Around the Empire: Yankees news - 7/8/23

MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco and Darragh McDonald: It seems to me that the daily news roundup often begins with an injury update, and unfortunately, today is no exception. In the first positive news fans have received in a while, Carlos Rodón was activated from the injured list yesterday, finally making his Yankees debut after inking a big six-year deal this past winter. Unfortunately, while Deivi García was optioned to make room on the active roster, the Yankees had to transfer Nestor Cortes to the 60-day IL to clear space on the 40-man; this means that Nasty Nestor cannot return before August — not exactly a surprise at this point, but a disappointing confirmation nonetheless. Lastly, after Jake Bauers hit the shelf with a rotation cuff contusion, Franchy Cordero was recalled from Triple-A Scranton.

FanGraphs | David Laurila: Carlos Rodón’s bread and butter over the last few years has been the slider, a pitch that turned him into the ace-quality pitcher that allowed him to cash in this winter. Speaking with FanGraphs’ David Laurila, whose series “Learning and Developing a Pitch” is a must-read, the left-hander detailed the unorthodox grip that he uses, as he approaches the pitch not like throwing a football — as many pitchers do with their sliders — but with a fastball-like mentality.

Sports Illustrated | Mike McDaniel: Back in 2017, then-Yankees outfielder Dustin Fowler ran into an electrical box in Chicago that tore the patellar tendon in his right leg; as a result of the injury, Fowler sued the White Sox and Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, ultimately settling last year. Because of this, Aaron Judge, who has been out with a torn ligament in his toe after colliding with — and crashing through — a fence at Dodger Stadium on June 3rd, was asked whether he planned to pursue legal action. “Nah, no need,” was his concise and clear answer.

The Athletic | Ken Rosenthal: (subscription required) If Gerrit Cole wants to be a manager after his playing career is over, well, he certainly thinks like one. In this feature on the Yankees ace, Ken Rosenthal documents something that we’ve gotten glimpses of from the television broadcasts but can never see the true extent of without being in the dugout: how much Cole sees during the game. While his value on the mound cannot be underpraised, he essentially serves as an extra coach on days when he’s not pitching — and not just for the pitchers, but for the hitters as well.