Around the Empire: Yankees news - 6/2/22

FanGraphs | Dan Szymborski: We might just get to find out the market value of an MVP season. With Aaron Judge’s red-hot start to the season, ZiPS’s projections for his upcoming free agent contract has been going in one direction only. The contract that Judge signs will end up covering his decline, but if his 2022 performance is a real change in his baseline expectations, that makes his decline that much better, and that much more worth it.

New York Daily News | Kristie Ackert: Part of Judge’s value this season has been his play in center field. He’s probably not the Gold Glove caliber outfielder he was in his first couple seasons, but his ability to control and communicate with the corner outfielders, and his great first step, has helped him hold down a position that would otherwise be one of extreme weakness on this roster.

NJ.com | Randy Miller: Matt Carpenter might just be another veteran catching lightning in a bottle, or maybe he’s not. The newest Yankee went deep on Monday night and has been showing off quite the power stroke in his return to the majors, the payoff of a rebuilt swing in the winter and with Texas’ Triple-A affiliate.

MLB.com | Sarah Langs: In the Wild Card era, just about 60 percent of eventual division winners were in first place on June 1st. This is a good omen for the Yankees, who entered the month 5.5 up on the Rays and Blue Jays for first in the AL East. There’s a lot of baseball left to go, but the club’s built itself a nice cushion atop the division, and with injured players due back, can probably expect to get a little better.

RotoWire: Veteran pitcher Shelby Miller is no longer pitching for Triple-A Scranton. He was given his release on May 31st. It wouldn’t be surprising if an opt-out and better opportunity elsewhere was in play, as the 31-year-old righty actually fared well out of the bullpen, notching a 1.71 ERA, 2.70 FIP, and 22.4 percent K-BB% with 25 strikeouts across 21 innings of work.