Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes bounced back from a disastrous outing his last time out with six two-run innings Tuesday in a no decision against Baltimore.
Insight: Hughes gave up five hits, walked two and allowed two solo homers to Chris Dickerson. The right-hander has a 5.51 ERA this season and has given up 10 homers in 47 1/3 innings.
Description: Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis (back) played an extended spring training game Tuesday.
Insight: Youkilis has played just one game since April 20 due to a back injury and was placed on the DL retroactive to April 28. He could return in a few weeks barring a setback.
Description: New York right fielder Ichiro Suzuki is not in Tuesday's starting lineup. The Yankees will start Curtis Granderson, Brett Gardner and Vernon Wells.
Insight: This is not the Ichiro that has to be started everyday. He's batting .241 with a .613 OPS and five steals in 39 games.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is 0-for-6 against Baltimore starter Miguel Gonzalez with three strikouts.
Insight: Granderson is 4-for-19 since returning to the lineup after breaking his arm in spring training, including 0-for-8 in his last two games. This is not a favorable matchup.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is just 2-for-15 (.133) versus journeyman starter Freddy Garcia.
Insight: Cano has been one of the safest picks in fantasy baseball over the past four years, and 2013 has proven to be no different. He has 12 homers to go with a .295 average and 31 RBI. This matchup, however, is a rare unfavorable one for the Yankees All-Star.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson has twice as many strikeouts as hits in his career matchups with Orioles starter Freddy Garcia (12 vs. six hits) and a less than desired .171 batting average.
Insight: Granderson is 4-for-15 since returning to the lineup for the first time after breaking his arm in spring training. This is not a favorable matchup.
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner is a career .455 hitter with four homers and a 1.379 OPS versus Baltimore right-hander Freddy Garcia.
Insight: Hafner is still a threat against right-handers, batting .278 this season, with five of his seven homers and a .906 OPS. He should definitely be in fantasy lineups in this favorable matchup, assuming Joe Girardi puts him in the Yankees lineup on Monday.
Description: Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells is 1-for-11 with four strikeouts over his last three games, but he has a favorable matchup Sunday against Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A. Dickey.
Insight: Wells is a .438 hitter (.438) with two doubles against Dickey. The veteran outfielder has been a major surprise this year, hitting .286 with 10 homers, 23 RBI, 22 runs and four steals.
Description: Yankees right-hander David Phelps shut down Toronto over seven innings Saturday to pick up his second win of the year.
Insight: Phelps allowed six hits and one run, walked three and fanned eight. The right-hander has gone 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA and a 24/10 K/BB over 25 1/3 innings since joining the starting rotation in place of the injured Ivan Nova.
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner homered off Blue Jays reliever Darren Oliver in the eighth inning Saturday. He has been dealing with a shoulder injury over the past week.
Insight: Hafner is just 4-for-21 against lefties this season, but two of the hits are home runs. With Curtis Granderson back in action, the Yankees have just two lineup spots for Vernon Wells, Ichiro Suzuki and Travis Hafner to fill, so manager Joe Girardi will have to mix and match.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 with a pair of two-run homers Saturday against the Blue Jays.
Insight: Cano has been one of the safest picks in fantasy baseball over the past four years, and 2013 has proven to be no different. He has 12 homers to go with a .295 average and 31 RBI.
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner is a career .357 hitter (5-for-14) with five extra base hits and a 1.438 OPS against Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow.
Insight: Hafner hasn't played since Monday due to a shoulder peoblem, but should be ready for this favorable matchup. He hasn't been hitting well either, batting .158 over the past two weeks, but this is a nice opportunity. Update - Hafner is in Saturday's starting lineup.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson has struck out in 11 of 19 at-bats versus Toronto starter Brandon Morrow with just two hits.
Insight: Granderson is 4-for-11 since returning to the lineup for the first time since breaking his arm in spring training. This is not a favorable matchup.
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner is a career .357 hitter (5-for-14) with five extra base hits and a 1.438 OPS against Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow.
Insight: Hafner hasn't played since Monday due to a shoulder peoblem, but should be ready for this favorable matchup. He hasn't been hitting well either, batting .158 over the past two weeks, but this is a nice opportunity.
Description: New York righthander Hiroki Kuroda was dominant Friday in a win against Toronto.
Insight: Kuroda fanned five and walked just one batter over eight shutout innings. The 38-year-old is 6-2 with a 1.99 ERA in nine starts this season. That 1.99 ERA is good for fourth-best in the American League.
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner is dealing with right shoulder tendinitis and is questionable for Friday's game against Toronto.
Insight: Hafner has been scuffling in May, hitting .133 in his last 10 games, and perhaps the shoulder is to blame. With Curtis Granderson back from the disabled list, the Yankees have four outfielders and can use one of them at DH so Hafner can rest his sore shoulder.
Description: Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells is a .480 hitter (24-for-50) with three homers and a 1.289 OPS against Blue Jays starter Mark Buehrle.
Insight: Wells (.295, 10 HR, 23 RBI) is one of the biggest reasons the Yankees are playing over .500 baseball despite their numberous injuries. He'll likely continue to start even with the return of Curtis Granderson as long as he's hitting at this level. He's a must start on Friday in this favorable matchup.
Description: New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is a career .400 hitter (8-for-20) versus Toronto left-hander Mark Buehrle with thee home runs, nine RBI and a 1.405 OPS.
Insight: Cano (.298, 10 HR, 26 RBI) has not been hitting the ball well over the past two weeks (.245, .669 OPS), but this matchup could get the best second baseman in the game started again.
Description: New York right fielder Ichiro Suzuki is 0-for-20 with five strikeouts over his last five games and has a terrible matchup Thursday against the Mariners.
Insight: Ichiro is 1-for-16 (.063) against Seattle starter Aaron Harang. Now that Curtis Granderson is back in the lineup, Ichiro will need to hit better to remain in the everyday lineup. He shouldn't be in any fantasy lineups for the foreseeable future.
Description: The Mariners greeted Yankees starter Phil Hughes with six hits and seven earned runs in the first inning, knocking Hughes out after just two outs had been recorded.
Insight: Hughes had a 3.60 ERA after his start on May 4, but it didn't last. He has given up 13 hits and 13 earned runs in 6 1/3 over his last two turns. Fantasy owners should know by now that Hughes is extremely boom-or-bust.
Description: Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells went yard for the 10th time this season Wednesday against the Mariners.
Insight: With Curtis Granderson back in action, it's unclear if Wells will have an everyday spot in the lineup since the Yankees also need to get Ichiro at-bats in right field and Travis Hafner at-bats at DH, but Wells certainly has earned it over the other two.
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner is dealing with right shoulder tendinitis but he hopes to be back in the lineup Thursday, according to Andy McCullough of the Newark Star-Ledger.
Insight: Hafner has been scuffling in May, hitting .133 in his last 10 games, and perhaps the shoulder is to blame. Curtis Granderson returned to action Tuesday, so New York's lineup is a little more crowded.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira told Bryan Hoch of mlb.com that he expects to be playing in the big leagues before June 1.
Insight: Teixeira suffered a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist, while taking batting practice for team USA on March 5. Curtis Granderson came back Tuesday and Teixeira seems to be two weeks away. The Yankees are getting healthier - look out East Division.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia allowed 10 hits but he also struck out 10 batters in 6 1/3 innings Tuesday against the Mariners.
Insight: Sabathia walked two and allowed three runs (two earned) in a no decision. The left-hander is dealing with diminished velocity and has been throwing his changeup more often this season. He has allowed 61 hits and eight homers in 59 1/3 innings (1.28 WHIP), but has been effective nevertheless (3.19 ERA, 54/15 K/BB).
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner is dealing with right shoulder soreness and will undergo an MRI. SOURCE: Andy Martino, New York Daily News
Insight: Hafner has been scuffling in May, hitting .133 in his last 10 games, so perhaps this has something to do with it. With Curtis Granderson returning Tuesday, the Yankees lineup just got a little more crowded.
Description: New York second baseman Robinson Cano is a career .366 hitter (15-for-41) versus Seattle ace Felix Hernandez with a pair of home runs.
Insight: Cano (.299, 10 HR, 23 RBI) had a tough day in Monday's makeup doubleheader in Cleveland (1-for-9), but has always hit well against "King Felix."
Description: New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez (hip surgery) was hitting off a tee and running at the Yankees' Tampa complex last week.
Insight: It's the first step toward his return to the playing field. There is still no exact timetable, but if there are no setbacks he could be ready somewhere around the All-Star break. That's around the same time Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira are also hoping to return to action.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson (forearm) could return to the team as early as Tuesday.
Insight: Granderson has been on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and is batting .412 over 17 at-bats. He's a must start as soon as he is activated. He hit 43 homers last season and 41 the year before.
Description: Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells is a career .111 hitter in 18 at-bats against Cleveland starter Justin Masterson..
Insight: Wells has been one of the guys carrying the Yankees offense while New York waits until the return of the injured starters. He's batting .295 with 9 HR and 20 RBI, but this matchup isn't a good one.
Description: New York second baseman Robinson Cano reached double-digit homers Sunday in a victory over Kansas City.
Insight: Cano (.311, 10 HR, 23 RBI) has collected two or more hits in three out of his last four games. He's on pace for 45 homers this season, which is 12 more than he hit last year.
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner is 5-for-30 (.167) versus Royals right-hander Ervin Santana with 11 strikeouts and a .531 OPS.
Insight: After a huge April (.318, 6 HR, 17 RBI) Hafner has stumbled in May batting just .130 with zero homers and one RBI. This unfavorable matchup isn't likely to get him back on track.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is a career .324 hitter (12-for-37) with five home runs against Royals starter Ervin Santana.
Insight: Cano is having another excellent season (.306, 9 HR, 21 RBI, 21 runs) though he went hitless on Saturday in another favorable matchup. He's also dealing with a sore foot after fouling a ball of it and aggravating the injury in the middle of the week.
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner is 3-for-17 versus Royals right-hander James Shields with five strikeouts and a .498 OPS.
Insight: After a huge April (.318, 6 HR, 17 RBI) Hafner has stumbled in May batting just .105 with zero homers and one RBI. This unfavorable matchup isn't likely to get him back on track.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is a career .413 hitter (31-for-75) with four home runs against Royals starter James Shields.
Insight: Cano is having another excellent season (.311, 9 HR, 20 RBI, 21 runs) and his hitting along with that of Vernon Wells and Travis Hafner have lifted the Yankees to a winning record despite massive injuries to their starting lineup.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano's X-ray on his sore right foot came back negative, according to the New York Post.
Insight: Cano fouled a ball off his foot last weekend against the Athletics and aggravated the injury while covering first base against the Rockies. He appears to be fine.
Description: New York right fielder Ichiro Suzuki is a career .500 hitter versus Royals right-hander Wade Davis in 16 at-bats.
Insight: He's had an unproductive season so far (.269, 1 HR, 6 RBI) but could become more valuable at the Yankees power hitters return from the disabled list and the lineup starts to score more runs. For now, he's only a spot starter, though today is one of those spots.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia allowed one hit and one run in four innings Thursday against Colorado but a rain delay ended his day.
Insight: Sabathia (4-3, 3.23 ERA) came in having allowed 50 hits, including seven homers, over 49 innings this season, so it was good to see him dominate, even in a shortened outing.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson (forearm) will join Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre for his minor league rehab assignment Thursday, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Insight: Granderson has been rehabbing from the fractured forearm he suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Feb. 24. Manager Joe Girardi said on April 30 that Granderson will need 50 rehab at-bats before he's ready to return.
Description: Yankees shortstop Eduardo Nunez left Sunday's game against Oakland because of a rib cage injury. SOURCE: Dan Barbarisi, Wall Street Journal
Insight: His MRI came back clean so it doesn't sound like Nunez will have to go on the DL. He'll probably be kept out as a precaution Tuesday versus Colorado.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira will report to the Yankees' complex in Tampa to continue his rehab from a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist, but expects to take live batting practice on the field before he leaves Sunday. SOURCE: NYDailyNews.com
Insight: Teixeira suffered the injury batting practice for team USA on March 5, and this is the first time since the injury that he will take batting practice. He's still without a timetable, but could return by the end of this month or early in June if he avoids a setback.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes continue to pitch well Saturday against the Oakland Athletics and finally picked up his first win of the season.
Insight: Hughes walked two, struck out nine and allowed four hits over eight scoreless innings Saturday. The right-hander has a 1.93 ERA and a 30/5 K/BB in 28 innings over his last four starts.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes doesn't have the wins to show it, but he's pitched very well over his last three starts.
Insight: Hughes struck out nine batters and walked just one last Sunday in his third consecutive outing yielding exactly two runs and going at least six innings.
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner is hitless in 15 at-bats against Oakland starter Bartolo Colon with four strikeouts.
Insight: Hafner had a fantastic month of April, just when the Yankees needed him the most, batting .318 with six homers, 17 RBI and a 1.014 OPS. He's hitless in eight May at-bats and this unfavorable matchup isn't likely to help those numbers.
Description: The Yankees have placed Joba Chamberlain on the DL with a strained oblique.
Insight: The Yankees disabled list is awfully crowded. Chamberlain has a 3.86 ERA, but he has walked six batters and allowed 10 hits while striking out seven in 9 1/3 innings and has no fantasy value.
Description: Yankees righty Michael Pineda (shoulder) threw an extended spring training game and hit 95 mph on the gun while sitting at 93 mph consistently. SOURCE: Bryan Hoch, MLB.com
Insight: Yankees GM Brian Cashman called it "a good, physical day." Pineda's recovery from shoulder surgery appears to be going well and he could return anywhere from late-June to mid-July.
Description: Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda allowed just four hits to work around four walks and held Houston scoreless in seven innings Tuesday.
Insight: Kuroda's April got off to an inauspicious start when a line drive hit his finger in the second inning of his first start, but he rebounded to finish 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP and a 30/11 K/BB in 36 innings.
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner collected three hits and three RBI in four at-bats Tuesday night against Houston.
Insight: Hafner had a fantastic month of April, hitting .318 with six homers, 17 RBI and 12 walks. Just 14 of his 66 at-bats this season have come against left-handers.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson (forearm) is in spring training mode, but should progress to rehab games soon and be back in action in mid-May. SOURCE: Andrew Marchand, ESPNNY.com
Insight: Granderson has been rehabbing from the fractured forearm he suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Feb. 24. He'll need 50 rehab at-bats before he's ready to return. "He's probably pretty close," manager Joe Girardi said.
Description: Andrew Marchand of ESPNNY.com reports that the best case for Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira's return to the lineup is the end of May, but added that June is more likely.
Insight: Teixeira sustained a partially torn tendon sheath in his right wrist while taking batting practice for team USA on March 5. The original timetable for Teixeira's recovery was 8-to-10 weeks, but it looks like he'll be out longer than that.
Description: Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis (back) has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 28.
Insight: Youkilis has been dealing with a back injury since April 20, but he returned for one game on April 27, which reset his DL clock. Jayson Nix will continue to handle third base duties for the banged up Yankees.
Description: Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is hitless in nine at-bats versus Houston starter Philip Humber.
Insight: When a career .322 hitter like Ichiro is batting .000 against a pitcher, even one that 0-5 this season, it's a significant statistic. It's best to avoid this matchup.
Description: New York Yankees corner infielder Kevin Youkilis' MRI was negative. He'll have an epidural on Tuesday and the team will decide whether he'll be placed on the DL or not in the coming hours, according to Andy McCullough of the Newark Star-Ledger.
Insight: Youkilis has been dealing with a back injury since April 20. He returned for one game on April 27 after missing six, so if the team places him on the DL it will have to be retroactive to that date.
Description: Yankees starter Andy Pettitte struggled with his command Monday against Houston and allowed 10 hits and seven runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Insight: Pettitte's troubles began early, when Houston scored three runs in the top of the first inning. The lefty brought a 2.22 ERA into the game but left with a 3.86. He'll get Oakland this weekend.
Description: New York Yankees corner infielder Kevin Youkilis (back) is not in Monday's lineup, and we're still awaiting results of the MRI he had earlier today.
Insight: Youkilis started out batting .424 through nine games, but he is 3-for-31 over his last eight. Returning for a game on April 27 after six straight absences will prevent the Yankees from placing him on the DL retroactive to April 20, the day he first suffered the injury.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes has allowed 19 hits and six earned runs over 20 innings in his last three starts.
Insight: Hughes struck out nine batters and walked just one on Sunday and has a 22/3 K/BB in his last three turns. The right-hander gave up eight earned and 17 hits in his first seven innings this year.
Description: New York Yankees corner infielder Kevin Youkilis is not in Sunday's starting lineup. A tight lower back caused Youkilis to miss six straight games, before he played on Saturday.
Insight: Youkilis returned to the lineup on Saturday against the Blue Jays after missing six games and went hitless. He's batting a barely respectable .266 with a pair of homers and seven RBI, but the injury-filled Yankees roster needs him in the lineup.
Description: Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells owns a .538 batting average in 13 at-bats against Blue Jays hurler R.A. Dickey.
Insight: Not much power in the seven hits (five singles, two doubles), but the high average means he's seeing the knuckleball clearly. Wells has been a huge addition to the injured Yankees lineup, batting .309 with six home runs and 12 RBI through the first 21 games.
Description: New York starter Ivan Nova has been placed on the 15-day DL because of right triceps inflammation.
Insight: Another injury? It's just been that kind of season for the Bombers. Maybe Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni will lend a shoulder for Joe Girardi to cry on.
Description: New York Yankees corner infielder Kevin Youkilis will return to the lineup on Saturday against the Blue Jays.
Insight: A tight lower back caused Youkilis to miss six straight games. He's batting a respectable .279 with a pair of homers and seven RBI. As quickly as the Yankees are losing starters (Cervelli last night), they need Youkilis back in the lineup.
Description: New York catcher Francisco Cervelli (fractured hand) will undergo surgery on Saturday and early estimates are for him to be sidelined for at least six weeks, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News
Insight: The Yankees will most likely promote Austin Romine from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre where he was batting .333 with a homer and four RBI in 14 games.
Description: With Francisco Cervelli sidelined for six weeks, the Yankees will rely primarily on Chris Stewart to handle the chores behind the plate.
Insight: The Yankees will most likely promote Austin Romine from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre where he was batting .333 with a homer and four RBI in 14 games, but Stewart (.304, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .795 OPS) should get the majority of the work.
Description: New York catcher Francisco Cervelli has been diagnosed with a fractured hand. SOURCE: YES Network
Insight: When Cervelli goes on the disabled list, Chris Stewart will be the only active catcher on New York's roster. The Yankees will likely be forced to call up a catcher from Triple-A to account for Cervelli's absence.
Description: Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli injured his right hand Friday against the Blue Jays. SOURCE: David Lennon, Newsday
Insight: The injury occurred after Cervelli was hit by a foul tip in the first at bat of the game. Chris Stewart will handle the catching duties for the rest of the evening.
Description: New York corner infielder Kevin Youkilis won't see the field Friday against the Blue Jays.
Insight: A tight lower back will cause Youkilis to miss his fifth straight game. A trip to the DL could be in the cards for the often-injured third baseman.
Description: Yankees 1B/3B Kevin Youkilis sat Thursday night and is questionable for Friday's game against Toronto.
Insight: He still has tightness in his lower back. Lyle Overbay and Jayson Nix would likely cover the two corner positions if Youkilis (.279, 2 HR, 7 RBI) can't play.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter wouldn't give a set date for his return but he did say that he expects to be back before the end of the 2013 season. SOURCE: Mark Feinsand, New York Daily News
Insight: Jeter hasn't played since suffering a broken ankle last October. Eduardo Nunez has been starting in Jeter's place, though he hasn't made much of an impact in fantasy up to this point (.184 AVG in 49 at bats).
Description: Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is hitless in nine at-bats versus Houston starter Philip Humber.
Insight: When a career .322 hitter like Ichiro is batting .000 against a pitcher, even one that 0-5 this season, it's a significant statistic. It's best to avoid this matchup.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson (forearm) is on pace to return in the first week of May, according to Yankees.com.
Insight: Granderson has been rehabbing from the fractured forearm he suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Feb. 24. He took 15 swings in a batting cage on Wednesday and will progress to taking batting practice on the field.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira (wrist) told Bryan Hoch of mlb.com that he won't be able to meet his goal of playing on May 1.
Insight: Teixeira sustained a partially torn tendon sheath in his right wrist while taking batting practice for team USA on March 5. The original timetable for Teixeira's recovery was 8-to-10 weeks. it looks like a mid-May return at best.
Description: New York corner infielder Kevin Youkilis is not expected to return to the Yankees lineup until Thursday, according to mlb.com reporter Bryan Hoch.
Insight: Youkilis (.279, 2 HR, 7 RBI) has been battling tightness in his lower back since Saturday. Jayson Nix is expected to get another start.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes gave up six hits and two runs, walked two and struck out six in seven innings Tuesday against the Rays.
Insight: Hughes didn't allow a ball to leave the park after giving up five homers over his last two starts. The home run ball usually does Hughes in, but he'll be a decent fantasy option for owners in deep mixed leagues.
Description: New York corner infielder Kevin Youkilis will be held out of the lineup again Tuesday.
Insight: Youkilis (.295, 2 HR, 9 RBI) has been battling tightness in his lower back since Saturday. Jayson Nix will get another start at third base Tuesday.
Description: Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells is a career .148 hitter (4-for-27) against Rays' ace David Price.
Insight: The Yankees are likely forced to start Wells (.299, 5 HR, 8 RBI) despite the bad matchup due to all their injuries, but fantasy owners should steer clear of this unfavorable matchup.
Description: New York corner infielder Kevin Youkilis was supposed to be back in the lineup Monday against Tampa Bay but he was scratched at the last minute.
Insight: Youkilis (.295, 2 HR, 9 RBI) is still battling tightness in his lower back. Jayson Nix will grab the start at third.
Description: Yankees farm hand Vidal Nuno is pitching very well for Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and might get a call up if the big club's starting rotation suffers any injuries.
Insight: Nuno is 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA and a stunning 0.64 WHIP. The most impressive part of his statistics is 26 strikeouts against just two walks in 23 1/3 innings pitched.
Description: Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda cruised through 7 1/3 scoreless innings Saturday against Toronto, but he gave up a single with one out in the eighth and was removed for David Robertson, who blew a three-run lead.
Insight: Kuroda was charged with one run and took a no decision despite holding Toronto to three hits and a walk and striking out seven. Kuroda threw a CG shutout his last time on the hill and had a string of 20 2/3 scoreless innings snapped in the eighth inning.
Description: Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells went 3-for-5 with a solo homer Saturday against the Blue Jays.
Insight: Wells has homered in two straight games and five times this year. He's also hitting .310, but a low line-drive rate will cause that to drop eventually. Still, he is displaying big power early this season and shouldn't be ignored.
Description: Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis left Saturday's game against the Blue Jays due to lower back tightness, according to Sweeny Murti of WFAN.
Insight: Youkilis was 1-for-3 with two RBIs in the game. The corner infielder has a history of getting banged up and hasn't played more than 136 games over the last four seasons.
Description: Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells has had considerable success against Blue Jays starter Mark Buehrle, batting .477 with a 1.192 OPS over 44 career at-bats.
Insight: Wells and Travis Hafner have rewarded Brian Cashman's offseason deals by producing solid numbers in April. Wells is batting .283 with four homers and Hafner has slugged five homers and is batting .349.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is 6-for-14 with a pair of homers and a 1.467 OPS against left-hander Mark Buehrle.
Insight: Cano had another good week, raising his average to .323 with five homers and 13 RBI. Cano along with Travis Hafner and Vernon Wells have carried the New York offense while they await the return of the injured masses.
Description: A CT scan revealed a small crack in Derek Jeter's left ankle, and the Yankees shortstop won't be back until after the All-Star break, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said. SOURCE: Andy McCullough, Newark Star-Ledger
Insight: Jeter was initially a sure thing to play on Opening Day, but he started experiencing inflammation in his surgically repaired ankle that was only supposed to keep him out for a month. He won't need additional surgery, but he'll have to wait for the crack to heal. Eduardo Nunez and Jayson Nix will continue to split time at shortstop, but neither player is a fantasy option.
Description: It appears that Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has encountered another setback in his recovery from ankle surgery. Thursday he met with the doctor who performed his surgery in North Carolina. SOURCE: Mark Feinsand, New York Daily News
Insight: We already knew Jeter wasn't close to returning but we didn't know things were quite this serious. If Jeter has to have another surgery, he could miss the entire season. Eduardo Nunez (.240, 0 HR, 2 RBI) will continue to fill in for Jeter at shortstop, though his fantasy appeal is minimal at best.
Description: Yankees DH Travis Hafner hit a pinch-hit solo homer in the bottom of the eighth inning that proved to be the game-winner Wednesday against the Diamondbacks.
Insight: Hafner didn't start the game with lefty Wade Miley on the hill, but he drilled a homer to right field off hard-throwing David Hernandez. Pronk is hitting .342 with four homers and eight RBIs in 38 at-bats this season.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia gave up two runs in the first inning but settled down and ended up going eight innings and giving up three runs in a 4-3 win.
Insight: The Yankees erased a 3-0 deficit in the bottom of the seventh and took the lead in the bottom of the eighth on a solo homer by Travis Hafner. Sabathia is 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA and 1.21 WHIP through four starts.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira (wrist) swung a bat underwater on Tuesday and plans to take 40 dry swings Wednesday. SOURCE: Andy McCullough, Newark Star-Ledger
Insight: Teixeira sustained a partially torn tendon sheath in his right wrist while taking batting practice for team USA on March 5. The original timetable for Teixeira's recovery was 8-to-10 weeks. Tuesday was the first time he has swung a bat since the injury. His target date of May 1 appears to be unrealistic, but we could see him by the second week of May.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (ankle) is still not close to game action and a May 1 return is no longer likely, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Insight: Jeter is dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired ankle. Fantasy owners who drafted Jeter should start looking for other options at the shortstop position, because it's likely we won't see him until mid- to late-May.
Description: Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis is just 1-for-14 (.071) versus Arizona right-hander Brandon McCarthy.
Insight: Youkilis is 0-for-9 in the last two games and is striking out more than we are used to, 11 times in 42 at-bats, but he's still batting a solid .333 with a pair of homers and a .976 OPS. This matchup, however, is unfavorable and should be avoided.
Description: New York Yankees DH Travis Hafner has been successful against Arizona starter Brandon McCarthy over his career, batting .400 with a pair of homers and a 1.367 OPS in 15 career at-bats.
Insight: The oft-injured Hafner has been healthy and productive so far this season, batting .303 with a team-leading three home runs and seven RBI and this matchup is a good opportunity to get him into your starting lineup.
Description: Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda threw the fifth complete game shutout of his career Sunday against Baltimore.
Insight: Kuroda appears to be fully recovered from the finger contusion he suffered in his first start of the season. He didn't walk a batter, struck out five and scattered five hits in his nine innings of work Sunday night to improve to 2-1.
Description: Yankees starter Andy Pettitte's next start will come Friday at Toronto, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Insight: Pettitte is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA and 1.13 WHIP through two starts, but he had some back tightness after his last start and his back locked up again Thursday. This type of thing will happen when you're 40 years old.
Description: Anthony McCarron from the New York Daily News doesn't expect Yankees shortstop Eduardo Nunez to be back in the lineup until Tuesday.
Insight: He injured his wrist Friday against Baltimore. McCarron hinted that manager Joe Girardi could opt to use Nunez as a pinch runner over the next couple of days but that's not enough to warrant a start in fantasy. Leave him on the bench until further notice.
Description: Yankees infielder Eduardo Nunez left Friday's game after being hit in the right wrist by a pitch and is doubtful for Saturday's game against Baltimore.
Insight: Nunez should return to the lineup in a few days, if not Saturday. The Yankees are running out of healthy players.
Description: Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis reached base all four times at the plate Friday against the Orioles, picking up three hits and a walk.
Insight: Youkilis has a hit in all nine games this season and has hit four doubles and two homers.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes will start Saturday versus the Orioles, according to Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal.
Insight: Hughes was expected to be skipped following Thursday's rainout, but with Andy Pettitte being scratched from Sunday's start due to back spasms, the Yankees will throw Hughes Saturday and Hiroki Kuroda Sunday.
Description: Yankees starter Andy Pettitte has been scratched from his scheduled start Sunday due to back spasms, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Yankees manager Joe Girardi is hopeful that Pettitte will be able to start Tuesday or Wednesday.
Insight: Pettitte is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA and 1.13 WHIP through two starts, but he had some back tightness after his last start and his back locked up again Thursday. This type of thing will happen when you're 40 years old.
Description: According to Sweeny Murti of WFAN, Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira (wrist) hopes to be cleared to swing a bat Friday.
Insight: Teixeira sustained a partially torn tendon sheath in his right wrist while taking batting practice for team USA on March 5. The original timetable for Teixeira's recovery was 8-to-10 weeks. He's targeting May 1 for a return to action.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson (forearm) began throwing Thursday, according to Sweeny Murti of WFAN.
Insight: Granderson was hit by a pitch from J.A. Happ and suffered a fractured forearm on Feb. 24. He was given a timetable of 10 weeks, and he appears to be on track.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano was 2-for-23 with zero RBIs over his first six games this season, but he has gone 7-for-10 with three home runs, seven RBIs and six runs in his last two.
Insight: Cano has raised his average from .130 to .303 over the last two days. Those first six games might be Cano's worst slump this entire season.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (ankle) is scheduled to take batting practice on the field Wednesday, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.
Insight: Jeter is dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired ankle. He ran sprints at the Yankees complex in Tampa, Fla. on Monday. He had not run since March 23. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that Jeter will need to play four or five rehab games before he can return to the majors, but did not say how close he is to starting an assignment.
Description: New York DH Travis Hafner cracked his second homer of the year Monday in his return to Cleveland.
Insight: Hafner (2-for-3, 4 RBI) has been a pleasant surprise for the injury-depleted Yankees. He's recorded a hit in all seven games this season and leads the team with a .391 average in 23 at bats. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano belted two homers Monday in a win over Cleveland.
Insight: Cano also added a double, raising his season average from .130 to .222 in the process. He's hitting .358 in 53 career games against the Indians.
Description: New York lefty CC Sabathia looked much better in his second start after struggling Monday in the season opener.
Insight: Sabathia actually outpitched Justin Verlander, allowing four hits and three walks in seven shutout innings. He's not the strikeout king that he used to be (just 9 K's in his first two starts) but if Sabathia can keep his ERA in the threes he'll still be useful to fantasy owners.
Description: New York second baseman Robinson Cano is 2-for-18 (.111) this season and will see Justin Verlander Sunday against Detroit.
Insight: Cano is 7-for-31 (.219) with zero homers and five strikeouts against Verlander. Going back to last year's playoffs, Cano is 5-for-58 (.086) over his last 58 major league at-bats, though he did win the World Baseball Classic MVP for the Dominican Republic.
Description: Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis won't like seeing Justin Verlander on the hill Sunday afternoon. He has seven hits, eight strikeouts and zero walks in 32 career at-bats against him.
Insight: Youkilis has connected twice for homers off Verlander, but he hasn't had much success otherwise. He is 7-for-18 (.389) with three doubles and a homer in five games this season.
Description: Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells has had success against Tigers starter Justin Verlander, picking up eight hits, including three doubles, in 23 at-bats (.348).
Insight: Wells is 4-for-14 with a pair of homers and four RBIs through four games with his new ballclub.
Description: With Derek Jeter and Eduardo Nunez sidelined, the Yankees will likely start Jayson Nix at shortstop on Saturday, but he's got a horrible history versus Tigers starter Max Scherzer and should not be in any fantasy lineups.
Insight: Nix has gone 0-for-9 against Scherzer with seven strikeouts. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
Description: Andy McCullough from the Newark Star-Ledger is reporting that Yankees righthander Hiroki Kuroda will make his scheduled start Monday against Cleveland.
Insight: Kuroda bruised his finger Wednesday against Boston but it looks like he's going to be okay. Kuroda lost in his only start at Progressive Field last season.
Description: In a surprise move, Yankees righthander Phil Hughes will start Saturday against Detroit. SOURCE: Wallace Matthews, ESPN New York
Insight: Hughes was originally scheduled to make a rehab start for Triple-A Scranton on Saturday but the Yankees have gotten desperate and decided they'd rather have him pitch for the big club. Hughes has been battling a back injury all spring. He went 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in two starts against the Tigers in 2012.
Description: Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells has an unsuccessful history against Tigers starter Doug Fister. He's batting .083 - a single in 12 career at-bats.
Insight: This might be a good opportunity for manager Joe Girardi to get Brennan Boesch, who is a career .583 hitter against Fister, into the lineup.
Description: Yankees outfielder Brennan Boesch is a career .583 hitter (7-for-12) versus Detroit starter Doug Fister with a home run and a 1.615 OPS
Insight: Boesch only got one at-bat in the series with the Red Sox, but if Joe Girardi gives him a start on Friday he could be a solid one day play. Boesch averaged .259 and 14 HRs over his first three seasons in the majors, all with the Tigers.
Description: According to ESPN New York, Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda has not been cleared to make his next start, which contradicts a report earlier from MLB.com.
Insight: Shane Victorino lined a single off the tip of Kuroda's middle finger Wednesday night. He will throw a bullpen session Friday that will allow him to test the finger and better judge whether he can make his next start, which would come against Cleveland on Monday.
Description: Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner bopped a solo home run as part of a 2-for-3 night Thursday against Boston.
Insight: It was a true Yankee Stadium home run, as Gardner hit it into the first row in right field. The outfielder is 3-for-12 after the first series of the year.
Description: Yankees starter Andy Pettitte held Boston to one run in eight innings Thursday to help New York win its first game of the season. He gave up eight hits and one walk and struck out three.
Insight: The 40-year-old Pettitte picked up career win No. 246. Fantasy owners shouldn't forget that Pettitte had a 3.22 ERA last season before a comebacker fractured his left ankle in late June. He posted a 2.37 ERA in five starts (including playoffs) after returning from the injury on Sept. 19.
Description: MLB.com's Bryan Hoch is reporting that Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda has been cleared to make his next start Monday at Cleveland.
Insight: Shane Victorino lined a single off Kuroda's finger but we never envisioned this as something serious. He struggled with control Wednesday versus Boston and he could have his work cut out for him Monday against a much-improved Indians team.
Description: New York second baseman Robinson Cano canned agent Scott Boras in favor of rapper Jay-Z and his new entertainment company, Roc Nation. SOURCE: Mark Feinsand, New York Daily News
Insight: That's good news for Yankees fans. Boras is famous for advising his clients to wait for free agency before signing a new deal, which is something Brian Cashman and the Yankees' front office would love to avoid if at all possible. Jay-Z is based out of New York, so it's unlikely that Cano would play anywhere else. We're guessing Cano inks an extension with the Bombers before teams have a chance to bid on him in free agency.
Description: X-rays on Yankees right-hander Hiroki Kuroda's right middle finger have come back negative and he is day-to-day. SOURCE: Daniel Barbarisi, Wall Street Journal
Insight: Kuroda took a line drive off the hand from Shane Victorino Wednesday. While he intially stayed in the game, he hit two batters and walked one and was removed.
Description: Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs Wednesday against Boston.
Insight: Wells wouldn't be the first veteran who was rejuvenated after coming to the Yankees; Ichiro found new life in New York just last season. He's worth a flyer in AL-only and deep mixed leagues.
Description: The initial diagnosis for Yankees right-hander Hiroki Kuroda is a bruise to his right middle finger. SOURCE: Bryan Hoch, MLB.com
Insight: Kuroda took a line drive off the hand from Shane Victorino Wednesday. While he intially stayed in the game, he hit two batters and walked one and was removed. He'll undergo an X-ray on the finger.
Description: New York starting pitcher Phil Hughes (back) is scheduled to make a minor league rehab start with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Saturday against Pawtucket. SOURCE: MLB.com
Insight: Hughes threw seven innings in an extended spring training start Monday. He has been dealing with a bulging disk in his upper back since February but said that his condition continues to improve. He lines up to make his regular season debut on April 11 at Cleveland.
Description: The Yankees pulled Hiroki Kuroda from Wednesday's game in the second inning due to a right hand injury.
Insight: Kuroda took a line drive off the hand from Shane Victorino. While he intially stayed in the game, he hit two batters and walked one and was removed.
Description: According to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is targeting May 1 for his return from a right wrist injury.
Insight: Teixeira sustained a partially torn tendon sheath in his right wrist while taking batting practice for team USA on March 5. The original timetable for Teixeira's recovery was 8-to-10 weeks. He said Wednesday that he hoped to start swinging a bat by the middle of April and go on a minor league rehab assignment for a week prior to his return.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is a career .480 hitter (12-for-250 against Boston starter Clay Buchholz.
Insight: With injuries to Alex Rodtiguez, Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira, opposing pitchers could choose to pitch around Cano in the early going. It will be interesting to see if Cano is patient at the plate. He went 1-for-4 in the opener with a pair of strikeouts.
Description: Yankees ace CC Sabathia struggled Monday in his first start of the 2013 season.
Insight: Sabathia (5 IP, 8 H, 4 BB, 4 ER in New York's 8-2 loss) seemed to settle down after allowing four runs in the second inning but his velocity wasn't anywhere near what we were expecting. Perhaps all those seasons of 200-plus innings have finally caught up to the big lefthander. We'll see how he fares this weekend against the Tigers.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano has rarely been successful against Boston starter Jon Lester. Though a lifetime .308 hitter with an .854 OPS, Cano is just 13-for-57 (.228) off of the Red Sox lefty, homerless, with a .572 OPS.
Insight: With injuries to Alex Rodtiguez, Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira, Cano will be called on to carry the Yankees' offense early in the season, but don't expect a lot in the opener.
Description: The Yankees have released Juan Rivera, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.
Insight: Rivera was expected to start at first base on Opening Day. New York will have to go with some combination of Kevin Youkilis and Lyle Overbay until Mark Teixeira returns in late May from a wrist injury. Rivera said he was told that both Overbay and Ben Francisco will make the team.
Description: Yankees right-hander David Phelps struck out nine batters in 5 1/3 innings Wednesday against the Orioles.
Insight: With Phil Hughes (back) starting the season on the DL, Phelps will make at least one start in April but he will probably go back to the bullpen when Hughes returns to action. He'll be the first man called upon in the case of an injury or if Ivan Nova struggles.
Description: New York starting pitcher Phil Hughes will begin the season on the DL. He's been battling a back injury all spring. SOURCE: Joel Sherman, New York Post
Insight: Are there any Yankees left who aren't on the DL? With Hughes out of commission, David Phelps will be promoted to the starting rotation.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (ankle) is likely to begin the season on the disabled list, GM Brian Cashman said, but the team hopes to have him back on April 6. SOURCE: Andy McCullough, Newark Star-Ledger
Insight: Jeter is dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired ankle. "The season's coming quicker than that leg's going to be ready," Cashman said.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (ankle) will be withheld from all activity Sunday, according to Anthony Rieber of Newsday. "He's sore," GM Brian Cashman said.
Insight: Jeter is dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired ankle and is questionable for Opening Day. He played a minor league game as the DH on Saturday but reportedly wasn't moving well on the basepaths, according to George A. King III of the New York Post.
Description: The Yankees have brought back right-hander Chien-Ming Wang, who pitched for New York in the first five seasons of his career, on a minor league deal. SOURCE: Jon Heyman, CBSSports.com
Insight: Wang served as New York's ace in 2006 and 2007 and won 19 games in each season, but he hasn't been healthy since 2008, when he tore a ligament in his foot running the bases. Since then he has dealt with numerous shoulder injuries.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (ankle) will serve as the DH in a minor league game Saturday, according to Andy McCullough of the Newark Star-Ledger.
Insight: Jeter is dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired ankle and is questionable for Opening Day. He'll have to play shortstop without issue for multiple games if he wants to start the season opener.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (ankle) is hoping to resume his workouts Friday, according to Andy McCullough of the Newark Star-Ledger.
Insight: Jeter is dealing with ankle inflammation but hasn't expressed any concern so far. He still expects to be ready for the start of the regular season.
Description: Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes (back) will throw three innings in a minor league game Friday, according to Andy McCullough of the Newark Star-Ledger.
Insight: Hughes, who has been dealing with a bulging disc in his upper back since mid-February, will need to get through that hurdle before being cleared to return to spring training action. He can't afford to have a setback with less than two weeks remaining before Opening Day.
Description: New York shortstop Derek Jeter could start the season on the disabled list after an MRI Tuesday revealed mild ankle inflammation, GM Brian Cashman said. SOURCE: Jack Curry, YES Network
Insight: Jeter was scratched from Tuesday's lineup with ankle stiffness but said that he was told to expect this type of thing in his recovery from surgery. He's day-to-day and New York will see how he recovers over the next 12 days before making a decision.
Description: New York shortstop Derek Jeter (ankle) had X-rays and an MRI on his ankle Tuesday. The X-rays were negative but the MRI revealed mild inflammation. SOURCE: Scott Miller, CBSSports.com
Insight: Jeter was scratched from Tuesday's lineup with ankle stiffness but said that he was told to expect this type of thing in his recovery from surgery. He's day-to-day and still expected to be ready for Opening Day.
Description: New York shortstop Derek Jeter (ankle) was scratched from the lineup Tuesday with left ankle stiffness, but he wouldn't call it a setback. SOURCE: Yankees.com
Insight: "I was told that you're going to feel it, not necessarily in the ankle but around the ankle, just because I was in a boot for so long that you come out and it's going to take some time to strengthen it. It's normal," Jeter said. "You've just got to deal with it and move on. If I wasn't told that, then I would be concerned. But that's what I've been told." He could be back on the field as soon as Wednesday.
Description: According to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira isn't sure if he'll be able to return from his wrist injury in May.
Insight: The original timetable for Teixeira's recovery was 8-to-10 weeks but now it looks like it might be more like 10-to-12 weeks or possibly even longer. Newcomers Juan Rivera and Kevin Youkilis will both see reps at first base during Teixeira's absence.
Description: The Yankees have picked up former Tigers outfielder Brennan Boesch, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
Insight: Boesch was released Wednesday. The outfielder could start on Opening Day for the injury plagued Yankees. However, he regressed badly in 2012, becoming a heavy groundball hitter and experiencing a decline from 2.37 K/BB to 4.0 K/BB.
Description: As expected, Yankees starter CC Sabathia (elbow) made his spring training debut Friday.
Insight: Sabathia (15-6, 3.38 ERA, 1.140 WHIP) had a bone spur removed from his left elbow in October. He went five innings, giving up eight hits, all singles and two earned runs. His fastball barely reached 90 m.p.h., but it's early and there is still time for him to get up to the performance level we expect from him.
Description: Yankees righty David Phelps has a 0.64 ERA in 14 spring innings.
Insight: Phelps is trying to win New York's fifth starter spot and is doing a great job of impressing. Ivan Nova has been nearly as effective, allowing one run and one walk in nine innings.
Description: Potential Yankees Opening Day starting left fielder Juan Rivera is batting .375 in 32 at-bats this spring.
Insight: Rivera could fill in for the injured Curtis Granderson, who is expected to miss all of April after suffering a fractured forearm on Feb. 24. Rivera might be a decent short-term fantasy option for deep AL-only league owners but don't expect too much from him.
Description: New York shortstop Derek Jeter (ankle) will play shortstop Wednesday for the first time since breaking his ankle last October, according to John Harper of the NY Daily News.
Insight: Jeter will be ready for Opening Day. Fantasy owners should know what to expect from Jeter by now: a solid batting average (.316 last season), tons of runs (99 in 2012) and the occasional opposite field home run (15 HR a season ago).
Description: The Indians released outfielder Ben Francisco on Friday. Luckily for Francisco, the Yankees offered Francisco a minor league contract just a few hours later and he accepted.
Insight: Francisco woke up playing for Cleveland and will now go to sleep as a member of the Yankees. In between, he was unemployed. Monday was a strange day for Francisco to say the least. If Francisco impresses the Yankees in spring training, he could wind up as the team's starting left fielder until Curtis Granderson is healthy again. New York's other left field options are Juan Rivera (.224, 9 HR, 47 RBI) and Matt Diaz (.222, 2 HR, 13 RBI).
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia (elbow) will make his spring training debut Friday, according to Yankees.com.
Insight: Sabathia (15-6, 3.38 ERA, 1.140 WHIP) had a bone spur removed from his left elbow in October and was officially cleared Sunday following a 50-pitch simulated game. He'll jump right in with 65 pitches Friday.
Description: Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes (back) threw a 10-pitch bullpen session Saturday and reported no issues with his back. He'll throw a longer one Monday, according to Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com.
Insight: Hughes could start the season on the disabled list but at this point it doesn't seem like he'll miss much time.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter declared himself 100 percent healed from his broken left ankle.
Insight: The Yankees finally received some good injury news after losing Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira to injuries over the past couple of weeks. Jeter broke his ankle in the ALCS last October but is expected to be ready for Opening Day.
Description: Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that shortstop Derek Jeter's checkup in North Carolina "went great" and described that as a "final clearance" to return from a broken ankle. SOURCE: Joel Sherman, NY Post
Insight: The Yankees finally received some good injury news after losing Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira to separate injuries over the past couple of weeks. Jeter broke his ankle in the ALCS last October but he has been expected to be ready for Opening Day all along.
Description: Yankees closer Mariano Rivera has announced that 2013 will indeed be his final season in the major leagues.
Insight: Rivera was limited to just nine appearances last season after suffering a freak knee injury shagging fly balls at batting practice. Since converting to a full-time closer in 1997, Rivera has never posted an ERA higher than 3.15. Even at age 43, Rivera is still a top-five fantasy relief pitcher.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira has a strained right wrist and will miss 8-10 weeks, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network.
Insight: Teixeira is the latest Yankees star to go down with a major injury, following Alex Rodriguez (hip) and Curtis Granderson (forearm). The team also allowed Nick Swisher, Russell Martin and Raul Ibanez to leave via free agency so the Opening Day lineup is going to be quite different than last season.
Description: New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (knee) will make his spring debut Saturday against the Braves, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Insight: We thought we might see Rivera Wednesday. The legendary closer has been building his way up to live game action this spring after tearing his ACL last May and is expected to be ready for Opening Day.
Description: Updating an earlier report, Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira felt a "pop" in his right wrist and will be shut down for at least two weeks, New York GM Brian Cashman said. SOURCE: Daniel Barbarisi, Wall Street Journal
Insight: Teixeira suffered a wrist injury in the batting cage prior to a World Baseball Classic exhibition game on Tuesday and was initially given a timetable of 7-10 days but it appears to be more serious than that. Cashman said that he is "very concerned" about Teixeira, and he should be with Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez also out for Opening Day and Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez and Russell Martin elsewhere via free agency.
Description: New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (knee) could make his spring training debut Wednesday. SOURCE: Bryan Hoch, MLB.com
Insight: Rivera has been building his way up to live game action this spring after tearing his ACL last May. He's expected to be ready for the season opener.
Description: Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki got in a car accident Saturday at spring training but he didn't suffer any injuries. SOURCE: New York Post
Insight: Injuries to Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson have given New York very little depth to work with so an injury to Ichiro would have been a huge blow. The veteran outfielder is hitting .417 in four games this spring.
Description: Yankees GM Brian Cashman said in an interview with WFAN's Mike Francesa that the team has made second baseman Robinson Cano a substantial contract offer.
Insight: These negotiations should be interesting considering that Cano's agent, Scott Boras, usually opts to have his clients wait for free agency before discussing a new deal. The 30-year-old is arguably the best second baseman in baseball and essentially a lock for a nine-figure contract.
Description: New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (knee) threw 18 pitches Thursday in a simulated game, his first since knee surgery last spring. SOURCE: Associated Press
Insight: "I felt good," Rivera said. "I feel real good. Getting stronger and stronger." New York lost Rivera for the season to a torn right ACL on May 3. He pitched in just nine games with a 1-1 record, five saves, a 2.16 ERA and 0.960 WHIP but is expected to be ready for Opening Day.
Description: MLB.com beat writer Bryan Hoch heard from Yankees manager Joe Girardi that righthander Phil Hughes (back) could begin the season on the DL.
Insight: Hughes' injury could open the door for David Phelps (4-4, 3.34 ERA in 2012), who is currently on the outside looking in for the final spot in New York's starting rotation. It would also solidify Ivan Nova's place in the starting five. ESPN's Doug Mittler suggested that the Yankees could use the injury as incentive to go after free agent Kyle Lohse (16-3, 2.86) but that seems unlikely at this point.
Description: Yankees 3B Kevin Youkilis is dealing with what he calls a cramp just above his left hip, but doesn't think it's anything major.
Insight: New York is in need of a third baseman with Alex Rodriguez out indefinitely due to a torn labrum in his hip and offensive with Curtis Granderson sidelined. It will be a huge lift to the team if Youkilis can look anything like the guy who played in Boston from 2006-11. Fantasy owners would like that too.
Description: New York outfielder Curtis Granderson will miss 10 weeks with a fractured right forearm. SOURCE: Jack Curry, YES Network
Insight: Granderson was hit by a pitch from J.A. Happ during Sunday's spring training game. The injury will sideline Granderson into May and leaves the aging Yankees extremely shorthanded in the outfield. New York's Opening Day lineup will be missing 106 homers and 309 RBIs from last season's lineup with Nick Swisher and Russell Martin gone via free agency and Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson out with injuries.
Description: New York outfielder Curtis Granderson was struck in the right forearm by a pitch from J.A. Happ on Sunday and had to leave the game. SOURCE: Jack Curry, YES Network
Insight: Granderson will undergo X-rays as a precaution. The Yankees are toying with the idea of swapping Granderson and Brett Gardner in left and center field. Granderson raised his homer total from 41 to 43 last season but saw a steep decline in RBIs (119 to 106) runs (136 to 102), steals (25 to 10), batting average (.262 to .232) and OPS (.916 to .811) while striking out 26 more times.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is expected to play in his first spring training game on March 10, GM Brian Cashman said. SOURCE: Daniel Barbarisi, Wall Street Journal
Insight: Jeter broke his ankle in the ALCS last October but he has said that he expects to be ready for the season opener. Fantasy owners can go ahead and draft Jeter as a top-10 fantasy shortstop.
Description: Yankees GM Brian Cashman said that Phil Hughes will maybe throw in two weeks. The right-hander has upper-back stiffness that Cashman hopes "is nothing major." SOURCE: Jack Curry, YES Network
Insight: The stiffness is close to Hughes' shoulder. "There's always a little bit of concern," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Tuesday. Hughes won 16 games with a 4.23 ERA and 1.26 WHIP last season and posted a 1.86 ERA in 9 2/3 postseason innings.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes will be shut down for a few days due to upper back stiffness. SOURCE: Jack Curry, YES Network
Insight: The stiffness is close to Hughes' shoulder. "There's always a little bit of concern," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. Hughes won 16 games with a 4.23 ERA and 1.26 WHIP last season and posted a 1.86 ERA in 9 2/3 postseason innings.
Description: New York lefthander CC Sabathia, who underwent minor elbow surgery by Dr. James Andrews in October, threw his first bullpen session Saturday without any setbacks, according to an ESPN New York report.
Insight: Sabathia (15-6, 3.38 ERA, 1.140 WHIP) had a bone spur removed from his left elbow. The 32-year-old should be a go for the start of the regular season and can anchor any fantasy pitching staff.
Description: Yankees righty Michael Pineda (shoulder) reported to camp at 260 pounds, 20 pounds less than a year ago. The best case scenario is that Pineda could be a big league option in June. SOURCE: MLBlogs.com
Insight: Pineda just started throwing off a full mound and should start facing hitters next month under "controlled conditions." Fantasy owners who draft Pineda shouldn't expect to have him back until July.
Description: New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (knee) threw 25 pitches in the bullpen on Wednesday, according to Jack Curry of the Yes Network.
Insight: New York lost Rivera for the season to a torn right ACL on May 3. He pitched in just nine games with a 1-1 record, five saves, a 2.16 ERA and 0.960 WHIP. From 1997-2011, Rivera is 62-51 and has averaged 39.8 saves a season.
Description: New York lefthander CC Sabathia, who underwent minor elbow surgery by Dr. James Andrews in October, told MLB.com that he'll be ready for his regular training camp schedule.
Insight: Sabathia (15-6, 3.38 ERA, 1.140 WHIP) had a bone spur removed from his left elbow. The 32-year-old should be a go for the start of the regular season and barring any setbacks can anchor any fantasy pitching staff.
Description: The New York Post's Ken Davidoff reports that the Yankees and DH Travis Hafner have reached an agreement on a new contract.
Insight: The deal is reportedly worth $2 million in guaranteed money. Hafner hit exactly 200 homers during his 10-year stay in Cleveland. Hafner is a .208 lifetime hitter at the new Yankee Stadium.
Description: ESPN New York reports that the Yankees are exploring ways to void third baseman Alex Rodriguez's contract in the wake of new PED allegations.
Insight: That's going to be pretty tough to swing. A-Rod still has five years and $114 million remaining on his current contract. The steroid and performance enhancing drug rumors are nothing new for Rodriguez, who is still recovering from offseason hip surgery. New York made a bad investment on A-Rod and it looks like they're going to have to live with the consequences.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was named in a report by the Miami New Times Tuesday in connection to Anthony Bosch, who ran a clinic in Miami that allegedly distributed PEDs to a number of players.
Insight: A-Rod was named in Bosch's notebooks, patient files and payment records. Though he has denied using PEDs after 2003, A-Rod was shown having paid for PEDs as far as April 2012. The slugger is already sidelined for at least six months due to surgery to repair a torn hip labrum, and Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he could miss the whole year. This investigation could further tarnish Rodriguez' legacy.
Description: ESPN New York reports that outfielder Juan Rivera has agreed to a minor league contract with the Yankees.
Insight: Rivera played for New York from 2001 to 2003 so this will be a homecoming of sorts. Rivera had a pitiful season for the Dodgers in 2012 (.247, 9 HR, 47 RBI) and we wouldn't expect him to fare much better this year playing in the highly competitive AL East.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter took batting practice and fielded ground balls, according to Yankees beat writer Erik Boland. Jeter had surgery on his ankle after breaking it during the 2012 ALCS.
Insight: Jeter needs just 12 more hits to pass Eddie Collins for ninth on MLB's all-time hit list. More important to fantasy owners, Jeter is coming off a solid season, batting .316 with 99 runs scored, 15 homers, 58 RBI and nine stolen bases.
Description: Though New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez (hip surgery) is expected back around the All-Star break, Yankees GM Brian Cashman told WFAN there is a chance he could miss the entire season.
Insight: The operation was deemed a success and recovery time is estimated at six months, but the surgery doesn't come with a guarantee. If fantasy owners select A-Rod, even with a late-round pick, be prepared that he might not come back this season.
Description: The Yankees avoided arbitration by signing Joba Chamberlain to a new one-year, $1.875 million deal.
Insight: Chamberlain only made 22 appearances last season because of an ankle injury. He's just a run of the mill middle reliever and shouldn't be owned in fantasy.
Description: The Yankees and Phil Hughes avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal.
Insight: Hughes will get $7.15 million, according to the Associated Press. The right-hander won 16 games with a 4.23 ERA last season but showed potential for something greater when he went 14-8 with a 3.46 ERA in 24 starts from May 6 to Sept. 13.
Description: New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez underwent hip surgery on Wednesday.
Insight: The operation was deemed a success but he's still facing a six-month recovery. Newly acquired Kevin Youkilis stands to gain the most fantasy value from A-Rod's absence.
Description: Marc Carig from Newsday reports that Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has been cleared to resume baseball activities. Jeter had surgery on his ankle after breaking it during the 2012 ALCS.
Insight: Jeter needs just 12 more hits to pass Eddie Collins for ninth on MLB's all-time hit list. His teammate Alex Rodriguez (2,901 hits) has an excellent chance of joining Jeter in the prestigious 3,000 hit club later this season.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is out of his walking boot and working out in Tampa, Fla., according to general manager Brian Cashman. SOURCE: MLB.com
Insight: Jeter had surgery after fracturing his left ankle in the ALCS last October. He should be cleared for baseball activities in late January but won't be doing any running right away. Jeter expects to be ready for Opening Day.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez will have surgery on his hip on January 16. SOURCE: Sweeny Murti, WFAN
Insight: Rodriguez re-tore the labrum in his left hip this past season. He's expected to miss six months following the surgery but there's no definite timetable for a return. New York signed Kevin Youkilis for one year to play third base.
Description: According to ESPN New York, Yankees GM Brian Cashman believes shortstop Derek Jeter will be ready for Opening Day. Jeter broke his ankle during the playoffs last October.
Insight: Jeter has been making good progress in his recovery and seems to be on track for Opening Day. 2013 will mark the 38-year-old's 18th season of major league service.
Description: Yankees injured closer Mariano Rivera (knee) is said to be planning to begin throwing in a week, according to Bryan Hoch of mlb.com.
Insight: New York lost the 42-year-old Rivera for the season to a torn right ACL on May 3. He pitched in nine games with a 1-1 record, five saves, a 2.16 ERA and 0.960 WHIP. From 1997-2011, Rivera is 62-51 and has averaged 39.8 saves a season.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez' hip surgery still hasn't been scheduled yet. SOURCE: New York Post
Insight: The surgery is not expected to be performed until the middle of January at the earliest. Yankees GM Brian Cashman wouldn't even provide a guess when asked for a potential return date for the third baseman.
Description: The Yankees have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with outfielder Matt Diaz, a former Atlanta Brave. The deal includes a spring training invite.
Insight: Diaz hit .327/.364/.475 in 124 games in 2006, .338/.368/.497 in 135 games in 2007 and .313/.390/.488 in 125 games in 2009 but he's been a .250 hitter in his last 251 games. He has a decent shot at catching on as a fourth outfielder for the Yankees however since Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones signed elsewhere.
Description: The New York Post's George King reports that the Rangers are interested in signing free agent outfielder/DH Raul Ibanez.
Insight: Even at age 40, Ibanez still managed to produce 19 HR for the Yankees in 2012. He was a monster during the postseason (.318, 3 HR, 5 RBI) and proved to be the team's best clutch hitter down the stretch. Rangers Ballpark is just as hitter-friendly as Yankee Stadium so this wouldn't be a bad place for Ibanez to end up.
Description: Jon Heyman from CBS Sports reports Ichiro Suzuki's new deal with the Yankees is worth $13 million over two seasons.
Insight: There was some concern earlier in the week that Ichiro could wind up in Philadelphia after the Phillies offered him a two-year contract but ultimately the Yankees upped their offer and the veteran was able to stay in New York. Suzuki will be 41 when his contract expires after the 2014 season.
Description: The Yankees and Ichiro are getting close on a deal worth between $12-13 million. New York is working on the structure of the deal. SOURCE: Jon Heyman, CBSSports.com
Insight: Ichiro reportedly had two outside offers for more money but told the Yankees he's willing to take less money to stay with the team. The veteran outfielder hit .322 with a .794 OPS in 67 games with the Yankees after batting just .261 with a .642 OPS in 95 games with the Mariners. If he signs a two-year deal he'll have a shot to collect his 3,000th MLB hit as a Yankee (he's 394 away).
Description: The Yankees appear to have some competition for outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. The Phillies have offered the veteran $14 million for two seasons and now it looks like Suzuki won't sign with New York unless the team offers him a two-year deal.
Insight: This report comes from Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The Yankees weren't anticipating another team getting involved so they may have to alter their course a bit here. This might take a few days to sort out but we're confident Ichiro and the Yankees can still work out an agreement.
Description: ESPN's Jim Bowden reports that the Indians have increased their efforts to sign free agent outfielder Nick Swisher.
Insight: Cleveland just traded away Shin-Soo Choo so the team has a hole to fill in right field. Swisher (.272, 24 HR, 93 RBI) has also been linked to the Giants, Mariners and Red Sox this offseason.
Description: The Yankees have agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract with free agent corner infielder Kevin Youkilis. SOURCE: Ken Rosenthal, Fox Sports
Insight: New York is in need of a third baseman with Alex Rodriguez out indefinitely due to a torn labrum in his hip, and Youkilis is familiar with the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry after playing in Boston for nine years. Youkilis is far from the player he used to be, hitting .235 with 19 homers and 60 RBIs last season in 42 games with the Red Sox and 80 games for the White Sox.
Description: The Yankees have made progress in their negotiations with free agent outfielder Ichiro Suzuki according to Buster Olney from ESPN.
Insight: New York has always been the most likely destination for Ichiro and now it looks like a deal could be reached before the end of the week. The 39-year-old holds a .350 lifetime average in 49 career appearances at Yankee Stadium.
Description: The Indians might have to increase their offer in order to land free agent outfielder Nick Swisher.
Insight: Cleveland still appears to be in the driver's seat but ESPN's Jim Bowden thinks the team's four year, $48 million proposal might not be good enough. Swisher seems to be aiming for $60 million over four years, an absolutely ludicrous sum of money for a player with a .256 lifetime batting average. If the Indians do up their offer for Swisher and he accepts, it would be highway robbery.
Description: Free agent outfielder Ichiro Suzuki would "love" to play for the Giants according to ESPN's Jayson Stark.
Insight: The feeling isn't mutual however as the Giants have barely shown any interest. All signs point to Ichiro returning to New York on a one-year deal.
Description: The Yankees and outfielder Brett Gardner agreed to a one-year deal, avoiding arbitration.
Insight: Gardner missed most of the season with a right elbow injury, but should be completely healthy by spring training. He's expected to start in center field with Curtis Granderson moving to one of the corners. When healthy he provides runs scored and steals, but little else for fantasy owners.
Description: The Yankees are listening to offers on center fielder Curtis Granderson and starters Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova.
Insight: Granderson has clubbed 98 homers in 362 games since Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long overhauled his swing in August 2010, but his average dropped from .262 to .232 while his strikeouts increased from 169 to 195 this past season. There's no doubt Granderson's fantasy value would drop if he's traded -- his swing is tailor made for the short porch in Yankee Stadium and he's scored 238 runs the last two seasons as part of New York's high-powered offense.
Description: ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the Indians have become more aggressive in their pursuit of outfielder Nick Swisher.
Insight: The Phillies could also be in the hunt for Swisher now that B.J. Upton and Angel Pagan have chosen to sign elsewhere. The Orioles and Red Sox had been involved in talks with Swisher earlier in the offseason but now they seem to have taken a step back.
Description: ESPN's Buster Olney says New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez is set to have surgery on his injured hip next month.
Insight: The recovery time will be between three and six months. The veteran third baseman seems like a long shot to be ready by Opening Day. If A-Rod misses extended time as we would expect him to, Eduardo Nunez would likely open the season as the starting third baseman. Perhaps the Yankees would be more inclined to re-sign Eric Chavez now that A-Rod is headed to the operating table.
Description: Reports surfaced last week that the Yankees were the overwhelming favorites to land free agent outfielder Ichiro Suzuki but Suzuki's agent Tony Attanasio insists that he's been in touch with other teams.
Insight: Suzuki thrived in New York last season, producing a .322 average in 67 games for the Bronx Bombers. At age 39, Ichiro is unlikely to receive more than a one or two-year contract this offseason.
Description: The Yankees and closer Mariano Rivera have agreed to a one-year, $10 million contract. SOURCE: Jon Heyman, CBSSports.com
Insight: New York lost the 42-year-old Rivera to a torn right ACL on May 3. He officially informed the team of his intentions to return for 2013 at the beginning of November. There's never been any doubt that the future Hall of Famer would retain the closer role if he decided to come back, even if his fill-in Rafael Soriano didn't opt out of his contract.
Description: Free agent closer Rafael Soriano's agent Scott Boras has been in touch with Tigers owner Mike Illitch about a new deal according to MLB.com's Peter Gammons.
Insight: If Soriano ends up in Detroit, it would likely be at the expense of current Tigers closer Jose Valverde. Papa Grande pitched erratically during the postseason and was eventually benched in favor of Phil Coke during the ALCS. Soriano pitched for the Yankees in 2012 but is unlikely to return now that Mariano Rivera has agreed to return for another season.
Description: The Pirates are in the running for free agent catcher Russell Martin and are willing to offer him a three-year deal at around $25 million according to Jon Heyman from CBS Sports.
Insight: The Yankees are also after Martin, though it's unlikely they'd be willing to match the amount of years Pittsburgh has offered. Martin was an all or nothing home run hitter last season (.211, 21 HR in 133 games) and his numbers were likely skewed by Yankee Stadium's short dimensions. Obviously, from a fantasy perspective he's much better off in New York.
Description: The New York Post's Ken Davidoff reports lefthander Andy Pettitte has signed a one-year deal to remain with the Yankees.
Insight: The 40-year-old will receive $12 million next season. His 2012 campaign was mostly derailed by injuries but when Pettitte was healthy, he was very effective (5-4, 2.87 ERA in 12 regular season starts).
Description: The Red Sox are interested in former Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher according to NESN.
Insight: The Red Sox have holes to fill in right field and at first base. Swisher could be a good fit at either position. He slammed 24 homers while driving in 93 runs for New York last season.
Description: Righthander Hiroki Kuroki has re-signed with the Yankees according to ESPN's Buster Olney.
Insight: It's a one-year deal worth $15 million. Rumors circulated last week that Kuroda would prefer to play in Southern California but apparently that wasn't the case. He should open the year as New York's No. 2 starter.
Description: The Yankees will only offer starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda a one-year contract according to Joel Sherman from the New York Post.
Insight: The deal would probably be worth around $15-to-16 million. Kuroda's other options include the Angels, Dodgers and a return to his native Japan.
Description: Free agent starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda prefers to play in Southern California according to ESPN Los Angeles.
Insight: Both Los Angeles teams have been after Kuroda this offseason. Chavez Ravine seems like the most likely destination for Kuroda, who played there with the Dodgers from 2008 to 2011.
Description: New York shortstop Derek Jeter, who underwent successful ankle surgery, may not be ready for opening day, according to manager Joe Girardi.
Insight: "There is a little bit of a question," said Girardi. Jeter was given a 4-5 moth recovery time and as long as there are no set backs he should be ready. Jeter batted .316 with 99 runs scored, 15 HR and 58 RBI last season.
Description: The Angels are interested in signing free agent starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda according to Jon Heyman from CBS Sports.
Insight: Los Angeles dealt Ervin Santana to the Royals earlier this offseason and the team isn't expected to re-sign Dan Haren, so obviously the rotation has a few holes that need to be filled. Kuroda is 1-1 with a 2.03 ERA in two career starts at Angel Stadium.
Description: New York righthander Mariano Rivera threw 25 pitches off a mound on Friday, his first pitching work since tearing his ACL back in May.
Insight: With Rafael Soriano electing to become a free agent, the 42-year-old Rivera is expected to resume his role as the team's closer at the start of the 2013 season.
Description: The Rangers and Mariners have both expressed interest in adding outfielder Nick Swisher according to Mark Feinsand from the New York Daily News.
Insight: ESPN's Buster Olney believes that the Red Sox could also be in the running for Swisher, who hit .272 with 24 HR and 93 RBI in 148 games for the Yankees in 2012. He's expected to turn down New York's one-year, $13.3 million qualifying offer, meaning that the Yankees will receive a draft pick as compensation if Swisher signs elsewhere.
Description: The Red Sox are interested in signing free agent righthander Hiroki Kuroda according to Jon Paul Morosi from Fox Sports.
Insight: Despite Boston's interest, the Dodgers (whom he pitched for from 2008-2011 before joining New York) appear to be the early favorite to land Kuroda's services for next season. Kuroda pitched well for the Yankees in 2012 (16-11, 3.32 ERA) but he at age 37, he's unlikely to get more than a two-year contract.
Description: According the the New York Post, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (knee) informed GM Brian Cashman that he will return for the 2013 season.
Insight: Rivera tore his ACL back in May and was expected to return for the 2013 season until a report revealed that he was having second thought about coming back. The Yankees will have to negotiate a new contract with the all-time saves leader, as he is currently a free agent, but we expect them to hammer something out.
Description: CBS Sports reports that Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson could spend time at one of the corner outfield positions in 2013.
Insight: This would allow Brett Gardner, a better defensive player than Granderson, to play center field. Nick Swisher and Ichiro Suzuki, New York's corner outfielders in 2012, are both set to hit free agency this winter.
Description: Reliever Rafael Soriano has opted out of his contract with the Yankees and is now a free agent.
Insight: Soriano wants to be a closer and he wouldn't be guaranteed that opportunity in New York unless Mariano Rivera retires. He finished the 2012 season with 42 saves in 46 save opportunities.
Description: The New York Post reports that outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is hoping to return to the Yankees next season.
Insight: Suzuki hit .322 in 67 games for the Yankees in 2012. If New York does sign Ichiro for next season, he'll probably have to move to right field to make room for Brett Gardner in left. Gardner missed most of last season with an elbow injury.
Description: New York lefthander CC Sabathia underwent minor elbow surgery on Thursday.
Insight: Sabathia had a bone spur removed from his left elbow. As long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks, the 32-year-old should be a go for the start of the regular season.
Description: New York closer Mariano Rivera told Yankees general manager Brian Cashman that he's unsure if he'll return to the team next season.
Insight: Rivera missed most of the 2012 campaign with a torn ACL. If the 42-year-old does end up retiring he'll end his career as the most prolific closer in league history. His 608 saves are the most ever by a major league pitcher.
Description: ESPN New York reports that Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda won't be ready for the start of spring training. Pineda missed the entire 2012 season because of a shoulder injury.
Insight: It's looking like Pineda won't be available until the second half of the 2013 campaign. As promising as he looked during his rookie campaign with the Mariners in 2011 (9-10, 3.74 ERA, 173 K's), we wouldn't waste a pick on Pineda in next season's fantasy draft.
Description: According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, Yankees starter CC Sabathia will visit Dr. James Andrews to have his left elbow checked out.
Insight: Normally a visit to Dr. Andrews' office means Tommy John surgery but Sabathia's ligament is intact and likely just needs a clean up. He should be fine for spring training next season.
Description: ESPN's Buster Olney doesn't believe the Yankees are interested in bringing back right fielder Nick Swisher.
Insight: Swisher hit just .167 during this year's postseason and proved to be a defensive liability in right field. Jon Heyman from CBS Sports speculates that New York could dangle a one-year qualifying offer in front of Swisher but that would be purely to ensure that the team would receive a draft pick in compensation when Swisher inevitably signs elsewhere. Swisher (.272, 24 HR, 93 RBI) still carries modest fantasy appeal but his home run numbers should dwindle next season without the aid of Yankee Stadium's short right field porch.
Description: Jon Heyman from CBS Sports expects the Yankees to pick up center fielder Curtis Granderson's team option for the 2013 season.
Insight: Granderson hit only .232 this year with 195 strikeouts, but he also smacked a career-high 43 HR while driving in over 100 RBI for the second season in a row. If Granderson can raise that batting average back up to the .262 mark he posted in 2011, he should be one of the more valuable hitters in fantasy next season.
Description: Yankees ace CC Sabathia will have his elbow looked at during the offseason. SOURCE: Newsday
Insight: Sabathia struggled with injuries for the first time in his career this season. The 32-year-old former Cy Young winner certainly didn't look like himself in Thursday's ALCS Game 4 loss to Detroit (3 2/3 IP, 11 H, 6 R).
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez said he plans to be back with the Yankees in 2013.
Insight: When asked about waiving his no-trade clause after Thursday's series-ending loss to Detroit the veteran infielder said, "I haven't thought about that. I love New York City. I plan to be here and I plan to come back and be productive." Usually in situations like this, where there's smoke, there's fire. Don't expect the A-Rod trade rumors to die down anytime soon.
Description: In what could have been his final game as a member of the New York Yankees, Alex Rodriguez went 0-for-2 in Thursday's Game 4 of the ALCS.
Insight: Rodriguez entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Raul Ibanez with two outs in the sixth inning. The 37-year-old hit .120 in 25 at bats during this year's postseason.
Description: Robinson Cano couldn't keep the momentum going after snapping an 0-for-29 hitless streak in the ninth inning of Tuesday's Game 3. The Yankees second baseman finished 0-for-4 in the decisive Game 4.
Insight: Don't let Cano's playoff struggles fool you. Though he went just 1-for-18 during the ALCS, Cano should still be plenty productive in fantasy next season.
Description: New York starter CC Sabathia got shelled Thursday in Game 4 of the ALCS. Sabathia allowed 11 hits and six runs (five earned) in just 3 2/3 innings before being replaced by righthander Cody Eppley.
Insight: Sabathia has been an inconsistent postseason performer in the past and that trend continued on Thursday. Though Sabathia was still able to finish the year with a 3.38 ERA, his win total this year was his lowest since 2006. At age 32, the tall lefthander's best years are probably behind him.
Description: USA Today's Bob Nightengale reports that New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez won't block a deal if the Yankees opt to trade him during the offseason.
Insight: Multiple sources have confirmed that the Yankees have been in discussions with the Miami Marlins about a possible A-Rod trade, though it's unknown how realistic that trade would be given Rodriguez's enormous salary. A-Rod also made headlines this week after the New York Post reported he was flirting with a female fan during Saturday night's ALCS Game 1 loss against the Tigers. The 14-time All-Star has been benched for three of the team's last five games and is hitting a dismal .130 during this year's postseason.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia will no longer be able to start a potential Game 7 of the ALCS due to Wednesday's rain out.
Insight: Sabathia will start Game 4 Thursday but the postponement cancels a travel day for the two teams and leaves just two days rest between Game 4 and 7.
Description: Yankees third baseman/DH Alex Rodriguez will find himself on the bench again in Game 4 of the ALCS Wednesday night.
Insight: A-Rod has struggled mightily this postseason, batting .130 in 23 official at-bats. His three hits are singles and he's struck out 12 times. The third baseman also comes in with a 1-for-10 line against Thursday's starter Max Scherzer.
Description: Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson will join A-Rod on the Yankees' bench in Game 4 of the ALCS.
Insight: Nick Swisher is back in the lineup after sitting in Game 3. Yankees manager Joe Girardi has experimented with lineup combinations with most of his star players struggling and Derek Jeter out with a fractured ankle.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes left Game 3 of the ALCS against the Tigers with a stiff back.
Insight: Hughes held Detroit scoreless through the first three innings but allowed a solo homer to Delmon Young leading off the fourth and walked Andy Dirks before being removed.
Description: The Yankees have benched outfielder Nick Swisher for Game 3 of the ALCS Tuesday against Detroit.
Insight: Swisher is 4-for-26 (.154) this postseason and 25-for-150 (.167) with seven RBIs in his postseason career. The impending free agent could be playing his final games in a Yankees uniform.
Description: Yankees third baseman/DH Alex Rodriguez is not in the lineup in Game 3 of the ALCS Tuesday against the Tigers.
Insight: A-Rod has struggled mightily this postseason, especially against right-handers, and New York is facing the best right-hander of them all in Justin Verlander.
Description: Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner is in the starting lineup in Game 3 of the ALDS Tuesday against the Tigers.
Insight: Gardner missed most of the season with a right elbow injury but was added to the playoff roster for pinch-running and defensive purposes. The Yankees wanted to avoid using him at the plate as much as possible but New York needs an offensive spark.
Description: New York's new starting shortstop, Jayson Nix, is 1-for-11 (.091) against Tigers ace Justin Verlander.
Insight: Nix went 0-for-3 in his first start as a replacement for Derek Jeter on Sunday and the news doesn't figure to get better with a matchup against Verlander on the horizon.
Description: The Yankees 2012 postseason hero, Raul Ibanez, has an ugly history against Tigers ace Justin Verlander. In 29 at-bats, Ibanez is batting just .103.
Insight: Ibanez has been incredible this postseason, delivering three homers and five RBI over six games. He's hitting .438 with an OBP of .550, but this matchup is certainly unfavorable.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is a .097 hitter against Detroit starter Justin Verlander with just three hits and 10 strikeouts in 31 official at-bats.
Insight: Teixeira has hits in six of seven postseason games, but this history is hard to ignore.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will see a specialist in Charlotte and according to reports will likely need surgery on the broken left ankle.
Insight: Whether he needs surgery or just a cast won't change the fact that he should be ready for next spring. Jeter, who will be 39-years-old in June, led the AL in plate appearances (740), at-bats (683) and hits (216) while batting .316. He's the heart of the Yankees and his absence is a huge blow to their 2012 playoff hopes.
Description: Robinson Cano made history on Sunday, and not in a good way. The Yankees second baseman went 0-for-4, extending his hitless streak to a playoff record 26 at bats.
Insight: Cano hit .318 during the postseason last year but in 2012, he's batting a miserable .063. He'll look to get back on track Tuesday in Game 3 at Comerica Park.
Description: With Derek Jeter out with a broken ankle, left fielder Ichiro Suzuki will bat leadoff Sunday against the AL Central Champion Tigers.
Insight: Suzuki belted his first career postseason home run Saturday in a Game 1 loss. Ichiro is hitting .324 in 1,757 career games as a leadoff hitter.
Description: Raul Ibanez contributed more late-game heroics Saturday in a loss versus the Tigers. Trailing by two in the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees DH smacked a game-tying homer over the right field wall to send the game into extra innings.
Insight: Ibanez has been incredible this postseason, delivering three homers and five RBI over his last five games. He's hitting .461 in 13 playoff at bats.
Description: After hitting just .261 during the Division Series, New York left fielder Ichiro Suzuki broke through for four hits Saturday in an ALCS Game 1 loss to Detroit.
Insight: Suzuki is now hitting .370 against the Tigers this year. Sunday Ichiro will face righthander Anibal Sanchez, who he has faced just five times in his career.
Description: ESPN's Buster Olney reports that Jayson Nix will take over as New York's starting shortstop following the announcement that Derek Jeter will miss the rest of the postseason with a broken ankle.
Insight: Infielder Eduardo Nunez will take Jeter's roster spot but Nix will still receive the majority of the playing time at short for the Yankees, who trail Detroit 1-0 in the best of seven American League Championship Series. Nix went 2-for-4 with a double in two games against Baltimore during the ALDS.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will miss the remainder of the postseason after breaking his left ankle in the 12th inning of New York's 6-4 loss to Detroit in Game 1 of the ALCS.
Insight: It's a huge blow to the Yankees, both for what he does with the bat and glove and the emotional strength he exudes to the rest of the team. He's a career .308 hitter in the postseason with 111 runs scored, 20 HR, 61 RBI and an .824 OPS in 158 games.
Description: Yankees infielder Eduardo Nunez was left off the team's ALCS roster.
Insight: Nunez went 1-for-5 during the Division Series and actually got the start at DH in Game 2. Righthander Cody Eppley will take Nunez's place on the roster.
Description: Yankees third baseman/DH Alex Rodriguez will start Game 1 of the ALCS Saturday against Doug Fister and the Detroit Tigers, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
Insight: A-Rod will bat sixth against Fister, behind Raul Ibanez and followed by Nick Swisher, Curtis Granderson and Russell Martin. Rodriguez went just 2-for-16 with nine strikeouts in the first four games of the ALDS and was benched for the decisive Game 5 on Friday.
Description: Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Phil Hughes will start Game 3 of the ALCS, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
Insight: Hughes went 16-13 with a 4.23 ERA in the regular season and only allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings against the Orioles in Game 4 of the ALDS. Girardi opted for Hughes in Game 3 instead of CC Sabathia on short rest. Hughes is expected to oppose Justin Verlander.
Description: The Yankees have announced Hiroki Kuroda will start Game 2 of the ALCS against the Tigers' Anibal Sanchez on Sunday, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Insight: Kuroda took a loss in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Orioles despite allowing just two runs on five hits in 8 1/3 innings. He'll hope for better results when he locks up with Sanchez on three days rest.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter had an AL leading eight hits in the ALDS after collecting a major league leading 216 in the regular season. He'll carry a .385 average (5-for-13) against Tigers starter Doug Fister into Game 1 of the ALCS Saturday.
Insight: Jeter was hobbled by a bone bruise in his left foot in Game 3 but he has looked much better running in the past two games.
Description: Yankees manager Joe Girardi confirmed that Andy Pettitte will start Game 1 of the ALCS against the Tigers.
Insight: Pettitte allowed three runs on seven hits in seven innings in a Game 2 loss to the Orioles in the ALDS. He'll oppose Doug Fister in Game 1 of the ALCS.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano went 0-for-4 in Game 5 of the ALDS to extend his hitless streak to 14 at-bats. Nevertheless, New York beat Baltimore 3-1 and will advance to the ALCS.
Insight: Cano went 2-for-8 in the first two games of the series but his bat has gone cold quickly. The second baseman had nine straight multi-hit games to end the regular season so it's a bit of a surprise that he hasn't been able to keep that going in the postseason.
Description: Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson snapped out of a funk Friday in Game 5 of the ALDS against the Orioles with two hits, including a solo homer, in three at-bats as the Yankees won 3-1 to move onto the ALCS.
Insight: Granderson came in hitting .062 for the series with nine strikeouts in 16 at bats. The Yankees need to get Granderson's bat going in the seven-hole if they are going to contend with the Tigers in the ALCS.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia went the distance Friday night to lead New York to a 3-1 victory in Game 5 of the ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees move on to the ALCS to face the Detroit Tigers.
Insight: Sabathia allowed just one run on four hits, striking out nine and walking two. The lefty took a shutout into the eighth and finished off the job with a flawless ninth inning to improve to 2-0 with a 1.53 ERA in the series.
Description: Yankees third baseman/DH Alex Rodriguez, who is a career .364 hitter with four homers and a 1.371 OPS against Orioles Game 5 starter Jason Hammel, will not start on Friday in the ALDS finale.
Insight: Rodriguez has admittedly struggled in the ALDS, batting .125 (2-for-16) with no extra base hits and a .347 OPS.
Description: Lefthander CC Sabathia has a 16-4 regular season career mark against the Baltimore Orioles with a 3.12 ERA and 1.136 WHIP.
Insight: While that statistic is impressive, temper that with the fact that he was 0-2 against Baltimore this year with a 6.38 ERA. Sabathia was excellent in the ALDS opener, going 8 2/3 innings yielding two earned runs and striking out seven in a win.
Description: Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is a career .583 hitter (7-for-12) against Baltimore right-hander Jason Hammel.
Insight: Suzuki was re-energized after coming to New York in a trade near the deadline. He batted .322 with a .794 OPS in 67 games for the Yankees after posting a .261 batting average with a .642 OPS in Seattle this season. He's 4-for-20 in the ALDS.
Description: Yankees third baseman/DH Alex Rodriguez is a career .364 hitter with four homers and a 1.371 OPS against Orioles Game 5 starter Jason Hammel.
Insight: Rodriguez has admittedly struggled in the ALDS, batting .125 (2-for-16) with no extra base hits and a .347 OPS. He's likely so sit for Eric Chavez, but the matchup numbers say he should play.
Description: Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Wednesday in a Game 3 win over the Orioles.
Insight: It looks like A-Rod isn't the only Yankee struggling against Baltimore pitching. Granderson is now hitting .091 for the series with six strikeouts in 11 at bats. Though he spent much of the season hitting in the No. 2 hole, Granderson has recently been dropped to seventh in the order. Ichiro Suzuki has inherited Granderson's old spot as the No. 2 hitter.
Description: Yankees third baseman/DH Alex Rodriguez was benched for Raul Ibanez late in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Orioles.
Insight: Rodriguez has reverted back to his pre-2009 playoff struggles. He's hitting a miserable .083 for the series with seven strikeouts in 12 at bats. It will be interesting to see whether or not manager Joe Girardi keeps A-Rod in the third spot Thursday for Game 4, assuming Rodriguez remains in the lineup.
Description: New York shortstop Derek Jeter was removed in the eighth inning of Wednesday's game against Baltimore after bruising his left foot.
Insight: Jeter finished the night 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI. The injury appears minor and we'd be shocked if he's not in the lineup Thursday for Game 4.
Description: New York righthander Hiroki Kuroda kept the Yankees in the game with a strong effort Wednesday against the Orioles. In 8 1/3 innings, Kuroda gave up five hits, two runs and one walk, striking out three over 105 pitches.
Insight: Kuroda left the mound with the Yankees trailing by a run. Both of the runs he allowed came on solo home runs, surrendering one to Ryan Flaherty in the third and another to rookie Manny Machado in the fifth. Kuroda is now 2-1 with a 4.09 ERA in four career postseason starts.
Description: New York DH Raul Ibanez rescued the Yankees Wednesday night with a game-tying pinch hit homer in the bottom of the ninth. Three innings later, he won the game with another solo blast, this time off Orioles lefty Brian Matusz.
Insight: Ibanez continues to come through in the clutch for the Yankees. The 40-year-old entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Alex Rodriguez, who went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts before being taken out of the game.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano hitless in six at-bats against Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez.
Insight: Cano set personal marks for runs (105), HR (33) and OPS (.929) while hitting .313. But in the postseason, he's a career .257 hitter facing a pitcher he's never had success against.
Description: New York center fielder Curtis Granderson is hitless in six at-bats against Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez with three strikeouts.
Insight: Granderson (.232, 43 HR, 106 RBI) finished one homer behind Miguel Cabrera for the league-lead, but his OPS was 105 points lower than in 2011. Granderson is 1-for-7 in the ALDS with an unfavorable matchup to be avoided.
Description: New York right fielder Nick Swisher is hitless in six at-bats against Baltimore right-hander Miguel Gonzalez with five strikeouts.
Insight: Swisher is 1-for-6 with a pair of walks through the first two games of the ALDS. He's a streaky hitter who hit safely in 15 of the Yankees final 16 games, but this is an unfavorable matchup.
Description: Yankees starter Andy Pettitte said he plans to return for the 2013 season, according to the New York Post. Pettitte will start Game 2 of the ALDS Monday with the Yankees leading the Orioles 1-0 in the series. The veteran is the all-time leader in postseason wins with 19 and starts with 42.
Insight: Pettitte went 5-4 with a 2.87 ERA and a 69/21 K/BB ratio in 75 1/3 innings this season but he missed a month and a half with a fractured left ankle after being hit with a comebacker. "I know the competition and the desire to compete is still there, and I don't feel like I kind of got that itch out from the 70 innings or so that I threw this year," Pettitte said.
Description: Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is hitless in five career at-bats against Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen.
Insight: Suzuki was re-energized after coming to New York in a trade near the deadline. He batted .322 with a .794 OPS in 67 games for the Yankees after posting a .261 batting average with a .642 OPS in Seattle this season. However, Monday's matchup is not a favorable one.
Description: New York center fielder Curtis Granderson is 1-for-9 against Baltimore lefty Wei-Yin Chen, although the one hit was a home run.
Insight: Granderson (.232, 43 HR, 106 RBI) finished one homer behind Miguel Cabrera for the league-lead, but his OPS was 105 points lower than in 2011. Granderson was hitless in the ALDS opener and faces a left-hander who has always given him trouble. Sit him.
Description: New York right fielder Nick Swisher will carry an ugly .169 career batting average in the postseason into Game 1 of the ALDS on Sunday.
Insight: Swisher has been abysmal in the playoffs, collecting just 21 hits in 124 at-bats. The outfielder is coming off his eighth straight season with at least 20 homers but the pending free agent could find himself getting less money than he desires if he doesn't produce in the postseason again.
Description: Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki looked like his old self after joining the Yankees, hitting .322 with five homers and 27 RBIs in 67 games with the team. Game 1 of the ALDS on Sunday will be his first playoff action since his rookie year in 2001.
Insight: Suzuki was re-energized after coming to New York in a trade near the deadline. He should be able to carry that into Game 1 since he has a .583 career average (7-for-12) against Orioles starter Jason Hammel.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano went 24-for-39 (.615) with seven doubles, three homers, 14 RBIs and 11 runs scored in his final nine games of the regular season (all multi-hit games). He should be able to continue that success in Game 1 of the ALDS against Jason Hammel of the Orioles.
Insight: Cano carries an 8-for-23 (.348) average against Hammel into Game 1. The second baseman recorded his fourth straight season with a .300-plus batting average and also hit 30 homers for the first time in 2012. Cano also tied a career high with 48 doubles and set a new personal benchmark with 105 runs, 61 walks and a .929 OPS.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has recorded multiple hits in three of his last four games heading into Game 1 of the ALDS Sunday versus Baltimore.
Insight: Rodriguez only hit .261 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 28 games after returning from the DL. He struck out 32 times in 111 at-bats and only walked 13. However, he's been heating up and he'll face Jason Hammel Sunday -- A-Rod is 8-for-22 (.364) with four homers and nine RBIs against Hammel in his career.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano capped an excellent regular season with a mesmerizing performance Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. He finished the night with four hits and six RBI.
Insight: Two of Cano's four hits were home runs, giving the 29-year-old 33 home runs for the year. He ended the year on an absurd 24-for-39 hot streak, raising his batting average from .293 to .313 over the last nine games of the regular season.
Description: New York center fielder Curtis Granderson ended the regular season with two homers Wednesday night in a blowout win versus the Red Sox.
Insight: Granderson (.232, 43 HR, 106 RBI) finished one homer behind Miguel Cabrera for the league-lead. Granderson and the Yankees will now await the winner of Friday's one-game playoff between the Rangers and Orioles.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira was an ugly 0-for-6 on Tuesday, but has a favorable matchup on Wednesday. He's a career .417 hitter (5-for-12) with a 1.229 OPS against Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Insight: Teixeira is just 1-for-9 in the two games since returning from a calf injury, but the Yankees won both games anyway. Wednesday should be his day to contribute offensively to the cause.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia reached 15 wins for the sixth straight season Monday against Boston by firing eight innings and allowing just two runs on four hits.
Insight: Sabathia (15-6, 3.38) was subpar at the start of September, allowing 12 earned in his first 20 innings, but he's thrown eight innings in each of his last three starts. He has a 1.13 ERA and a 28/4 K/BB in that span.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira returned to the Yankees lineup Monday for just the second time since Aug. 27 and hit a two-run homer.
Insight: Teixeira has been dealing with a calf injury since late August. He returned for one game on Sept. 8 after an extended absence but aggravated the injury and hadn't played until tonight.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano recorded his seventh consecutive multi-hit game Monday against Boston. Cano homered and doubled twice in five at-bats.
Insight: Cano is closing out the season with a flourish, hitting a scorching .621 with seven doubles, a homer and eight RBIs in his last seven games.
Description: Yankees right-hander David Phelps will start in place of Ivan Nova Tuesday against Boston.
Insight: Phelps is 2-2 with a 3.81 ERA in 10 starts this season, striking out an impressive 50 batters in 52 innings as a starter. The Red Sox are ready for the season to end so Phelps could turn in a nice line in a spot-start.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is expected to return to the team on Monday, but has rarely had success against Boston right-hander Clay Buchholz, going just 4-for-18 (.222).
Insight: Fantasy owners will get Teixeira back with three games remaining in the season. The first baseman has only played 120 games this season, hitting 23 homers and driving in 81 runs while batting .255.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira will return to the team on Monday, according to Sweeny Murti of WFAN.
Insight: Fantasy owners will get Teixeira back with four games remaining in the season. The first baseman has only played 120 games this season, hitting 23 homers and driving in 81 runs while batting .255.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is questionable for Saturday's game against Toronto and getting hit on his laft hand in Friday night's game.
Insight: Tests after the game came up negative. Cano is batting .301 with 30 HR and 83 RBI and is once again the best fantasy second baseman in baseball.
Description: Yankees outfielder/DH Andruw Jones should not be in your Saturday starting lineup due to an unfavorable matchup. In 26 career at-bats versus Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero, Jones is batting .154 with 11 strikeouts.
Insight: Jones has certainly been useful when in the lineup with 14 HR and 34 RBI in just 230 at-bats, but you shouldn't expect to see him on Saturday until after Romero is out of the game.
Description: Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda has been struggling as of late but he got enough run support Friday against the Blue Jays to reach 15 wins for the first time.
Insight: Kuroda (15-11, 3.34 ERA) came in having allowed four earned runs in four of his last five starts and he gave up 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings Friday but he was able to hold Toronto to two runs while New York provided him with 11.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter won't be a helpful fantasy player on Thursday. He's batting a dismal .182 in 22 previous at bats against Blue Jays righthander Brandon Morrow.
Insight: Jeter (.320, 15 HR, 57 RBI) gets to see Morrow pretty frequently because Toronto and New York play in the same division, but that still hasn't translated into much fantasy success for Jeter. Sit the future Hall of Famer on Thursday.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is a miserable .125 career hitter against Toronto starter Brandon Morrow.
Insight: Granderson's average has slipped below .230 thanks to a recent 4-for-26 slump. You might want to look elsewhere for outfield help Thursday with Morrow pitching.
Description: New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez is hitting .190 in 21 lifetime encounters with Toronto righthander Brandon Morrow.
Insight: Rodriguez (.272, 18 HR, 56 RBI) missed Wednesday's game with a foot injury so we're uncertain about his status for tonight's game at Rogers Centre. Even if he plays, fantasy owners should elect to sit A-Rod on Thursday.
Description: Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is a .400 hitter against Blue Jays righty Brandon Morrow.
Insight: Suzuki (.283, 9 HR, 51 RBI, 27 SB) has looked like the Ichiro of old over the last month. Since the start of the month, he's hitting .397 with two homers and nine RBI. Look for the veteran to stay hot Thursday with Morrow (8-7, 3.28 ERA) on the hill.
Description: New York lefthander CC Sabathia struck out 10 in an 8-2 victory over the Twins Wednesday at Target Field.
Insight: Sabathia (14-6, 3.42 ERA) lasted eight innings for the Yankees, the second outing in a row he's been able to pitch that deep into the game. Wednesday was also Sabathia's second start in a row with double-digit strikeouts. He had 11 in his previous outing Friday against Oakland.
Description: Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher has rebounded from a brutal stretch with a six-game hitting streak.
Insight: Swisher went 5-for-47 with just one RBI from Sept. 3-16, including an 0-for-27 streak from Sept. 3-9, but he's 9-for-22 with two homers and seven RBIs in his last six games. Swisher went 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs Sunday against Oakland.
Description: Yankees outfielder/DH Raul Ibanez delivered two homers Saturday in an extra-innings win over the A's.
Insight: Ibanez's second homer tied the game at nine in the bottom of the 13th inning. Before today, Ibanez hadn't homered in a game since August 5th. That's a string of 30 consecutive games without a homer.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia finally pitched like an ace Friday against Oakland, firing eight scoreless innings and handing a 1-0 lead over to closer Rafael Soriano, but Soriano gave up a solo homer in the ninth to cost Sabathia a win.
Insight: Sabathia held an opponent scoreless for the first time since July 17. He came in having lost his last three decisions but allowed just three hits and struck out 11 against the A's Friday. It's still an excellent performance but the no decision removes some of the luster.
Description: Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is batting .321 with four homers, 22 RBIs and 10 steals in 54 games since joining the team via trade from the Mariners.
Insight: Suzuki has been re-energized by the trade after hitting .268 (289-for-1079) in his final 256 games with Seattle. The veteran outfielder is 9-for-12 over his last three games.
Description: With his first inning single Wednesday night against Toronto, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter reached 200 hits for the season.
Insight: That marks Jeter's eighth career 200-hit season, tying him with Lou Gehrig for the most in team history. At age 38, Jeter is the oldest player to go over 200 hits since Paul Molitor did it back in 1996 at age 40. Jeter (.322, 15 HR, 55 RBI) is having a terrific year for New York and would probably be in the MVP discussion if Mike Trout and Miguel Cabrera weren't having such excellent seasons for Los Angeles and Detroit respectively.
Description: Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki cracked four hits Wednesday in a win against the Blue Jays. Suzuki also added four stolen bases.
Insight: Suzuki provided seven hits in eight bats Wednesday as New York won both games of its day/night doubleheader. In the process, Suzuki raised his average from .269 to .277 in less than 24 hours.
Description: In his first start since June 27th, Yankees lefthander Andy Pettitte gave up four hits in five shutout innings versus the Blue Jays.
Insight: Pettitte earned his fourth win of the year while lowering his season ERA to 2.97. The 40-year-old's next start will come on Monday against the Twins.
Description: New York center fielder Curtis Granderson is a career .190 hitter (4-for-21) against Blue Jays lefty Ricky Romero with eight strikeouts.
Insight: Granderson is still hitting the long ball, with 39 this season with 92 RBI, but his OPS is down 100 points from last season. This is an unfavorable matchup.
Description: New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter may lead the American League in hits, but he is hitless in eight career at-bats against Blue Jays starter Henderson Alvarez.
Insight: The Captain is also durable, leading the league in plate appearances (665), at-bats (617) and hits (199) this season while batting .323 - his highest average since 2009. But let him sit in the first game of the doubleheader.
Description: New York Yankees starter Andy Pettitte (ankle) has been activated from the DL to start Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays.
Insight: Pettitte (3-3, 3.22 ERA) suffered an ankle fracture in June. He should make four starts before the end of the season, so he's worth an add in most formats.
Description: New York center fielder Curtis Granderson is a career .190 hitter (4-for-21) against Blue Jays lefty Ricky Romero with eight strikeouts.
Insight: Granderson is still hitting the long ball, with 39 this season with 92 RBI, but his OPS is down 100 points from last season. This is an unfavorable matchup.
Description: New York left fielder Ichiro Suzuki is not in the lineup Sunday versus Tampa Bay.
Insight: This will be the fourth time in the last six games that Suzuki (.269, 7 HR, 46 RBI) finds himself out of the starting lineup. With playing time this limited, it's getting harder and harder to endorse Suzuki in fantasy.
Description: Yankees starter Ivan Nova's first start since Aug. 21 yielded his first victory in more than a month. Nova beat the Rays Saturday with six strong innings.
Insight: Nova (12-7, 4.85 ERA) fanned eight batters and allowed two runs on four hits. It appears Nova is over the shoulder injury that landed him on the disabled list and may have contributed to his poor performance in late July and August.
Description: According to Yankees beat writer Erik Boland, outfielder Brett Gardner (elbow) could be activated soon, but only for a pinch-running role.
Insight: Gardner led the American League in stolen bases a year ago with 49. His fantasy value would be minimal at this point in time with such a limited role.
Description: Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki will bat leadoff on Saturday against Tampa Bay and right-hander James Shields.
Insight: Suzuki has improved his numbers since coming to New York, batting .289 with a .720 OPS versus .261/.642 in Seattle. Ichiro is a career .304 hitter versus Shields.
Description: New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will serve as the DH and bat second on Saturday afternoon against the Rays and starter James Shields.
Insight: Jeter hurt his ankle running to first on Wednesday. The Captain is also durable, leading the league in plate appearances (656), at-bats (609) and hits (197) this season while batting .323 - his highest average since 2009.
Description: New York center fielder Curtis Granderson should not be started against Tampa right-hander James Shield on Saturday. He's a career .107 hitter (6-for-56) with one homer and 14 strikeouts.
Insight: Granderson is still hitting the long ball, with 38 this season, but his OPS is down 105 points from last season. He's has hit four homers in the last five games, but this in an unfavorable matchup.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is a career .417 hitter (30-for-72) against Tampa Bay ace James Shields with four homers and 12 RBI.
Insight: Cano set a personal-best mark with his 30th homer on Wednesday. While his batting average and OPS are right in line with career averages, he'll likely fall short of scoring 100 runs and knocking in 100 RBI which he has accomplished for the last two seasons. He's a must start on Saturday.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes turned in a brilliant effort Thursday against the Red Sox, firing 7 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits, walking one and fanning seven.
Insight: Hughes (15-12, 3.96 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) is surprisingly the first Yankees starter to 15 wins this season.
Description: New York Yankees starter Andy Pettitte (ankle) will be activated from the DL to start Tuesday against the Blue Jays, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Insight: Pettitte (3-3, 3.22 ERA) suffered an ankle fracture in June. He should make four starts before the end of the season, so he's worth an add in most formats.
Description: New York shortstop Derek Jeter will serve as the DH Thursday night against Boston.
Insight: Jeter hurt his ankle running to first on Wednesday but it wasn't enough to keep him out of tonight's starting lineup. Eduardo Nunez (.291, 0 HR, 6 RBI) will start at shortstop for the Yankees.
Description: Look for New York rightfielder Nick Swisher to fill up the stat sheet Thursday night against Felix Doubront. He's hitting .400 for his career versus the Boston lefthander.
Insight: Swisher has been outstanding against the Red Sox this season, compiling a .457 average in 60 at bats. That's his highest average against any American League opponent in 2012.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano has never gotten a hit in 10 tries against Red Sox lefty Felix Doubront.
Insight: Cano (.300) launched his 30th home run of the season Wednesday night at Fenway but fantasy owners will likely have to wait until Friday to see No. 31 given his poor track record versus Doubront (10-8, 5.21 ERA).
Description: New York center fielder Curtis Granderson now has three homers in his last 10 at bats after sending two deep balls out of Fenway Park Wednesday night in a 5-4 win over the Red Sox.
Insight: Granderson hadn't homered in seven games prior to his current hot streak. He looked like a long shot to break 40 homers at the start of the month but now Granderson is just three bombs away from his second 40-homer campaign in as many seasons.
Description: New York shortstop Derek Jeter has been diagnosed with a bruised left ankle.
Insight: Jeter came up limping on a groundout Wednesday night at Fenway Park and had to come out of the game. The All-Star shortstop told reporters that he would be in the lineup on Thursday, though manager Joe Girardi ultimately has the final say and could opt to rest Jeter (.324, 15 HR, 52 RBI) as a precaution. We should know more about Jeter's availability closer to game time.
Description: New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter came up limping Wednesday after trying to beat out a double play at first base. Jeter left the game.
Insight: The Yankees can ill afford to lose Jeter down the stretch as they battle Baltimore and Tampa Bay for the AL East title. Losing Jeter would also be a major blow to fantasy owners in this final month since shortstop is the most shallow position in fantasy sports. Jeter came into Wednesday hitting .346 with eight homers and 27 RBIs since the All-Star break.
Description: New York starter Ivan Nova will take Freddy Garcia's spot in the rotation, according to Newsday.
Insight: Nova will start Saturday against the Rays. He was activated from the DL over the weekend but hasn't thrown a pitch yet. His next appearance will be his first since Aug. 21.
Description: New York Yankees starter Andy Pettitte will rejoin the rotation next week if he's cleared by his doctor Friday, according to Erik Boland of Newsday.
Insight: Pettitte (3-3, 3.22 ERA) suffered an ankle fracture in June. The lefty proclaimed himself ready after a 55-pitch simulated game Wednesday. He'll assume David Phelps' spot in the rotation and should be added in most formats.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin is just 2-for-20 in his career against Red Sox starter Aaron Cook.
Insight: Martin is currently on a seven-game hitting streak, batting .417 with a pair of homers and a 1.250 OPS over that span, but this matchup is historically unfavorable and should be avoided.
Description: New York outfielder Raul Ibanez is a career .500 hitter (6-for-12) against Red Sox right-hander Aaron Cook with a 1.367 OPS.
Insight: His role has diminished ever since Ichiro Suzuki arrived in New York and he's batted just .048 over his last eight games, but if he's in Wednesday's lineup he is worthy taking a shot.
Description: New York second baseman Robinson Cano, a career .307 hitter, has just a .227 batting average against Boston lefty Jon Lester.
Insight: Cano is having another solid season, batting .303 with a career-high 29 homers and 74 RBI, but this isn't a good matchup for the Yankees star.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson broke out of a 2-for-19 slump with three hits and five RBI Sunday in a 13-3 blowout win against Baltimore.
Insight: Granderson's solo shot in the sixth inning was his 35th of the season. He now has seven homers and 17 RBI in 63 at bats versus the Orioles in 2012.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira returned to the lineup Saturday but he aggravated his left calf injury and is out indefinitely, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.
Insight: Teixeira hadn't played since Aug. 27 before returning last night. The first baseman said his strained left calf did not feel right on the game's final play, when he tried to beat out a double play and was called out despite beating the ball on a head-first dive into first base.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira is back in the lineup Saturday against the Orioles, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Insight: Teixeira hasn't played since Aug. 27 due to a calf injury. The first baseman was hoping to return Friday but the team decided to give him an extra day just to be safe.
Description: New York center fielder Curtis Granderson is not in the lineup Saturday against the Orioles.
Insight: Granderson is dealing with hamstring tendinitis and is in the midst of an extended slump dating back to late July. In his last 38 games, Granderson is batting .168 (22-for-131) with six homers, 23 RBIs and a 50/11 K/BB.
Description: New York starter Ivan Nova (shoulder) is ready to return from the disabled list but he likely won't rejoin the rotation until Wednesday at Boston, according to the New York Daily News.
Insight: Nova has passed all the tests to show his right shoulder is healthy, but Yankees manager Joe Girardi said the team is "on rotation" for the rest of the weekend series against the Orioles. CC Sabathia will start Saturday and Freddy Garcia Sunday, so Nova will not have a chance to return until Wednesday, when David Phelps is slated to start. We would suggest holding off on starting Nova in fantasy until he proves he's healthy following a horrific two months (10 starts, 6.41 ERA).
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has collected at least one hit in each of his five games since returning from the DL.
Insight: A-Rod hit his first homer since July 23 last night, and he'll face Joe Saunders Saturday. Rodriguez is 7-for-14 (.500) with two longballs against the Orioles starter.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira is expected to return Saturday against Baltimore. Teixeira hasn't played in over a week because of an injured calf.
Insight: Injuries have been an issue for Teixeira in the second half. He's already missed 19 games in 2012, the most he's missed in a season since 2007. He's hitting .243 against the Orioles this season.
Description: New York center fielder Curtis Granderson probably won't have a whole lot of success Thursday when he faces Orioles righty Jason Hammel. He carries a .167 lifetime average against Hammel into today's action.
Insight: Granderson is in the midst of a terrible 3-for-31 slump and should be avoided in fantasy until further notice.
Description: New York left fielder Ichiro Suzuki has a nice track record against Baltimore starter Jason Hammel. He's hitting .500 versus the righthander in 10 previous at bats.
Insight: Suzuki (.264, 7 HR, 42 RBI) is just one for his last 11 at the plate but we're guessing that he'll break out of his slump today with Hammel on the mound.
Description: New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez has been very productive against Orioles starter Jason Hammel. In 20 previous matchups against him, A-Rod has collected nine hits including four home runs. Rodriguez also has nine RBI versus Hammel
Insight: Rodriguez (.275, 15 HR, 45 RBI) isn't a perennial MVP candidate anymore but he's still a relatively useful fantasy third baseman and should be started today against Hammel..
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson (hamstring) is in the starting lineup Tuesday.
Insight: Granderson made the final out of Monday's game as a pinch-hitter when he whiffed against Rays closer Fernando Rodney with the tying run on third. The outfielder hasn't started the last two games due to hamstring tendinitis.
Description: New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has accumulated 3,265 hits in his 18-year career, but none have been off Rays youngster Alex Cobb. He's 0-for-6 in their matchups.
Insight: Jeter leads the league in plate appearances (607), at-bats (562) and hits (177). He's also batting .315 with 84 runs scored, 14 HR, 46 RBI and a .799 OPS. Not bad for a 38-year-old.
Description: New York second baseman Robinson Cano could be sidelined for Tuesday's game because of a sore hip.
Insight: The injury flared up in Monday's contest against the Rays and we're guessing Joe Girardi will give strong thought to the idea of sitting his star second baseman, even if it's only as a precaution.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against Tampa Bay.
Insight: Granderson (34 HR, 79 RBI) missed Sunday's games while dealing with a hamstring injury and is a career .107 hitter (6-for-56) with 14 strikeouts. It's a good day for him to rest.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was activated from the 15-day disabled list and is in the starting lineup as the DH for Monday's game against Tampa Bay
Insight: The 14-time All-Star is hitting .276 with 15 long balls and 44 RBI in 94 games this season. He owns a career .271 batting average against Rays starter James Shields with three homers. DH Raul Ibanez and third baseman Eric Chavez should both see fewer at bats upon A-Rod's return.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson, unlike teammate Robinson Cano, does not have success against Tampa Bay starter James Shields. He's a career .107 hitter (6-for-56) with 14 strikeouts.
Insight: Granderson (34 HR, 79 RBI) missed Sunday's games while dealing with a hamstring injury, but might be ready to play on Monday. If he's smart, he'll take one more day off. If he plays, you should still give him the day off in your fantasy lineup due to this extremely unfavorable matchup.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano obviously loves facing Tampa Bay right-hander James Shields as he's a career .426 hitter with four homers and a 1.215 OPS in 68 at-bats.
Insight: Cano is having another fine season, batting .303 with 28 homers and 71 RBI. He's struggled this week, batting just .143 over the past five games, but this matchup could get him going again.
Description: After an impressive August (.306, 6 HRs, 22 RBIs), Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher has a chance to keep the good times rolling Sunday against Chris Tillman.
Insight: Swisher (.272, 20 HRs, 76 RBI) is 1-for-11 in his last three games but he is 5-for-13 (.385) with a homer against Tillman. Start him Sunday.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano has enjoyed hitting against Orioles starter Chris Tillman in his career. Cano is 8-for-14 (.571) with one homer and six RBIs against the right-hander.
Insight: Cano is just two for his last 17 but he homered Saturday and the presence of Tillman on the mound Sunday should allow the Yankees second baseman to prosper again.
Description: The precautionary MRI on Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson's right hamstring revealed no structural damage. However, the outfielder was diagnosed with tendinitis.
Insight: Granderson seems to have avoided a serious injury. He should be able to return after resting the hamstring for a day or two.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson ;eft Saturday's game with Baltimore due to tightness in right hamstring. He will go for a precautionary MRI.
Insight: Granderson is hitting the long ball as he did last season, with 34 home runs in 130 games, but the rest of his fantasy totals are down this season.
Description: New York right fielder Nick Swisher had a hard time making contact Friday night versus the Orioles. He struck out in all four visits to the plate.
Insight: Swisher (.272, 20 HR, 76 RBI) has now whiffed 10 times in his last 16 at bats with just two hits over that span. He has cooled off considerably after a dominant 7-for-11 stretch earlier in the week.
Description: Yankees general manager Brian Cashman believes third baseman Alex Rodriguez could be activated from the disabled list as soon as Monday. Rodriguez has been out with a broken hand since late July.
Insight: DH Raul Ibanez and third baseman Eric Chavez should both see fewer at bats upon A-Rod's return. The 14-time All-Star is hitting .276 with 15 long balls and 44 RBI in 94 games this season.
Description: New York Yankees starter Andy Pettitte threw 20 pitches in a bullpen session Friday, according to WFAN's Sweeny Murti.
Insight: Pettitte (3-3, 3.22 ERA) hadn't thrown from a mound since suffering an ankle fracture in June. It seems unlikely that the left-hander will help fantasy owners again this season.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira (calf) is expected to miss at least another week, according to WFAN's Sweeny Murti.
Insight: Teixeira (.255, 23 HR, 81 RBI) said his strained left calf feels good but the Yankees won't want the first baseman to play on Tampa Bay's turf next week. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, Teixeira won't be placed on the DL because rosters expand tomorrow, so you won't be able to replace the first baseman with a free agent while he's out.
Description: New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (hand) will begin a minor league rehab assignment Friday, according to Peter Botte of the New York Daily News.
Insight: A-Rod will DH Friday for Class-A Tampa and will play third Saturday if all goes well. The Yankees slugger is rehabbing from a broken hand.
Description: New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has only faced J.A. Happ six times, but he's collected three hits, including a pair of homers.
Insight: Jeter leads the league in plate appearances (586), at-bats (545) and hits (175). He's also batting .321 with 83 runs scored, 14 HR, 45 RBI and a .812 OPS. Not bad for a 38-year-old in his 18th season.
Description: New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (hand) took batting practice Tuesday and reportedly felt good, according to Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com.
Insight: A-Rod was hit in the left hand by Felix Hernandez and suffered a non-displaced fracture on July 24. The session Tuesday was his first since the injury.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira is expected to miss at least one week with a strained left calf.
Insight: Teixeira (.255, 23 HR, 81 RBI) could still head to the disabled list, but with rosters expanding this weekend they may just let him sit until he is healthy.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is 4-for-19 (.211) with seven strikeouts against Blue Jays lefty Ricky Romero.
Insight: Granderson is hitting the long ball as he did last season, with 33 home runs in 127 games, but the rest of his fantasy totals are down this season. A cold streak, he's batting .195 over the past four weeks, and an unfavorable matchup isn't likely to help build those numbers.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin won't start Sunday's game against the Indians.
Insight: Martin is pretty tough to endorse from a fantasy perspective. His 14 homers in 103 games isn't horrible but he only has 34 RBI and his batting average hasn't been above .200 since late June. At this point, the cons far outweigh the pros of having Martin on your fantasy team.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia (elbow) is expected to be activated from the 15-day disabled list in time to start Friday night's game against Cleveland.
Insight: Sabathia tossed a bullpen session Tuesday and had no issues, according to Yankees beat writer Erik Boland. The left-hander threw 38 pitches and mixed in off-speed stuff. He's 12-3 this season with a 3.56 ERA and 1.207 WHIP.
Description: New York righthander Ivan Nova has been diagnosed with inflammation in his right rotator cuff. The Yankees have placed him on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 22nd.
Insight: David Phelps, who was probably headed back to the pen upon CC Sabathia's return from injury, will remain in the rotation for an extra couple of weeks now that Nova is hurt.
Description: Yankees starter Ivan Nova is headed for tests on his pitching shoulder, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Insight: Nova (11-7, 4.92 ERA) said he felt a "grab" in his shoulder in the sixth inning last night. The right-hander hasn't performed well as of late and can be released outside of AL-only leagues.
Description: Yankees starter Ivan Nova had another rough outing Tuesday against the White, allowing six runs in six innings (7 H, 2 BB, 3 K)
Insight: Nova (11-7, 4.92 ERA) didn't pitch terribly but that won't matter to fantasy owners. All that matters is that the righty served up a grand slam to Kevin Youkilis in the bottom of the fifth. Nova can be dropped, as there is likely a better option in the free agent pool.
Description: Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is hitting .315 (29-for-92) with three homers, 13 RBIs, four steals and an .826 OPS in 27 games with the team.
Insight: The veteran appears to be thriving in his new role as a lower profile outfielder on a team of stars. It would appear getting away from Safeco Field, where he's hitting .216 with a .551 OPS in 47 games this season, has also helped.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia (elbow) remains on track to return Friday against Cleveland.
Insight: Sabathia tossed a bullpen session Tuesday and had no issues, according to Yankees beat writer Erik Boland. The left-hander threw 38 pitches and mixed in off-speed stuff.
Description: New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is 3-for-20 (.150) against White Sox lefty Francisco Liriano with 10 strikeouts.
Insight: The Yankees first baseman returned from a wrist injury on Monday night with a pair of hits and a couple of RBI in another unfavorable matchup. Teixeira is putting up numbers comparable to his past two seasons, batting .259 with 23 HR and 80 RBI.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson has struck out in half his official at-bats versus White Sox starter Francisco Liriano (13 times in 26 at-bats). He does have a homer in five hits during that span.
Insight: Granderson is still hitting the long ball as he did last season, with 32 home runs in 121 games, but the rest of his fantasy totals are down this season. This unfavorable matchup isn't likely to help build those numbers.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira (wrist) is back in the lineup Monday.
Insight: The Yankees first baseman hasn't played since Thursday due to a sore wrist. Fantasy owners should consider leaving him on the bench Monday as he's just 1-for-11 (.091) against White Sox right-hander Gavin Floyd. The Yankees have stated that Teixeira will have to play through the pain for the rest of the season which will likely put a dent in his power production.
Description: Yankees starter Michael Pineda was arrested for DUI Monday morning in Tampa, Florida.
Insight: Pineda underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn labrum in late April this year and never threw a regular season pitch for the Yankees. This shouldn't affect his standing for next season but we'd like to see him display more maturity (he also reported to spring training overweight this season).
Description: New York Yankees starter Andy Pettitte is hoping to throw off the mound when the team returns from their current road trip, according to a New York Daily News report.
Insight: Pettitte (3-3, 3.22 ERA) had originally targeted early September for his return date, but that seems unlikely now, and at this point he may only be ready in time for the playoffs and won't help fantasy owners anymore in 2012.
Description: New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had another X-ray on his hand, and while its healing well, he's still not ready to swing a bat. He'll be re-evaluated on Thursday.
Insight: A-Rod was hit in the left hand by Felix Hernandez and suffered a non-displaced fracture on July 24. he was hitting .276 at the time with 15 HR and 44 RBI.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira, who is questionable with a sore wrist, should consider one more day to rest as he's just 1-for-11 (.091) against White Sox right-hander Gavin Floyd.
Insight: Nick Swisher has been playing in Teixeira's absence at first base. Teixeira was having a good summer, batting .282 since the beginning of June with 10 HR and 34 RBI.
Description: New York outfielder Raul Ibanez is a career .455 hitter (5-for-11) against White Sox starter Gavin Floyd with three homers and a 1.727 OPS.
Insight: His role has been diminished ever since Ichiro Suzuki arrived in New York, but if you see him in the lineup on Monday be prepared to start him.
Description: Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher has 12 hits, four homers and 12 RBIs during his current seven-game hitting streak, but he is just 10-for-46 (.217) in his career against Red Sox starter Josh Beckett.
Insight: Swisher hasn't had much success against Beckett but you might want to start him anyway Sunday to see if his hot bat can overcome a poor matchup history.
Description: New York shortstop Derek Jeter enters Sunday's action hitting .351 in August, .340 since the All-Star break and .310 in 84 career at-bats against Boston right-hander Josh Beckett.
Insight: Jeter's 13-game hitting streak was snapped Saturday but he has a good chance to start a new streak Sunday against Beckett.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is 0-for-14 over his last four starts but Sunday's showdown with Red Sox starter Josh Beckett may help Cano heat up.
Insight: Cano has 24 hits in 73 at-bats with 10 doubles, three homers, 14 RBIs and a 12/6 K/BB ratio against Beckett.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia (elbow) is expected to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network.
Insight: Sabathia expects to pitch Aug. 24 against the Indians. The big lefty hasn't experienced any setbacks and his elbow injury is considered minor.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira (wrist) is expected to miss the Yankees' entire series with Boston this weekend and possibly more time after that.
Insight: Teixeira (.257, 23 HR, 78 RBI) may be placed on the disabled list if his wrist doesn't show marked improvement over the next few days.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson has never had success against Red Sox starter Jon Lester in his career, going 6-for-26 (.231) with 13 strikeouts against the left-hander.
Insight: Granderson homered and had two hits Friday but prior to that was just 1-for-21 in his last eight games. Saturday may be another tough day for the outfielder.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano has been dealing with a stiff neck and also has zero hits in his last 10 at-bats. Cano isn't likely to snap out of his funk Saturday against Boston lefty Jon Lester either.
Insight: Cano is just 12-for-50 (.240) with zero homers, 10 strikeouts and a .598 OPS against Lester.
Description: Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher is hitting .348 with four homers and 14 RBIs in his last 11 games, and he has a solid matchup to look forward to Saturday against Red Sox starter Jon Lester.
Insight: Swisher has hit four homers in his last four games, including two Friday, and he has a good shot to do it again Saturday. The Yankees outfielder is 11-for-38 (.289) with four doubles, two homers, eight RBIs and an 11/7 K/BB ratio in his career against Lester.
Description: Right fielder Nick Swisher accomplished a rare feat by homering from both sides of the plate Friday night in New York's 6-4 win over Boston.
Insight: Swisher is starting to heat up. Over his last five games, Swisher is hitting .350 with four homers and 11 RBI.
Description: After missing two games in a row with a sore neck, Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is back in the lineup as a DH Friday night against Boston.
Insight: Cano enters Friday with the league's eighth-highest batting average (.311) and also ranks among the league's top ten in homers (25), OPS (.924) and slugging percentage (.551). He's the most productive second baseman in fantasy and deserves to be in your lineup whenever he's playing.
Description: Yankees starter Ivan Nova picked up a victory with 7 1/3 strong innings (5 H, 2 ER, 10 K) his last time out, but that was against an injury-riddled Blue Jays' lineup. In his last three starts against good offenses, Nova has allowed 20 earned runs in 16 innings.
Insight: Nova was tagged for four runs in 5 2/3 innings Thursday against the Rangers after allowing 16 earned over two starts against the Orioles and Tigers from July 31 to Aug. 6. The Yankees right-hander can't be considered more than a back-end starter in deeper leagues at this point.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia said his left elbow felt good after throwing off flat ground Thursday, according to Dan Martin of the New York Post.
Insight: Sabathia expects to pitch Aug. 24. The elbow injury is not considered serious and the DL stint was a precaution, so expect Sabathia to be fine once he returns.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is out for the second straight day Thursday while he tends to an injured neck.
Insight: Jayson Nix (.261, 4 HR, 15 RBI) will again get the start at second base for New York. The Yankees are hoping to have their All-Star infielder back in action for Friday night's series opener against the Red Sox.
Description: New York shortstop Derek Jeter enters Thursday's action with a .563 career average in 16 lifetime appearances against Rangers lefthander Derek Holland.
Insight: Jeter's .500 batting average against Texas in 2012 suggests he should be able to exploit this favorable matchup. After struggling to a .232 mark in June, Jeter has rebounded to collect an impressive .355 average since July 1st.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira has run wild against Texas starter Derek Holland. In 18 lifetime at bats against him, Teixeira is hitting .389 with three long balls and eight RBI.
Insight: Teixeira (.257, 23 HR, 77 RBI) has homered three times in his last seven games, giving him eight jacks in 108 at bats since the start of the second half. Look for Teixeira's recent success to continue Thursday versus Holland (7-6, 4.92 ERA).
Description: New York second baseman Robinson Cano will miss Wednesday night's game against Texas because of a stiff neck.
Insight: Cano opened August on a hot streak but over his past four games, he's just 1-for-13 (.077). Jayson Nix (.252, 4 HR, 15 RBI) is getting the start at second base tonight for the Yankees.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is a career .385 hitter (5-for-13) versus Rangers hurler Scott Feldman, including a pair of homers and a 1.275 OPS.
Insight: The 38-year-old doesn't appear to be slowing down, in fact, he's batting .352 since the All-Star break. He has an AL-leading 156 hits. Jeter is a must start.
Description: The X-Ray on New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez' hand came back with good news, showing that the fractured left hand has been healing well, according to Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal.
Insight: A-Rod was hit in the left hand by Felix Hernandez and suffered a non-displaced fracture on July 24. His brace will come off and he should be able to perform baseball-related activities this week, but he's still a month away from returning.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was hitting .336 through the first two months of the season, but his average slipped to .298 by July 2. However, since then he has heated up again, collecting 57 hits and hitting .365 in 37 games.
Insight: Jeter's multi-hit effort Tuesday against the Rangers was his 10th in his last 15 games.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is hitting .299 with 10 homers, 32 RBIs and a 25/15 K/BB ratio in his last 35 games.
Insight: Teixeira got off to another lousy start, hitting .242 with 13 homers and a .771 OPS in his first 75 games, but he has been excellent since then and should continue to post solid numbers (career .936 OPS after the All-Star break).
Description: Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda fired his fourth career complete game shutout Tuesday against the Rangers.
Insight: In his best start of the season, Kuroda took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before finishing with a two-hit shutout of the highest-scoring (580 runs) and top-hitting (.278) team in the American League. The right-hander has been brilliant after a rocky start with New York, going 8-2 with a 2.30 ERA in his last 15 starts. With CC Sabathia going on the DL twice and Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova having up-and-down seasons, Kuroda arguably has been the best fantasy starter on the Yankees this season.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is a career .100 hitter (1-for-10) with a .508 OPS against Texas starter Matt Harrison.
Insight: Teixeira (.258, 22 HR, 76 RBI) has been hot since the break with seven homers and 22 RBI in 28 games, but this matchup is unfavorable and should be avoided.
Description: New York Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson is a career .226 hitter against left-handers, but he's a .333 hitter against Rangers hurler Matt Harrison with a pair of homers and a 1.218 OPS.
Insight: Granderson (.239, 30 HR, 67 RBI) has struggled to find his swing since the All-Star break, batting .212 with a .708 OPS, but this matchup could get him started again.
Description: Yankees third baseman Eric Chavez went deep Monday for the fifth time in his last 10 games.
Insight: Chavez sat out the Yankees' weekend series because he reportedly did not feel well after starting four straight games from Aug. 6-9 (though he went 9-for-16 with two homers and five RBIs in those games). Chavez' 13 homers are his most since he hit 15 with the Athletics in 2007.
Description: Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher had a big night Monday against the Rangers, hitting a grand slam and driving in another run with an RBI single.
Insight: Swisher has dealt with some injuries this season but he has just about reached expectations, hitting .264 with 15 homers and 63 RBIs in 101 games.
Description: Yankees third baseman Eric Chavez is questionable for Monday's game against Texas after sitting out the weekend. According to Yankees manager Joe Girardi, Chavez "hasn't felt great after playing those four days in a row." (Aug 6-9).
Insight: Chavez has done a nice job as a fill in for Alex Rodriguez, batting .289 with 12 HR and 29 RBI in 77 games.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes has allowed 11 earned runs on 17 hits in 8 1/3 innings in his last two starts after getting his ERA below 4.00 for the first time since his first start of the season on Aug. 1.
Insight: Hughes (11-10, 4.44) has been roughed up by Detroit and Toronto in his last two starts after throwing three straight starts of seven innings or more and three earned runs or less. It was looking like this could be a career year for the right-hander but he has taken a step back and now must make up ground his next few times out.
Description: New York outfielder Raul Ibanez will be on the sidelines for Sunday's game against Toronto.
Insight: He didn't start Friday or Saturday's game either and it's clear that his role has been diminished now that Ichiro Suzuki (.262, 5 HR, 39 RBI, 18 SB) is on the team.
Description: For the second day in a row, New York outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is not in the starting lineup.
Insight: Suzuki is hitting .269 in 18 games as a Yankee. Andruw Jones (.216, 12 HR, 28 RBI) is taking his place in left field Sunday against the Blue Jays.
Description: The Yankees have signed free agent starting pitcher Derek Lowe to a new contract. Lowe was released by the Indians on Friday.
Insight: Lowe (8-10, 5.52 ERA) will start in the pen but it's likely that he'll be promoted to the rotation at some point, especially now that ace CC Sabathia has been placed on the DL with elbow soreness.
Description: New York left-hander CC Sabathia has been placed on the DL because of elbow soreness. The move will be retroactive to the last time Sabathia pitched (August 8).
Insight: Sabathia came into 2012 with almost no injury history but this is already his second trip to the DL this season. The Yankees signed free-agent righthander Derek Lowe on Saturday to fill in for Sabathia while he's injured.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against Toronto. No injury, just a day of rest after a night game for the Yankees catcher.
Insight: Martin (.199) still can't get his average over the .200 mark, but he's batting .324 over the past two weeks.
Description: Ichiro Suzuki is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against Toronto. No injury, simply a day of rest for the 38-year-old.
Insight: Ichiro (.266, 5 HRs, 29 RBIs, 18 SBs) has been the same in the Yankees lineup that he was in the Mariners lineup. That is to say, not the superstar he was from 2001-2010.
Description: New York lefty Andy Pettitte has encountered a setback in his rehab from a broken ankle that is expected to add a week to 10 days to his recovery time.
Insight: Pettitte (3-3, 3.22 ERA) had originally targeted early September for his return date but that seems unlikely now that he's still experiencing swelling almost two months after first suffering the injury.
Description: New York center fielder Curtis Granderson is not in the starting lineup Friday night against Toronto.
Insight: Granderson (.242, 30 HR, 66 RBI) has played in 110 of the Yankees' first 111 games this season so it's understandable that manager Joe Girardi would want to give him a rest before the team begins its stretch run.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is just 4-for-19 (.211) against Blue Jays lefty Ricky Romero with seven strikeouts.
Insight: Granderson's production level is at its lowest point this season with a .212 batting average and .722 OPS for the month of August. Avoid this unfavorable matchup.
Description: New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (hand) will have a follow-up X-Ray on his left hand Monday and if all goes well he may have his protective splint removed, the New York Post reports.
Insight: A-Rod was hit in the left hand by Felix Hernandez and suffered a non-displaced fracture on July 24. If he can get past this latest step he'll be able to perform some baseball-related activities, though he's still about a month away from returning.
Description: Yankees third baseman Eric Chavez is hitting everything right now. Chavez went 2-for-4 with two RBIs Wednesday.
Insight: Chavez is 12-for-26 with three homers and eight RBIs in his last eight games and is hitting .284 with 11 homers and 28 RBIs on the season. He's still just an AL-only option, but he is relevant in fantasy for the first time in six years.
Description: The Yankees shifted outfielder Curtis Granderson down to sixth in the order Wednesday coming off two straight 0-for-5 efforts and it worked in a big way as he belted his 30th homer of the season.
Insight: Granderson went 3-for-5 with four RBIs Wednesday to snap out of a 1-for-17 funk.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson went 0-for-5 for the second straight game Tuesday and is now batting .213 (20-for-94) with a 36/8 K/BB in the second half.
Insight: Granderson's average dropped to .240 Tuesday. The 29 homers, 62 RBIs and 76 runs are nice, but the low batting average takes away from Granderson's value.
Description: Yankees starter Ivan Nova has allowed 21 hits and 16 earned runs in his last 10 1/3 innings.
Insight: Nova's season has hit a snag in his last two starts after he got his ERA down to 4.08 on July 25. Hold off on starting him until he turns things around.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is a career .111 hitter (3-for-27) with a putrid .441 OPS against Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander.
Insight: Teixeira (.255, 20 HR, 72 RBI) has been hot since the break with five homers and 18 RBI in 20 games, but this matchup is unfavorable and should be avoided.
Description: According to MLB.com, New York manager Joe Girardi isn't opposed to the idea of bringing back outfielder Brett Gardner (elbow) in a limited capacity when rosters expand in September.
Insight: That's assuming Gardner (.321, 0 HR, 3 RBI), who hasn't played in a game since April 17, is even healthy enough to be on the field. Gardner led the American League in stolen bases a year ago with 49 so it's possible he could be used as a pinch-runner late in games but it still seems like a longshot that he'd be able to return before the end of the regular season.
Description: Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda held Seattle to one run on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings Saturday but took a loss against Felix Hernandez.
Insight: Kuroda (10-8, 3.19 ERA) has been terrific in his last 13 starts after starting out with a mediocre 4.56 ERA in his first nine turns. Since May 27, the right-hander has gone 7-2 with a 2.39 ERA in 90 1/3 innings. Kuroda should be started against all opponents, as he has proven himself trustworthy in his first season in the American League.
Description: Yankees third baseman Eric Chavez probably won't be in the lineup on Saturday based on his career .129 batting average (4-for-31) against Felix Hernandez.
Insight: Chavez has hit three homers since the All-Star break and 10 for the season, but there should be better third base options out there, particularly on Saturday. Sit him.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is a career .328 hitter (19-for-58) with five homers and a 1.058 OPS against Seattle ace Felix Hernandez.
Insight: Teixeira (.256, 20 HR, 71 RBI) missed a couple of games with a left wrist injury, but played Friday night. He's been hot since the break with five homers and 17 RBI in 18 games.
Description: After missing two games in a row with a wrist injury, Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is back in the starting lineup Friday night against Seattle.
Insight: Teixeira (.256, 20 HR, 71 RBI) is hitting .364 against the Mariners this year, so expect the New York infielder to be successful in his return to the lineup Friday night.
Description: New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is questionable for Friday's game against Seattle. He injured his wrist in Monday night's game.
Insight: Teixeira has been huge since the All-Star break, batting .288 with five homers and 17 RBI in 17 games. Fantasy owners need him back in the lineup as quickly as possible.
Description: Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher is a career .357 hitter (15-for-42) with four homers and a 1.128 OPS against the veteran Kevin Millwood..
Insight: Swisher has been in and out of the lineup dealing with a hip injury, but he's a good play on Friday.
Description: Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain looked shaky in his first appearance of the season Wednesday versus the Orioles. He gave up two runs on four hits during the 28-pitch outing.
Insight: At least it's a start. Chamberlain's role in the New York bullpen should increase as he continues to get stronger and more confident after missing the entire first half with an injured ankle (he was also coming off of Tommy John surgery). Even at his best, Chamberlain (10.80 ERA) still won't be worth owning in fantasy.
Description: In typical Curtis Granderson fashion, the Yankees center fielder contributed two hits, two strikeouts and his 29th home run of the year Wednesday in a 12-3 massacre of the Orioles.
Insight: Granderson (.247) has now struck out at least twice in each of his last five games but when you're second in the American League in home runs, fantasy owners tend to overlook these shortcomings.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has been ripping the cover off the ball lately. He finished the afternoon with three hits Wednesday in a blowout win over Baltimore.
Insight: He also had three hits on Tuesday night ... and two hits on Monday. That all adds up to a .615 batting average for the series. It's safe to say Jeter (.316, 8 HRs, 32 RBIs) owns the Orioles right now.
Description: Yankees outfielder Raul Ibanez won't start Wednesday's matinee against the Orioles.
Insight: Ichiro Suzuki (.261, 5 HRs, 30 RBIs), who has played 1,546 career games in right field and 266 in center, will be making his first-ever appearance in left field Wednesday in Ibanez's absence.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira will sit out again Wednesday against the Orioles. He injured his wrist in Monday night's game and is expected to be reevaluated on Friday.
Insight: Casey McGehee (.230, 8 HRs, 35 RBIs), acquired from the Pirates at yesterday's trade deadline, will start in Teixeira' place on Wednesday.
Description: New York second baseman Robinson Cano broke an 0-for-13 slump with a two-run homer in the first inning Tuesday.
Insight: Cano came in 7-for-11 with four RBIs in his career against Orioles starter Chris Tillman, and he was able to tack on a home run to that immediately.
Description: Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain has been activated from the 60-day disabled list. Chamberlain had Tommy John surgery last season and then broke his ankle in a trampoline accident in March.
Insight: Chamberlain hasn't been with the team for 14 months, but he has reportedly been hitting 95-plus mph on the radar gun with his fastball during his minor league rehab appearances. He won't have much fantasy value at first, but he could be an interesting option if he recaptures his magic from 2007.
Description: New York second baseman Robinson Cano has crushed Orioles righty Chris Tillman in his career. In 11 at-bats, Cano has seven hits and four RBIs.
Insight: Cano is mired in an 0-for-13 slump but he should bust out Tuesday against Tillman so keep him in the lineup.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira doesn't have any structural damage in his left wrist.
Insight: Teixeira left Monday's game with a wrist injury and Yankees manager Joe Girardi initially sounded concerned about it, but Teixeira told reporters it would only be a day-to-day type of injury and that appears to be the case now.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira left Monday's game with a left wrist injury.
Insight: Yankees manager Joe Girardi said the injury was a big concern in his eyes, but Teixeira told reporters after the game that it should only be a few days and that he could play through it. He'll have an MRI Tuesday.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin will not be in the lineup Monday night against Baltimore.
Insight: Martin (.189) is coming off a 2-for-2 performance against Boston on Sunday night. Chris Stewart (.253, 1 HR, 12 RBIs) will get the start at catcher in Martin's place tonight.
Description: New York second baseman Robinson Cano has never collected a base hit in seven lifetime at bats against Red Sox lefty Felix Doubront.
Insight: It's hard to tell fantasy owners not to start Cano (.316, 22 HRs, 56 RBIs), but Doubront (10-5, 4.54 ERA) certainly isn't a favorable matchup for the Yankees infielder.
Description: Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson punished Red Sox pitching for three hits Friday including a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning that put the game out of reach.
Insight: It was Granderson's third-multi hit performance in his last five games. Granderson is only hitting .253 for the season but it's hard to complain with the kind of power numbers he has been putting up (28 HRs, 58 RBIs).
Description: Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher took batting practice before the game but he's not in the lineup for Friday's series opener against the Red Sox. He's been out for a week because of a strained left hip flexor.
Insight: There's a good chance Swisher (.258, 14 HRs, 54 RBIs) will return to the lineup on Saturday.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin is an ugly 1-for-18 (.056) in his career matchups against Boston starter Aaron Cook.
Insight: Martin is not hitting his weight this season and you should be using another catcher in your fantasy lineup despite his double-digit home run total.
Description: Despite showing progress in his recovery from a hip flexor injury, it seems unlikely that New York right fielder Nick Swisher will play Friday against the Red Sox.
Insight: Swisher (.258, 14 HRs, 54 RBIs) hasn't played in almost a week while nursing a strained left hip flexor. Ichiro Suzuki (.261, 4 HRs, 28 RBIs) has been filling in for Swisher in right field since joining the team on Monday. Suzuki will probably move over to left field once Swisher is healthy enough to play again.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter hit second for the first time this season and went 3-for-4 with his eighth homer of the season Wednesday against Seattle.
Insight: The Yankees shuffled their lineup with Alex Rodriguez out. Ichiro Suzuki hit leadoff in his third game with the team. Jeter has made 6029 plate appearances from the second spot in the order, batting .314 with 135 homers and 681 RBIs.
Description: New York right fielder Nick Swisher (hip) is expected to miss the Yankees' series finale with Seattle.
Insight: Swisher (.258, 14 HR, 54 RBI) has a mildly strained left hip flexor and was hoping to be back for the Seattle series, but he'll likely sit out until Friday. With Ichiro Suzuki now in a Yankees uniform, Swisher's fantasy value is going to take a huge hit.
Description: New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez will be placed on the 15-day disabled list and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after being hit on the hand by a Felix Hernandez pitch.
Insight: A-Rod (.274, 15 HRs, 44 RBIs) isn't the perennial 40-HR/100 RBI threat that he used to be but at a weak third base position, his numbers were still fantasy-worthy.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira owns a .339 career average against Mariners ace Felix Hernandez with five home runs in 56 official at-bats.
Insight: Teixeira is batting .368 since the All-Star break with four homers and a 1.195 OPS. He's a must-start on Tuesday.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is the rare hitter who has success against Seattle ace Felix Hernandez, batting .412 (14-for-34) with a pair of homers and a 1.091 OPS.
Insight: Cano has batted .370 over the past four weeks and has a history of improving in the second half of the season. His OPS is 73 points higher after the All-Star break than before. It bodes well for a huge second half.
Description: Ichiro Suzuki will start in right field and bat eighth Monday night against Seattle.
Insight: Ichiro (.261, 4 HRs, 28 RBIs, 15 SBs) woke up this morning as a Mariner but tonight he'll switch dugouts and play for the Yankees. Perhaps Ichiro can revive his career at hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium and even if he doesn't he should still stand to see plenty of playing time with Brett Gardner out for the season and Nick Swisher injured as well.
Description: The Yankees have designated outfielder DeWayne Wise for assignment.
Insight: The 34-year-old Wise won't be needed in New York now that Ichiro Suzuki (.261, 4 HRs, 28 RBIs) is in the fold. Wise (.262, 3 HRs, 8 RBIs) pulled off one of the more iconic catches in recent memory when he reached over the fence to preserve Mark Buehrle's perfect game in 2009, but other than that he hasn't made much of a mark during his 10-year major league career. He could catch on with another team as a role player but Wise is never going to be fantasy-worthy.
Description: According to Jack Curry of the YES Network, the New York Yankees have acquired outfielder Ichiro Suzuki for two minor league pitchers.
Insight: Ichiro is having his worst season, batting .261 with 15 steals, but he's still an intriguing fantasy option playing in Yankee Stadium. Plus, the outfielder will be part of one of baseball's best lineups instead of being the only reliable bat in one of the worst.
Description: New York right fielder Nick Swisher (hip) is expected to miss the Yankees' series against Seattle this week, but he could return for the weekend series against Boston, according to ESPN.
Insight: Swisher (.258, 14 HR, 54 RBI) has a mildly strained left hip flexor and was hoping to be back for the Seattle series but he'll likely sit out until Friday.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin did not appear on manager Joe Girardi's lineup card for Sunday afternoon's game versus Oakland.
Insight: Instead, backup Chris Stewart (.253, 0 HRs, 11 RBIs) will appear behind the plate for the 29th time this season when New York takes on the Athletics Sunday in the series finale.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will get the day off Sunday when New York plays Oakland.
Insight: Jeter (.311, 7 HRs, 27 RBIs) has put together a five-game hitting streak and is now hitting .343 (12-for-35) to start the second half of the season.
Description: New York right fielder Nick Swisher, still bothered by a strained hip flexor, will miss Sunday's game against the Athletics.
Insight: Swisher (.258, 14 HR, 54 RBI) is still waiting for the results of his MRI, which will probably determine whether or not he'll have to spend any time on the disabled list.
Description: New York shortstop Derek Jeter has dominated A's starter Bartolo Colon when they have gone against each other in the past. He's 15-39 (.385) with two homers and six RBIs in his career against Colon.
Insight: We expect Jeter's phenomenal season to continue Sunday against his former teammate Colon.
Description: New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez has gone ballistic against Oakland starter Bartolo Colon throughout his career. In 49 at bats, Rodriguez is batting .449 against Colon with eight homers and 18 RBIs.
Insight: A-Rod (.273, 14 HRs, 41 RBIs) isn't the perennial 40-HR/100 RBI threat that he used to be but history tells us he'll have a big day Sunday against Colon.
Description: Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher is likely out until Monday due to a hip injury, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Insight: The streaky Swisher (.258, 14 HR, 54 RBI) will miss the rest of the team's series at Oakland. He left Friday's game in the seventh inning and didn't start Saturday, but he said he feels good so he should be able to return during the week.
Description: New York outfielder Brett Gardner (elbow) will have arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow next week and will likely miss the rest of the season, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
Insight: Gardner will have an inflamed tissue removed from the elbow. The outfielder has made several attempts to return this season only to experience a setback each time. Fantasy owners likely have acquired another source of speed by now, but if you were still holding out hope that Gardner would return you can finally close the book on him for this season.
Description: New York first baseman Mark Teixeira whacked his 19th bomb of the season Wednesday afternoon in the Yankees' 6-0 victory over Toronto.
Insight: Teixeira (.255, 19 HRs, 63 RBIs) entered today's action with just two hits in 11 at bats against the Blue Jays this season but he finished 2-3 on Wednesday.
Description: Hiroki Kuroda tossed seven scoreless innings Wednesday in the Yankees' rain-shortened 6-0 win over the Blue Jays.
Insight: Kuroda (3.46 ERA) had been hit pretty hard in his previous two outings (11 ERs in 13 IP) but on Wednesday he was stellar, allowing just four hits and striking out five Toronto hitters. With the win, Kuroda improved his record to 9-7 for the season.
Description: New York Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against Toronto. Just a day of rest.
Insight: Granderson is batting .355 for the past two weeks so fantasy owners hate when he's out of the lineup. His 25 homers are tied for sixth best in the majors.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is probable for Wednesday's game against Toronto while dealing with a stiff neck.
Insight: A-Rod's .795 OPS is his lowest level of production since 1995, but his .270 batting average with 14 HR, 41 RBI and 10 SB still have him at a starting fantasy third baseman level.
Description: Despite a home run on Tuesday night, Yankees outfielder/DH Andruw Jones should not be in your Wednesday starting lineup due to an unfavorable matchup. In 18 career at-bats versus Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero, Jones is batting .167 with nine strikeouts.
Insight: Jones has been hot over the past four weeks, batting .324 with six homers in just 37 at-bats, but Wednesday is not the day for him to continue his power production.
Description: It's a rare pitcher that has Derek Jeter's number, but Toronto lefty Ricky Romero has held Jeter to just three hits in 23 official at-bats (.130).
Insight: Jeter (.308, 51 runs, 7 HR, 27 RBI, 7 SB) is doing what we have come to expect from him, year in and year out. Wednesday, however, is an unfavorable matchup.
Description: New York lefty CC Sabathia returned to the rotation and shut out Toronto over six innings Tuesday to win his 10th game.
Insight: Sabathia (10-3, 3.27 ERA) walked one against six strikeouts in his return from a groin strain. The left-hander is poised for a big second half for the Yankees.
Description: New York lefty CC Sabathia has officially been activated from the disabled list. He draws the start Tuesday night against the Blue Jays. Sabathia missed about three weeks of action while dealing with a groin injury.
Insight: Sabathia (9-3, 3.45 ERA) enters tonight's action with a 12-3 record and a 3.18 ERA in 16 career starts versus Toronto.
Description: New York catcher Russell Martin will be a spectator Tuesday night against the Blue Jays.
Insight: Martin (.179, 9 HRs, 23 RBIs) contributed his ninth home run of the season in Monday night's game. One more and he'll have his fifth career double-digit home run season.
Description: New York outfielder Raul Ibanez is out for Tuesday night's game against Toronto.
Insight: Ibanez (.242, 12 HRs, 40 RBIs) came through with a clutch grand slam in Monday night's win but he'll have to settle for watching Tuesday's Yankees/Blue Jays matchup from the sidelines.
Description: You might expect Yankees outfielder/DH Andruw Jones in the lineup against the Blue Jays left Brett Cecil, but the numbers don't back the play. Jones is 0-for-9 against Cecil and overall this season his OPS is 119 points lower versus lefties than right-handers.
Insight: Jones has shown off some power this season with 11 homers in limited playing time (131 at-bats), but Tuesday is not the day to have him in your lineup.
Description: New York Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson is 2-for-14 (.143) in his career against Blue Jays lefty Brett Cecil with just a .486 OPS.
Insight: Granderson's 25 homers are tied for fifth in the majors and in the mean time he's pushed his batting average over the .250 mark by hitting .333 over the past nine games. He's hot, but this is an unfavorable matchup.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes tossed seven solid innings in his first start of the second half Monday against the Blue Jays. Hughes held Toronto to two runs on four hits in a no decision.
Insight: Hughes went 9-7 with a 4.33 ERA in the first half, though he was 8-3 with a 3.25 ERA in his final 12 starts before the break. The right-hander seems to have discovered the keys to success this season, as his 3.69 K/BB ratio and 8.1 K/9 are career bests as a full-time starter.
Description: Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera (knee) told ESPN Radio's Michael Kay that his goal is to return in September.
Insight: Rivera's rehab doctor said last week that the 42-year-old is ahead of schedule after having surgery to repair a partially torn ACL on June 12, but it would still be a major surprise if Rivera was able to pitch again this season.
Description: New York outfielder Brett Gardner (elbow) experienced soreness after participating in a simulated game Sunday, Jack Curry of the YES Network reports.
Insight: Gardner has experienced setback after setback in his rehab from a sore right elbow, and he hasn't played since mid-April as a result. The outfielder will not be sent out on a rehab assignment anytime soon and it is starting to look bleak that he'll be able to contribute to fantasy teams at all this season.
Description: Yankees starter Andy Pettitte (ankle) had X-rays on his left ankle Sunday, which revealed that the break is healing well, according to ESPN New York.
Insight: The Yankees are targeting Sept. 1 for his return to the rotation. The 40-year-old left-hander said his doctor told him the break is "about 50 percent closed up."
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira hit his 18th homer of the season Sunday against the Angels.
Insight: Teixeira now has five homers and 17 RBIs in his last nine games. Always a strong second half player, the Yankees first baseman will likely make a run at 35 homers again.
Description: Yankees starter Ivan Nova dropped to 10-4 after he allowed six runs on nine hits in six innings Sunday against the Angels. Nova walked two and served up three homers.
Insight: While this isn't the result fantasy owners were looking for in Nova's first start of the second half, the right-hander has been excellent in his previous seven outings so don't let this change your opinion of him. He's still better to start on the road, where he is 7-1 with a 3.36 ERA in 10 starts, than at Yankee Stadium, but his much improved K/BB ratio (2.94, up from 1.72 this season) suggests Nova's overall success will continue.
Description: Yankees outfielder Raul Ibanez is a must-start Sunday against Los Angeles. In 27 career at bats, Ibanez holds an astounding .519 batting average against Angels righty Jered Weaver with four homers and seven RBIs.
Insight: At age 40, Ibanez (.241, 11 HRs, 36 RBIs) isn't the stat-sheet stuffer that he used to be, but we're expecting a big game from him Sunday against Weaver.
Description: Be careful about starting Derek Jeter Sunday against Los Angeles. For his career, the Yankees shortstop is only a .167 hitter against Angels ace Jered Weaver.
Insight: Jeter (.310, 7 HRs, 25 RBIs) has actually recorded six multi-hit games in his last eight outings but he's been a sitting duck against the Angels' talented righthander.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano belted his 21st home run of the season Saturday in a victory over the Angels. He also added an RBI single in the sixth inning.
Insight: Yet he couldn't hit a single home run Monday night in the HR Derby? Unbelievable. Jokes aside, Cano (.315, 21 HRs, 54 RBIs) has had an incredible season at the plate up to this point. With a base hit in Sunday's game, he'll extend his hitting streak to 18 games.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels. Just the normal day of rest after a night game for the Yankees catcher.
Insight: Martin had a terrible first half with the bat, hitting .179 with only eight homers and 21 RBIs in 68 games played.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira launched a pair of homers Friday in New York's come-from-behind win over the Angels including a game-tying three-run shot off Scott Downs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Insight: Teixeira's bat was dormant for a large portion of the first half but he has now homered four times in his last six games. He has collected 13 RBIs in that span.
Description: New York outfielder Raul Ibanez will get the night off as the Yankees open the second half of their season Friday night against the Angels.
Insight: Jayson Nix (.221, 3 HRs, 7 RBIs) will get the start at DH for the Yankees on Friday.
Description: Outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, who was released by the Chicago White Sox a couple of weeks ago, has signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.
Insight: Barring massive injuries to the Yankees outfield, Fukudome (.171, 0 HRs, 4 RBIs) shouldn't have any fantasy value.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is probable for Friday's game against Los Angeles while dealing with a sore right shoulder. The injury didn't keep him out of the All-Star game and won't keep him out of Friday's game.
Insight: Jeter is 7-for-18 (.389) in his career against Angels lefty C.J. Wilson. He should be in all starting lineups.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is 1-for-12 (.083) with a .298 OPS against Angels starter C.J. Wilson.
Insight: Teixeira (.247, 15 HR, 53 RBI) is posting his lowest OPS since his rookie season, but he usually picks it up in the second half. Friday, however, is not a favorable matchup.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is just 1-for-16 (.063) against Angels lefty C.J. Wilson without a long ball and three strikeouts.
Insight: A-Rod's .793 OPS is his lowest level of production since 1995, but he is contributing more steals than could be expected from a 36-year-old in his 19th season.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is 2-for-11 (.182) against Angels lefty C.J. Wilson without a home run.
Insight: With 23 homers, Granderson has been able to contribute the power fantasy owners expected, but his six steals and .245 average are a disappointment.
Description: New York outfielder Brett Gardner (elbow) will likely be sidelined through July, according to Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York.
Insight: The earliest Gardner will return is July 27th, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said. Gardner hasn't played since mid-April due to a strained right elbow.
Description: New York Yankees All-Star starter CC Sabathia (groin) threw a successful bullpen session Tuesday, according to the Yankees official website.
Insight: Sabathia threw the session at Kaufmann Stadium, the site of the 2012 MLB All-Star Game. He's on track to rejoin New York's rotation for its second series of the second half against Toronto, which starts July 16.
Description: Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain reportedly hit 97 mph with his fastball in his first rehab appearance with the Gulf Coast League Yankees Tuesday, according to the New York Post.
Insight: Chamberlain suffered what some doctors deemed a career-threatening ankle injury less than four months ago and also had Tommy John surgery last year. He may be able to rejoin the team in a few weeks, which is pretty remarkable. It would be more remarkable if he ends up having any fantasy value this season, however.
Description: According to the New York Post, the doctor in charge of Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera's rehab from a torn ACL thinks the 42-year-old can pitch again this season, though New York GM Brian Cashman shot that down Tuesday.
Insight: Rivera had surgery on June 12 to repair the torn ACL he suffered in his right knee on May 3. The surgery was delayed due to a blood clot, which Dr. Keith Pyne says allowed the closer to do extensive work on his knee pre-surgery. Pyne also said Rivera didn't have a full tear, and that the 42-year-old is in the top 10 percent of athletes he has worked with in terms of athleticism, flexibility and determination.
Description: Reigning Home Run Derby champion Robinson Cano couldn't manage to hit one homer in the first round Monday at Kansas City.
Insight: The Yankees second baseman made 10 straight outs Monday as the fans at Kauffman Stadium heartily cheered each of his failures. Monday's goose egg shouldn't deter Cano (.313, 20 HR, 51 RBIs) from putting up 30 homers for the first time in his career.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin will start his All-Star break a day early. He's not in the starting lineup for Sunday night's game against Boston.
Insight: Martin is 1-5 in the series with a double and two walks. He's had a terrible first half, batting .179 with only eight homers and 21 RBIs in 68 games played.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is 5-for-21 (.238) with one homer and 10 strikeouts in his career against Red Sox starter Jon Lester.
Insight: With 23 homers, Granderson has been able to contribute the power fantasy owners expected, but his six steals and .245 average are a disappointment. Sunday would be a good day to remove him from the lineup, as he clearly doesn't see the ball well against the left-handed Lester.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano has a 14-game hitting streak, but he hasn't been able to do much damage against Boston starter Jon Lester. In 45 at-bats, Cano has 12 hits and zero homers.
Insight: Cano has been uncharacteristically poor against lefties this season, batting .230 (28-for-122) against them. You aren't going to sit your star second baseman, especially considering the torrid streak he is on, but Sunday's matchup is unfavorable so he may struggle to contribute.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has belted three home runs in his career against Red Sox lefty Jon Lester, but he has just six hits total in 34 career at-bats against him.
Insight: A-Rod's .793 OPS leaves something to be desired, but he has managed to contribute with 13 homers and nine steals this season. Still, he shouldn't be started Sunday.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is 6-for-18 (.333) with two homers and nine RBIs in his last five games, but he is just a .206 career hitter (7-for-34) against Red Sox starter Jon Lester.
Insight: Teixeira (.247, 15 HR, 53 RBI) had poor career numbers against Friday's starter Josh Beckett but he managed to turn in a two-hit, four-RBI performance, so you might want to roll with the first baseman despite his unfavorable matchup Sunday. Just be aware that the odds are against him having a big day.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is 9-for-23 (.391) in his last five games and he also has a .347 career average in 49 at-bats against Red Sox starter Jon Lester.
Insight: Jeter should definitely be in your lineup Sunday, as he has 17 hits, one homer and five RBIs in 49 career at-bats against Lester.
Description: Yankees outfielder/DH Andruw Jones hit three homers against the Red Sox in the Yankees' doubleheader Saturday, and he has had some success against Boston lefty Jon Lester in 26 plate appearances.
Insight: Jones is 6-for-19 (.316) with a homer and five RBIs against Lester, and he also has seven walks against seven strikeouts, so he clearly sees the ball well when facing the lefty. Seven of Jones' 10 homers have come against left-handed pitching this season.
Description: Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher has struggled batting right-handed this season, going 19-for-83 (.229) with nine RBIs, but he has had some success in his career against Red Sox lefty starter Jon Lester.
Insight: Swisher went deep yesterday against left-hander Franklin Morales and he has a .278 average (10-for-36) with four doubles, two homers, seven RBIs and six walks in his career against Lester so don't be deterred from starting him Sunday.
Description: Yankees outfielder/DH Andruw Jones had quite a day Saturday in the Yankees doubleheader against Boston. Jones belted two homers in the first game and another in the nightcap.
Insight: Jones has received more playing time than expected due to the extended absence of Brett Gardner, and he's turned in 10 homers. He's worth considering in AL-only leagues for those in search of cheap pop.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes stumbled Saturday against Boston, allowing five runs (three earned) on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings after New York provided him with a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Insight: Hughes came in having gone 8-2 with a 3.13 ERA in 77 2/3 innings over his previous 11 turns. The right-hander ends the first half with nine wins and a 4.33 ERA, though he was 1-4 with a 7.48 after his first five starts.
Description: Yankees starter Freddy Garcia shut down Boston over 6 2/3 innings Saturday to pick up his first win as a starting pitcher this season.
Insight: Garcia (3-2, 5.23) allowed one run on six hits and two walks against a Red Sox lineup without Dustin Pedroia, Will Middlebrooks and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The right-hander has put together two solid starts since he returned to the rotation and he will likely keep his spot with Andy Pettitte on the disabled list.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is not in the starting lineup for Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against Boston.
Insight: We assume he'll be back in the lineup for the nightcap. Granderson is still producing power, but has been scuffling at the plate, batting just .220 over the past two weeks.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is just a .170 career hitter (8-for-47) versus Boston starter Josh Beckett with 19 strikeouts and a .614 OPS.
Insight: Teixeira (.247, 14 HR, 46 RBI) might get the night off, but even if Joe Girardi doesn't sit him, you should. The switch-hitting first baseman has just six hits in his last 36 at-bats (.167).
Description: Yankees rookie pitcher David Phelps struck out a career-high eight batters in his third career start Wednesday at Tampa Bay. However, Phelps was yanked after 4 1/3 innings of one-run, two-hit ball.
Insight: The Yankees have been hesitant to extend Phelps. The right-hander was pulled after 81 pitches Wednesday. The short leash will prevent Phelps from having anything more than marginal fantasy value.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is a career .308 hitter, but just a .244 hitter against Tampa Bay starter David Price (10-for-41).
Insight: Cano is pounding the baseball right now, hitting .404 over the past two weeks, so perhaps he can overcome this unfavorable matchup. He's improved in each month and is batting .315 for the season with a .963 OPS. It's comforting to know that historically, he's a better second-half hitter too.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is a career .195 batter (8-for-41) versus Rays lefty David Price with 15 strikeouts. Three of the hits are homers.
Insight: Granderson is still producing power, but has been scuffling at the plate, batting just .190 over the past two weeks. Add in an unfavorable matchup and the Yankees centerfielder should sit on Wednesday.
Description: Yankees first baseman will take the night off Tuesday to recover from a bruised knuckle. He suffered the injury when he was hit by a pitch in Monday night's game.
Insight: Teixeira (.246, 13 HRs, 45 RBIs) went 2-3 Monday and never came out of the game so it's a little surprising that he's not in the lineup on Tuesday. He should be available for Wednesday's game.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is a career .096 batter (5-for-52) versus Rays starter James Shields with 14 strikeouts.
Insight: Granderson has been scuffling at the plate, batting just .186 over the past two weeks. Add in an unfavorable matchup and the Yankees centerfielder should sit on Tuesday.
Description: If Yankees manager Joe Girardi was thinking of giving first baseman Mark Teixeira a day off, today would be the day. He's a career .125 batter versus James Shields (6-for-48) with zero extra base hits and 15 strikeouts.
Insight: Teixeira continues to be a frustrating fantasy player to own. Sure, he'll hit around 30 home runs and knock in close to 100 RBI, but his career .280 batting average is just a dream. Even if Girardi doesn't give him the day off, you should.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is a career .415 hitter (27-for-65) against Tampa Bay starter James Shields with four home runs and a 1.210 OPS.
Insight: Cano has improved his numbers each month and his June statistics were huge - batting .340 with 11 HR, 21 RBI and a 1.146 OPS. Keep in mind that over his career, Cano has an OPS 74 points higher after the All-Star break than before.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against Tampa Bay. He's still dealing with a sore back.
Insight: Martin (.186, 8 HRs, 21 RBIs) has been in and out of the lineup with the back injury. His statistics have taken a hit as he's gone 1-for-24 over the past two weeks.
Description: New York outfielder Raul Ibanez is out of the Yankees' lineup on Monday after a foul ball struck him in the mouth during Sunday's game against the White Sox.
Insight: Ibanez (.233, 11 HRs, 35 RBIs) cut his lip and broke one of his teeth, so he'll need a day or two to recover. With Ibanez out, Derek Jeter (.299, 7 HRs, 25 RBIs) will DH while Jayson Nix (.231, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs) take's Jeter's place as the starting shortstop.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes allowed two runs in the first inning Sunday against the White Sox, but he rebounded to throw eight strong innings.
Insight: Hughes (9-6, 4.29 ERA) scattered six hits and struck out eight while holding Chicago scoreless after the first inning. The right-hander has thrown eight innings in two straight starts and is 8-2 with a 3.13 ERA in 77 2/3 innings over his last 11 turns. It may still be a bumpy ride from time to time, but the 26-year-old finally seems to be realizing his potential.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez won't be in the lineup Sunday against Chicago.
Insight: A-Rod hit just .232 in June and at age 36, he's a player on the decline. That's not to say Rodriguez (.265, 13 HRs, 35 RBIs) isn't a useful fantasy player: he still has a good chance to finish the year with 30 homers, a feat he has already accomplished 14 times during his 19 year major league career.
Description: Hiroki Kuroda worked seven shutout innings for the Yankees on Saturday, allowing just three hits and one walk over that span. Kuroda also registered a season-high 11 strikeouts during the 107-pitch performance.
Insight: With CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte out with injuries, Kuroda has been under great pressure to pitch well and on Saturday, he delivered for the Bronx Bombers. He finishes the month of June 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA.
Description: Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher has faced Chicago White Sox righty Jake Peavy six times in his career without a hit and has struck out four times.
Insight: Swisher has provided solid numbers for fantasy owners this month, batting .321 with four homers, 14 RBI and a .964 OPS. He's found a nice spot for himself in New York and should continue to be productive, just not on Saturday.
Description: Do not expect Yankees outfielder/DH Andruw Jones to be in Saturday's lineup as he is a lifetime .048 batter (1-for-21) versus White Sox starter Jake Peavy with eight strikeouts.
Insight: Jones was solid in Friday's night's 4-3 loss to Chicago with two doubles and two RBI, but this is an extremely unfavorable matchup.
Description: Yankees outfielder Raul Ibanez is a career .385 hitter (5-for-13) versus White Sox starter Jake Peavy with a home run and a 1.236 OPS.
Insight: Ibanez had a good month of May (.288, 6 HR, 16 RBI), but June has been ugly with a .169 batting average and a .537 OPS. He's 0-for-3 in this series with the White Sox after suffering through a 1-for-9 three-game set with Cleveland. Perhaps this matchup will get him started again.
Description: Yankees starter Adam Warren didn't make it out of the third inning in his first big league start Friday against the White Sox.
Insight: Warren allowed six runs on eight hits and was gone after 2 1/3 innings Friday night. The right-hander may quickly be shipped back to Triple-A with David Phelps ready to assume a spot in New York's rotation.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira went deep for the 13th time Thursday night against the White Sox.
Insight: Teixeira continues to be a frustrating fantasy player to own. Sure, he'll homer every now and then but he just can't seem to get his average over that .250 mark. Teixeira is on pace to finish the season with 28 HRs and 95 RBIs, his lowest numbers in those categories since his rookie season back in 2003.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin won't start Thursday against the White Sox.
Insight: Martin (.193, 8 HRs, 21 RBIs) had been out with a back injury before making his return to the lineup Wednesday against the Indians. He's 1-17 at the plate over his last five games.
Description: Just in case you haven't been paying attention, Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is mashing the ball with regularity.
Insight: Cano has improved his numbers each month and his June statistics are huge - batting .345 with 10 HR, 18 RBI and a 1.177 OPS. Keep in mind that over his career, Cano has an OPS 74 points higher after the All-Star break than before. Hold on tight, this could be quite a fun ride.
Description: Yankees minor league starter Ramon Ortiz is 6-3 with a 2.98 ERA in 13 starts for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season.
Insight: The 39-year-old Ortiz has actually been the Yankees most effective pitcher in Triple-A this season. He's second in innings to Adam Warren but Ortiz has a 1.11 WHIP to Warren's 1.46. Warren was just promoted to the big leagues to start after CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte hit the disabled list. If Freddy Garcia or Warren fail to impress, Ortiz may get a shot.
Description: Anyone expecting to see Yankees pitching prospect Dellin Betances in the majors now that CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte have hit the disabled list can think again. Betances is actually going in the other direction, as New York demoted the 24-year-old right-hander to Double-A Trenton Wednesday.
Insight: Betances went 3-5 with a 6.39 ERA in 16 starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season. The prospect's major problem is his control -- he's walked 69 batters in 74 2/3 innings.
Description: ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that Andy Pettitte will likely be out two months with a fractured ankle.
Insight: Six weeks was the initial prognosis after Pettitte suffered a fractured ankle during his start Wednesday. If Olney's source is correct, Pettitte won't be back until the end of August.
Description: Yankees pitcher Freddy Garcia will return to the Yankees rotation Monday against the Rays after New York lost CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte to injury Wednesday.
Insight: Garcia likely won't have much fantasy value outside of AL-only leagues, but he's shown before that he has nine lives so he may surprise us.
Description: Yankees minor league starter Adam Warren will be called up to start Friday against the White Sox, according to Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger.
Insight: New York lost CC Sabathia (groin) and Andy Pettitte (ankle) to injury Wednesday. The 24-year-old Warren had a 3.86 ERA and 59/27 K/BB in 86 1/3 innings at Triple-A this season. With a powerful offense behind him, he may be able to help out in the wins department if he sticks around for more than one or two outings.
Description: Yankees starter Andy Pettitte has a fractured left ankle and will miss at least six weeks after being drilled by a line drive in the fifth inning Wednesday.
Insight: The 39-year-old Pettitte had pitched four innings yielding three hits and a run against the Indians before being struck by a Casey Kotchman line drive. He won't need surgery. Pettitte is the second starter to go down for New York on Wednesday, as CC Sabathia hit the DL with a groin strain earlier in the day.
Description: Yankees starter Andy Pettitte left Wednesday's game after being hit by a Casey Kotchman infield single off his leg.
Insight: The 39-year-old Pettitte had pitched four innings yielding three hits and a run. Pettitte has been solid since signing late and with C.C. Sabathia just placed on the disabled list the Yankees need this to be just a minor injury without a missed start.
Description: New York Yankees starter CC Sabathia has been placed on the disabled list retroactive to June 25 with a left groin strain.
Insight: It appears that he'll be able to return just after the All-Star break and the Yankees got lucky with the mildest of injuries. Normally a slow starter, Sabathia has already hit his stride with a 9-3 record, 3.45 ERA and 1.271 WHIP. Freddy Garcia will start in his absence.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against Cleveland
Insight: Jeter is doing everything and more than you would expect from a 37-year-old in the twilight of his career. The future Hall of Famer is batting .305 with a league-leading 95 hits.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is still seeking his first hit against Cleveland starter Ubaldo Jimenez after 10 career at-bats. He's struck out five times.
Insight: Teixeira has just one hit in his last 11 at-bats to drop his average to .252. He's still showing decent power (12 HR) and RBI production (43) and past history says he'll improve in the second half. Wednesday afternoon, however, is a bad matchup to be avoided.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes allowed four homers and six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings his last time out, but he was much sharper Tuesday against the Indians, putting together a start of six innings or more and two runs or less for the fourth time in his last five turns.
Insight: Hughes (8-6, 4.48) dominated Cleveland, shutting the Indians out on six hits in eight innings. He walked one and struck out four. The Yankees right-hander is 7-2 in his last 10 starts.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is just 1-for-10 (.100) versus Cleveland starter Justin Masterson with a .200 OPS.
Insight: Teixeira (.254, 12 HR, 42 RBI) is still knocking in runs, but his OPS is the lowest of his career (.794). He is, however, known as a second half hitter with an OPS 72 points higher after the All-Star break, so there is no need to panic. Tuesday, however, is not a favorable matchup.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is a career .091 batter (1-for-11) versus Cleveland starter Justin Masterson.
Insight: Granderson has been scuffling at the plate, batting just .182 over the past two weeks. Add in an unfavorable matchup and the Yankees centerfielder should sit on Tuesday.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano cracked his 17th home run of the season Monday night in a 7-1 win over Cleveland.
Insight: Cano also chipped in with a two-run double in the first inning. Cano (.302, 17 HRs, 39 RBIs) has now homered in six of his last eight games and has gone deep 16 times since May 6.
Description: New York Yankees catcher Russell Martin will miss a second straight start on Monday night. He's dealing with tightness in lower back.
Insight: Martin (.197, 8 HR, 21 RBI) is struggling to hit his weight. Where is Jesus Montero when you and the Yankees need him? Martin's replacement Chris Stewart doesn't give you much with the stick.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against Cleveland. No injury here, simply a day of rest.
Insight: A-Rod can use the day off as he's batting just .195 with a .665 OPS over the past two weeks. Those aren't the types of numbers you were hoping for when you drafted A-Rod.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is just 1-for-8 (.125) versus Cleveland starter Josh Tomlin with a .347 OPS.
Insight: Teixeira (.253, 12 HR, 42 RBI) is knocking in runs, but his OPS is the lowest of his career (.793). He is, however, known as a second half hitter with an OPS 72 points higher after the All-Star break, so there is no need to panic. Monday is not a favorable matchup.
Description: New York catcher Russell Martin isn't starting Sunday night's game against the Mets but he will be available for use as a pinch-hitter. Martin left Saturday's game early because of back stiffness.
Insight: Martin (.197, 8 HRs, 21 RBIs) is 0-7 in the series and just 1-13 in his last four games. He hasn't been much of an asset in fantasy this season.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin left Saturday's game against the Mets with back stiffness.
Insight: Martin doesn't have much fantasy value due to his .197/.323/.383 slash, but for those who are still employing the Yankees backstop, this injury shouldn't be too big of a deal.
Description: Ivan Nova held Washington to one run on seven hits in 7 2/3 innings last Sunday to improve to 9-2.
Insight: Nova doesn't get much attention in the fantasy world, but all he does is win ball games. In his last five starts, Nova is 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA. He also improved to 6-0 in seven road starts. Why is he still available in 15-percent of all leagues?
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano hit a two-run blast Friday against the Mets, his fourth homer in his last five games.
Insight: Cano (.299, 15 HR, 35 RBI) underwhelmed in April but he's been excellent in each of the past two months. View the season's first month as an aberration.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against Atlanta. No serious injury, just a rest day.
Insight: Teixeira (.253, 12 HR, 40 RBI) has been much improved over the past month with a .302 batting average and a 1.032 OPS. He's always been a better second-half hitter than first, so this bodes well for his future fantasy value.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez went 0-for-4 Tuesday against Atlanta. He's one for his last 13.
Insight: Rodriguez hasn't had a multi-hit game since June 3. He did have a modest eight-game hitting streak from June 8-15, but he had just one hit in each of those games. As a result, A-Rod is batting .213 (13-for-61) this month.
Description: Michael Pineda (shoulder) is aiming to begin throwing in mid-September.
Insight: Pineda underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn labrum in late April this year. The 23-year-old is hoping to be ready to go for spring training next season after 2012's washout.
Description: Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher is doubtful for Tuesday's game against Atlanta with a bone bruise on his left leg.
Insight: This injury isn't expected to land Swisher (.262, 10 HR, 40 RBI) on the disabled list. He took batting practice on Monday, but still hasn't been cleared to play by the medical staff. It appears that he'll miss a few more games.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin is just 1-for-12 (.083) with six strikeouts in his career against Braves starter Tim Hudson.
Insight: Martin has just seven hits in his last 37 at-bats (.189) and faced with a bad matchup against Hudson should be watching the action from your bench this evening.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia threw his first complete game of the season Monday night in New York's 6-2 win over the Braves. He allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out 10 and walking just one.
Insight: It was a vintage performance by Sabathia and it gave the Yankees their 10th win in a row. Sabathia's ERA is a little higher than usual this season (3.55) but give the man some credit: he's gone at least seven innings in each of his last six starts and in 11 of his last 12. Only a few pitchers in baseball can handle that kind of workload. Fortunately for New York, Sabathia is one of them.
Description: Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher will watch Monday night's game against the Braves from the sidelines. He's still out with a bruised left quad.
Insight: This injury isn't expected to land Swisher (.262, 10 HRs, 40 RBIs) on the disabled list but he might miss a few more games because of it.
Description: New York righthander Ivan Nova held Washington to one run on seven hits in 7 2/3 innings Sunday to improve to 9-2. Nova walked one and struck out four.
Insight: Nova just wins ballgames, plain and simple. With the Yankees' offense behind him, he's a must-start nearly everytime he takes the ball, especially on the road. In his last five starts, Nova is 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA. He also improved to 6-0 in seven road starts.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin is out of the lineup for New York's matchup with the Nationals Sunday afternoon.
Insight: Martin was the hero last Sunday against the Mets, hitting a pair of homers including a walk-off solo shot to win the game. Since that homer, he is just 1-for-18 (.056) and has seen his batting average slip to below .200.
Description: A bruised left quad will prevent Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher from suiting up Sunday against the Nationals.
Insight: Swisher (.262, 10 HRs, 40 RBIs) went 2-2 with a double and a walk before being replaced by Andruw Jones in the sixth inning Saturday in Washington. For now, consider the New York right fielder day-to-day.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against Washington. A day of rest for the "old man."
Insight: Rodriguez now has 10 homers and 31 RBI on the year. He's not likely to reach the 30 home run mark, but he's still a low-end fantasy third baseman.
Description: Yankees starter Phil Hughes held Washington to one run on six hits in six innings Friday. Hughes walked two and struck out a season-high nine.
Insight: Hughes' stuff seems much improved, and it's allowing him to put hitters away, as evidenced by his career-high 8.76 K/9. He's won three straight starts with a 1.69 ERA since he gave up seven runs against the Angels on May 28. Aside from that poor outing, Hughes is 6-1 with a 2.06 ERA in seven starts since May 6.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against Washington. He struggles in the lefty-lefty matchup with Washington starter Gio Gonzalez. They have faced each other 11 times and the best Cano has done is two walks. This is just the manager seeing the bad statistics and giving Cano another day off.
Insight: Cano has been solid this year with a .294 batting average, 11 HR and 30 RBI. He's a well-known second-half hitter (.807 pre-All Star OPS vs. .892 after) , so this bodes well for the Yankees and his fantasy owners. Friday, however, is not a good matchup.
Description: Yankees second basemen Robinson Cano struggles in the lefty-lefty matchup with Washington starter Gio Gonzalez. They have faced each other 11 times and the best Cano has done is two walks. He's struck out four times.
Insight: Cano has been solid this year with a .294 batting average, 11 HR and 30 RBI. He's a well-known second-half hitter (.807 pre-All Star OPS vs. .892 after) , so this bodes well for the Yankees and his fantasy owners. Friday, however, is not a good matchup.
Description: Orioles utilityman Steve Pearce hit his first homer of the season and drove in five runs Thursday against the Pirates.
Insight: Pearce is hitting .320 with eight RBIs in seven games since he was called up to the big leagues. He'll get some playing time at first base and in the outfield with Nick Markakis sidelined, but don't get too excited, as he had just a .235 batting average and .606 OPS in 191 major league games prior to Thursday.
Description: New York outfielder Brett Gardner will miss another 3-4 weeks after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection and a cortisone shot in his right elbow Thursday, according to Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger.
Insight: Carig said that Gardner's doctors have found that his elbow injury simply hasn't healed, which is good news considering Gardner visited with Dr. James Andrews last week. He's suffered several setbacks already, but if he can avoid another one he could be back shortly after the All-Star break.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin has just one hit in 10 career at-bats versus Atlanta right-hander Tim Hudson.
Insight: Martin is batting .290 over the past 10 games with a 1.095 OPS, but is hitless in the first two games of the series with Atlanta. It seems the Braves know how to pitch to him from facing him often in his previous time with the Dodgers as he's just a .223 career hitter versus Atlanta pitching.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia allowed four runs on 10 hits in seven innings Tuesday at Atlanta, but he stuck around long enough to become the first eight-game winner in the American League.
Insight: The Yankees were down 4-0 going into the seventh but they plated six runs in the inning to back Sabathia. The big lefty allowed three runs in the first inning but settled down after that. Rough starts seem to be a trend for Sabathia this season -- 24 of the 39 earned runs he's allowed have come in the first three innings of the game. Expect him to figure that out and lower his ERA down to the 3.00-3.20 range as the season progresses.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez went 1-for-5 Tuesday against Atlanta, but the one was a major blow: his 23rd career grand slam, a shot that not only tied the game but tied him with Lou Gehrig for most career bases loaded blasts.
Insight: Rodriguez now has 10 homers and 29 RBIs on the year. He still has an outside shot at 30 bombs if he can heat up.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin is not in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against Atlanta. It's a rest day for the Yankees backstop.
Insight: Martin is batting .333 over the past 10 games with a 1.229 OPS, but catchers need their rest.
Description: New York righthander Ivan Nova moved to 8-2 Monday night with a win over the Braves. He fired seven shutout innings, giving up five hits and one walk. He fanned six Atlanta hitters in the outing.
Insight: Nova's season ERA still isn't pretty (4.64) but he's winning games and over his past couple of starts, he's been a lot tougher on hitters. After allowing opposing batters to hit .343 against him in April and .293 in May, Nova has held hitters to a .176 average in two June starts.
Description: Yankees starter Andy Pettitte is probable for his next scheduled start with a bruised left hand.
Insight: The 39-year-old Pettitte is showing age means very little. he's 3-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 1.032 WHIP in his first six starts. He's still available in 40-percent of all Yahoo leagues.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin hit two home runs, including a ninth-inning walkoff solo shot, Sunday against the Mets.
Insight: Martin appears to be waking up from his season-long slumber. Since May 25, Martin is hitting .342 with four doubles, three homers and 10 RBIs.
Description: Freddy Garcia has been activated from the bereavement list.
Insight: Garcia (0-2, 7.66 ERA) hasn't given his fantasy owners much to smile about in 2012 and now that he's been removed from the starting rotation, he carries almost no fantasy value at alll.
Description: Despite taking a line drive off the foot in Friday night's win over the Mets, Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda will make his scheduled start Wednesday against the Braves.
Insight: That's great news for Kuroda's fantasy owners. The New York righthander is 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA in his last three stars.
Description: New York outfielder Brett Gardner had a setback in his recovery from an elbow injury Friday night in a game for Single-A Charleston RiverDogs.
Insight: Now the Yankees don't expect to see Gardner (.321, 0 HRs, 3 RBIs) back in the majors until at least after the All-Star break.
Description: Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda shut out the Mets on one hit over seven innings Friday, but was injured by a Daniel Murphy line drive off his left foot. X-rays were negative.
Insight: Kuroda has given up three runs or less in eight of his last nine starts, has a 3.46 ERA and should have a better record than 5-6 if the Yankees had helped him with any run support.
Description: Yankees second basemen Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 with two two-run homers Friday against Johan Santana and the Mets.
Insight: Cano has struggled against lefties this season prior to Friday, hitting just .200 with one homer in 75 at-bats against southpaws, so it was a good that he was able to take Santana deep twice.
Description: Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda shut out the Mets on one hit over seven innings Friday to improve to 5-1. Kuroda walked one and struck out seven.
Insight: Kuroda finally received some run support Friday as the Yankees scored nine runs, but he didn't really need it. The right-hander took a no-hitter in the sixth and picked up his second straight winning decision. Over his last three starts, Kuroda has allowed just two runs on 12 hits in 22 innings.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is a career .067 batter (1-for-15) versus Johan Santana with six strikeouts.
Insight: Granderson is again showing off his power numbers in 2012 with 17 home runs and a .862 OPS, but this is an unfavorable matchup to be avoided. He's also just 1-for-14 in his last three starts.
Description: Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner (elbow) is expected to play in a minor league rehab game Friday with Low-A Charleston.
Insight: Seems like we've been waiting forever for Gardner to return from this elbow injury. The outfielder has had several setbacks during his recovery and had his rehab assignment pushed back from Wednesday due to soreness. There was initially an outside chance that Gardner would return against the Mets this weekend, but that is basically out the window now.
Description: Yankees starter Ivan Nova allowed one run on four hits in eight innings against the Rays Wednesday to improve to 7-2. Nova walked one and struck out five.
Insight: Nova took a shutout into the ninth but allowed back-to-back triples by Desmond Jennings and B.J. Upton. Despite an ERA above 5.00 and a WHIP above 1.45, Nova has been a big winner this season due to excellent run support.
Description: Yankees minor leaguer Russell Branyan missed about three months with a lower back injury, but he got back on track for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Tuesday. Branyan did what he does best -- hit homers. The 36-year-old hit two three-run blasts, his first two of the season at Triple-A.
Insight: Branyan has slugged 194 homers in 2934 career at-bats at the major league level. His best season came in 2009, when he hit 31 bombs and drove in 76 runs in 116 games with Seattle. If 40-year-old Raul Ibanez goes down, New York may call on Branyan to get regular at-bats at designated hitter. If so, watch out, as the first baseman already is the only player to ever hit a ball into the right field upper deck at new Yankee Stadium.
Description: Yankees second basemen Robinson Cano (forearm) is in the Yankees lineup Wednesday against Tampa Bay.
Insight: Cano left Tuesday's game after being hit in the left forearm by a pitch. X-rays came back negative and it shouldn't be an issue from here on out. Cano has been a bit of a disappointment this season as he hasn't driven in many runs (24) despite batting in the middle of the Yankees order.
Description: Yankees catcher Russell Martin hit a fourth-inning grand slam against Rays starter James Shields Tuesday in the Bronx. Martin finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs.
Insight: Martin has been an albatross at the plate this season, batting under .200. He'll continue to start regularly because he handles the Yankees' pitching staff well, but that doesn't mean he should be starting for your fantasy team.
Description: For the third time in five starts, Yankees starter Andy Pettitte absolutely dominated. The Rays were Pettitte's latest victim Tuesday. Pettitte shut out Tampa Bay on just two hits in 7 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out 10 batters for the 14th time in his career.
Insight: The 39-year-old Pettitte improved to 3-2 with the performance. In his three wins, Pettitte has struck out 27 batters in 22 1/3 innings while allowing just two runs on 13 hits.
Description: According to the YES Network, there is an outside chance that Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner returns this weekend against the Mets.
Insight: Gardner took five at-bats in an extended spring training game Tuesday in Tampa. He'll take batting practice on Wednesday and play in another extended spring game Thursday. It's more likely Gardner will return for the Yankees' series with Atlanta from June 11-13, though the team has not ruled this weekend out yet.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is just 6-for-45 (.133) against Rays starter James Shield without an extra base hit and has struck out 14 times.
Insight: After homering four times in four games in late May, Teixeira (.253, 9 HR, 32 RBI), has gone in the other direction. Over the past seven days he's batting just .133 without an extra base hit and just two RBI. This matchup against Shields isn't likely to cure his ailing bat.
Description: Yankees second basemen Robinson Cano is a career .403 hitter (25-for-62) versus Tampa Bay starter James Shields with four home runs. Shields was pitching very well to begin the season, but over his last three starts is 0-2 with a 5.12 ERA and 1.50 WHIP.
Insight: The combination of a pitcher missing his spots and a confident hitter could make for an explosive situation for Cano. The Yankees second baseman is off to a typical mediocre start (.284, 8 HR, 24 RBI), but now that the calendar has turned to June, he'll likely heat up. He's a career .307 hitter in June.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez went 2-for-4 and hit a solo homer off Tigers ace Justin Verlander in the third inning on Sunday. It was A-Rod's ninth homer of the season.
Insight: We remember a time when an A-Rod homer wasn't newsworthy, but these days anytime he goes deep we hope it means he still has some of that trademark power left in him.
Description: Yankees righthander Phil Hughes went the distance for his fifth win of the season Sunday against the Tigers. Hughes scattered one run, four hits and three walks over a nine -inning, 123-pitch outing. He struck out eight.
Insight: It was Hughes' second career complete game and also his best start of the season. He has now won four out of his last five decisions after starting the season off 1-4.
Description: Don't expect much from Mark Teixeira on Sunday. He's 3-25 (.120) lifetime against Detroit starter Justin Verlander.
Insight: After homering four times in four games last week, Teixeira (.257, 9 HRs, 31 RBIs) has cooled off a bit and has now gone four games in a row without a home run. We're guessing it will be five in a row after Verlander's done with him.
Description: There aren't too many pitchers in the American League who have Robinson Cano's number, but Detroit ace Justin Verlander is one of them. He's limited Cano to just four hits in 24 at bats (.167) throughout his career.
Insight: And only one of those hits was for extra bases. We don't recommend sitting Cano very often but if there was ever a day to give the stud second baseman a day off, it would be today.
Description: You are going to want to keep Raul Ibanez on the bench for Sunday's game against the Tigers. He's just 3-23 (.130) in his career against Detroit starter Justin Verlander.
Insight: Not the best matchup here for Ibanez (.259, 9 HRs, 29 RBIs). Lefties are hitting just .194 against Verlander this season.
Description: Yankees minor league first baseman Steve Pearce, who was ripping up International League pitching, batting .321 with 11 HR, 30 RBI and a .996 OPS has been sent to Baltimore.
Insight: Pearce will take Bill Hall's spot on the Orioles roster. He could also play some outfield and help in a utility role with Nick Markakis sidelined. He's a career .232 in limited duty with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2007-11.
Description: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is just a .100 hitter (1-for-10) versus Tigers starter Rick Porcello with a .282 OPS.
Insight: Teixeira's OPS (.786) is still well below expectations, but he's headed in the correct direction batting .359 over the past two weeks with an OPS of 1.214. The matchup with Porcello, however, is unfavorable.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has yet to get a hit off Detroit righthander Rick Porcello in nine career at-bats.
Insight: Jeter is doing everything and more than you would expect from a 37-year-old in the twilight of his career. The future Hall of Famer is batting .340 with a league-leading 73 hits. However, today is an unfavorable matchup.
Description: Yankees starter CC Sabathia improved to 7-2 on the year by holding Detroit to three runs on eight hits in seven innings on Friday. The big lefty walked two and struck out five.
Insight: Sabathia (3.68 ERA, 1.24 WHIP) hasn't even pitched his best baseball yet and he already has seven wins. If he can up his performance to somewhere around where he was last season (3.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP), he could top his career high of 21 wins, which he accomplished in 2010 for New York.
Description: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez struck out three times in his first four at-bats on Friday, but he managed to make something out of his night by hitting a two-run homer in the ninth inning.
Insight: In a three-run ballgame, the two-run blast was essentially meaningless, but to fantasy owners that homer is very important. A-Rod has struggled to find his power stroke this year, but he now has eight homers and 21 RBIs in 50 games.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson went 2-for-5 with a grand slam and a stolen base against Detroit on Friday.
Insight: Granderson has 17 homers and 33 RBIs in 51 games, including one in each of the last two and three in the last four, but he curiously has attempted just four steals this season. He's been successful on two of those attempts after stealing 25 bags a year ago.
Description: According to Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said outfielder Brett Gardner (elbow) could return from the disabled list as soon as next weekend.
Insight: Gardner has had several setbacks with his strained elbow, so there's no guarantee he'll be back next weekend. If the speedy outfielder can get through this weekend without any issues, he could begin a minor league rehab assignment during next week.
Description: According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, Rafael Soriano will remain in the closer role for New York even after David Robertson returns from an oblique injury.
Insight: Soriano is 6-for-6 in save chances this season. Assuming he doesn't have several meltdowns before Robertson returns in two weeks, he'll hold onto the job.
Description: According to ESPN New York, Yankees reliever David Robertson (oblique) will be out at least two more weeks.
Insight: Robertson won't return from the disabled list until mid-June at the earliest, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said. Rafael Soriano has seized the closer role for New York, converting all six save chances with a 1.96 ERA on the season. However, he hasn't been perfect, as his 1.53 WHIP indicates, so there is always a chance Robertson could get the job back. Still, expect him to reassume his eighth inning role initially when he returns from the DL.
Description: Yankees farmhand Steve Pearce is ripping up International League pitching, batting .326 with 11 HR, 29 RBI and a 1.000 OPS.
Insight: Pearce may be stuck at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as his position is first base and the Yankees don't need anyone at that spot, but if he keeps hitting at his current pace, he may find a spot on the big club or as trade material.
Description: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is a career .415 hitter (17-for-41) against Angels starter Ervin Santana with three home runs.
Insight: Jeter leads the American League it hits with 70 while his .338 batting average and .843 OPS are well above his production level of the past two seasons. He's a must start for Wednesday.
Description: Yankees minor league starter Ramon Ortiz has won three straight starts for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Insight: On the season, Ortiz is 3-3 with a 3.35 ERA in eight starts. While the 39-year-old doesn't have much upside or an inside track on a major league job, he's a player to keep in mind if the Yankees end up needing a starting pitcher for an extended period of time. There's no guarantee that New York will call on Freddy Garcia or David Phelps if one of its starting pitchers goes down.
Description: Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is just a .219 career hitter against Angels starter Dan Haren. He's struck out 13 of the 33 times he's faced the Angels righty, though he has taken him deep on two occasions.
Insight: Granderson has continued his .900-plus OPS production that so surprised fantasy owners in 2011. He's got 15 HR and 26 RBI this season. One down note, however, after 25 stolen bases last year, he's attempted four steals in 2012 and been thrown out three times.
Description: Derek Jeter's single to lead off the game was the 3,155th hit of his career, allowing him to pass Royals great George Brett for 15th all-time in career hits.
Insight: So far, the soon-to-be 38-year-old shortstop has had a remarkable season. He's batting .340, which is good for third in the American League behind only Paul Konerko and Josh Hamilton.
Description: Russell Martin is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against Houston. he's been dealing with a stiff neck.
Insight: Martin is struggling this season, batting an ugly .177 with four homers and 10 RBI. he's got his work cut out for him to reach last year's numbers (18 HR, 65 RBI) and fantasy owners' expectations.
Description: Mark Teixeira went 4-5 Saturday with a pair of homers in New York's 9-2 win over the Athletics.
Insight: Teixeira is 6-10 with 3 HRs and 7 RBIs in this series, which is odd because the Oakland Coliseum is not generally considered a hitter's park. Teixeira has been limited by a bronchial infection in recent weeks but it hasn't seemed to affect his play over the last two days.
Description: Alex Rodriguez has a .468 batting average (22-for-47) with eight home runs and 17 RBIs in his career against former teammate Bartolo Colon.
Insight: Rodriguez is batting .325 in May, including 11 multi-hit games. Back in 2005, A-Rod hit three homers and had 10 RBIs against Colon, then a member of the Angels. While his power has diminished since then, he's still a valuable fantasy third baseman and a must-start today.
Description: Mark Teixeira hit his sixth home run of the season on Friday against Oakland. Teixeira went 2-for-5 with two RBIs.
Insight: Teixeira raised his OPS to .700 on Friday, the first time it's been at that mark since April 28. Hopefully he's over the bronchial illness that has plagued him all season.
Description: Andy Pettitte dominated again on Wednesday, picking up his second straight win by throwing seven solid innings against the Royals. Pettitte gave up two runs on seven hits while striking out eight.
Insight: The 39-year-old Pettitte has pitched like a 29-year-old in his last two starts, going 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA and 0.87 WHIP. More impressively, he struck out 17 batters in 15 innings in those two outings. The Yankees lefty should be added in most leagues, as Pettitte is proving he's more than just a feel-good story.
Description: Derek Jeter had three hits in five at-bats against the Royals on Wednesday.
Insight: It was Jeter's first multi-hit game since May 12. The Yankees shortstop came in with just 11 hits in his last 58 at-bats, so it's nice to see him get going again on Wednesday.
Description: Alex Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs against the Royals on Wednesday.
Insight: Rodriguez feasted on fat pitches from rookie Will Smith, who was making his first-ever start. Still, it's great to see that A-Rod isn't just a high-OBP singles hitter now. The third baseman still has some pop left.
Description: According to the Yankees' official website, David Robertson (oblique) is expected to begin his rehab work Thursday.
Insight: Robertson won't return from the disabled list when he's eligible on Sunday, but don't rule him out for the first week of June. Yankees manager Joe Girardi wouldn't commit either way to Robertson or Rafael Soriano as his closer when Robertson returns, but we can't see Soriano losing the role based on his past experience and Robertson's excellence in the eighth inning. Soriano is 3-for-3 in save chances with a 2.35 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings this season.
Description: Mark Teixeira is batting third against the Royals on Wednesday.
Insight: Teixeira hit seventh the last two games, but Yankees manager Joe Girardi has juggled the lineup again, going back to a lineup similar to the one he used for most of 2011 -- Jeter, Granderson, Teixeira, Rodriguez, Cano and Swisher will occupy the first six spots in the order -- in an attempt to jump-start New York's slumping offense.
Description: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, historically a second-half hitter, is already batting .303 and has another favorable matchup on Tuesday. In 10 at-bats versus Royals starter Luke Hochevar, Cano has five hits, including two homers and eight RBI.
Insight: Cano's second-half OPS is 89 points higher than his first half numbers which if the trend continues would turn 2012 into a season similar to 2010 when he hit .319 with 29 HR and 109 RBI.
