Around the Empire: Yankees news - 8/25/20

SNY | Andy Martino: A bit of a bombshell report here from SNY – Martino is reporting that Brian Cashman has called the Cleveland Indians, presumably to ask about some of Cleveland’s trade chips. Martino mentions Mike Clevinger, Francisco Lindor and Zach Plesac all as players the Yankees could be interested in. These are elite, controllable players, but ones who will require expensive new contracts soon. Clevinger and Plesac are also in limbo right now, having been effectively suspended from the team after breaking protocol and going out during the pandemic. Might that lower their price? At the very least, it’s worth asking.

NJ.com | Randy Miller: The Yankees’ schedule has been adjusted after the first Subway Series was knocked out due to a positive COVID test on the Mets’ side. The Bombers will meet the Amazin’s five times this weekend at Yankee Stadium – doubleheaders on Friday and Sunday will sandwich an afternoon game on Saturday. The Mets will be the nominal home team in three of the games, but will actually only play one game vs. the Yankees in Queens this year, which will come in September. For the Yankees, Tuesday starts a wicked 35-games-in-34-days stretch that runs through the end of the season.

NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: The Yankees believed they’d never endure another season with as many devastating injuries as they did in 2019, but here we are again in 2020. The team has a new training staff, but the results have been the same. Still, Aaron Boone and the players don’t think any of that is the reason for the injuries. Instead, they’re blaming the abbreviated spring training/summer camp period for the increase in muscle injuries, and it’s a viable explanation. Many players (particularly pitchers) have hit the IL in 2020 this year league wide, and the quick ramp-up time may have been the primary culprit.