Around the Empire: Yankees news - 7/9/22

MLB.com | Thomas Harrigan: Giancarlo Stanton was voted in to the All-Star Game as a starter for the fifth time in his career and first as a Yankee, fending off a late challenge in the fan votes from the Toronto’s George Springer. Stanton joins his teammate Aaron Judge, the AL’s overall vote leader, in the starting outfield alongside Mike Trout, and he hinted that he might participate in the Home Run Derby as well. Unsurprisingly, Jose Trevino’s bid to start behind the plate came up shy against Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk, who cruised to a win, so if Trevino makes the squad, it will be as a reserve. Those will be announced late Sunday afternoon.

Sports Illustrated | Max Goodman: If there’s been one constant in Brian Cashman’s career, it’s that he’s always willing to get involved around the trade deadline. The Yankees GM is always one of the more busy people in the game around this time of year, but insists that even with the Yankees atop the AL East by quite a bit, his plans for August 2nd haven’t changed. The team will likely still look to make marginal adds, but being up 15.5 games hasn’t dramatically shifted the strategy.

NJ.com | Bridget Hyland: One of those improvements, though likely more than just a marginal add, could be Pittsburgh Pirates centerfielder Bryan Reynolds. The price for the 2021 All-Star would be exorbitant, and any conversations around Reynolds would have to start with at least Jasson Dominguez, if not a better prospect as the centerpiece.

New York Daily News | Kristie Ackert: Gerrit Cole has a Rafael Devers problem, as the Red Sox third baseman took him deep twice on Thursday night to reach six career homers against him, working a walk the only other time he came to the plate. Wandy Peralta, meanwhile, had no problem facing Devers, engineering a weak groundout, the latest chapter in what’s been a very underrated run for the lefty reliever. He owns a sub-2.00 ERA, without the dazzling strikeout rate we’re used to from modern relievers.

New York Post | Ian O’Connor: Despite the dominance the Yankees have shown over their division — again, entering today 15.5 games up — the next three teams in the AL East would own the three Wild Card slots. Year in and out, the East is the best division in baseball, and although it feels like the Yankees are destined for a showdown with the Astros come October, it might end up being a division rival that ends up standing in their way.