The Yankees walked into the All-Star break with a lot more life than they had a week earlier. After a brutal 5-15 stretch, they flipped the script by sweeping the Washington Nationals with three late-inning comeback wins, a run that carried them into the break with the fifth-best record in MLB.
That momentum came on the same weekend the club’s 2026 draft class came into focus. New York used its first-round pick on Arkansas lefty Hunter Dietz, a selection that was described as a steal, and followed that by adding College World Series champion Brendan Brock, a catcher who could move quickly thanks to his advanced bat.
The Yankees’ draft haul went well beyond those two names. In all, they selected 16 college players and four high school players, including Andy Pettitte’s son, a two-way player.
The early emphasis was again on pitching, a sign the organization may be looking to strengthen the farm system ahead of this year’s trade deadline. A full list of the selections was released, along with scouting reports from MLB.com.
On the major league side, Cam Schlittler will not pitch in the 2026 All-Star Game. Schlittler made the call on Sunday, saying he was uneasy about the timing of his throwing schedule and wanted to keep the Yankees first as they head into the second half. He is expected to start the opener against the Dodgers when play resumes.
Schlittler was technically available, but his comments made clear he wasn’t eager to take the mound in the exhibition. He said the day of the All-Star Game was supposed to be a throw day for him, and he was concerned about asking his fastball to do too much in live action. He also pointed to injuries in the rotation and said he didn’t want to upset the team’s rhythm right after the break.
There was also a bit of extra intrigue around the decision. Blue Jays manager John Schneider said he would have named Toronto pitcher Dylan Cease the All-Star Game starter whether Schlittler was available or not, though the idea that Schlittler reacted to that is just speculation.
The more important injury news for New York is that Max Fried is moving closer to a return. Fried has been out for two months since suffering an elbow injury in Baltimore against the Orioles, but Aaron Boone said Sunday that he could begin a rehab assignment as soon as Friday. That would put him on track to rejoin the rotation within the next two weeks, though he’ll need at least 2-3 outings after such a long layoff.
Boone said Fried’s live BP session went well, and the left-hander is now nearing the final stretch of his recovery. Carlos Rodón has also been throwing more regularly and is expected to continue doing so over the break.
Before the injury, Fried was one of the best pitchers in the league, and even with the missed time he remains among the top-100 players in WAR. His return would give the Yankees a major lift.
Once he’s back, the rotation should again look like the best in MLB, and the bullpen should get some much-needed relief too. With a difficult stretch of schedule coming after the break, the Yankees badly need Fried back in the mix.
In Other News...
Michael Kay And Joe Girardi Just Sparked A Yankees Broadcast Storm
A Yankees broadcast detour turned into a small storm when Michael Kay floated a July what-if about Cam Schlittler, the clubs steadiest arm in the Bronx this season. The idea was simple enough on its face, but it quickly pushed the conversation beyond ordinary rotation talk and into the kind of October-minded planning that can sound a little far-fetched when the calendar still has months to go.
Joe Girardi was not having it, pushing back on the notion that the Yankees should be thinking that far ahead and making clear any change to Schlittlers usage would have to come down to workload, not gamesmanship. Fans mostly met the whole premise with eye rolls online, treating it as another example of overthinking from a team that still has plenty to sort out before anyone should be mapping out a World Series opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Rices Home Run Derby Choice Carries A Powerful Yankees Twist
Ben Rices Home Run Derby plan comes with a family connection that fits the moment as well as anything in the Yankees recent run of feel-good storylines. The rookie has leaned on his father, Dan, for years as a batting-practice arm, long before the spotlight found him in pinstripes, and that old routine now has a chance to play out on one of the sports biggest stages. It is the kind of choice that says as much about Rices path as it does about the event itself.
Dan Rice has been part of that path from the start, a former college pitcher who kept showing up to throw to his son through the years and across plenty of offseason miles. Ben grew up in Cohasset, Massachusetts, and went from Dartmouth to the Yankees with a stop-and-start college career shaped by the pandemic, but the swing he brings to the Derby will have the same familiar setup he has known for most of his life. For a player still carving out his place in New York, it is a reminder that some of the most meaningful baseball moments still begin in the backyard. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Finally Have A Deadline Answer For Their Catcher Problem
The Yankees have not hidden their interest in adding a right-handed hitting catcher before the trade deadline, and Brian Cashman has already acknowledged the clubs concern behind the plate. With the current catching situation unsettled, the front office is looking for a player who can give the lineup a different look and help stabilize a spot that has become a real question as July approaches.
One name drawing attention is Jonah Heim, whose profile fits what New York is seeking because of his track record against left-handed pitching and his reputation as a former All-Star and Gold Glove winner. His overall offensive numbers have been uneven, which is part of why the Yankees are still weighing other possibilities, but the bigger issue now is whether they can find a deal that makes sense before the deadline market tightens further. [Read more 🡒]