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Newsweek
6 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Yankees' Cody Bellinger Responds to New Bench Role
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The New York Yankees suffered a second-straight shutout loss on Monday as their scoreless drought reached a surprising 20 innings. The Yankees' hitters are sure to figure things out soon as they've proven to be one of the most potent groups in all of baseball this season. But with the return of Giancarlo Stanton from injury, the team has been forced to move some star players into bench roles as at-bats prove hard to come by. "Yankees manager Aaron Boone huddled with six of his 13 position players before Monday night's homestand opener, three of them former MVPs who are not named Aaron Judge," according to Randy Miller. "They were told all six deserved to be regulars, but from this day forward until further notice (or injuries), two of them probably would be bench players each day." On Monday, that meant 2022 Most Valuable Player Award winner Paul Goldschmidt was on the bench, even though he has been one of the Yankees' best hitters so far. Soon, it will mean that 2019 MVP Cody Bellinger becomes a bench player, despite his $80 million contract. ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees looks on in the dugout during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 27, 2025... ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees looks on in the dugout during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 27, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by) More Tapia/Getty For his part, though, Bellinger is taking the new role in stride. "At the end of the day, we're all here for one goal, obviously winning the division and then getting to the World Series," Bellinger said, per Miller. "I'm sure we've all been on the opposite spectrum of who's going to play these positions, and that's a whole lot worse. So, yeah, we're all onboard with it." Bellinger's response underscored that this is a good problem for the Yankees to have. And the ever-present potential of an injury means that the logjam could clear itself in the near future. But until then, the Yankees will have some players getting accustomed to riding the bench for the first time in their storied careers. More MLB: Red Sox Predicted to Trade 7-Time All-Star to Mets After Rafael Devers Shocker
Newsweek
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Yankees GM Offers 4-Word Response on Poaching Breakout Contributor From Rival
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The New York Yankees knew their offense would be in good shape, but the pitching staff has been more of a surprise. After adding former Most Valuable Player Award winners Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger alongside superstar Aaron Judge, the team seemed to be capable of replacing Juan Soto and marching on with one of baseball's stronger batting orders. But after it lost Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil during spring training, the rotation faced some serious questions. The staff has answered those questions as it holds a top-10 ERA and the third-most strikeouts of any team in Major League Baseball. And while the likes of Max Fried, Carlos Rodon and Will Warren deserve a lot of credit, one of the most surprising reasons for the success has been Ryan Yarbrough. Despite throwing one of the slowest fastballs in the majors, Yarbrough maintained a 2.08 ERA in his first five starts for the Yankees after moving out of the bullpen. He has pitched for five different teams in the last eight seasons without any clear-cut success, but when he was pushed off the opening day roster by the division rival Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees rushed to snatch him up. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 08: New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman speaks to the media prior to the start of the game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on April... NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 08: New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman speaks to the media prior to the start of the game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on April 08, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by) More Stobe/Getty "When Yarbrough became a free agent March 23, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman immediately contacted the pitcher's agent," Ken Rosenthal reported for The Athletic. "The next day, Yarbrough was a Yankee." Given the premium on effective starting pitchers and the questions the Yankees faced at the beginning of the season, Cashman's move has been one of the year's savviest acquisitions for the first-place club. And the general manager underscored that impact with a four-word response on acquiring Yarbrough: "He's just been exceptional," Cashman said, per Rosenthal. "We knew he was a strike thrower, knew he wasn't afraid and he could give us protection and length," Cashman added. "Obviously, what he has turned into is a helluva lot more than that." As the Yankees look to turn a hot start into another World Series run, that move for Yarbrough might keep paying dividends. More MLB: Yankees Urged to Acquire $66 Million All-Star Slugger in Blockbuster Trade
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys' Dak $60 Million Salary In Danger of Lamar Leapfrog with Ravens
Cowboys' Dak $60 Million Salary In Danger of Lamar Leapfrog with Ravens originally appeared on Athlon Sports. FRISCO - There is an understandable misconception when it comes to how QBs are paid in the NFL. Advertisement The very best guy gets the absolute biggest contract? Nope. The Baltimore Ravens employ superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson. As a two-time MVP, he is inarguably more accomplished than the current highest-paid player in the NFL, Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, who signed a four-year, $240 million deal back in September of this past year. Good for Dak. And eventually, good for Lamar, too. CBS Sports' Joel Corry thinks Jackson could eclipse that annual $60 million mark by a wide margin, and is offering some advice. "Jackson should also make it clear to the Ravens that by waiting until next year to do a deal, the growth in the salary cap from 2025 to 2026 will need to be taken into account," Corry wrote. "For example, if the 2026 salary cap is set at $302.5 million, then the deal would have to be at $70 million per year because that would reflect the 34.56% salary cap inflation from 2023." Advertisement Our two reflections … One, we are endlessly amused at media members offering unsolicited advice to people in the arena. (Mike Florio at is hilariously guilty of this.) Two, Corry was once an agent, so he's got skins on the wall. And we bet his number ($70 million APY!), steep as it is … Is virtually inevitable. Jackson finished this past season with 4,172 passing yards and 41 touchdowns on just four interceptions. He was obviously also able to get it done with his legs with 915 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. The 28-year-old field general is just two seasons removed from winning the NFL Most Valuable Player Award, so there will not be much debate that he deserves to be paid more than Prescott when the time comes. Advertisement That's not an insult to Dak. It's not even a statement about the Dak. It's simply the way the market works. Related: Cowboys Dak and Schotty Leading New Cowboys Culture Related: 'Remarkably Consistent' Ravens Dubbed Second-Most Complete Team Want more Cowboys? Join us at the Fish Report! - This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson should be getting contract extension very soon.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson should be getting contract extension very soon. originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Baltimore Ravens have one of the best players in the entire NFL in superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson, and he could get a massive pay raise whenever the team decides to extend him. Advertisement The current highest-paid player in the NFL is Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, who signed a four-year, $240 million deal back in September of this past year. CBS Sports' Joel Corry thinks Jackson could eclipse that annual $60 million mark by a solid margin. "Jackson should also make it clear to the Ravens that by waiting until next year to do a deal, the growth in the salary cap from 2025 to 2026 will need to be taken into account," Corry wrote. "For example, if the 2026 salary cap is set at $302.5 million, then the deal would have to be at $70 million per year because that would reflect the 34.56% salary cap inflation from 2023." While that number ($70 million APY!) may seem quite steep, which it is, there are not many people more deserving of that big of a contract than the Ravens superstar. Jackson finished this past season with 4,172 passing yards and 41 touchdowns on just four interactions. He was obviously also able to get it done with his legs with 915 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Advertisement The 28-year-old field general is just two seasons removed from winning the NFL Most Valuable Player Award, so there will not be much debate that he deserves to be paid more than Prescott when the time comes. Related: 'Remarkably Consistent' Ravens Dubbed Second-Most Complete Team Related: Ravens' Mark Andrews Fires Back At 'Slowing Down' Critics This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PFF Reveals Buffalo Bills' Biggest Weakness
PFF Reveals Buffalo Bills' Biggest Weakness originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Josh Allen earned his first NFL Most Valuable Player Award in 2024. As long as the Buffalo Bills have Josh Allen at the helm, they will always have a title window. But it takes more than one man to take home a Super Bowl, and while Allen has performed exceptionally well in the playoffs, the Bills have yet to make it to the big game with him. Advertisement A large part of Buffalo's inability to break through to face an NFC opponent in the playoffs has been their defense, which PFF's Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman named as the Bills' biggest weakness last year. A defense that "turned opposing quarterbacks into Josh Allen," as they wrote. "While that header might be a bit hyperbolic, it's not that far off," Chadwick and Wasserman wrote. "The Bills had the league's fifth-lowest-graded defense last year (59.7) and earned the second-worst PFF coverage grade (37.7). Buffalo's abysmal 29.7 PFF coverage grade against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game was arguably the biggest reason why the team didn't make the Super Bowl." Defense was a major point of concern for the Bills in the offseason. The Bills drafted six defensive players in the 2025 NFL Draft, including their first five selections of the draft. Cornerback Maxwell Hairston, defensive tackle T.J. Sanders, pass rusher Landon Jackson, and defensive tackle Deone Walker headlined Buffalo's draft. Meanwhile the Bills added reinforcements in later rounds, with cornerbacks Jordan Hancock and Dorian Strong. The Bills also added star pass rusher Joey Bosa, who despite battling injuries over the past few years, Chadwick and Wasserman named the team's "X-Factor." Advertisement "Injuries seemed to have caught up with Joey Bosa a bit in 2024, as he ranked just 71st among edge defenders with a 61.1 PFF overall grade." Chadwick and Wasserman wrote. "That was more than 10 points lower than his previous worst mark in 2018. When he was at his best, Bosa was a top-10 edge defender in the league. Buffalo is hoping he can recapture that form after signing him this offseason." As the saying goes, defense wins championships. Championships become much easier to win when the ball ends up in the hands of a quarterback like Josh Allen when the defense pulls through. Related: Bills' Elijah Moore Offers 'Pretty' Josh Allen Scouting Report Related: Details Emerge On Bills' Josh Allen And Hailee Steinfeld's Wedding This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
