RAB Thoughts

April 22nd, 2025: Fried, Judge, Williams, Power, Hill, Prospects

Update: Annual subscriptions are live. To switch over from monthly to annual, go to Patreon settings > Memberships > View Details, then change “billing frequency” to annual. This link should get you there. I did not include a discount with the annual membership, sorry. Way too many people tell me the site is underpriced as it is. The annual membership is for anyone who prefers to pay for a year upfr...

April 18th, 2025: Schmidt, Domínguez, Bellinger, Fried, Cruz, Leiter, WBC, Mailbag

PSA: I’ve had a few people ask about an annual membership rather than monthly. Patreon started offering annual memberships last month, so let me look into it this weekend and I’ll get them set up. I’ll be perfectly honest, $3 (or $5!) a month is already a pretty sweet deal (or so I’ve been told), so I can’t promise I’ll bake a discount into the annual membership. The benefit would be payi...

April 14th, 2025: Volpe, Stroman, Bullpen, Rodón, Warren, Goldschmidt

You know things aren’t going well when the manager has to practically beg for a rain delay to spare his bullpen like Aaron Boone did Friday. Excluding Babe Ruth, the Yankees have never used two position players to pitch in one game. I thought Oswaldo Cabrera and Pablo Reyes might have to soak up three innings between them before the umpires granted the mercy rain delay. It was that kinda night. Here is Tuesday’s post on Monday. I’ve been under the weather the last few days, so I’m hit...

April 11th, 2025: Fried, Rice, Williams, Ottavino, Carrasco, Guerrero, Mailbag

The terrible news keeps coming: Octavio Dotel, briefly a Yankee and a longtime big leaguer, was among the 221 people killed in a nightclub collapse in the Dominican Republic earlier this week. Former MLB player Tony Blanco and Nelsy Cruz, Nelson’s sister, were also killed. Dotel was the David Robertson of his ...

April 7th, 2025: Judge, Grisham, Bottom of the Order, Pitching, Prospects

Torpedo bats have the commissioner’s stamp of approval. Rob Manfred called them “absolutely good for baseball” over the weekend. I’m glad he said that. Don’t just say yeah, they’re legal per the rulebook, and leave it at that. Make it clear they’re something that can improve the product, even if we don’t know exactly how mu...

April 4th, 2025: Volpe, Leadoff, Warren, Ottavino, Bench, Prospects, Mailbag

UPDATE: The Yankees did DFA Ot

March 31st, 2025: Opening Sweep, Torpedo Bats, RailRiders

The Yankees have swept their first series of the season for the first time since, well, last year. Before that, they hadn’t swept their opening series since 2003, and this is the first time the Yankees have swept an opening series of at least three games in back-to-back seasons, if you can believe that. Lots of franchise firsts this weekend, eh? Not complaining. Here is Tuesday’s post on Monday since it’s an off-day, and because I don’t want to wait around to hit publish after that ve...

March 28th, 2025: Wells, Rodón, Williams, Judge, Mailbag

A notable thing happened on Opening Day: Aaron Judge is now eligible for the Hall of Fame. It was only a formality, but Judge has now appeared in a game in 10 different seasons, so he’s eligible to appear on the BBWAA’s ballot five years after he’s done playing. A lot of my writer pals have already said they anticipate voting for Judge because his peak has been so insane. Still has plenty of time to keep compiling though. Judge isn’t hanging up his spikes anytime soon. Here now is tod...

Thoughts before Opening Day 2025

Opening Day is here and the Yankees will host the Brewers at Yankee Stadium this afternoon (3pm ET on ESPN). The Yankees and Brewers were AL East rivals many moons ago. The Brewers moved to the AL Central in 1994 and then the NL Central when the Diamondbacks and (Devil) Rays arrived in 1998. This will be the first Yankees vs. Brewers Opening Day matchup since 1979 (2025-03-27 17:06:08 +0000 UTC View Post

March 25th, 2025: Goldschmidt, Smith, Yarbrough, Rodón, Leiter

I forgot to mention this a few weeks ago: When Max Fried made his Grapefruit League debut on March 3rd, it was his first time pitching at George M. Steinbrenner Field since way back on March 2nd, 2018. Do you know what Fried did that day? He struck out Russell Wilson. The Yankees traded f...

RAB’s 10 bold predictions for the 2025 Yankees

Everyone’s lining up to read this year’s bold predictions.

I swear, it feels like the World Series just ended, but Opening Day is mere days away. Spring Training has not been kind to the Yankees on the injury front, dampening excitement and expectations, but the start of the new season is always a good time. There will be plenty of time later for crushing losses and despair. In a few days...

March 21st, 2025: Schmidt, Carrasco, Bellinger, Bullpen, Mailbag

Opening Day is next Thursday and my annual bold predictions will run Monday. I’m gonna break them out into their own post. It’s just neater that way. Also, here are the new Yankee Stadium concessions for 2025. I will report back on the dumplings whenever I get around to finding one of the stands. The new concessions announcement is the surest sign we’re in the stretch run of Spring Training. Let’s get to...

March 18th, 2025: Rodón, Schmidt, Weaver, Spring Breakout

The 2025 regular season begins today. The Cubs and Dodgers are playing two games in Tokyo this week (6am ET on Tuesday and Wednesday), then everyone else will start their regular seasons next week. The Cubs and Dodgers both played a pair of exhibition games against the Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants over the weekend and...

March 14th, 2025: Cole, Stroman, Stanton, Schmidt, Smith, Mailbag

UPDATE: Carlos Carrasco is now starting tonight, not Allan Winans. Winans will probably come out of the bullpen instead (unless he's hurt). Also, the Yankees say Carlos Lagrange, my No. 17 prospect, will start Spring Breakout tomorrow.

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ORIGINAL POST: The updated standings projections are starting to roll in. 2025-03-14 10:00:11 +0000 UTC View Post

March 11th, 2025: Schmidt, Rotation, Matzek, Wells, Carrasco, Trade Targets

Has anyone blamed the injuries on the Yankees allowing beards yet? I feel like that take has to be out there. Blame this all on the Curse of the Beards™ (retroactive to 2010). Maybe the Yankees can harvest DJ LeMahieu’s elbow and give it to Gerrit Cole? This sucks man, but just think how electric it will be when Cole throws out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium in a few months. 2025-03-11 10:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post

Thoughts after the Yankees announce Gerrit Cole will have Tommy John surgery

It is the worst case scenario for Gerrit Cole. Cole will have Tommy John surgery on Tuesday, the Yankees announced this evening. It will be full blown Tommy John, not the internal brace procedure, which is only viable for certain partial tears. Cole’s tear is apparently beyond whatever that threshold is, so his UCL has to be completely replaced, not just repaired. What a colossal bummer.

Ther...

Quick thoughts after Gerrit Cole has an MRI on his elbow

Opening Day is still more than two weeks away, and already this season is starting to feel cursed. Gerrit Cole’s elbow is acting up for the second straight spring. He’s already had an MRI and the results are being sent out for second opinions, because that’s what you do when your $36M a year ace has an elbow issue. Cole admitted he is “concerned."

“I’m hoping for the best,” Cole t...

March 7th, 2025: Reyes, Backup Catcher, Cole, Weaver, Warren, Jones, Spring Breakout, Mailbag

Grapefruit League record check: 6-5-1 with a +17 run differential. In his newsletter, Joe Sheehan recently noted that there’s little correlation between the best Spring Training records and the best regular season records, but the worst teams tend to have the worst records in Spring Training and the regular season. The worst record this spring? The White Sox at 3-10-0. Yep, that checks out. Let’s get to today’s post.

March 4th, 2025: Gil, Injuries, Cole, Rice, Fried, Lombard, Spring Breakout

UPDATE: Will Warren is starting today, not Carlos Rodón. That's what I get for trusting MLB At-Bat for Spring Training starting pitchers. I'm not sure what Rodón will do instead (he does line up to pitch today), though it wouldn't be unusual for a veteran starter to throw a sim game in Tampa rather than go on the road for the third straight start (and to face the same opponent for the second straight start).

ORIGINAL POST: We have reached th...

February 28th, 2025: Third Base, Smith, Warren, Matzek, Volpe, Wells, Effross, Mailbag

The "well-groomed beard" era is underway. Jasson Domínguez is growing one. Carlos Rodón and Devin Williams too. Give it a day and I’m sure Austin Wells will look like he just walked out of the woods. A few non-roster guys have looked pretty scruffy this last week. Aaron Judge said he won’t grow a beard (I have a hard time picturing Judge with a beard, to be honest), but several others have put ...

February 25th, 2025: Volpe, ABS, Jones, Warren, Domínguez, Rice, Hampton, Hurd, Salary Cap

First the Yankees changed their facial hair policy and now they’ll no longer play “New York, New York” at the stadium after a loss. They’ll instead use a rotating selection of songs after losses, per Bryan Hoch. (It was Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life�...

Quick thoughts after Hal Steinbrenner alters the facial hair policy

Devin Williams can grow his beard back now.

Welcome to the 21st century, Yankees. Friday morning Hal Steinbrenner announced he is altering the team’s antiquated facial hair policy, and will allow “well-groomed beards” moving forward. It sounds like the “no hair below the collar” rule remains. The announcement comes two days after everyone shaved for Spring Training picture day.<...

February 21st, 2025: Boone, Wells, Beeter, Schmidt, Hampton, Spring Storylines, Mailbag

Welcome to the final RAB post without some form of Yankees baseball until hopefully sometime in early November. They’ll play their first Spring Training game this afternoon. It’s a home game too, so they’ll wear the pinstripes like they do for the spring home opener each year, and we’ll see a good number of regulars in the lineup to mark the occasion. Here is today’s post and here’s the first episode o...

February 18th, 2025: Stanton, Stroman, Boone, Arenado, Brubaker, Leiter, WBC

The Yankees have their first major injury of 2025. Bench coach Brad Ausmus pulled his hamstring playing basketball over the weekend and apparently it’s a significant strain. He’s got weeks of recovery ahead of him. Did Aaron Boone play in the game? “Absolutely not. I stay in my lane,” he told Gary Phillips. 2025-02-18 11:00:11 +0000 UTC View Post

February 14th, 2025: Stroman, Third Base, Cousins, Beeter, Loáisiga, Prospects to Know, Mailbag

Spring Training camps are open across Arizona and Florida, which means it is both prospect season (here’s my Top 30 Prospects List) and also projection season. PECOTA came out last week and projected the Yankees for 89.7 wins. 2025-02-14 11:00:18 +0000 UTC View Post

February 11th, 2025: Spring Training, Fallen Prospects, Rule Changes

Spring has sprung. It’s cold in New York and there’s still slush on the sidewalk from Saturday’s snowfall, but pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training today, and that’s pretty awesome. Soon grainy cell phone videos of guys playing catch will hit social media. Bring me all of it. There’s plenty of time for baseball to crush our souls later this year. Enjoy the early hope-filled days of Spring Training while you can. 2025-02-11 11:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post

2025 Preseason Top 30 Yankees Prospects

February 6th, 2025: Hill, Carrasco, Non-Roster Invitees, Not Top 30 Prospects, Mailbag

On this date in 1998, the Yankees and Twins finally completed the Chuck Knoblauch trade. I remember the weeks of rumors, but I forgot the trade didn’t actually happen until right before Spring Training. The Yankees won three World Series titles in Knoblauch’s four years even though he wasn’t as impactful as expected. He hit .321/.420/.470 (131 wRC+) in his last three years with the Twins....

February 4th, 2025: Schmidt, Outfield Arms, Kahnle, Leiter, Minor League Coaches, Serruto

Reminder: My annual Top 30 Prospects list will go live Friday. That means a) Friday’s regular post will run Thursday, and b) pitchers and catchers report next week. Thank goodness. I’m ready to move on from the usual late offseason bellyaching to real live baseball. The Yankees will play their first Grapefruit League game in two weeks and three days. I can’t wait. On that note, 2025 PECOTA projections are ...

January 31st, 2025: Goldschmidt, Infield, Mailbag

Top 30 Prospects list update: It’s a go for next Friday. I have all 30 players written up already. Now I just need to put together an intro, read through it at least twice (during which I will still inevitably miss typos, sorry), and hope the Yankees don’t trade anyone. They had all winter. They can give me this next week. Next Friday’s regularly scheduled post will run Thursday and include my an...