hoping to turn things around and get back to the MVP-level he has shown that he can play at earlier in his career.</p><p>During a <a href="https://twitter.com/YESNetwork/status/1869784833649459655" rel="noopener">media availability</a> on Thursday after his trade to the Yankees became official, Bellinger addressed what his expectations are for himself per YES Network.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cody Bellinger speaks on his offensive expectations. <a href="https://t.co/twMDFeyImK">pic.twitter.com/twMDFeyImK</a></p><p>— YES Network (@YESNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/YESNetwork/status/1869784833649459655?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>“That’s what keeps me motivated. I know what I can do, I know what I’ve done. That’s what I strive for every single year,” Bellinger said. “I want to be the best player I can be. I expect that out of myself and I’m probably pretty hard on myself, I think people around me would probably say that. But I expect that out of me, that’s what I want, and that’s what I strive for every day of the offseason and every day in the season.”</p><p>Bellinger was then asked if he thought the 47 home runs he hit during his MVP season in 2019 was an outlier, or something he could replicate again.</p><p>“I’ve done it, had a good amount of home runs my rookie year. I do think that it is in the tank,” Bellinger continued. “You never know the future, I try not to set future numbers, I just want to go out and play the best baseball I can play–defense, running the bases, and just helping the team win.”</p><h2><b>What Cody Bellinger will bring to the New York Yankees</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/12-19-24-bellinger-image.jpeg"><figcaption>© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While it is unlikely that Bellinger recreates the MVP-type performance he showed during the 2019 season, he is still a valuable addition to the Yankees.</p><p>The most important thing that Bellinger will bring to the Yankees is his defensive versatility. Bellinger can play first base, right field and center field. With some holes still left on their roster, that level of versatility <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-whats-next-yankees-after-cody-bellinger-trade">allows the Yankees to continue pursuing</a> outfielders and first basemen in free agency and through trades this offseason.</p><p>If the Yankees are able to sign a first baseman in free agency like Pete Alonso or Christian Walker, then Bellinger can shift to center field, allowing Aaron Judge to slide back to his natural position in right field. But, if the Yankees decide to target an outfielder like Teoscar Hernandez or Anthony Santander, then Bellinger could get more reps at first base.</p><p>Bellinger’s offensive performances throughout his career have been very up and down. However, if he is able to play similarly to how he did during the 2023 season with the Cubs where he hit .307 with 26 home runs, the Yankees would be thrilled.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Yankees’ Cody Bellinger claims there’s still MVP potential ‘in the tank’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/yankees-news-cody-bellinger-new-york-trade-cubs');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Cody Bellinger truly feels about Yankees trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Yankees-news-How-Cody-Bellinger-truly-feel-about-New-York-trade.jpg"></figure><h1>How Cody Bellinger truly feels about Yankees trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-19T09:59:16-08:00">December 19th, 9:59am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-19T10:02:25-08:00">December 19th, 10:02am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Cody Bellinger is preparing for the next chapter in his MLB career after being <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-new-york-acquires-cody-bellinger-cubs-blockbuster-trade">traded from the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees</a>. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-fans-singing-hallelujah-after-fleecing-cubs-cody-bellinger-trade">Bellinger trade has Yankees fans excited</a>, and the former MVP <a href="https://x.com/YESNetwork/status/1869782166885765430" rel="noopener">happens to feel the same way</a>.</p><p>“Everything about it excites me,” Bellinger said recently, via YES Network. “The organization, the fans, the stadium, the atmosphere. I actually have only played there once and that was in 2023, and was a really cool moment. I’ve heard really amazing things about everything… I’m just excited to be apart of it. I’m excited to get to work.”</p><p>Bellinger’s father, Clay, spent three seasons in the big leagues with the Yankees. Cody <a href="https://x.com/YESNetwork/status/1869777628464283992" rel="noopener">addressed the connection to the organization</a> through his dad.</p><p>“It is truly wild,” Bellinger said. “When I got the news, I called him, he was very excited. He plays it all cool, but I know deep down he’s really excited… I have some very solid memories of it.”</p><h2><b>Cody Bellinger dishes on potential with Yankees</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Cody-Bellinger.jpg"><figcaption>Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Bellinger, 29, hit 47 home runs and recorded a 1.035 OPS in 2019 with the Los Angeles Dodgers en route to winning the National League MVP Award. He has been unable to replicate those numbers, though, he did hit 26 home runs to go along with an .881 OPS in 2023 with the Cubs.</p><p>So does Bellinger still feature an MVP-level ceiling? Can he come anywhere close to hitting 47 home runs again?</p><p>“Well, that’s what keeps me motivated,” Bellinger <a href="https://x.com/YESNetwork/status/1869784833649459655" rel="noopener">said</a>. “I know what I can do and I know what I’ve done… That’s what I strive for every single year. I want to be the best player I can be. I expect that out of myself. I’m probably pretty hard on myself, I think people around me can say that. But I expect that out of me, that’s what I want and that’s what I strive for.”</p><p>Bellinger added that a potential 47 home run-like season is “in the tank.” He explained that he doesn’t want to focus on specific numbers, however, as he just wants to “play the best baseball” he can while “helping the team win.”</p><p>Cody Bellinger is a quality defender in the outfield who also features the ability to play first base if necessary. His defensive prowess and versatility will help the Yankees, but his offensive ceiling is what makes the addition especially exciting. With Yankee Stadium featuring a short right field porch, perhaps Bellinger can turn back the clock and enjoy a 2025 season with no shortage of home runs.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

J.C.
Escarra

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2024 SEASON STATS
BA	HR	RBI	OPS	SB
.250	1	2	0.732	0

2024 SEASON STATS
BA	HR	RBI	OPS	SB
.250	1	2	0.732	0

J.C. Escarra

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J.C.
Escarra