New York Yankees

New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton left the team in Florida and returned to New York for "personal" reasons, according to manager Aaron Boone.

“I can tell you he is in New York, but it’s personal in nature and I’m going to leave it at that for now,” Boone said on Monday, per Greg Joyce and Jon Heyman of the New York Post. “That’s all I can comment on that.”

Boone did not give a timeline for Stanton's return, though he hopes it will be "soon."

Joyce and Heyman previously reported he had made the trip to undergo medical testing on his elbows.

Stanton said that he was dealing with a "very high" level of pain in both elbows on Feb. 17, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Joyce and Heyman noted that the 35-year-old was limited to just "light agility drills on a backfield through the early days of camp" before heading back to New York.

Boone was noncommittal when asked about Stanton's status for Opening Day.

"I'm not going to put any timeline on it," Boone said on Feb. 16, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "We're just going to be smart with it and kind of listen to it a little bit. I'm expecting him to be OK. It's just a matter of when we're going to start really rolling it out to feel like -- give us the best chance to get as much of him as we can."

Boone also revealed that Stanton played through elbow issues throughout the 2024 season, via Hoch.

The five-time All-Star has been hampered by injuries during his Yankees tenure, failing to reach 120 games played in each of the past three seasons. He's still displayed his power at the plate when healthy, though.

Stanton racked up 27 home runs and 20 doubles to go along with 72 RBI during his 2024 campaign, stepping up during New York's run to the World Series. He recorded seven homers in 14 postseason games to go along with a .273/.339/.709 slash line.

His power in the Yankees' lineup will be particularly crucial during the upcoming 2025 season after Juan Soto left to sign a 15-year contract worth $765 million with the New York Mets in free agency.

The New York Yankees recently made a change to another long-standing tradition that will begin with the 2025 season.

According to Chris Kirschner and Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, the Yankees will no longer play Frank Sinatra’s "New York, New York" following home losses. The song had been played at the end of New York's games since 1980, regardless of the final result.

Instead, the Yankees will shuffle through a variety of songs from Sinatra following losses.

“We will be rotating through a number of different songs after a Yankees loss this year, none of them will be ‘New York New York,'” a club spokesperson said, per Kirschner and Kuty.

The team has made multiple changes to its traditions as of late, with chairman Hal Steinbrenner announcing on Friday that players and uniformed personnel could have "well-groomed beards."

New York previously had a policy banning beards and long hair that was in place since 1973.

The Yankees enter the 2025 season attempting to avenge their World Series defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers, losing in five games.

Fans can still expect to hear "New York, New York" when exiting Yankee Stadium following wins, but a different tune will be played if the Bronx Bombers can't triumph at home.

Catcher Austin Wells provided some insight Friday into his feelings on the New York Yankees' facial hair policy now that it has been relaxed.

Speaking to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, Wells suggested that he used to trick himself into thinking adhering to the facial hair policy was an honor of sorts:

"My initial reaction is I feel weird. I don't know how to go forward. I think it's not only a policy, but it's the tradition and history of the Yankees. With anything new, there's an adjustment period. But for me, I felt very weird this morning. I don't know how to react.

"I've told myself since I was drafted that it was a privilege to have to shave. I brainwashed myself into believing that and thinking that. I think that's probably why I feel weird about it today because now that it's a possibility, everything I was telling myself about shaving is not true."

In 1976, then-Yankees owner George Steinbrenner instituted a facial hair policy, which stated that players could sport mustaches, but were not permitted to have beards.

The need for the policy has long been debated, but even after Steinbrenner died in 2010, his son Hal Steinbrenner kept it in place.

That all changed Friday when Hal released a statement that essentially signaled the end of the old facial hair policy, as Yankees players and staff are now allowed to have "well-groomed beards."

Since making his debut with the big club in 2023, Wells has had facial hair in the form of his trademark mustache.

After appearing in 19 games in 2023, Wells became a key player for the Yanks last season, appearing in 115 games and slashing .229/.322/.395 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI en route to finishing third in American League Rookie of the Year voting.

Following the departure of catcher Jose Trevino during the offseason, the starting catcher job belongs solely to Wells, and he has a chance to establish himself as one of the faces of the team in 2025.

Whether or not that face is bearded will be solely up to Wells now that the Yankees have decided to start a new tradition after nearly 50 years of not allowing beards.

New York Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner told reporters Friday that he did not tell the front office to spend less on the payroll. He also added that avoiding the highest surcharge on the Competitive Balance Tax threshold isn't a priority, per ESPN's Jorge Castillo.

"I would say no," Steinbrenner said when asked about the latter. "The threshold is not the concern to me."

Per Cot's Contracts, the Yanks have a $304.8 million competitive balance payroll. The Competitive Balance Tax threshold for 2025 stands at $241 million, per MLB.com. Of note, exceeding the CBT for three straight years leads to a 50 percent tax rate. Exceeding the base threshold by $60 million or more leads to a 60 percent surcharge.

The Yankees are certainly spending big this year. Per FanGraphs, their payroll is the fourth-highest in baseball. Despite losing Juan Soto in free agency to the New York Mets on a $765 million deal, the Yanks made some big additions, including starting pitcher Max Fried, closer Devin Williams, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and outfielder Cody Bellinger.

Steinbrenner said he doesn't believe having a high payroll necessarily correlates to a World Series, but he did acknowledge fans' expectations for the team to spend and compete.

"Does having a huge payroll really increase my chances that much of winning the championship?" Steinbrenner said, per Castillo. "I'm not sure there's a strong correlation there. Having said that, we're the New York Yankees, we know what our fans expect. We're always going to be one of the highest in payroll. That's not going to change. And it certainly didn't change this year."

New York began the spring training schedule Friday with a 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Their regular season begins on March 27 versus the Milwaukee Brewers.

One of the most antiquated policies in sports is finally getting an upgrade for the modern era, as the New York Yankees are relaxing their policy against facial hair.

In a statement from Yankees chairman Hal Steinbrenner, the team announced Friday that it will allow players and uniformed personnel to have "well-groomed beards" effective immediately.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Steinbrenner and other high-ranking Yankees officials "spoke with a number of players and former players over the past week" while mulling over a chance to the policy. Passan reported that the possibility of losing out on potential free agents "was a subject that consistently came up in those conversations."

The Yankees adopted a policy banning beards and long hair in 1973 under then-owner George Steinbrenner because he didn't like the way some members of the team looked when they were standing on the field during the singing of the National Anthem.

Some players over the years have tried to test the limits of the rule. Don Mattingly was famously benched for a game during the 1991 season due to the length of his hair, which was famously parodied on an episode of The Simpsons.

The policy has been subject to scrutiny over the years. Some players, including former closer Brian Wilson and Cy Young winner David Price, said they wouldn't sign with the Yankees because of the rule.

Andrew McCutchen, who was acquired by the Yankees for the stretch run during the 2018 season, said he felt like the policy "takes away from our individualism as players and as people."

There's no legitimate reason the policy should have existed in the first place, let alone continued for as long as it has.

Even though it took longer than it should have for the Yankees to relax their rules, the fact that it finally happened is a good move for the organization.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger is among the team's new offseason additions after outfielder Juan Soto left the Bronx Bombers for the New York Mets on a 15-year, $765 million contract.

When asked during a Tuesday press conference about how he feels arriving in town alongside new first baseman Paul Goldschmidt after Soto's departure, Bellinger made clear that their intent is to perform to their potential, not necessarily replace a "generational talent."

The 26-year-old Soto, a four-time All-Star, is one of the game's brightest offensive stars. In seven years, Soto has hit .285 (.953 OPS) with 201 home runs, 592 RBI and a 160 OPS+. The five-time Silver Slugger also just finished third in the American League MVP race.

Naturally, he's impossible to replace in any lineup, although the Yankees launched a solid Plan B on paper after Soto made his decision.

Most notably, New York added starting pitcher Max Fried and Goldschmidt via free agency and acquired Bellinger and closer Devin Williams in trades with the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers, respectively.

Bellinger will play center field, bumping Aaron Judge to right field, Soto's old spot. The 29-year-old isn't going to replace Soto's pop, but he's a better defender and a solid hitter in his own right, posting a .266 average (.751 OPS) with 18 homers and 78 RBI last season.

While it's certainly understood that he and Goldschmidt aren't going to replace Soto's numbers, there might be pressure for them to produce early on anyway, with designated hitter and power hitter Giancarlo Stanton's Opening Day status in doubt as he deals with pain and discomfort in both elbows.

In the meantime, spring training is underway in Tampa Bay as the defending AL pennant winners look toward Opening Day on March 27 at home versus the Milwaukee Brewers.

New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge expects that he and his teammates will use the disappointment of losing the 2024 World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers as motivation for the 2025 season.

When asked about the Yankees' mindset as camp begins, Judge told reporters that he feels the team is "definitely coming in hungry, if not hungrier, than years past."

Judge was named American League MVP for the second time in the last three years for his stellar 2024 season in which he hit .322 with league highs of 58 home runs and 144 RBI. However, he put forth a disappointing performance in the postseason, hitting just .184 with three homers and nine RBI. He went hitless in two out of the five World Series games against the Dodgers before the Yankees lost the series 4-1.

This year's group will look quite different for New York. After losing star outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Mets in free agency, the Yankees pivoted by adding a slew of new faces like outfielder Cody Bellinger, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, starting pitcher Max Fried and closer Devin Williams. Judge said it's "going to be exciting" to see how all the new pieces come together this season:

It won't be an easy path for the Yankees to try to get back to the World Series in 2025, as multiple teams across the AL like the Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros and Cleveland Guardians have retooled to challenge them for their mantle.

Still, it sounds like Judge is confident that the Yankees are bringing the right mindset to camp as they gear up for spring training.

There is uncertainty regarding Giancarlo Stanton's status for Opening Day as the New York Yankees begin Spring Training.

Bryan Hoch of MLB.com noted Sunday the slugger is dealing with "discomfort in both elbows, which Aaron Boone likened to tennis elbow." The manager also said it has been an issue since last season.

"I don't know," Boone said when asked whether Stanton would be available for Opening Day, per Hoch. "I'm not going to put any timeline on it. We're just going to be smart with it."

Stanton figures to be even more important than usual for the Yankees this season after Juan Soto left to join the New York Mets. The Bronx Bombers will need his offensive production to help make up for the loss of one of the best players in the league.

At his best, Stanton can still be one of the league's top power hitters.

His resume includes a National League MVP, two Silver Sluggers and five All-Star Game selections, although he wasn't quite that dominant in 2024 as he slashed .233/.298/.475 with 27 home runs and 72 RBI.

Yet Stanton was much better in the playoffs, which is a major reason the Yankees reached the World Series.

He slashed .273/.339/.709 with seven home runs and 16 RBI in 14 games while anchoring New York's lineup for extended stretches. He captured the American League Championship Series MVP in the process as the Yankees eliminated the Cleveland Guardians in just five games.

While Stanton figures to be an important part of making up for the lost production of Soto, the front office did add Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger this offseason as well. That duo can also help the team remain afloat if Stanton is forced to miss any time.

New York starts the season on March 27 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Heading into the final season of his current contract, Aaron Boone hopes to land an extension that keeps him in place as manager of the New York Yankees.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Boone said he is "optimistic" about getting a deal done prior to Opening Day.

"No place I’d rather be," he added.

Boone is coming off his most successful season as Yankees manager. He led the team to an AL East title and their first World Series appearance since 2009.

The Yankees exercised Boone's option for 2025 on Nov. 8, but he is currently set to play out the final year of his contract unless the two sides can agree to terms on a new deal.

Boone said on Tuesday he's had some discussions with Yankees chairman Hal Steinbrenner about an extension.

There doesn't seem to be any indication from either side about not wanting to remain together.

Steinbrenner told YES Network's Meredith Marakovits (h/t The Athletic's Chris Kirschner and Brendan Kuty) last month that they were focused on the roster throughout the offseason after losing Juan Soto in free agency before moving onto Boone's deal.

"I’ve always thought Aaron Boone was a very good manager," Steinbrenner said. "That’s his reputation in the industry. We will be talking to him in the days and weeks to come. Obviously, we’re trying to hit the priorities right now, which is the roster itself. There will be conversations had with him about potentially staying longer than that."

The Yankees hired Boone as their manager in December 2017 after firing Joe Girardi following their ALCS loss to the Houston Astros.

Since taking over as skipper, Boone has led the Bronx Bombers to a 603-429 record with six playoff appearances and three division titles in seven seasons. His win total ranks seventh among all managers in franchise history.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman believes that manager Aaron Boone wouldn't be a free agent for long if the team were to part ways with him.

"I know that if he wasn’t the Yankee manager, it would be a feeding frenzy for him to be a manager that’s coveted elsewhere, objectively," Cashman said on Friday, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "That’s how we see it."

The Yankees picked up Boone's contract option at the end of the 2024 season, but they're ultimately focused on handing him a long-term extension.

“You always want to have the guy for as long as you can have [him], as long as it’s warranted and makes enough sense,” Cashman said, via Hoch. “I think he controls the room and does a great job. We picked up his option last year, but that’s not our intent. Our intent is to find an extension."

Boone is set to enter his eighth year as New York's skipper, owning a 603-429 overall record. The Yankees made the postseason in six of his first seven seasons and are coming off a successful 2024 campaign, making a World Series appearance before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

His tenure in New York hasn't been entirely flawless, as postseason issues have surfaced. Boone specifically came under fire following his decision to insert left-hander Nestor Cortes late in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series.

Cortes, who hadn't pitched since since Sept. 18 due to an elbow flexor strain, gave up a walk-off grand slam to Freddie Freeman.

Still, it's difficult to imagine the Yankees cutting ties with Boone following the team's best year since he took over. Given his winning track record, it's also fair to assume that he shouldn't have much trouble finding interested suitors if he ever hits the open market.

As the Yankees attempt to avenge their World Series loss in 2025, Boone's future with the organization doesn't seem to be in jeopardy.