New York Yankees star pitcher Gerrit Cole has been dealing with pain in his throwing elbow for much of the offseason. After initial evaluations, the right-hander was sent for an MRI.
While awaiting the results of the MRI, general manager Brian Cashman admitted he was bracing for the worst. The worst in this situation would be Tommy John surgery on Cole’s ulnar collateral ligament.
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Yankees want to confirm the diagnosis
On Sunday night, former MLB general manager Jim Bowden reported that the worst-case scenario could become a reality for the Bronx Bombers and their ace on the mound.
“According to the source, Gerrit Cole has been advised to undergo TJ surgery… but they are now awaiting a second opinion to confirm the diagnosis,” Bowden wrote in a post on “X” on Sunday night.
Obviously, the second opinion could change things for Cole and the Yankees, but the situation seems to have gone from bad to worse. It is not common for these second opinions to change the diagnosis or recommendations.
If Cole undergoes Tommy John surgery, it will rule him out for the entire 2025 season and possibly until 2026.
The Yankees, who no longer have Luis Gil, would have to quickly look for a replacement for Cole. An injury like this would push top prospect Will Warren into the rotation to start the year, ready or not.
Some trade options the Yankees could look to include Erick Fedde, Dylan Cease and Sandy Alcantara. They could also look to reunite with Sonny Gray or Michael King.
Either way, the Manhattan Mules should move quickly to replace Cole because it looks like he won’t be pitching in 2025.
WARNING: This article contains language that some readers may find offensive
Comments live on-air from Triple M radio personality Marty Sheargold about Australia’s Matildas have been blasted as “disgusting” and “a f**king joke” — with the comedian since apologising, while Football Australia called the incident “deeply disappointing”.
The Matildas, Australia’s wildly popular national football side, are in the United States competing in the annual SheBelieves Cup along with Japan, Colombia and the host nation.
When the Triple M program and podcast, The Marty Sheargold Show, began discussing the Tillies’ results in the tournament on Monday afternoon, the host took the opportunity to express his feelings towards the team and women’s sport in general.
It’s understood the station has been flooded with complaints after the comments were posted on social media late on Tuesday.
Listen to part of the comments in the player below
The Matildas following their loss to the United States on Tuesday. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
It’s worth noting that when Sheargold began Monday’s show, he started with the message to listeners: “Little ears warning for the following podcast.
“It’s probably not for kids, there’s some adult concepts, not just today, every day.
“Buyer beware as they say.”
But we’ll leave it up to you to decide whether that is warning enough for what transpired live on Monday afternoon.
The discussion between Sheargold and co-hosts Troy Ellis and Will Ralson began with Ralston mentioning the tournament to date.
“In football or soccer it’s been a nightmare tournament for the Matildas over the last three or four days over in the US,” Ralston said.
Sheargold immediately jumped in with the following rant, including downplaying – unintentionally or otherwise – the Matildas’ semi-final appearance at the 2023 FIFA World Cup on home soil.
“There’s something wrong with the Matildas,” Sheargold began.
“They had that wonderful tournament out here where we all fell in love with them, even though they didn’t make the quarters.
“You know what they remind me of? Year 10 girls,” Sheargold continued, as laughter rang out in the background.
“All the infighting and all the friendship issues, ‘the coach hates me and I hate bloody training and Michelle’s being a bitch’.
“Now I’m sorry to undermine the whole sport, but that’s what I think of it so you can stick it up your arse.”
Triple M radio and podcast host Marty Sheargold. Picture: Supplied/Triple MSource: Supplied
The broadcaster and actor announced at the time he was taking an extended break to spend more time with family and “prioritise self-care (and) maintaining a better work/life balance”.
Ralston then tried to continue with the sports news bulletin, stating: “So we’re playing in the SheBelieves Cup.”
Sheargold jumped in, screaming “Oh, she believes in what? It better be men” as more laughter rang out.
After a conversation about Sam Kerr and her partner, American footballer Kristie Mewis, which included Sheargold’s question “do they play the same position?”, Ralson tried again to keep the bulletin moving.
Kristie Mewis (left) and Sam Kerr were also discussed on the program. (Photo by Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“We’re 12 months out from Australia hosting the Women’s Asian Cup, so hopefully we have a better runway to improve before that comes around,” he said.
Sheargold responded: “Oh god. The Asian Cup. I’d rather hammer a nail through the head of my penis than watch that,” as a sound affect and more laughs were heard.
“Got any men’s sport?”
Ralston replied: “Yeah I do, baseball, the New York Yankees have dropped their 49-year ban on beards, on facial hair.”
“Now this is a good story,” Sheargold responded.
The exchange came to light after Olympic hockey player Ambrosia Malone posted part of it on TikTok with the following caption: “I honestly don’t know what is wrong with the world.
Tokyo Olympian Ambrosia Malone posted some of the comments on social media. Picture: Alex Coppel.Source: News Corp Australia
“I heard this on the radio yesterday in prime time (5.30pm) on the way to training and all I could think about was the young girls sitting in the car with their parents, maybe on the way to or from their own training sessions hearing this.
“I’m sure many of them would have been hurt and confused … I was in disbelief.
“This is apparently acceptable on mainstream afternoon radio??? HOW??”
She added: “I’d name the station and speaker, but I don’t want to reward their behaviour with publicity.”
There was a strong reaction on the platform, with many stating the same disbelief at the comments and asking for the station to be named.
“It’s worth lodging a complaint about this,” was one reply. “If you provide the station and time then I’m sure a few people would be interested in also lodging a complaint.”
Marty Sheargold and Mary Fowler. Photo: Triple M and Mark King, Getty Images.Source: Getty Images
Another wrote: “Is this a f**king joke?!? I feel like I’m living in a simulation. That cannot be a real recording.”
“This CAN’T be real,” added a third.
After the station and host was added to the comments, a vast number confirmed they had lodged a complaint with Triple M.
News.com.au has reached out to Triple M for comment.
Meanwhile, more prominent female athletes voiced their anger.
Swimming great Libby Trickett commented: “I’m livid. It’s 2025 and this isn’t funny.”
Netballer Gretel Bueta commented “Yuk”, while Diamonds great Bianca Chatfield left an angry face emoji.
Sheargold has apologised amid the backlash, claimed his joke missed the mark.
“Any comedy, including mine, can miss the mark sometimes, and I can see why people may have taken offence to my comments regarding the Matildas. I sincerely apologise,’’ he said.
Triple M distanced itself from the comments, without indicating whether any disciplinary action would be taken against Sheargold.
An SCA spokesperson said: “Marty Sheargold’s comments regarding the Matildas — made during Triple M Drive on Monday, 24 February — do not align with Triple M’s views and values, and Triple M remains steadfast in its strong support of all women’s and men’s sports. We are sorry for any offence caused.”
Football Australia later issued a statement.
“Football Australia is deeply disappointed by the unacceptable comments made by Marty Sheargold on Triple M regarding the CommBank Matildas. Such remarks not only diminish the extraordinary achievements and contributions of our women’s national football team but also fail to recognise the profound impact they have had on Australian sport and society.
“The CommBank Matildas have inspired a new generation of Australians from young boys and girls to men and women who now see a future for themselves in football and sport more broadly. They have broken barriers, set new standards, and elevated the game to unprecedented heights. Their success has been instrumental in transforming women’s sport in Australia, and they deserve to be covered with the respect and professionalism they have earned.
“While we acknowledge the apologies issued by both Triple M and Marty Sheargold, this incident is a stark reminder of the responsibility media outlets and personalities have in fostering respectful and constructive discussions about women’s sport and its participants. Every comment, every report, and every discussion shape public perception and reinforces our society’s values toward women and girls in sport.”
Gary Sheffield Jr.’s disappointment with the New York Yankees is so great that he no longer blames the Dodgers for their drought
The New York Yankees losing streak has Gary Sheffield’s son unhappy, as despite being one of the biggest and best-known teams in baseball, they can’t sign the big free agents like they used to in the past
The Yankees have not won the World Series in the last 16 years. This decline has generated comments and one of those who has spoken about it is Gary Sheffield Jr., who considers that, at the moment, the Yankees simply do not have the same appeal as before.
Juan Soto celebrates in style in the Dominican Republic after Mets deal unfazed by Yankees backlash
Dodgers will continue to dominate over the Yankees
Sheffield does not hold back and assures that, although the lack of championships is a big part of their lack of appeal, it is also influenced by the huge spending of the Los Angeles Dodgers, which he says has affected baseball in general
Although he claimed that if the Dodgers did not exist, the Bronx Bombers would still be winless
The recent comments of Gary Sheffield Jr., a renowned sports analyst in the United States, have reignited the debate about the Yankees’ continued struggle to regain their greatness in baseball and prove their weight on the field
“All I know is my Yankees couldn’t win a World Series in a 16-year period before the Dodgers ‘ruined baseball.’ I’m less outraged, having understood that if the Dodgers ceased to exist, we wouldn’t be doing the job anyway,” Sheffield Jr. wrote on his X account.
A setback for the New York team is not being able to recover Juan Soto, one of its free agents, for a contract worth $760 million. Soto opted for the New York Mets, and a contract worth $765 million.
They were also not close to signing Shohei Ohtani, who went to the Dodgers for a similar amount, and to top it off, they also lost free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who ended up with the Dodgers, which shows that the Yankees are not being as aggressive as they should be when it comes to making big signings.
Yankees forced to look for better signings
Sheffield Jr.’s direct criticism of the team’s lack of appeal has raised questions about whether the Yankees need to sign a key player who could be their salvation.
The team’s eyes would be on Brendan Donovan, an outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, who has become an attractive option.
The excitement surrounding Spencer Jones is growing to a fever pitch, and for good reason. With an imposing 6-foot-6 frame and a left-handed swing that already has scouts drooling, the Yankees top prospect is a force to be reckoned with, once he gets the chance to prove it on the big stage. Make no mistake, while we may not see Jones in the famous pinstripes tomorrow, the hype is real.
He has some hurdles to overcome in the minors before he can become the center of attention, but let’s be honest: he’s not exactly the kind of player who backs down from a challenge. Jones may not have to look far if he’s looking for a player to look up to; Aaron Judge is right there in the Yankees lineup. Judge is 6-foot-7 and Jones is 6-foot-6, both big guys, and Jones could learn from the powerful hitter Judge how to improve and balance his swing.
Gleyber Torres parts ways with the New York Yankees
Spencer Jones looking forward to being with Aaron Judge
In a video interview with Yes Network, Spencer Jones is asked: “Can you take anything from him (Aaron Judge)? Or is it so different because you’re on the other side of the play?” To which Spencer replied: “I mean there’s definitely a lot to learn from him. He’s, you know, an incredible hitter. He has been for the last decade. It’s one of those things that when I get to spring training I have more questions than ever as to what he does.” Jones further added that he is excited to work with Judge this spring and is looking forward to it.
Spencer Jones’ 2024 season in Double-A was a rollercoaster, to say the least. On the one hand, you have the highlights: 17 home runs, 30 doubles and 78 RBIs in 122 games. But, of course, there’s the flip side. The strikeouts. Oh, the strikeouts. The staggering 200 strikeouts. It’s not just a hard number to swallow; it’s a franchise record for any Yankees minor league player. To make things even more astonishing, Jones’ strikeout rate of 36.8% was the highest among all qualified Double-A hitters. Wow!
So what’s next for Jones? It’s about getting into the lab and refining that approach. While this Yankees prospect works on himself, there’s another standout pinstripes prospect.
2025 could be the year of the Martian’s rise in the Bronx
Jasson Dominguez, New York’s top prospect and one of the most exciting talents in all of baseball, is ready to take over. At just 21 years old (he will turn 22 in February), Dominguez is already a force. Nicknamed “The Martian” for his otherworldly skill set, this switch-hitting phenomenon has already dazzled in his brief Major League appearances, despite his last few years being marred by injuries.
But now, all signs point to him becoming a regular player in 2025. And with the tools he has? It could be a special season. However, this is the big question for 2025: Where will he play? It’s not about whether Dominguez will get a spot on the roster; it’s more about where he will line up in the outfield. Most projections right now have Dominguez near the end of the lineup. Sure, you have Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm, two exciting players in their own right, who could be at the top of the lineup. But imagine Dominguez opening the lineup in front of Aaron Judge.
Last year, Gleyber Torres was the Yankees’ leadoff hitter, especially after they began to shuffle their lineup in the second half of the season and the playoffs. He did a solid job, no doubt, getting on base and setting the stage for the strong hitters. But let’s face it: Torres’ leadoff spot was a bit of an improvised solution. The Yankees know they need more consistency at the top of the lineup if they want to compete in the long run. And who better to provide that spark than Dominguez, with his combination of speed, power and a switch-hitting approach that keeps pitchers on their toes?
It is well known that Japanese baseball players have a certain predilection for teams on the West Coast of the United States, for the simple geographical reason that it keeps them ‘a little closer’ to home, but also because the fan base is larger in this part of the US geography, obviously for the same reason.
The geographical factor is a disadvantage for those from the Bronx
This has become an important factor in the negotiations that keep the Chibba Lotte Marines pitching sensation, Roki Sasaki, further away from an eventual signing with the New York Yankees and closer to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants, in which the economic power of the ‘Mules’ has not made precisely the difference.
The Yankees were ‘satisfied‘ after their meeting with the Japanese hurler, however, the reality is that the aforementioned teams have the upper hand, as sports commentator Jack Curry told Fireside Yankees: “Baseball people believe that the West Coast is Sasaki’s preferred destination and that the Dodgers and San Diego Padres are perceived as favorites”.
Cultural adaptation also plays a role
Particularly the current World Series champions, the Dodgers, have in their favor the fact that other players such as star Shohei Ohtani have preferred them, in addition to their great infrastructure, something that the Padres also possess, who also have within their organization talents and legends such as Hideo Nomo and the hunger for prominence with signings that underpin it.
And in this, the strategy of these franchises is also of paramount importance when establishing their scouts in the land of the rising sun, where they not only analyze the prospects for their sporting value, but also study in depth the cultural aspect and the potential adaptation to the environment, something that in the case of Sasaki should be no exception.
The Major League Baseball offseason is closing out the year with more deals and one of the most recent was that of Venezuelan Gleyber Torres with the Detroit Tigers, who closed his seven-season cycle with the New York Yankees.Torres did not have the best of seasons with the Yankees and realized that he would not receive an offer to return from free agency, which motivated him to look for another destination and agreed with the Tigers for one year and $15 million.
“I think [the Yankees] have all their priorities and I wasn’t on the list,” Gleyber Torres told the press Saturday on a Zoom call, where he added: “I have to play where someone wants to give their best for me.”
Gleyber Torres and the Tigers’ MLB 2025 bet
With this trade, the Tigers fill a gap by having an infielder who can play second base and shortstop, with a slight short-term investment, while Torres will be able to try to recover from a forgettable first half of the season with the Yankees, to raise his value and enter the winter market of 2025, which he will reach at 29 years of age.
“The season I had, I started slow in the first half. Everything was better in the second half, but still the numbers I had were not right to go into free agency, especially with my age. I was just telling my agents to look for a one-year contract, I always believe in myself. I bet on myself, so in this process I was trying to find the right place to play for a year,” Torres told the New York Post, concluding that he is proud to have played seven seasons with the Yankees.
The soap opera surrounding the signing of Juan Soto could come to an end this weekend, as the player and his agent, Scott Boras, have announced that the agreement will be announced before the winter meetings that start next Monday in Dallas.
With that said, some people have a strong feeling that he will stay in New York and despite what many say that he can be a part of the New York Mets, the hope is that it will be the Yankees.
Juan Soto says Yankees don’t have edge as he heads into free agency: Available to all 30 teamsLAPRESSE
On The Michael Kay Show, Jack Curry said that he’s always had a “gut feeling” that the Dominican player will be in a Yankees uniform in 2025 if the offer they make is competitive enough.
There still a lot of drama
At the moment there are no mystery teams in the mix, this week insiders have mentioned the Boston Red Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Toronto Blue Jays, the New York Mets and of course their latest team, the New York Yankees.
According to various reports, there are already teams that have been rejected by Juan Soto and Scott Boras, but they are unknown to the general public although many have a good idea who they are.
While the Toronto Blue Jays made very interesting offer, it seems they could be on the outside looking in and people have thrown the Boston Red Sox in the mix as well, so still a lot to be decided before next week for the player and the teams involved.
Juan Soto is one of the most important players currently in Major League Baseball and if it wasn’t for Shohei Ohtani, he would be the clear face of baseball. After spending last year with the New York Yankees, it is unlikely that he will stay.
After a lot of uncertainty on where he will be playing in 2025, it seems that by next week there could be an answer, as the Winter Meetings will be taking place in Dallas and according to MLB insider Andy Martino everyone will know soon.
Juan Soto says Yankees don’t have edge as he heads into free agency: Available to all 30 teamsLAPRESSE
“I can’t sit here and guarantee. But I can say this: Everyone I talk to who’s involved in this at any level believes that the news will drop this week, before Dallas,” Martino said. “We’ll see if that actually plays out.”
There are many options
While the New York Yankees made their push, there is a small chance he returns to the team, however he could stay in the city, as the Mets have been pursuing him strongly.
With that said, the Boston Red Sox are also in the mix but there is one team that seems to have the edge over the rest. “There is also widespread skepticism that Soto would go to the Blue Jays,” Andy Martino said.
“But a source pushed back on that, saying that if a team is involved in the final bidding, Soto is willing to play there,” Martino said. Still a lot to be figured out but Toronto could be the frontrunners in the Juan Soto sweepstakes.
Dominican baseball player Juan Soto is undoubtedly one of the most coveted players in the upcoming Major League Baseball free agency, especially after the outfielder’s good performance with the New York Yankees in the playoffs.
Juan Soto says Yankees don’t have edge as he heads into free agency: Available to all 30 teamsLAPRESSE
However, not everyone believes that Soto is the pure diamond that most say he is.
The 26-year-old is projected to earn the second-largest contract in MLB history, behind only Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, with talk of a figure of $600 million.
But one of the most famous and prestigious baseball analysts in the United States, Dan Patrick, believes that the slugger is seriously overrated.
“I don’t want it. I’m anti-Soto, I’m not interested. It’s a lot of money for so many years. I just have no interest in it,” Patrick said on his YouTube podcast.
“Ohtani is special, he’s unique, there’s no one like him. Juan Soto, a talented player, has already played on a couple of teams,” Patrick explained. “If I’m paying that kind of money, I want you to be an attraction coming in.”
Patrick assured that Soto does not have the box office magnet that only some players have, such as Ohtani himself or Yankees captain Aaron Judge.
Juan Soto is not a box office star. Aaron Judge, people go to ballparks to see him. Ohtani they come to see him. I’m not going to spend $600 million on Soto.
The race to sign Juan Soto
For now, it is reported that the main interested in signing the Dominican are the New York Mets, who are willing to do everything to get the player’s signature, reported totalprosports.com.
The team’s owner, Steve Cohen, will try to do everything possible to beat Hal Steinbrenner‘s offer and keep Soto.
During the past week, the Mets met with the Dominican’s agent, Scott Boras, with the idea of getting the best deal for both parties.
While the Bronx Bombers are meeting with Soto on Monday to try to negotiate his stay with the Yankees, and although there is no further information on the issues that Boras and the Mets discussed, it is speculated that it is the favorite franchise to acquire the services of the Dominican.
It is a fact that Soto, beyond the money, wants to play for a winning team and repeat the joys of winning a World Series as he did in 2019 with the Washington Nationals, and sign a long-term contract.
As the New York Yankees expanded their rosters to 28 players for their series finale against the Cardinals, the expected call-up of top prospect Jasson Dominguez did not materialize.
Instead, the Yankees promoted outfielder Duke Ellis from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, leaving Dominguez in the minors for now.
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Ellis, a 26-year-old speedster recently claimed off waivers from the Mariners, was brought up to add depth to the Yankees’ outfield.
This decision surprised many fans who anticipated Dominguez’s arrival, especially given his recent strong performance in Triple-A.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone explained the decision, noting that while Dominguez was “certainly in the conversation” for a call-up, the team prioritized giving him more playing time in the minors.
“When he comes up here, we’re gonna want to play him every day,” Boone said. “We feel like the past couple weeks, he’s starting to play well, coming back from the oblique injury.
“It was a tough call right now, but that doesn’t mean that doesn’t change in a couple days or two weeks.”
Dominguez has been working his way back after Tommy John surgery and an oblique strain that sidelined him for over a month. His recent form in Triple-A has been strong, going 23-for-60 with six extra-base hits in his last 15 games.
However, his brief appearance with the Yankees on August 18, where he struggled both at the plate and defensively, may have influenced the team’s decision to keep him in Triple-A.
Yankees continuing with Alex Verdugo
While Dominguez remains a future option, the Yankees are continuing with Alex Verdugo in left field, despite his extended slump. Verdugo has shown some signs of improvement recently, but his overall performance remains inconsistent.
Duke Ellis, who played in eight major league games this season with the White Sox primarily as a pinch runner, brings speed and defensive versatility to the Yankees’ roster. Boone highlighted Ellis’s value as a pinch runner and his defensive capabilities in the outfield.
In addition to Ellis, the Yankees also recalled right-hander Scott Effross, returning from Tommy John surgery, and Ron Marinaccio. To make room on the roster, the Yankees optioned first baseman Ben Rice and right-hander Will Warren to Triple-A, and designated lefty Josh Maciejewski for assignment.
