Latest / Yankees Pod / Last Month Checkpoint of The 2026 New York Yankees Season W Beat Writer Greg Joyce (Yankees Pod)

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Last Month Checkpoint of The 2026 New York Yankees Season W Beat Writer Greg Joyce (Yankees Pod) · Yankees Pod

• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: We are back from our hiatus to the Yankees pod with a very, very special guest.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: You know him.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_01: He's the beat writer of the Yankees for the New York Post.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_01: Greg Joyce is here.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: Greg, how are you doing today?
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: Good, Jamie.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for having me on.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_01: Of course.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_01: And before we get to Greg, I just want to note Yeah, the last couple weeks we were off, had vacations, was on the West Coast.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: It's time to dial in now.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_01: There's gonna be no more off weeks.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_01: The Yankees Pod Twitter's gonna ramp up.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_01: The YouTube, the TikTok, the Instagram, all ramping up now.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: It's go time, officially go time.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_01: But we have to start with Cam Schlittler.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: Last two starts, Red Sox, he does amazing AKs, five and a third, I believe.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: Two nights ago, eight innings, only gives up the one run, 17 strikeouts in his last two starts.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, when you talk to him, do you think he's appreciating the season he has, or is he just so dialed in on winning and focused on that?
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he he seems someone who doesn't he's not really taking a step back to to take a look at what he does.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: I think he's so dialed in, and I know he was uh he wasn't thrilled with his August.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, he had a by most accounts a pretty good August, like runs-wise, ERA-wise.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but I think he'd walked like 16 guys in 27 innings, uh, which is uh kind of uncharacteristic of him.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: Uh he's usually a pretty good strike thrower.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: So then of course he comes out the other night and doesn't walk a single guy, uh, goes eight innings, two hits, one run.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so it was pretty pretty dominant the other night.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, he's been asked a couple times about like the Cy Young, and I think he's he says uh yeah, it'd be cool, whatever, but it's it's doesn't seem to be his focus.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: He's he he wants to win a championship.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and I you know a lot of guys say that and it's kind of just you know it's just kind of the cliches, but I I kind of get that sense with him.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: Like he's a guy that even from start to start is is pretty dialed in on what he needs to fix, even though it's it's been a it's a crazy good season.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: Uh there hasn't been a ton to fix, but you know, when he's had a uh slip up here and there, he's he's pretty focused on uh you know the days in between the starts getting his work done and usually comes out the next time out and and uh shoves.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: So he's yeah, the other night in Anna Allen was one of the best ones we've seen all season from him.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I'm here to say it.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: I'm here to say it.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_01: He's the cycle.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_01: I'm sorry, sorry to Dylan Sees.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_01: This guy, what he's done to this organization with Aaron Judge out, he has been the leader of the pack.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_01: Freed was out for a number uh of times.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Cole has been out.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_01: This guy has truly been the reason why the Yankees have been a laughing stock.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: He's the reason why the Yankees are only three games back right now from the race.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_01: Without this guy right now, you would be thinking about talking about Aaron Boone possibly being fired.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_01: There's a flu of things that you can talk about.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: But the guy is just absolutely jugged.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, I really like what he's doing, even online.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: He's not afraid to get in the dirt.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_01: Like, that's who he is.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_01: He's a Massachusetts boys.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_01: He's throwing it around with the Section uh 10 guys over in Boston.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: And it's really like honestly what they're saying about him.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: They're saying he's a bad, trash human being, is what I heard on a clip.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: Just absolute nonsense.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: The guy is dialed in.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_01: If I was a Red Sox fan, I would hate him too.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: But more importantly, he's been outstanding on the road.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I think what what's he holds an astronomical 1.14 ERA across his first 16 road starts of the season.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: That is the lowest ERA in a pitcher's first 16 road starts in American League history since Earn Runs became an official stat.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm calling him the Cy Young.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: What are your thoughts on it?
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think it's gonna be an interesting final month.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: I think they both probably have like four starts left, uh, you know, if if everything goes according to plan.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: I I think right now it's it's Schlitlers to lose.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: Like I think, you know, not only he has a better ERA, but I think innings like workload mat matters.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: He has more innings than Cease or starts and Cease.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: So I think uh, you know, I think that that that should favor in, you know, pretty heavily of this guy's throwing more innings.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and like you said, that he's been especially dominant on the road, uh, doing it against good teams too.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: So it's it's it's legit.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: I mean Cease has been really good too, had a ton of strikeouts, and it's probably gonna lead in that.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: But um yeah, I think when when you look at the full body of work, I I think Schlitzer probably has the upper hand at this point, but you know, final four starts, uh, you know, could tip the scales one way or another for both guys, but uh yeah, you just look at the the the amount of workload he's had for a guy that you know he's past his career high in workload and uh still, you know, I think it was his 29th start the other night, 28th or 29th start, and he's still you know going eight innings, going deep, uh, you know, still still throwing upper 90s.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so it's been impressive all season.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and so you mentioned the 28 or 29 starts.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_01: In 19 of those starts, he's given up one or zero runs.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_01: So that's how dominant it's a it's a Yankees franchise record.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: When you talk about Yankees franchise records, you're probably talking about most teams' uh franchise records as well.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_01: He's just absolutely been a force, and we had to start there.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: We absolutely had to start with Cam Schlitzer, and it stinks because you know, if the Yankees had scored four runs two nights ago, he gets dexter win.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_01: How important is wins to a starting pitcher in the year 2026?
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_01: Probably not that important, but still something that needs to be recognized.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, I I'm obviously biased, but the award goes to the award goes, you could almost argue that the guy's been the MVP.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like that's how like crazy good he's been.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um okay.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, like you said, like the 19 starts with one runner, or if you were like theoretically, there should all be wins.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, is it's not gonna be for any team.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, it there's games where it doesn't happen like that, but like you're giving your your team a great chance to win every single night when you're doing that.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: So it's been impressive.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: The next guy who's been hot lately, who struggled in the beginning of the year, is Cody Ballinger.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: Cody Ballinger's hitting 341 in his last 10 games since coming off the I.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_01: Slow start to the season.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_01: But do you see something in his approach or does water finding its level here?
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think a little bit water finding its level.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, they said a couple of coaches were also talking about his bat path being kind of really locked in during the Stangels series.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: He was kind of a sneaky eight for 14.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, when you look up at the end of the series, it's like, yeah, you guys just kept on hitting, kept on getting on base.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, so it's big.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: Like, it's the thing, like when you get you you have Judge coming back, obviously you're counting on him to to give you a big lift, but like you need the other guys in that lineup to play like they're capable of too.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: And and Bellinger certainly has been since he came back from the IL.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, he's so important too against lefties.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: Like, they're such a lefty heavy lineup, and he is a lefty, but he can hit lefty pitching really well.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um, he's a guy that that gets on base, like makes you know contact oriented, doesn't strike out a ton, which is important again when they have a lot of guys in that lineup that are um you know that have some higher strikeout rates where he's a guy that will put the ball in play and make things happen, and especially in October, uh, you know, that that's so valuable to have a guy like that and a little bit different approach from the rest of the lineup.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: So um and and he's been awesome defensively in left field too.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_00: Like he that that game uh the other day against the Red Sox when he threw out the runner at the plate, Raphaela.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it was just, I mean, perfect.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: You couldn't you couldn't have drawn it up better than that.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: That throw basically saves the game at that point.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so it's just it seems like every night he's doing something to help you win.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, he's certainly uh lived up to at least you know the first year that that contract, he's he's getting he's playing his money's worth right there.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think he's back in like 267 now.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: He's a career like 261 hitter.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: The OPS isn't you know, isn't outstanding by any means, but when you look at his contract and you look at Kyle Tucker's contract, it looks like we got a little bit saved there.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_01: So it's definitely going in the right direction for Cody Bellinger.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_01: And we actually we just need him to, you know, we need him to be the guys on the back of his uh baseball card.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_01: It looks like he's doing that well, so I had to give him a shout out.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_01: Another guy who we were all I was screaming for it.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_01: I think every single person on Yankees Twitter was screaming for a new catcher at the trade deadline.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: But since that deadline, Austin Wells has been really good offensively.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_01: 777 OPS since said, what happened?
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: Did did he hear the noises?
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um what happened with Austin Wells where we've seen this complete turnaround.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and have you seen him?
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_01: Is his demeanor changed?
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_01: Does is he having more fun?
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: What are your thoughts on Austin Wells?
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think that that IL that you he was on the IL for about two weeks in June for the the cervical headaches.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um I think maybe that turns out to be a little bit of a a blessing in disguise.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: Uh kind of almost gave him a reset.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: Like I, you know, catchers have a ton of wear and tear, and it's a pot, you know, he didn't even he doesn't sure for how long he was kind of playing through that stuff, like or when it first happened, but that kind of takes a toll.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh but you know, so he got the two weeks off to kind of get you know improve physically, but also just went on uh, you know, when he went out to triple A on a rehab assignment, he worked with you know the hitting group there to kind of clean up his swing a little bit, uh try to get some more like lift on the ball.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: And um he described it as like to give himself some more margin for error where you can get some you didn't have to hit it perfect every time to get a hit.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: So um, you know, he kind of went in the lab a little bit, looked under the hood with those guys and and tried to try to make some adjustments.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: And it even when he came off the IL, like the first two weeks were still bad.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was like three for 37 or something like that.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: Like it was it didn't look any better.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: But uh, you know, like that some of the coaches were saying, like, we it he looks like a different hitter, and then all of a sudden, I think it was like since July 9, maybe.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um all of a sudden he had a couple hit game against uh the Rays, and since then has turned it on, and he just looks like more like the guy that uh you know we saw a lot in 24 when he was, you know, that remember that year he he was their cleanup hitter for a while that summer, he was hitting so well and just kind of grind even if he's not getting results, like he's just having tougher at bats, like fouling pitches off, grinding at bats out, and and that's as much as you can ask for for a guy who's basically gonna hit eighth or ninth every night.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um and like all along, like the biggest reason they like they did try for a catcher at the deadline.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: They were trying to get Adley Rushman, but the I think the biggest reason why they stuck with Wells throughout this is just that it they place like a huge premium what on what he does behind the plate and how he handles the pitching staff, which obviously it's been one of the best pitching staffs in the majors all year.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um so he kind of like he kind of leaned into that because he he felt like if I'm not doing anything offensively, at least like I can contribute defensively and helping these pitchers out.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: So I think he that helped him kind of get through it a little bit.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, it's like we talked to him the other night, you can he's definitely a little bit lighter now.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: Uh you know, now that he's he's carrying his weight offensively too.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: Um it'll affect anybody, even if you do lean into the defensive side.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: Like that that takes a toll when you're going over three, over four with a couple strikeouts every night and not doing much.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: So I think he just feels like himself again.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, it's important.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's like he's uh he's a legit guy, a two-way guy.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: You know, he's not gonna he's not gonna have a Cal Raleigh season where he's hitting 60 home runs, but uh, you know, he's get if he can get on base more regularly and and work those tough at bats, like that makes a big difference at the bottom of your lineup, plenty of it out, and and that's on top of everything he brings defensively.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Spencer Jones has been really good as of late.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, in his last 20 games, he has an OPS of 834.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_01: He's hitting in 41 plate appearances with runners in scoring position.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: His slash is 324, 415, 588.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: That's an OPS of 1.003.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_01: Trent Christian has been struggling.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, we're moving the chess pieces along now, and Aaron Judge is going to be back soon, and we'll get to the Aaron Judge and injury uh update.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_01: But when Aaron Judge is back, I think he's got to be the center fielder right now.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_01: I truly do.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_01: He's hitting against lefties, he's doing everything right.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, what are your thoughts on that whole situation?
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he's making it a tough decision for sure.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it seems like he's earned the right to at least eat into some of that playing time in center field.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, I think they still think Grisham can kind of get hot again.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: Like we've seen it in a couple stretches this year.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_00: I think right before he got hurt with the hamstring, he was he had a month where he was he was getting on base a ton and and hitting really well.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: And then for a little bit when he came off the aisle, but now it's been a couple weeks where it's just uh not really been there for him.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: And and meanwhile, Spencer's obviously gone on this on this real hot stretch.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: So it's interesting timing of you know, especially because when when Judge comes back, they gotta open a roster spot.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um and Jones has minor league options, so like one of the the ways to do that without losing anybody, you know, from the organization potentially is to to option Jones.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: But I don't know how you do that now when he's been one of your best hitters uh really go, you know, kind of going on a month now.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um so I think you know, when he started against the lefty the other night in the series finale against the Angels, started in center field, that was notable.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um and it wasn't just uh give Christian a day.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: It was uh you know, Boone said that Spencer's earned it, you know, the right to get in there some.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_00: And he uh he went over four with four strikeouts, but like in general he has hit lefties pretty well in a small sample size.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: So um yeah, it's gonna be interesting because uh, you know, the you know, you're gonna have on almost every day you're gonna have Bellinger and left, Judge and right.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: And then so it's do you go do you try to have Grisham play his way out of it?
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: Do you go with the hot hand with Spencer Jones?
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: And if you do go with Spencer, like how do you open up a roster spot uh for Judge?
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like does that put you know Ahmed Rosario in danger of losing his roster spot?
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: You know, he started to look a little bit better the last you know, half handful of games.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: So um, you know, there's been a couple of times this year where it's like you there's a guy coming back from an injury and there's some some questions about what they're gonna do, and then somebody else gets injured.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe this is all moot uh and something ends up happening anyways, but you know, it could be like a week out from from having to make that decision.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: So uh I I think it's gonna be tar hard pressed to you know put out a lineup with Spencer not in it just because he's been uh he's been one of your best hitters over this last month, although, especially.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_01: Pretend that you are the manager, and and and we're just or maybe a scout.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_01: Let's say you're the scout.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_01: Who is the better defensive center fielder in your opinion?
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: So I think like you can't discount Christian's experience there, but he's definitely, you know, he's obviously lost a step.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, especially going back on balls, it's been a little bit of a struggle.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: I don't, you know, some of Spencer Jones' reads hasn't haven't been great.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: He's been bouncing around all three spots.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe that's you know, maybe that's part of it when you're not seeing the same angle every day.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but he obviously has more he has better foot speed, so he can kind of make up for some things, even if he doesn't get the best jump on a ball.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_00: Where, you know, um, you know, there's been a handful of plays with Grishom, especially, you know, recently it seems like where he's hasn't gotten the best jump on a ball, uh, gets over his head or something like that.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: So uh you know, I think maybe they you know do they trust Grisham's experience more that that will, you know, especially when these games get paid, that that'll that'll pay some dividends, maybe.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, Jones has the athleticism and the and the speed to kind of make up for uh some things out there too.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_00: So um especially when you know the rest of that outfield is gonna be pretty good.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_00: You have Bellinger and left and judge and right.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I don't think judges like judges already said he's not gonna be diving for balls or anything like that, but you know, in general, he plays a pretty strong right field.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: So uh that should help out too.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, once they're at full strength, they have a pretty good defensive outfield.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_01: I I just I know they gave him the$22 million.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_01: I know that Cashman believes in this team believes in him.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_01: I just want them to, if they truly believe that Trent Grisham is the better player, fine.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_01: Like I don't believe that, but fine.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_01: But I just don't want that$22 million decision be the difference between another guy not being able to play.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_01: I think that you gotta have, you kind of have to make tough decisions.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they're like it's gonna be a tough decision.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_01: And I I don't really care.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: Like I'm a Spencer Jones guy.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_01: I don't really care if they believe that Trent Christian is the more experienced guy.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_01: It just like like you're saying, the athleticism comes into play.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_01: Trent Christian, like, I don't know if he it just feels like he's he's not lollygagging, he's trying his hardest, but he's just slow.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_01: He's kind of just slow.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_01: And nothing against him.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_01: He's been he's been a great Yankee the past couple of seasons.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_01: But I just want them to put the contract aside and really dive into that.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_01: And as long as they're doing that, I'm fine with it.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so hopefully that like contract doesn't play a decision.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think at this point in the season, too.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: That's uh it's maybe early in the season that that contract kind of weighs in.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: I think at this point it's gotta be like you just gotta play your best guys.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um we saw it two two years ago when you know when Verdugo was struggling, they gave Dominguez some run and obviously didn't that didn't work out, and so then Verdugo was back playing by the the postseason.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: So um Yeah, that was a little bit more because Dominguez was a defensive liability out there.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, I think Jones has shown himself to be pretty good.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_00: You know, he there's like I said, there's been some balls out there where he hasn't gotten the best read, or or you know, when he's up against a wall, it hasn't been maybe his best.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_00: But uh yeah, it it's definitely gonna be interesting.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_00: And but we've seen like a little bit over the last couple of years of like once it hit September, it's you know, like last like last year was when Dominguez was still getting run for a while, then it hit late August, September, and they just go with the best outfield every day.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: And that that meant Dominguez kind of riding the bench for most of September.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_00: So uh yeah, at a certain point, it's like you gotta put all the ego and the contracts and all that to the side, and you you gotta figure out what what gives you the best chance to win every night.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_00: A thousand percent.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_00: A thousand percent.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_01: Uh okay, let's get to the injuries.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_01: You said that Aaron Judge potentially could be back uh this next home, Sam.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_01: What what what's the update on the captain?
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it seems like that uh, you know, they get home.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: Uh they played San Diego this weekend, get home uh off day Monday, and then start a series on Tuesday against the Rockies.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know that he'd be I don't know that it's gonna be right away, but you wonder, you know, does he get back by the end of that Rocky series?
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: Does he get back uh, you know, a week from today is the 9-11 25th anniversary against the Mets?
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: Like that would be a a pretty uh dramatic way to return there.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um but it does seem like you know, this past week or two has just been you know pretty steady increase in activity.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_00: Like he hit off the traject machine before they left New York last weekend.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we saw him running the bases on Wednesday in Anaheim, which is like for a lot of guys rehabbing.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: That's kind of the last step.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: Now he's that's when guys are coming back from like lower body injuries, but you know, that was an important box to check for him.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um I think he's been hitting off some uh you know, he hasn't hit on the field yet that we've seen, so he's doing all his cage work underneath um you know, out of sight.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_00: But I think you know he can hit off high velocity pitching machines while they're on the road here.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: Um I think they'd like to get him some have him pay some live pitching uh before they activate him.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_00: So uh not something they can really do on the road.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_00: So it it seems like like Boone mentioned, maybe Monday.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: I wonder if I wonder if you know maybe they have Clark Schmidt throw him live on you know Monday's off day at Yankee Stadium because Schmidt threw Wednesday in his last rehab appearance.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: So like I think that's I mean he maybe he lines up for for Monday.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: I mean there's a chance he can go Sunday if they're trying to shorten some things in between his his outings, but like if they need a live arm to to throw to judge, maybe that makes sense for Schmidt to do it.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um I mean they could also like bring up a minor leaguer and just have him throw to judge in the stadium.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: They can find ways to do it, but um yeah, I mean Judge has been pretty adamant that he doesn't want to go on a rehab assignment, doesn't want to waste those bullets.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_00: Um and with the traject and like all the stuff that they can kind of simulate, they feel like it's not as uh you know as important as it once was to go on a rehab assignment.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: So they still haven't said one way, like officially one way or another, but it seems like it's headed towards him being able to skip it.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_00: So like in Anaheim the other day.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: He was uh, you know, he's taking five balls in right field, then would like be down a couple minutes and then go take some more.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_00: He's doing the same with hitting, like he would hit, sit, hit to kind of like simulate innings, like being on the bench, going back out, stuff like that.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_00: So he's trying to like it seems like at this point he's just kind of building up like the endurance, the workload, so that he doesn't injure something else on the on the way back, you know, once he gets playing.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_00: But it does seem like it's you know, within a week, maybe that that if everything continues to go well, he could be back.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_01: Makes sense.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_01: It's September 11th makes a lot of sense.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_01: Uh my my alarm went off when you said that.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_01: Uh um, can you explain to me the traject machine?
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_01: Because yeah, I guess they have one at home, but you can't use one on the road.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so it's like a big it's basically a big screen with a machine in it.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_00: It so on the screen when you turn it on, it basically simulates, like it has video of legit big leaguers.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so you could dial up like uh like they're facing Michael King on Sunday.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_00: So like say you wanted to practice against Michael King, you could put Michael King in and it spits out like his exact uh like the exact velocities that he throws, the expins that he throws.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_00: Like, so you're it's almost like facing real pitching as much as you can for a machine.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but you see like the Michael King in on the video screen and then it shoots out the ball.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, are the Yankees the only team that has that?
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_00: Or is No, I think I think most teams have it, but they most uh like no one has it for the road team, so it's just it's not something you can kind of pack up and take.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_00: Like, so it's in I think I think every home team at this point has it, uh, but it's not available to teams on the road, which kind of like makes sense.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_01: Why would you give a team that advantage to get advantageous?
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: All right, that makes a lot of sense.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_01: That makes a lot of sense.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um what happened with Jan Carlo?
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_01: Who I mean I'm just so disappointed.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um he's he's done for the year now.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_01: Uh like he's is his time with the Yankees done?
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what the heck happened?
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, in a minute or less, like just what you watched this entire season with him trying to get back.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's crazy to think back to like late April.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_00: They were, you know, when he first suffered this the cap strain, they were waiting to see if he could even like avoid the AIL altogether.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: And now it's uh you know, four four plus months later and he still hasn't played another game, probably probably won't the rest of the season.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_00: Like he's been so he's been on the verge of coming back twice.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_00: Um and like I like I was mentioning earlier, the run of the base is like the last step for a lot of guys rehabbing.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: He was doing that first time he was doing that in June.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and uh you know, he was I think he was a couple days away from being activated at that point and felt something in his calf again.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: It was the same right calf, just a different strain.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_00: So that set him back.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_00: And then uh, you know, last month was or a couple weeks ago was doing the same thing, running the bases was pretty close to being activated again, and then uh you know, strained the left calf.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_00: So it's it's brutal.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I mean he's a guy that like hates hates injuries, hates talking about injuries because he knows that it's been such a you know central part uh central uh theme of his time here.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_00: Like when he's he's been on the field, he's been by and large pretty good, especially in October.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_00: But he's just the the injuries have kept setting him back and uh you know keeping him out.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_00: So it's I know he's he's taked off by he he hates it.
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um you know, he hasn't spoken yet since the last uh setback, but um you know I can imagine that he's he's as frustrated as anybody he wants to be out there, so he's still rehabbing as if there was a chance he could get back this season.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't seem like it would have to be some pretty uh you know, I would think they'd have to have some injuries and his rehabs go perfectly to have a chance to come back at all in October, which doesn't seem very likely at this point.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: But we'll see.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, so I think they have 15 million left um you know for next year.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um it seems like I mean who knows with like you know what the lockout looks like and how much of a next season they play, but like do you bring him this camp and and see what they have?
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't think you can depend on him being your DH, but uh at this point it's like you might as well bring him in next year.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: But I don't I don't think you can bank on him being you know an everyday guy for you at this point.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_01: No, definitely not.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_01: I I if if you see him, just tell him to pick up the bat, don't even run.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_01: Like literally, if he does get to a point where he's back, like don't even run.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_01: Hit he's gonna hit the ball to the wall, or it's gonna go over the fence, or he's gonna strike out.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_01: Just walk to first base.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_01: If we if we can get three to five at bats out of Jan Carlos Staten in the postseason, it could be the difference.
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, but yeah, it's just really disappointing.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, obviously not his fault, but just like flabbergasting to say the least.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_01: That you know, and I don't even have a problem with the Yankees like taking it slow with him.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_01: It's just really sad.
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_01: I don't even I guess you have to run when you're rehabbing, but I don't even know why he was running.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_01: But that's a little crazy to say about a professional athlete.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_01: Greg Joyce, you've you've been amazing.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um our favorite beat writer, obviously.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so we're getting down to the stretch here.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_01: We're getting down to the nitty-gritty.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_01: Uh what do we think?
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_01: Can we change can we chase these rays?
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_01: Can we win the division?
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_01: Or what are what are we thinking?
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_01: And then just like further thoughts on you know this team heading into October.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_00: I think at this rate they have a shot.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's down to three games now.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, if you can trim that down to like if you can have it to one game by the time they play that four-game series, uh, I guess the last week of the regular season.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's gonna be tough, like it's a four-game series in three days.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_00: They have a double header one of the days, and to get the season tiebreaker, they have to win all four.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_00: The Yankees have to win all four games.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_00: So that's uh that's a gonna be a big ask.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but it also could be a you know the difference of like if it is gonna be that tight, you want to have the tiebreaker.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_00: So in order to do that, you gotta win all four games.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_00: So that's gonna be a a huge showdown.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it's gonna be interesting too.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, you know, do you you obviously want to chase the division and get the bye and and it's you can set up your pitching and all that, but then it's you'd also want to know, like, you know, if you're not gonna win to the division, you want to be able to like use that last week to um like obviously they're not gonna do this during the race series, but it depending on how that race series goes, then like maybe you would use that last series to like give guys some breathers or rearrange your pitching.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_00: But it's like it would be nice if they could, you know, figure out one way, like you're not probably not gonna have this uh luxury, but like to figure out, you know, give some of your highest leverage guys some uh uh a reset.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_00: Uh obviously like Hedrick and Blackburn, they've they've used a ton and uh and like you know, you know they want to get make sure Judge gets his timing down and all that, but it's gonna be interesting because it's like you're gonna they're gonna do everything they can to do to to win the division and chase down the race.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but also you gotta keep some workload things in mind because you want to guys have you want to have guys in a good spot physically going into the playoffs, so it's it's gonna be a a balance that they're gonna have to figure out.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_00: But obviously the you know number one priority is taking the division if they can.
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um you know, I think the rays like for a lot of the summer it was like, okay, like when is it gonna, you know, are they gonna fall off at some point?
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_00: But they they just keep doing it.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and a lot of the nights that the the Rays lose, the Yankees lose, and uh they haven't been fully able to take advantage of of that.
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_00: But it does seem like the race schedule is maybe a little bit harder than what the Yankees have left, so maybe that plays into their favor, but uh we'll see.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, uh you know, a couple weeks ago I would say maybe maybe the the division was gonna be out of reach, but now that it's three games with a couple weeks left and they got that huge series looming, they at least have a shot.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I I just hope that Rodone, Schlittler, Cole, and Fried are the four guys pitching on those days that they can kind of figure out a way.
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_01: But then, yeah, of course, like you know, last game of the season, if you know the division's out of hand, you're probably not starting Camp Splittler.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_01: So, like, you know, I you gotta go for it, and it's early enough that you can go for it and then kind of like mix it around.
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_01: So we'll see.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, I mean, as long as Schlitler, Cole, and Freed are healthy, I think this team can beat anyone, especially if Aaron Judge is back.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_01: So we're gonna pray for Aaron Judge to get back.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_01: But uh yeah, other than that, this team is they're 20 games over 500.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_01: And being 20 games over 500 without Aaron Judge and Ja Carlos Stanton most of the season is pretty impressive.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, I'm you know, I I can't be a glass half empty type of guy, but like they've really done a good job this year.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_01: Like, honestly, with everything, and you know, Paul Blackburn just out of nowhere and stuff like that.
• 31:17
  SPEAKER_01: So shout out to the Yankees, they're doing a good job this year.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_01: Shout out to Greg Joyce doing a phenomenal job this year.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_01: Uh let's just hope they can get it done this year.
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_01: Uh but yeah, thanks again for coming on.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no problem.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_00: Appreciate you having me, Jimmy.