Around the Empire: Yankees news - 9/22/23

FanGraphs | Ben Clemens: As we’ve watched Tommy Kahnle this year, it’s been clear that he is throwing significantly more changeups than ever before. At times, it’s felt as if the approach was too changeup heavy, but over time, the strategy has settled in and is quite effective. Ben Clemens summarized Kahnle’s approach while diving into the rarity of relying so heavily on the pitch.

The Athletic ($) | Brendan Kuty: The perception of the Yankees’ farm system has been all over the place this season. Their mid-season rankings across the board are in the 20-25 range, making some people frustrated that there are no reinforcements coming. But it seems those rankings have missed the bill. From Roderick Arias’ stellar performance in the FCL, to Spencer Jones’ ongoing improvements, and even standout performance from George Lombard Jr. in his pro debut, there are plenty of prospects who have made their talents clear.

New York Post | Mark W. Sanchez: Giancarlo Stanton is struggling. He hasn’t had an above average stretch by wRC+ all year. It’s always telling to see how players of his caliber handle these situations. At this point, it’s clear that he needs some sort of swing change, and his candor towards the idea of change is respectable. The tools are still there. Any good Yankees team in the next few years will have to feature some contribution from Giancarlo Stanton, and at least we know he was the right mentality to get there.

The Wall Street Journal ($) | Lindsey Adler and Jared Diamond: Thankfully, the Yankees have been able to dodge any significant elbow injuries this season with the big league club. There have been plenty of injuries, but none knocking out a pitcher through next year. However, the rest of the league – and multiple prominent stars – have continued to deal with these career altering injuries. There are several factors at play, and it’d be wrong to attribute it to one thing, but Adler and Diamond did a great job at running through all the potential factors the league is facing.