Category: Sports News

SNY's Andy Martino is responding to and breaking down answers to Yankees questions from readers. Here's the latest...

What positions do you think the Yankees will be looking to upgrade at trade deadline? - @nick5875

The Yankees continue to look for a righty bat, likely an infielder. It’s too early to do anything but speculate on specific names but Isiah Kiner-Falefa could fit the bill. They could also trade for a third baseman like the lefty-hitting Ryan McMahon and move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to second base.

By shifting Chisholm to third earlier in the season, the Yanks now have the option to use him at either of those positions, depending on who they acquire. They gained that flexibility by getting him those reps sooner than later.

Some in the organization see a need for an additional starting pitcher. One could also make a case for another power arm for the back end of the bullpen, although they’re in solid shape with Luke Weaver (expected to return Friday) and Devin Williams. Again, it’s early.

Do you think Ben Rice will be taught 3B? Goldy is having a good year and can see an extension to be our premier 1B. - @zanna_zt

No, Ben Rice won’t play third base for the Yankees. Aaron Boone has a plan for Rice that involves days at first base, days at DH, days on the bench here and there, and the occasional day at catcher (though not as the second catcher; that’s J.C. Escarra’s job and it is not in jeopardy). The Yankees do not plan to introduce Rice to any additional positions.

As for Paul Goldschmidt, he has been an excellent upgrade at first base, both on the field and for the team’s culture. But at 37 years old, he’s not an extension candidate. Another year? Maybe. But not an extension.

Is there a real chance Ben Rice starts playing catcher 2-3 times a week? - @NYsportSufferer

Not really. They will likely continue to carry three catchers, if you classify Rice as a catcher. This relates to the previous answer. Escarra is the backup and needs to play at least once or twice a week to stay fresh.

Andy, did you get good questions? - @SirRonaldFritz

Eh.

It didn't take long for Juan Soto to make history on Thursday night.

The star outfielder lined a two out single off Braves right-hander Spencer Strider in the top of the first -- giving him 1,000 hits in his big-league career.

Soto is one of just 84 players to reach the feat at age 26 or younger.

He joins Mickey Mantle and Mel Ott as the only three players in MLB history with at least 1,000 hits, 200 homers, and 700 walks before the age of 27.

The first 564 knocks of Soto's career came with the Nationals -- he picked up 199 more while with Padres, added 166 with the Yankees, and now has 66 during the first year of his historic deal with the Mets.

Juan Soto's 1,000th MLB hit! 👏 pic.twitter.com/e1ge4uvLnn

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 19, 2025

All the Yankees needed to snap a season-long losing skid and break out at the plate was a scorching hot afternoon featuring a pair of bookended rain delays. Just the usual remedy for an alarming cold streak.

While their performance wasn't exactly pretty, the Yankees couldn't have cared less about style points on Thursday in the Bronx. What mattered most was securing a long-craved win, and they did just that by outmuscling the Angels, 7-3, in their four-game series finale. They also prevented their old playoff nemesis from pulling off their first-ever four-game road sweep at Yankee Stadium.

The six-game slide, which saw the Yankees hit a measly .155 with 59 strikeouts and go a confounding 30 straight innings without scoring, didn't encapsulate their entire season by any means. They entered Thursday with the highest OPS in the AL, and ranked third across the majors in runs scored.

So, the awakening was inevitable, even though it took a week for the bats to connect. The Yankees' winning formula consisted of 12 hits -- two of which were home runs from Trent Grisham and Paul Goldschmidt -- all nine starters reaching base, and four runs driven in with two outs. Call it welcomed pop and production, from top to bottom.

"Obviously, these last few games haven't gone our way. Today was good, but we've got to keep going," Goldschmidt said after the win. "It's a long season. A long season when you're playing well, a long season when you're losing a few games in a row. We understand that. So, we've done a good job just taking it day by day. Today was a good example of that."

The "no style points" mentality can apply to the performance from Carlos Rodón. While the southpaw served up a season-high three home runs to the Angels, they were all of the solo variety, and the early run support allowed him to complete six innings and earn the quality start. He stuck out seven and walked one across 92 pitches, and his ERA now sits at 3.10.

"Three solo shots, obviously I want to be in a better place with those pitches," Rodón said. "So there's stuff to work on this week and be better at. But all in all, we won the game, so that's the big part... I thought they swung it great, I thought we played some great baseball. Props to the bullpen for shutting it down when I came out."

The Yankees' week-long stench was one for the books. They were shut out in three straight games for just the seventh time in franchise history. For the first time since 1908 -- yes, 1908 -- they scored seven runs or fewer with six-plus losses across a seven-game span (h/t Katie Sharp).

But the Yankees finally showed signs of life on Thursday, and with the last-place Orioles arriving in town for a three-game set this weekend, hopes of a winning streak can re-enter the brains of players and fans.

"It definitely feels good hearing the music again and coming out with a W," said Cody Bellinger, who collected a team-high three hits. "Carlos and the bullpen did a great job of minimizing them. For us, we got to come do our job and score some runs."

The Mets have come to a decision with Frankie Montas. 

With his 30-day minor league rehab assignment officially coming to an end, New York has decided that the veteran right-hander will jump into the big-league rotation on Tuesday night against the Braves.

Montas, of course, has been sidelined since spring training with a right lat strain. 

After a long recovery process, he was finally able to get back into game action. But things didn't quite go as planned, as he was roughed up over six outings between Triple-A Syracuse and High-A Brooklyn.

His latest appearance came on Wednesday with Syracuse -- he started well but ultimately faltered off, allowing five runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out two over five innings. 

That brought his ERA up to an ugly 13.17 over just 13.2 innings of work. 

But with no time left on his rehab assignment and a need for healthy arms in the rotation, the Mets have decided to insert him into the mix for his team debut.

"I'm not gonna lie, he got hit around," Carlos Mendoza said. "Look we've seen it before where guys in spring training struggle and get hit around, then once you put them in a big-league game under the lights with a gameplan and making adjustments, they flip the switch.

"He's had success so far at this level, so hopefully that's the case here with a guy who basically treated this rehab process as spring training and he got hit around. But again, we believe in the player and we're going to give him a chance."