Yankees Stay Busy Get Goldschmidt for First Base

 You can cross the Yankees off the list for former Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. 

The Bronx Bombers came to terms on a one-year, $12.5 million deal that will solidify the Yankees need at the position for at least a year. 

 

In his prime, Goldschmidt was one of the best hitters in baseball. Up until the past two seasons, Goldschmidt was a consist .290 to .300 hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals. However, the past two years since his NL MVP campaign in 2022, his numbers have dipped a bit. 

He hit only 22 homers, and drove in 65 while hitting .245 last season for St. Louis at age 37. 

What will it be this year? Perhaps the Yankees could platoon Goldschmidt with one of their younger players like Ben Rice. But at the very least, the Yankees added an experienced piece to a roster that looks even better than it did in the World Series. 

Since losing out on Juan Soto the Yankees have been busy. They added: outfielder Cody Bellinger, closer Devin Williams, starter Max Fried, re-signed Jonathan Loaisiga, and acquired former Reds reliever Frenando Cruz in a deal for Jose Trevino. 

And they still got money to spend, whether it be now or in July when they inch closer to the trade deadline. 

Call it a win for Brian Cashman and company. They have been both prudent and economical in their approach. 

As for Alonso, will he now head back to the Mets? The market for the former Amazin' slugger isn't very lucrative, and the Mets are still weighing their options with Alonso and another free agent, infielder Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros. 

Since signing Soto, the Mets have been very, very quiet; perhaps even patient. We'll see if this move on Goldschmidt has a trickle down effect.

Would Mike Vrabel "Take" Jets Job? Some Think So...

 An interesting story has been brewing for a while that former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel could be interested in taking the Jets head coaching job. 

Colin Cowherd on his show spoke with NFL insider Jordan Schultz about it, and claims that Vrabel would take it depending on the GM. Both Schultz and Cowherd put ice water on the Athletic bombshell story about team dysfunction.

"I spoke with Mike Vrabel, he would take the job depending on who the General Manager is," Cowherd said. 

Schultz agreed, adding the Jets have been somewhat stable as compared to other franchises when it comes to giving coaches and GM's time to work with. Ex-GM Joe Douglas got six years. ex-Jets Head Coach got three-plus seasons. 

 

Still this story really isn't new. It was first reported by Rich Cimini of ESPN back on December 4 that Vrabel would be interested in the Jets job depending on who the GM is. So is this really new that Cowherd is presenting to us? 

Could Vrabel's opinion have changed since the Athletic story came out? Those are questions only those involved can answer. 

The bottom line is, the Jets need leadership and the Athletic article does not help the Jets at all.  Any reasonable candidate for the Jets GM or Head Coach job should have serious questions or reservations before agreeing to join this franchise after this story came out.

Athletic Bombshells Puts Jets Owner Woody Johnson Under the Microscope

As the Jets season is about to come to an end, and their search for a new General Manager and Head Coach is about to intensify, The Athletic has dropped another bombshell bringing new, disturbing allegations about the inner workings of Gang Green under owner Woody Johnson.

The article paints a bleak picture of the Jets under Johnson, who allegedly gets too involved in the football business, and has been at odds with coaches, executives, and even players. 

The article further claims that Johnson reneged on a trade with the Denver Broncos for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy because of the star receiver’s perceived “Madden rating,” among many other mind-boggling decisions within the confines of 1 Jets Drive.

 The article further purports that Johnson involved his two teenage sons, Brick and Jack in football matters., which “clarified their father’s propensity for sharing posts from X.” In addition, Johnson’s call on the Jeudy trade may have been influenced by his son’s gameplay on Madden.

“Another example came when Johnson pushed back on signing free-agent guard John Simpson due to a lackluster “awareness” rating in Madden. The Jets signed Simpson anyway, and he has had a solid season.”

To be fair, the article references a Jets source that says the boys have no role in the organization. 

Moreover, the New York Post's Brian Costello has refuted this part of the story, saying that his sources tell him the Broncos are the ones who nixed the deal. 

More disturbingly, the Johnson’s have gone into the Jets locker room and berated players.

” .. Brick and Jack have brought friends — male and female — into the locker room, and current and former players and coaches told The Athletic that Woody Johnson, his wife, Suzanne Ircha Johnson, and his sons criticized players inside the locker room.“

 Read more on FOX SPORTS NEW JERSEY

 As seen on Fox Sports New Jersey

Bill Belichick "Reached" out to Jets on Coaching Job

 Leave it to Bill Belihick to be the ultimate troll on his way out the door when it comes to the New York Jets. 

Multiple reports have reported Saturday, starting with Dianna Russini of The Athletic, that representatives for the ex-Patriots head coach had reached out to the Jets to express interest in the Jets vacant head coaching position. 

"A very small circle of people in the Jets building were made aware of his interest, though no meeting of formal conversation ever happened because the UNC opportunity popped up." 

It's amazing how this now comes out a mere couple days after Belichick was introduced as head coach at the University of North Carolina. 

This is not a dig at Russini, or any other reporter who has reported on this. They all got the information from a reliable source for sure.

 From all indications it is true that Belichick and his team reached out. UStadium even tweeted out that  Belichick "reached out to multiple teams, even those without openings, to gauge interest." 

In sort, Belichick, who is apparently short on friends in the NFL was desperately looking for an NFL job before committing to UNC. He found no takers. This was the problem for him last off-season when the Falcons and owner Arthur Blank balked on hiring Belichick because the front office in Atlanta was not keen on his hiring. 

The Falcons opted for Raheem Morris instead. 

 

There were also reports at the time that Patriots owner Robert Kraft was bad mouthing Belichick behind the coaches back, by warning Blank and the Falcons not to hire Belichick. Belichick is known as a control freak, and likes to do things his way. His way got stale around 2018 when the Patriots run was slowly coming to an end. Once Tom Brady left ahead of the 2020 season for Tampa, the bottom fell out for Belichick's Patriots. 

 The fact that the Jets get named specifically in this report feels to us like Belichick doing his last gasp troll job on the team he hates the most: the Jets. 

We all know about how Belichick was in line to become the Jets head coach back in the year 2000, but resigned a day later on a napkin. Two weeks later he became the Patriots head coach. Over a year later in 2001, in a game against the Jets, he had lady luck fall in his lap when Tom Brady came in for an injured Drew Bledsoe. The rest is history (or infamy if you are Gang Green). 

 

Since ending his tenure with the Patriots, Belichick has taken pot shots at the Jets and owner Woody Johnson while serving as a commentator on various networks including ESPN. 

“That’s kind of what it’s been like with the Jets,” Belichick said after Rober Saleh was fired by the Jets in October. “Barely won over 30 percent (of games) in the last 10 years. The owner, being the owner. Just ready, fire, aim.”

Yeah, it's hard to believe that after all these years, all the acrimony, Belichick would really want to coach in New York for the Jets. 

If anything he wanted to get a raise out of Jets fans who would inevitably target their ire at Johnson. 

No skin off his nose. Belichick gets to do it his way again, now in the college game.

 

Yankees Acquire Devin Williams in Blockbuster with Milwaukee

The Yankees are not resting on their laurels in the post Juan Soto world. Ever since the Yanks lost out on Soto to the New York Mets, they have been red hot in pursuit of roster improvements. 

 

The latest came Friday afternoon when the Yankees acquired Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams in a package deal that sent Nestor Cortes and minor league prospect Caleb Durbin to the Brew Crew. 

The Yankees desperately need a closer. Last season Clay Holmes lost the job to Luke Weaver at midseason. While Weaver was great at times, the truth was, somehow, the Yankees managed to get to the Fall Classic without a true shutdown ace in the ninth inning. 

 They will have that now in Williams who owns a 1.83 career ERA and 68 saves. He was also the man that served up Pete Alonso's three-run homer in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card series between the Mets and Brewers that sent New York on its merry way to the NLDS. 

It is a risky gamble for the Yankees. Williams is a free agent after the 2025 season. So unless the two sides hammer out a long term deal -- if there is mutual interest to do so -- the 2025 season will be the ultimate litmus test for Williams to see how he can drive up his value at the age of 30. 

Should be interesting. A solid pick up for the Yankees. 

Bill Belichick to Become Head Coach at North Carolina

 Bill Belichick has sent a shock-wave through the football world, as he becomes the new Head Coach at the University of North Carolina. 

The shock comes from the fact that Belichick will not jump back into the NFL after spending a year away from the game; instead he will jump into the ever increasingly complex world of College Football. 

This should be interesting. 

 

About a year ago at this time we saw Belichick get rejected by the Atlanta Falcons for their head coaching vacancy. It was a stunner. Before Atlanta made its final decision, it appeared that Belichick was destined for the Falcons after meeting with Arthur Blank, but the front office had other ideas. They convinced Blank to look elsewhere. 

The problem was the Falcons front office knew that if Belichick came aboard, they would all be looking over their shoulder.  When a team hires Bill Belichick, they get all of Bill Belichick: the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

"... The Falcons realized that if you hire Bill Belichick, you hire all of him, an entire philosophy and ethos stemming from one man’s ethic and ingenuity," ESPN reported.

"In the end, his assurances failed to persuade Blank and team executives. 'He was essentially voted off the island,' a source close to the Falcons’ hiring process said.

"ESPN also mentioned that Belichick's former colleague, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, gave a "stark assessment of Belichick's character," which also led to the Falcons passing on the legendary coach."

 

So, perhaps, Belichick seeing that today's NFL is not interested in having a hands on coach in the building, felt that the only way back to the game was through college.

It won't be easy though. While he won't have to deal with overzealous owners, a General Manager on a power trip, and multi-million dollar players; in college he will have to answer to the Athletic Director, the boosters, and now with the NIL, he'll have to deal with players who are dipping their toes into the free agent game. College players now have agents. They are getting paid. It's not what it used to be as players transfer from college program to college program regularly now. 

There is no question Belichick knows how to navigate free agency, and the off-season, but this will be an amazing watch. 

Belichick gave a pretty good indication as to why he was taking the job, when he described on the Pat McAfee Show that he would run the UNC program as gateway to the NFL for players. If that isn't a selling point, I don't know what is.  Belichick's plan sounds like he would turn the college program into an NFL developmental program, and internship. 

 

What a start for kids! 

And with the way college sports are leaning more and more into the tendancies of pro sports, hiring Belichick makes a lot of sense for North Carolina. 

While he won't hit Don Shula's wins record, perhaps this is a more satisfying conclusion to Belichick's career. After nearly 50-years in the NFL, he finally had a chance to step back and think things over. Now he gets to mold a program his way, and do so at one of most prestigious college sports schools in the country.

Yankees Score Starting Pitcher in Max Fried

 Two days after striking out on Juan Soto, the Yankees responded by finding someone to rack up K's in former Atlanta Braves starter Max Fried.

The 31-year old Fried, inked an eight-year, $218 million deal with New York, making him the highest paid left-handed starter in baseball history. 

The deal includes a full no trade clause, and no deferred money. 

While a starter wasn't exactly on the top of their needs for the 2025 season, we all know a team can never have enough pitching. Fried is as solid as they come, and was sought after by many clubs. With the Yankees he can slide right into the number two slot behind ace Gerrit Cole. 

Fried is well accomplished in his career; a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner. Since 2020, he has posted the lowest ERA among pitchers with 500 innings to their name with a 2.18 ERA. 

The Yankees are far from done of course. 

They are heavily linked to Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker, who is about the same age as Soto, and has produced similar numbers. He would also come at a lower price tag in a sign and trade with Houston. 

Juan Soto Agrees to Sign With Mets, Spurning Yankees

 The New York Mets have won the Juan Soto sweepstakes. 

The news became official just before 10 p.m. Sunday as New York Post columnist Jon Heyman broke the story that Soto, the games' most prized free agent slugger, had signed a record setting 15-year, $756 million contract with the Mets. 

While that comes to $51 million annually, the contract will include plenty of deferrals, obviously. The terms of the deal at this moment are still not fully known. 

What is obvious is that Mets owner Steve Cohen did something that no prior Mets ownership group could do and that is beat the Yankees to the punch. He was willing to go all in for the best player on the market and got him. 

There was speculation as last as Saturday that the Mets and Yankees were competing for Soto with the Mets at $735 million, and the Yankees at $710 million. But according to the Post, the Yankees did come in at $760 million over 16 years, which more than doubled the money the Yankees gave Aaron Judge now two off-seasons ago, but it was not enough to reel Soto back to the Bronx. 

He took the extra five million from Uncle Steve. 

Talk about a rivalry. 

This move is going to change the dynamics of both the Mets, the Yankees and baseball. For starters, it means a lot of free agents are going to circle the Mets as a possible destination, especially if Cohen is willing to go all in to bring them in. 

Second, with the Mets willing and able to flex their muscle - even in this economy -- the Yankees take a huge hit. Now they have to compete not only on the field with a team as financially viable as they are, but one that can beat them to the punch. 

This is the shift Mets fans had been dreaming of for years, especially after Cohen bought the team from the frugal Wilpon's. 

The Mets are big time players now. After last season's miraculous postseason run, plus rave reviews from players about the team culture and atmosphere, the Mets are going to be a hot destination. 

Now the Mets have to still do their part come the season and win games. The expectation now is World Series or bust. You don't make a move like this and not expect the expectations to change.  

Soto has a World Series ring with the Washington Nationals, and single-handedly carried the Yankees to the World Series with his series clinching blast over Cleveland in Game 5 of the ALCS. 

The challenge will be for David Stearns and company to fill out the roster under the constraints of their budget. 

The Mets desperately need pitching, and already took risky gambles signing Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes as starters. 

Then there is the future of Pete Alonso. Where will he go? Will he stay with the Mets, or will he leave. There hasn't been much traction reported between the two sides. A lot of people believe Alonso has played his last day in a Mets uniform. And if that is the case, it's a sad day, because Alonso was such a valuable piece to this team. And a clutch one at that. 

The Mets are going to miss Alonso's presence not only in the batting order, but in the clubhouse. 

As for the Yankees they have a chance to do the funniest thing ever. Sign Alonso to spite the Mets. 

Aaron Rodgers Jets Era Must End After Loss to Seahawks

The Aaron Rodgers era in New York needs to come to an end. 

There is no doubt that Rodgers is a first ballot Hall of Famer; one of the most gifted athletes of his generation. He will go down as one of the best to ever do it in the regular season. His arm talent was second to none, except for maybe Dan Marino or Brett Favre in the primes of their careers. 

But with the Jets, it has been an all time disaster. 

Aaron Rodgers looks for help. Getty Images

Sunday's 26-21 Jets loss to the Seattle Seahawks only furthered the evidence that Rodgers marriage with the Jets has to come to an end.  Rodgers was inconsistent, and threw a horrible pick-six that flipped the game totally on its head. 

The Jets had a chance to go up 28-7, but Rodgers threw a pass that ex-Jet defensive lineman Leonard Williams tipped into the air and picked off before rumbling down field for the six-points to make it 21-13 instead. 

It was all Seattle after that. 

The Jets never got close to the end zone again the rest of the afternoon. 

The loss follows two more weeks of turmoil. In the aftermath of Joe Douglas' firing, a report by the Athletic detailed the drama within One Jets Drive, including an apparent rift between Jets owner Woody Johnson and Rodgers, and that there was a good chance both sides would go their separate ways. 

Rodgers denied those claims on the Pat McAfee show on November 26, but Sunday's game coupled with a corroborating story by Ian Rapoport in the wee hours of Sunday morning confirmed that Rodgers time in Green and White is ticking away. 

It's time for a change. It's time to wave good bye to one of the biggest failed era's in Jets history. 

Interview with the Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt on Woody Johnson, Joe Douglas Story

 Of course the big news this past week centered around the story from The Athletic about the firing of Jets General Manager Joe Douglas. The story goes into great detail citing sources that claim Jets owner Woody Johnson has had more say on football matters than previously thought, and paints a very bleak picture of things for Gang Green. 

 

There is also a belief that the Jets and Aaron Rodgers could be threw with one another once the season concludes. 

I had a chance to speak with Zach Rosenblatt of the Athletic on the Fox Sports on the Road podcast for Fox Sports Radio New Jersey. Take a listen in! 

ZACK ROSENBLATT INTERVIEW

Giants Release Daniel Jones at Embattled QBs Request

 

Daniel Jones’ tenure with the New York Giants came to a stunning conclusion Friday morning when Big Blue officially released the veteran quarterback.

The release of Jones comes a day after the embattled quarterback gave a heartfelt speech thanking the organization for giving him an opportunity to start in New York.

At the time it was an odd presser since there was no indication, despite the fact he was benched in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito, that the Giants would outright release the quarterback from his contract, making him a free agent so quickly.

“I am extremely grateful to the Mara and Tisch families for the chance to play here. The Giants are truly a first-class organization and I have nothing but respect for the people who built it,” Jones said after practice on Thursday.

“I take full responsibility for bringing more wins,” he added. “I wish I could have done more. I did not play well consistently enough to get the results.” 

 On Friday, Giants owner and President John Mara stated that, in part, said that Jones had come to ownership and asked for his release.

Wrote Mara: "Daniel Jones came to me this morning and asked if we could release him. We mutually agreed that would be in the best for him and the team. ... We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future." 

Read more from my story on Fox Sports New Jersey.

Woody Johnson At Center of Jets Storm After Joe Douglas Firing

In light of Joe Douglas' firing as General Manager of the New York Jets, The Athletic dropped a major bombshell that indicates that owner Woody Johnson may have had more influence on football related matters than was previously thought, even going so far as to suggest that Johnson recommended to coaches that Aaron Rodgers be benched following the Jets 10-9 loss to Denver in Week 4. 

The story has taken a life of its own, with all fingers pointing back at the Jets as a likely culprit in the franchise's dysfunction. 

Woody Johnson in the crosshairs. Getty Images.

The story written by reporters Dianna Russini and Zack Rosenblatt, with a contribution from Michael Silver, intimately details the goings on in Florham Park, and boy what a read it is. 

The explosive story starts fast, in Week 4 when an angry Johnson suggested that Rodgers get benched. 

"Johnson suggested to the coaches that they bench Aaron Rodgers in favor of Tyrod Taylor because he felt Rodgers’ performance was holding the team back. The coaches and Douglas, stunned at the suggestion, talked him out of it and convinced Johnson to stay the course.."

According to the story, the coaches were so stunned by the suggestion, one coach asked Johnson if he was indeed "serious." 

Ironically enough, a week later following the Jets 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings out in London, England, Johnson fired Robert Saleh as soon as New York returned, and did so without Douglas' imput. 

The story goes on to say that Douglas' power was slowly getting stripped long before the events of October 8, two days after the Jets game in London. 

"Douglas had a contract extension offer he was getting ready to propose to defensive end Bryce Huff’s agent, but Johnson vetoed that — and any other moves involving paying new money to players on the roster.

"By January, Douglas seemed to have even less control. That’s when he fired assistant general manager Rex Hogan, a move that shocked many in the organization because of how close Douglas and Hogan — and their families — were. Multiple team sources theorized that Johnson forced Douglas’s hand; in the aftermath, Douglas told Jets staffers that “Woody should just fire me now.” 

One source even told The Athletic that it felt like the Jets were holding Douglas "hostage."

Johnson was also at the center of rejecting a trade that would have sent Allen Lazard to Denver for Jerry Jeudy; was instrumental in pushing for the signings of Tyron Smith and Mike Williams, and even helped create Haason Reddick's infamous holdout, because he didn't want to pay for a long term deal right away. 

Oddly enough, Johnson also pushed to get the Reddick deal done in October, and also pushed Douglas to trade for Devante Adams according to the report. 

Now Douglas is gone, some six weeks after Saleh went out the door. There is a belief that Aaron Rodgers will not come back next year either, and that the Jets are ready to move on. 

What a nightmare created by Johnson. Granted someone will take the GM job, and someone else will take the Head Coaching job. There are only 32 of these in the world, and they pay well, but it is hard pressed to imagine at this point any top flight candidate with a resume to speak of, and options on the table, will choose the Jets with stories like this coming out. 

Jets Fire General Manager Joe Douglas

 The New York Jets have officially fired General Manager Joe Douglas after six years on the job.

The move came Tuesday morning and was reported initially by SNY’s Connor Hughes. 

Joe Douglas, ex Jets GM. Getty Images.

 

The divorce between Douglas and the Jets was certainly expected for some time, especially after the franchise fired Head Coach Robert Saleh after a Week 5 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London, England. Six weeks later, Douglas followed his head coach out the door. The Jets are 3-8, and 30-64 under Douglas stewardship.

Two weeks ago Douglas held a cryptic press conference when he was short with his answers and looked distant with reporters outside the Jets training facility in Florham Park.

The Jets Press also reported on Sunday prior to the Jets’ 28-27 loss to the Colts that Douglas was anticipating a move, is considering returning to the Baltimore Ravens, and was looking for “real estate” in the Baltimore area.

“He welcomed this change,” Hughes said of Douglas on SNY. 

 

 Hughes added that quarterback Aaron Rodgers had nothing to do with Douglas’ firing at all. “Aaron Rodgers wants to play football in 2025,” Hughes said. “Continuity and stability were main factors to plays for the Jets in 2025.”

Retaining the front office, namely Joe Douglas, was something Rodgers was looking for according to Hughes.

If that is accurate, it would likely indicate that Rodgers’ tumultuous time with the Jets could be coming to a close soon as well.

DeVito Gets the Start for Giants vs. Bucs

 The Daniel Jones Era appears to be over in New York. The Giants officially benched Jones in favor of third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito as Big Blue returns from its bye week this week to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. 

Tommy DeVito, Giants. Getty Images.

 DeVito gets the nod to start over backup Drew Lock mainly because the math makes the most sense. Lock is on a one-year, $5 million deal. He has no future with the Giants beyond this season. According to CBS Sports, Lock would be due increments of $250,000 a piece should he hit certain incentives like percentage of snaps played, completion percentage, and quarterback rating.

DeVito has an exclusive rights-free agent in 2025, meaning he could be back next year in some sort of role with the team. Plus he was a fan favorite when he came in the stead of Daniel Jones last season, and led the Giants to three straight wins over the Commanders, Patriots, and Packers last December.

Read more on my story via FOX SPORTS NEW JERSEY!! 

Giants Very, Very Quiet at Trade Deadline

 The New York Giants were extremely quiet at the NFL Trade deadline on Tuesday. 

Granted New York is 2-7, they aren't going anywhere, but they couldn't find any suitors for two of their prominent soon-to-be free agents: wide receiver Darius Slayton and edge rusher Azeez Ojulari. 

Azeez Ojulari goes after Mac Jones in 2023. Getty Images. 

According to Dianna Russini of  The Athletic, the Giants asked for a fourth or high fifth round pick for Ojulari who has six sacks this season, and 22 sacks in his career. At 24-years old, he is going to be a prime target for teams once he hits the open market next spring. 

As for Slayton, he is the Giants leading receiver, and could hit a career best 800 yards receiving this season. He was a fifth round selection back in 2019, and is a free agent this spring. 

Jets Trade Williams to Steelers at Deadline

Mike Williams we hardly knew ye.

The New York Jets shipped Williams, the lanky 6-foot-4 wide receiver to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a fifth round pick as the NFL trade deadline came and went Tuesday afternoon.

The move was not that surprising, and made sense for both sides.

Mike Williams - Getty Images. 

For the Jets, Williams became expendable when New York acquired Pro Bowl receiver Devante Adams two weeks ago in a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. Since joining New York, Adams has seen 26 targets from quarterback Aaron Rodgers, catching 12 passes including a 37-yard touchdown last week against Houston.

Williams on the other hand saw his production dip since the deal, with only four targets in the last three games combined.

Many feel that Rodgers lost trust in Williams after the receiver ran the wrong route at the end of a Monday Night game against Buffalo on the last play of the game. The play ended in a Rodgers interception as Buffalo won 23-20 on October 14.

Rodgers was critical of Williams in the post game for running the wrong route.

As for the Steelers they have been looking for wide receiver help for a while. They kicked the tires on Brandon Aiyuk when he held out over the summer with the 49ers, and even inquired on Davante Adams with the Raiders earlier in the year.

Williams now gives Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson a solid number two receiver to throw to behind George Pickens.

The Jets 3-6 are clinging to their fleeting playoff hopes this weekend when they visit the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Dodgers Take World Series Thanks to Yankees Miscues

 Thanks to an unfathomable New York implosion that started in the top of the fifth inning of Game 5 and carried until Alex Verdugo struck out for the final out of the night, the Dodgers edged out the Yankees 7-6 to take the World Series in five games.

For a few innings, it felt like the Yankees would be on their way to sending the series back to Los Angeles for Game 6.

Gerrit Cole looks on in frustration. Getty Images.

Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, and Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo shot in the fourth to stake New York to a 5-0 lead.

Then the bottom fell out in the top of the fifth as the Yankees fumbled it away.

Judge dropped a pop-up by Tommy Edman to get the ball rolling in the wrong direction. Then Anthony Volpe threw the ball away on an attempted play at third, allowing Kike Hernandez to reach safely.

Finally, Mookie Betts reached first base on an infield single when Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rizzo miscommunicated who would get to the first base bag. The Dodgers scored a run on the play to make it 5-1.

The floodgates opened when Freddie Freeman lined a two-run single to center, and Toscar Hernandez tied the game on a loud two-run double to center.

Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman celebrate. Getty Images.

All the runs were unearned to Cole’s line. Give credit to Cole for bouncing back. He would return to pitch nearly two full innings of shutout baseball and left with the lead when New York scratched out a run on a Stanton Sac Fly in the sixth inning.

It didn't get any better later. 

 Tommy Kanhle and Luke Weaver struggled to get out of the eighth inning, as the Dodgers grabbed the lead right back.

Kanhle loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before Will Lux hit a sac fly to drive in Kike Hernandez with the tying run.

Next Shohei Ohtani reached on catchers interference, a call that was challenged by the Yankees and upheld. After a balk was called on Weaver, Mookie Betts skied to center to drive in Edman with the winning run. 

It was as much a Yankees collapse as it was the Dodgers doing the little things to take the Series in the Bronx.

The Yankees in 2024 were a good team, but a flawed one as well. They didn’t do the fundamental things right all the time, and it showed in this World Series.

Yankees Show Little Punch, Face Dodgers Brooms in Game 4

 DODGERS 4 - YANKEE 2 

The New York Yankees have their backs up against the proverbial wall now following a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series. 

Ever since Freddie Freeman launched a grand slam into the right field bleachers at Dodgers Stadium on Friday night, the Yankees have looked totally lost as a baseball club. They can't hit; struggle in the field, and their pitching isn't up to snuff. 

Giancarlo Stanton out at the plate. Getty Images. 

By the seventh inning of Game 3 on Monday night, you could hear a pin drop at Yankee Stadium. By the eighth inning, fans were starting to hit the exits. The Yankees had nothing, and everyone knows it. 

While the Yankees had a good season this year, and got to the Fall Classic for the first time in 15 years, they aren't even close to being as good as Yankees teams of the past who have made it this far into October. 

Let's be honest the Yankees got here thanks to a soft American League slate in the postseason.  As Michael Kay pointed out on the YES Postgame, the Yankees won with their B-game against Kansas City and Cleveland. That won't work now.

Yankee Stadium was ready to explode on Monday. Derek Jeter threw out the first pitch, and fans were ready to go wild in the Bronx for the first time in a very long time. 

Then that guy, Freddie Freeman came up again, and cracked a two-run bomb off the facade of the second deck in right to give LA a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The air came out of the Yankees balloon. The fans knew it. The players played like it. 

There were also the little things like Giancarlo Stanton getting thrown out at home plate in the fourth inning on a base hit by Anthony Volpe that kept the Yankees off the board. 

Or Aaron Judge getting a little too much underneath a pitch, and sending it to shallow left when everyone, including John Sterling thought it was a homer off the end of the bat. 

Judge went 0-for-3; he's hitting .091 this postseason. Just not good enough. 

As for LA, their starting pitcher for Game 3, Walker Buehler dialed it back to 2021 when he was a Cy Young candidate, blanking the Bombers over five solid innings. The Dodgers pen did the rest. 

Sure Alex Verdugo hit a two-run homer for the Yankees in the ninth, but all that did was cancel the shutout. The Yankees never really had a chance, and never really had much fight. 

Now the Bombers face the prospects of getting swept in the Fall Classic. The Yankees haven't been swept in the World Series since the Cincinnati Reds did it to them in 1976. Do the Yankees have enough fight in them to at least stave off elimination for one night, and get the ball to Gerrit Cole in Game 5? We'll find out soon. 

Jets & Giants Equals at Horrible in 2024

 If you were a betting man, and decided to put down some dough on the Giants AND Jets both being horrible this year, it would have been an ill-advised bet ... back in August. 

But, now? Well let's just say both the Jets and Giants are back in familiar territory -- at least familiar for the past decade -- both are 2-6 and buried in last place in their respective divisions. 

For the Giants this was expected. 

Daniel Jones runs from the Steelers. Getty Images. 

The Giants made a lot of bad decisions the past two years, namely re-signing quarterback Daniel Jones to a multi-year deal, and letting running back Saquon Barkley walk to the Philadelphia Eagles. We could look at Big Blue's infamous appearance on 'Hard Knocks' in the off-season, and come to the conclusion that the ship Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll are running isn't exactly tight. 

Yet, owner John Mara gave both the dreaded vote of confidence last week, hinting he won't make any sudden moves during the year, or in the off-season. We'll see how he feels come January when the season ends. 

The Giants need to hit the re-set button regardless. 

As for the Jets, this was supposed to be their Super Bowl season. 

They had a healthy Aaron Rodgers, a top-5 defense, and young skill players like Garret Wilson and Breece Hall in the mix. 

Instead everything has gone snake eyes for Gang Green. 

Rodgers looks old and beaten; he struggles to make plays on the field, and the owner acquiesces to his every demand. Many believe Rodgers is the reason why Robert Saleh was abruptly fired after the Jets trip to London in Week 5. He is also believed to be the reason why the Jets decided to take on all of Devante Adams expensive contract from the Raiders. 

Bottom line nothing is working for the Jets. 

Since firing Saleh, the Jets are 0-3, and look worse each and every week as they coast through a five game losing streak. 

They play host to the Texans on Thursday, and play Arizona 10 days after that. In short, Lord knows when the Jets will win a game again this season. It's that bad. 

So as the baseball season comes to an end, we are left with the ruins of football, and it ain't looking good. 

Freddie Freeman Has Kirk Gibson Moment as Dodgers Stun Yanks

 There is a line in the movie "Moneyball" where Brad Pitt says, "How can you not be romantic about baseball?" 

Well on Friday night in Los Angeles, in a city known for Hollywood endings, Freddie Freeman not only won a World Series game for the Dodgers, he channeled the legend of Kirk Gibson from the 1988 World Series. 

It was at the end of that Game 1 of the '88 Fall Classic that Gibby cracked a three-run homer to win it for the Dodgers over the Oakland A's.  

Freddie Freeman celebrates his Grand Slam. Getty Images.

Ironically, Gibson was hobbled by a bad hamstring, and his at bat was a pinch hit. 

Likewise, Freeman -- a veteran player and borderline Hall of Famer, was also hobbled by a lower leg injury, his ankle. 

Both hitters are left handed. 

And the home run that Gibson hit 36-years ago, and the Grand Slam that Freeman hit on Friday night, both wound up in nearly the same location in the right field bleachers. 

Talk about symmetry. 

Baseball is wild cat. 

 

For the Yankees this game will live in infamy, especially if they fail to come back and win this series. 

Fans will point out, and they already are pointing out that Manager Aaron Boone took a huge risk bringing in a rusty Nestor Cortes into the tenth inning with the Yankees up 3-2, and needing only two outs. Cortes has been sidelined since September 18. Why bring him in this spot? It made no sense. 

Not to mention, it appeared in the top of the ninth that the Yanks may have been robbed a potential Gleyber Torres homer when video review showed that a fan had reached over the wall, caught it and pulled the ball back into the crowd. 

The home run was reversed, and Torres was awarded a double. The Yankees didn't score in the inning. 

Still the Yankees had their moment.

- Giancarlo Stanton's two-run bomb still hasn't returned to orbit. The blast gave the Yanks a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning. 

- Jazz Chisholm used his legs to help manufacture the go-ahead run in the top of the tenth to give the Yankees a brief 3-2 lead. 

- Gerrit Cole was dominant over six stellar innings of work. Should the Yankees have left him in at 88 pitches? 

- And don't forget Alex Verdugo's Jeter-esque play on a Shohei Ohtani pop up into foul territory in the bottom of the tenth. 

The Yankees find their backs to the wall in Game 2. Yoshinubo Yamamoto goes for LA, while Carlos Rodon will toe the rubber for the Yankees.

Mets Magical Season Ends in Game 6 of NLCS

 The 2024 New York Mets season came to an end Sunday night in Los Angeles. Their storybook season didn't have the Hollywood ending many Mets fans would have hoped for, but it didn't diminish what they had accomplished.

The Dodgers won Game 6 of the NLCS 10-5, punching their ticket to the 2024 World Series where they will face the Mets crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees in what should be an epic clash of titans.

Still the when the dust settles on this defeat for the Amazin's, New York Mets fans should be left with nothing but good feelings.

Francisco Lindor Looks on. Getty Images.

This was a team many picked to finish dead last in the National League East. The belief was that with a new manager, a new President of Baseball Operations, and many free agents to be, the 2024 season would be a transition year.

 Instead, after a woeful 0-5 start, and, at one point, finding themselves 11-games under .500 in May, the Mets turned out one of the best seasons in their history.

From June 1 onward, the New York Mets had the best record in baseball.

When the turnaround started will always be up for debate. Maybe it started when former Met reliever Jorge Lopez threw his glove into the stands following a loss to the Dodgers in May, and proceeded to garble in the postgame that the Mets were the "worst" team he'd been on.

Or perhaps it started when Francisco Lindor held a players only meeting following the Lopez meltdown.

Don't forget the London Series when the Mets came back to beat the Phillies in the final game of that series, which kicked off a wave of momentum.

Or maybe it started when a giant purple McDonalds character named Grimace threw a first pitch before a Mets game in early June, and became a culture icon for Mets fans the world over.

 Whatever it was, it worked.

The Mets clubhouse became a galvanized unit. Players started playing not just as individuals but as teammates. One could see the infectious nature of the Mets clubhouse when back-up infielder Jose Iglesias introduced us all to the "OMG" song.

It carried from there. We saw Lindor's bid at the MVP; Mark Vientos is a star in the making; Starling Marte comeback to be a major contributor; Jesse Winker was acquired at the deadline and added a jolt; Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo's bats came to life again, and a starting rotation gelled into a solid unit as Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, Jose Quintana, and David Peterson all rounded into form.

Slowly but surely the Mets rose like a Phoenix in the standings, and got themselves into contention by August.

 We saw the heroic comebacks night in and night out, culminating in the heart-pounding season finale in Atlanta where Lindor hit a grand slam to put the Mets in front of the Braves, sending the Amazin's to the postseason.

Then we saw Pete Alonso quiet all the doubters when he smashed a three-run bomb in an elimination game in Milwaukee in the Wild Card round.

If things couldn't get any better for Mets fans, it did a few days later when the Mets knocked the Phillies out of the playoffs in the Division series.

 So while the Amazin's did ultimately fall to the Dodgers in six games, they gave their fans and New York more than anyone could have asked for. They hung tough, fought tooth and nail for each other every night, and redefined what team is all about.

Onward to 2025. 

Jets Humiliated in Pittsburgh Beatdown

 STEELERS 37 - JETS 15 

The New York Jets season is starting to slip away, if it didn't totally slip away on Sunday night in Pittsburgh, as Gang Green was totally outclassed by the Steelers 30-15. New York now drops to abysmal 2-5 record, the same record as their MetLife Stadium co-tenants the New York Giants. 

The difference between the two being, there were very little expectations for Big Blue coming into the year. Many had the Jets pegged for the playoffs, if not the Super Bowl this year. 

That's all out the window now. 

With the Pittsburgh Steelers offense reeling, and Russell Wilson looking as rusty as ever, the Jets built a 15-6 lead in the second quarter, and quickly squandered that lead on mistakes and turnovers. 

In fact, just the fact that the Jets even had that nine-point lead was a miracle in of itself. Aaron Rodgers hit tight end Tyler Conklin for a one-yard touchdown that almost was nulified by the Jets themselves, when Interim Head Coach Jeff Ulbrich tried, but screwed up throwing a challenge flag onto the field for the play before when it appeared that Breece Hall got into the end zone. 

Fortunately for New York, nobody saw the flag, and the Rodgers touchdown pass stood. Then on top of that the Steelers were called for leverage on the extra point, allowing the Jets to go for two, which they converted on a Rodgers pass to Garret Wilson. 

That was the highlight of the Jets night. 

After that, Rodgers was picked off by Beanie Bishop on a pass down the middle, intended for Garret Wilson. Four plays later, Russell Wilson got the Steelers into the end zone on a toss to George Pickens to cut the Jets lead to 15-13. 

After the Steelers used their opening possession to scratch out a field goal to take a slim one-point lead, the Jets gave the game up when Rodgers was picked off by Bishop again, when his pass to Garret Wilson bounced off the receivers chest and into the hands of the Pittsburgh safety. 

Bishop rumbled 41-yards to the Jets one, allowing Russell Wilson to score from the one to give Pittsburgh a 23-15 lead. 

That was the game. Sure the Jets had a field attempt blocked as well when they tried to cut it to five points, but it didn't matter. The game was over. 

The accountability, leadership, you name it is not there on this team. 

The Jets sit at 2-5 with a team full of talent, but they are not a team the definition of the term. They are a collection of good players, and players who were once great at different points in their careers. 

Davante Adams? So much for his impact. three catches for 30 yards. 

It's just not going to cut it. 

Juan Soto's Blast Sends Yankees Back to Fall Classic for First Time Since '09

 Juan Soto is gonna make a lot of money this off-season. 

And we mean a lot of money. 

The free agent outfielder-to-be, who is already expected to break records on his next contract, probably blew all future offers out of the water when he launched a three-run homer to right-center in the top of the 10th inning to give the Yankees a 5-2 lead, and ultimately send New York back to the World Series for the fist time in 15-years.

Juan Soto homers.Getty Images.

 

It all went down perfectly for New York in that 10th inning. A walk to Austin Wells started the inning. Another error by Guardians short stop Bryan Rocchio followed, setting up Soto with two men on and two out.

After fouling off four straight pitches, Soto got a pitch he liked and crushed it. You knew it was gone as soon as center fielder Lane Thomas started back-peddling for the wall.

When the ball went over, Soto stopped looked back toward the dugout and screamed, before rounding the bases.

The ALCS was over. The Yankees were back in the Fall Classic.

 

Soto's blast sent a shiver through Yankees fans everywhere. Most posted to social media that it was time for the Yankees to anti-up and pay Soto. 

Even Jazz Chisholm joined the chorus screaming "Pay my man" during an interview on the YES Network. 

Some think Soto could make upwards of $600 million on a new deal. Could that jump up to $700? $800 million? It could. 

On a side note, let us not forget Giancarlo Stanton who was named the ALCS MVP. Stanton deserved it; he smacked three homers in the Series, including the game tying home run on Saturday in Game 5. 

The Yankees will now await the winner of the Mets-Dodgers NLCS. Should the Mets stage a miraculous comeback and win the pennant, the World Series begins next Friday, October 25 at Yankee Stadium.

Should the Dodgers win, Game 1 will be in Los Angeles.

Yankees Survive, Take 3-1 ALCS Lead Over Cleveland

 YANKEES 8 - GUARDIANS 6 

The Yankees don't like to make things easy do they? 

The Bronx Bombers survived Game 4 in Cleveland, winning by the count of 8-6 as the Guardians once again staged a late inning comeback that had to give Yankees fans in the Bronx palpitations. 

Giancarlo Stanton, Getty Images

 

The Yankees held a 6-2 lead thanks in major part to another monstrous home run by Giancarlo Stanton in the top of the sixth inning. It looked like New York would be on cruise control until the bottom of the seventh inning when things went sideways. 

RBI doubles by Jose Ramirez, and Josh Naylor brought the Guardians to within a run at 6-5. Then in the eighth inning, David Fry, who broke Yankee hearts with the game winning homer in extras in Game 4, tied Game 5 by reaching on an infield single to plate Bo Naylor with the tying run. 

The Yankees bullpen which had been so good this postseason was charged with four runs, including Mark Leiter who wound up getting the win on Friday night. 

Fortunately for the Yankees, the Guardians remain sloppy with the baseball. Another fielding error by Cleveland short stop Bryan Rocchio allowed Jon Berti to score the go-ahead run. Finally Gleyber Torres put the game away with an RBI single to center, scoring Anthony Volpe to make it 8-6. 

Tommy Kahnle got the save, working around a hit and a walk in the bottom of the ninth to clinch it. 

The Yankees can take a deep sigh of relief, they now lead the ALCS three-games to-one. All New York needs is one more win to advance to the World Series for the first time since 2009.

Mets Awaken, Blast Dodgers Force Game 6

METS 12 - DODGERS 6 

The New York Mets are alive, and they still have a shot in this NLCS. After back-to-back blowout losses to the Dodgers in Games 3 and 4, the Mets jumped all over LA in Game 5, winning 12-6 to keep the dream alive for at least one more day. 

If there is one thing this 2024 New York Mets team has taught us all season: they never give up. 

They didn't give up when they got off to an 0-5 start to the season. 

They didn't give up when they were 11-games under .500 in May. 

Pete Alonso celebrates. Getty Images

They didn't give up in Atlanta on the last day of the season to get into the postseason.

They didn't give up when the Brewers had them on elimination's door in Game 3 of the Wild Card round.

And they didn't give up in Game of the NLCS while facing elimination at home. 

The Mets tattooed Dodgers starting pitcher Jake Flahtery, who dominated them in Game 1. On Friday night, the Mets returned the favor, knocking him out after three innings, where he was charged with eight runs on eight hits. 

Pete Alonso, a free agent to be this coming winter, had himself a night going 2-for-3 with four runs scored and three RBI. His three-run bomb in the bottom of the first inning set the tone for the rest of the evening for the Mets as Citi Field became Party Citi yet again. 

Alonso's homer proved to be infectious as the rest of the Mets lineup got involved in big ways. Starling Marte, Francisco Alvarez, Francisco Lindor and Jesse Winker all had multi-hit games in the victory. 

Marte had the biggest night of all, going 4-for-5 with three doubles, and three RBI. Marte's third inning double brought home both Alonso and Winker to make it 5-1. He later added an RBI single in the eight inning to cap off the scoring for the Amazin's. 

 

Francisco Lindor and Jesse Winker both got into the action with RBI triples to help the Mets build a 10-2 lead.

Unfortunately for New York, the Dodgers wouldn't go away. Home runs by Andy Pages and Mookie Betts pulled LA to within four runs, at 10-6. But the Mets bullpen stood firm. 

Ryne Staneck gave the Mets 2.1 quality innings out of the pen, allowing only a run while striking out four batters. 

He set the stage for Edwin Diaz who was brilliant in two innings of relief to secure the Mets victory in a non-save situation. 

The win assures that the Mets will play a Game 6 in Los Angeles on Sunday night. The Mets will have a pitching advantage with Sean Manaea getting the ball on short rest against the Dodgers bullpen. 

Mets Not in Dodgers Class as LA Dominates Game 3 of NLCS

 The New York Mets are really up against the proverbial wall now. Yes, Game 3 was only one of potentially seven games in the 2024 NLCS, but the LA Dodgers came to Citi Field and made a huge statement that the National League, and likely this series is there's for the taking.

When Kike Hernandez crushed a Reed Garrett pitch, and deposited it over left-center field wall to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead, you knew Game 3 was all but over.

Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy then put the series itself in question when they launched pitches to the moon. Ohtani's homer skied the top of the right field foul pole, and Muncy's homer landed in the second row of the upper deck. Just like that the scoreboard read Dodgers 8 - Mets 0.

Mets owner Steve Cohen once said when he purchased the team that he wants the Mets to one day emulate the Dodgers and their current run of success. It's clear that the Amazin's have a long way to go to catch them. 

For the second time in this series, LA blanked the Mets, who outside of home runs by Francisco Lindor and Mark Vientos, have done very little with the bats.

The Mets had only four hits on Wednesday, and left eight men on base. In the three games the Mets are 4-for-19 with runners in scoring position, and have stranded 23 men on base.

Shohei Ohtani homers. Getty Images. 

Pete Alonso is 1-for-11; Brandon Nimmo is 1-for-10, and Francisco Alvarez is 1-for-9 in this series. That's a lot of missing offense from key contributors.

Worse off is the pitching. The Mets walked seven batters on Wednesday. Four of those walks were issued by starter Luis Severino who only lasted 4.2 innings. Tylor Megill got lit up, allowing the two late inning bombs and walking three.

The Mets will start Jose Quintana, who has been both good and bad at times this year. He's has been great lately in the postseason, and the Mets need him to continue that tonight. But one thing is clear the Dodgers have all the momentum pointing in their direction.

There is a reason why the Dodgers won 98 games this year, and were pound for pound the most consistent team in baseball all year. If the Mets aren't careful, LA could be celebrating their fourth trip to the World Series in the last eight seasons on the grounds of Citi Field come Friday.

The goal for the Mets right now is survival, and to prevent an LA celebration at Citi Field. Win a game, and force this series back to LA.  

Judge Awakens as Yanks Bomb Guardians in Game 2

 The New York Yankees are closing in on their first World Series appearance in 15 years. And they can thank slugger Aaron Judge, who has finally shaken off the cobwebs of his October swoon, crushing a two-run homer in the Yankees 6-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium.

Through two games of this American League Championship Series, it has been a total mismatch. While the Yankees haven't been clicking on all cylinders, they are doing just enough to beat a Cleveland team that can't get out of its own way.

Aaron Judge watches it go. Getty Images. 

No better example than in the bottom of the first inning of Game 2 when Cleveland's Bryan Rocchio dropped a pop up by Judge, allowing Gleyber Torres to score the games first run.

 Finally in the bottom of the seventh inning, Judge ripped the proverbial roof of the 'House that Jeter Built' when he crushed a two-run bomb to Monument Park in dead center to make it 6-2.

On the hill, Gerrit Cole did just enough to help win the game for the Yanks. As has been the case for much of the season for Cole since coming off the I.L., he struggled with control, but was still effective enough. He held the Guardians to a pair of runs on six hits, while walking four and striking out four. He lasted only 4.1 innings.

The Yankees bullpen on the other hand, continues to be very effective. Clay Holmes got the victory as he continues to succeed in his new role. Tim Hill and Tommy Kahnle were excellent in the seventh and eighth innings, and Luke Weaver, despite giving up a run, closed the door on Cleveland. 

NEXT: 

The Bombers hit the road for Cleveland with Game 3 set for Thursday night. Clarke Schmidt is expected to get the ball for the Yankees, against Matthew Boyd. First pitch is at 5:08.

Jets acquire Davante Adams After Monday Night Disaster

 The New York Jets landed star wide receiver Davante Adams in a blockbuster trade with the Las Vegas Raiders in the early morning hours, Tuesday, less than 12 hours following a disheartening 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.

The move reunites Adams with his favorite quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.

Aaron Rodgers vs. Bills. Getty Images. 

The pending Adams-Rodgers reunion has been the worst kept secret in the NFL for some time. The Jets tried to make a move for Adams last season, but the Raiders balked on a trade. The talks between the two fledging franchises heated up again this summer, and started boiling as the trade deadline neared.

According to reports, the Jets surrendered a third round pick, which could become a second rounder. Meanwhile Gang Green will assume all of Adams contract, which is no bargain. Adams is due $11 million the rest of this season, and over $36 million in each of the next two seasons. 

One would think that a reworking of the contract, or some form of out in the contract has to be included. There is no way the Jets, and whomever the GM is in 2025 whether it's Joe Douglas or someone else, will want that on the cap. 

Talent wise, yes, Adams adds something to the Jets. Even at age 32, he is still considered one of the best wide receivers in the game. And he enjoyed his best seasons with Rodgers when the two were in Green Bay. 

Meanwhile, the trade could spell the end of receiver Mike Williams, who was once again on the wrong end of a late game pass by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In his post game news conference, Rodgers threw Williams under the bus when he explained that the receiver ran the wrong route. 

Rodgers was picked off on the final play when Williams tried to come back to the ball and slipped. It marked the second straight game where Rodgers targeted Williams only to have the pass picked off.

Haason Reddick

The Haason Reddick situation took another strange twist on Tuesday, when Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that the Jets had granted Reddick and his new representation the ability to seek a trade. 

Reddick was dropped by CAA, his previous agency because of the ongoing holdout. Reddick in turn linked up with Drew Rosenhaus in recent days. Rosenhaus' camp initially put word out that Reddick was looking forward to staying a Jet for "years to come." 

We shall see where this goes. Reddick is the only holdout remaining and we are a third of the way through the season. He's been a holdout since last April. 

Soto & Stanton Power Yankees Past Listless Guardians

 The New York Yankees continue their domination of teams from the American League Central this postseason. The latest victim: The Cleveland Guardians. 

As Derek Jeter admitted during the MLB on FOX pregame show on Sunday, the Yanks have the easiest route to the World Series they have seen in the two-plus decades of playoff excellence since the late 90s.

 The Yankees dominated the Guardians 5-2 on Monday with Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton both going yard on balls that were no doubters when they left the bat. 

Juan Soto - Getty Images. 

With Aaron Judge still struggling this postseason, batting only .133 in five games, the Yanks needed someone to step up, and they have gotten just that from their other two sluggers in Soto who is batting .353 this postseason, and Stanton, who is sizzling at .368. 

It really has been a two-man show for the Bombers at this point. And so far it's working. 

It also helps that the Yankees are finally getting the most out of their starting pitchers, and at the right time too. 

After getting roughed up by the Kansas City Royals in Game 2 of the Division Series, Carlos Rodon was masterful in Game One of the ALCS. He struck out nine batters and held the Guardians to one run on three hits. The bullpen was again solid, as Luke Weaver tossed his sixth shutout inning this postseason to earn his fourth save of the playoffs. 

At 1-0, all feels good for the Yankees. They have their ace, Gerrit Cole on the hill for Game 2. If the Yankees take care of business on Tuesday, this series could be over very quickly.