If the jury is still out on if Aaron Judge can preserve his torrid hitting pace, perhaps an endorsement from the best player in baseball swings the debate in the rookie’s favor.

“[Judge’s] having a great year, you can’t take anything away from him,” Angels’ outfielder Mike Trout told Mike Mazzeo of the New York Daily News on Tuesday. “He’s put up unbelievable numbers. He’s fun to watch. And you see the way he plays, he’s always smiling. He’s great for the game.”

For those living under a rock, Judge has taken the league by storm this spring. The 25-year-old hit home run No. 22 in the top of the eighth inning against the Angels on Monday night — a go-ahead two-run shot which turned out to be the decisive hit in the Yankees’ sixth consecutive win. 

Inside Angel Stadium, several sections were splashed with Yankee colors, with fans prompting MVP chants for Judge. In Anaheim, those cheers are usually for Trout — the defending American League MVP and indubitably baseball’s best talent. But Trout hasn’t received much chatter of late, as he’s recovering from a left thumb injury which put him on the disabled list.

Since Trout was put on the shelf in late May, Judge has become the league’s leader in wins above replacement (4.1), while Trout remains at a second-best mark of 3.4. Fortunately for the Angels, their superstar is expecting to return in mid-July, and Trout hopes he’ll be able to make an All-Star Game appearance with Judge, who’s leading the American League in total fan votes (1.8 million).

“It’d be pretty cool just to hopefully be back by then, if everything goes on schedule,” said Trout, who ranks third in total AL All-Star votes with 1.6 million. “I want to be out there as quick as I can. We’ll see.”

In the meantime, Trout — like many others — will be watching in awe of Judge’s surge. And he’ll certainly enjoy it — well, to an extent.

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Gleyber Torres only needed a month and a half to stand out at the Double-A level. Perhaps that’s how long the Yankees hope it takes the 20-year-old to stand out in Triple-A, too.

A team source told NJ.com’s Randy Miller on Thursday that the Yankees’ top prospect is being “groomed” to assume the starting third base job later this summer, and if a call-up occurs, it would also result in Chase Headley being demoted to a role as a utility infielder at first and third base.

Torres, who was promoted on May 22, played 32 games with Double-A Trenton, hitting .273 (121 ABs) with five home runs, 18 RBI, 10 doubles, 17 walks, and 21 strikeouts. While the 6-foot-1, 175-pounder is tagged as a shortstop, Torres also played six games at third base and five games at second and didn’t commit one error in the field. While his promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre wasn’t a shock to some, Torres has struggled in his first nine games at the next level. He’s currently hitting .207 (26 ABs) with a double, three RBI, and six walks. 

“I’m not looking at Gleyber Torres right now on the major-league side,” Cashman told the NY Daily News last Thursday. “I’m just looking at Gleyber taking the next step at Triple-A Scranton. Just like when we were faced with, ‘Are you going to bring Gleyber up because Didi (Gregorius) is down?’ the answer was, ‘No, we aren’t going to interrupt his player-development process.'”

Taking Headley’s Job?

According to Miller’s report, a big league promotion for Torres wouldn’t boot Headley from the roster, as the team considers him to be a valuable veteran off the bench. But the 33-year-old’s future with the Yankees may be a little more uncertain come 2018, as the source told Miller that Torres could swap positions with second baseman Starlin Castro, while Didi Gregorius remains at shortstop. Regardless, Headley is owed $26 million before his contract expires in the 2018 offseason.

Headley’s first two months this season have been erratic. After a hot April, he entered May hitting .301, but in the last 23 games, Headley’s average has dropped all the way down to .232. To make matters worse, he’s also been a liability on defense, as his nine errors rank worst on the team and second-worst among MLB third basemen. 

As long as Headley continues to struggle, he’ll continue to feel the heat, but the big league plan for Torres is of course contingent on his success in the coming weeks.

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Gardner on his and Holliday’s multi-HR games: “He kept telling me that he was one-upping me, so I had to get back even.” #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/duUcfAlTzr

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 31, 2017

During this past winter, the longest-tenured Yankee addressed a few rumors regarding his candidacy as a potential trade piece. At that time, he wasn’t fazed by the rumblings.

But with the calendar about to turn to June, Brett Gardner is probably thinking more about his future in New York, thanks to a month-long power surge that no one saw coming.

En route to the Yankees’ 8-3 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards on Tuesday night, Gardner slugged two home runs off of starter Chris Tillman after four innings, adding to an astounding May in which he’s hit .330 with nine home runs and 20 RBI in 25 games. While rookie outfielder Aaron Judge leads the Yankees and Major League Baseball with 17 jacks, Gardner has also climbed up the ladder, and currently has more homers than big-name sluggers like Edwin Encarnacion, Robinson Cano, Miguel Cabrera, and Manny Machado, to name a few.

During the Yankees’ telecast on YES, color commentator Ken Singleton described Gardner’s hot streak to Frank Sinatra’s tune ‘That’s Life,’ but with a little twist. While Sinatra sings of someone who was riding high in April but shot down in May, the Yankees’ left fielder has been the complete opposite. Shockingly, Gardner didn’t collect his first RBI until April 29 against Baltimore, ironically, and entered May hitting just five points above the dreaded Mendoza Line at .205. 

So, what explains Gardner’s resurgence? Apparently the credit is not given to his swing, but to his legs.

“I’ve stayed in my legs, tried to take my ‘A’ swing and stayed aggressive,” Gardner told the NY Daily News on May 21. “I’ve hit some balls over the fence, but it’s not necessarily what I’m trying to do. You just have to have good at-bats and it just works out that way. I’m just trying to put together good at-bats and drive the ball.”

Gardner’s 2016 campaign was a forgettable one, as he hit .261/.351/.362 with just seven homers, 16 steals, and 41 RBI in 148 games. But he’s no stranger to hot first halves, as he earned a spot on the American League All-Star team back in 2015. While Gardner’s currently making a case for a Midsummer Classic return, he’s also known for his second half cool-offs, and for the Yankees’ front office, that may be a concern.

At this point last season, it seemed as if the ship to trade Gardner had sailed. But to the Yankees’ delight, that ship appears to be returning. Although he turns 34 in August, and is owed $24 million by the time his contract expires in 2019, Gardner presents himself as a valuable asset for contending clubs, and if phone calls are made, the Yankees shouldn’t hesitate to pounce on any offer. 

If Gardner was to pack his bags, New York wouldn’t struggle to find an exceptional replacement. Fourth outfielder Aaron Hicks has performed at a high level this spring, entering Wednesday night with an OPS of .984 — ranked second-highest among Yankees hitters. The team also has options further down the line, as a bevy of talented outfield prospects are close to reaching the big league level. While Judge was the first youngster to debut, the team expects 22-year-old Clint Frazier to arrive in the coming years, and during that same time frame, top-draft pick Blake Rutherford could also be in that discussion. Those are big names on the Yankees’ radar, but it’s also worth mentioning a player like 22-year-old Dustin Fowler, who’s excelling with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Losing a player like Gardner — who debuted in pinstripes back in 2008 at the old Yankee Stadium — would tweak the cast of leaders in the clubhouse, but with the franchise turning to a new generation of players, the time to move Gardner could be soon if he maintains steady numbers. After all, who knows if the opportunity will ever present itself again.

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Upon entering the Trenton Thunder’s team store at Arm & Hammer Park, fans will quickly have their attention drawn to an ample supply of shirts and jerseys for sale. At the Double-A level, much of the apparel displayed is generic; there are no names or numbers printed on the back–just the team’s name and logo on the front. But on a few select hangers near the front door, one name can be found on the back, although he won’t don that particular pinstripe uniform again.

For 32 games, Gleyber Torres wore No. 11 with Trenton, but soon those tees and jerseys will appear on clearance racks, as the Yankees’ top prospect was promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last Sunday afternoon. He’s now just a phone call away, the old phrase says, but despite Torres’ exceptional start to the 2017 campaign, New York will likely have Torres wear No. 7 with the Triple-A Railriders for more than just seven weeks.

These will probably be on sale soon. pic.twitter.com/Nk5g7q5X3O

— Tom Hanslin (@tomhanslin) May 24, 2017

“I’m not looking at Gleyber Torres right now on the major-league side,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told the New York Daily News on Thursday. “I’m just looking at Gleyber taking the next step at Triple-A Scranton. Just like when we were faced with, ‘Are you going to bring Gleyber up because Didi (Gregorius) is down?’ the answer was, ‘No, we aren’t going to interrupt his player-development process.'”

While Torres was primarily tagged as a shortstop when the Yankees acquired him last summer in a blockbuster deal with the Cubs, the 20-year-old has moved about the infield this year, spending some time at both second and third base. So far, Torres has played just two games at the next level, but that defensive rotation will continue to further advance his development.

According to the Daily News, Tim Naehring, the Yankees’ VP of baseball operations, recommended the promotion to Cashman, and in a few week’s time, a few executives collaborated and made the decision. Ultimately, the promotion was justified by Torres’ numbers, as he hit .273/.367/.496 with five home runs and 18 RBI in 121 at-bats.

“I’m going by what I saw in spring training. And I thought it was a young man who really knew how to play the game, where the game was pretty slow for him,” manager Joe Girardi said of Torres to WFAN radio. “It didn’t speed up for him. And there’s obviously little things that all players have to improve on, but I think he’s done a good job of playing all over the infield. He’s played at second, short and third — short being his natural position. I think he knows how to grind out at-bats, what he needs to do in a certain at-bat. And I think he’s continued to do that in the minor leagues.”

Now, it’s all a matter of when–not if–Torres hops on a shuttle en route to the Bronx. Regardless of his ranking or reputation, he would be hard-pressed to find a starting job, as shortstop Didi Gregorius and second baseman Starlin Castro have swung hot bats. But, slumps are inevitable in baseball, as are injuries, and with those instances come opportunities for others. Per the report, Cashman hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Torres seeing the majors this summer.

“That’s possible,” Cashman said. “That happens all the time where, ‘Hey, we’d rather him stay down, but the need is there and he’s the best alternative.’ A lot of times guys get brought in here even when they haven’t finished all aspects off. You saw Didi playing here when he came over from Arizona and he wasn’t a finished product, he couldn’t hit lefties. So guys continue to finish their development up at the big-league level. And Aaron Hicks is doing what he’s doing this year and he’s been finishing off his development the last few years with Minnesota and us.”

So, all doors are open at this point, which means the time to purchase Torres’ Triple-A apparel is now.

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Two outfielders–one 25-years-old and one 24–have taken New York by storm this season, and Alex Rodriguez has been introduced to both of them. 

In his new role as a Fox Sports’ color analyst in the broadcast booth, Rodriguez watched 6-foot-7, 285-pound Aaron Judge go 2-for-4 with the Yankees on Thursday in Kansas City. On Saturday back in Queens, he’s observed the Mets’ Michael Conforto assume leadoff duties against the Angels.

While Judge is the rookie, the duo has already combined for 26 home runs and 57 RBI in seven weeks, and both lead their teams in those categories. But which player is going to pay dividends over a long period of time?

According to Rodriguez, it’s the behemoth flourishing on his former team.

“I think they’re both going to be All-Stars for years to come,” Rodriguez told the NY Daily News. “But Judge has a chance to be historic. He’s 6-7, he benches 450 pounds, he’s got a great idea at the plate.”

To be fair, it’s far too early to presume Judge will experience a “historic” or even Hall-of-Fame career, but in the moment, he’s certainly made the Yankees and their fans smile. In New York’s 9-4 loss to the Rays on Saturday, Judge hit his 15th home run in just his 38th game, which made him the fastest rookie to reach that homer mark since 1987 (Mark McGwire in 35 games). On Thursday, Rodriguez was one of several analysts to compare Judge’s build to 6-foot-6 Hall-of-Famer Dave Winfield, who hit 465 home runs in 22 seasons.

But don’t fall asleep on Conforto. For the 17-23 Mets, riddled with injuries in the National League East, the silver lining has been Conforto. He enters Saturday night owning a slashline of .319/.403/.664 in 37 games. 

“He’s got some special qualities,” A-Rod said of Conforto. “Just watch him hit.”

Both outfielders are west coast natives, with Judge from California and Conforto from Washington. They were also first round picks in New York, as Judge was selected in the 2013 Major League Baseball draft, followed by Conforto in 2014.

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The verdict seems to be out on whether Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has an impulse to pursue White Sox ace Jose Quintana at this summer’s trade deadline. But if New York is still in the market for a top-end starter, perhaps they could seek another ex-draft pick from the National League.

In 2008, the Yankees drafted righty Gerrit Cole as the 28th overall pick in the June Amateur Draft, but when the 17-year-old elected to play at UCLA–where he stayed for three years–he was placed back into the draft rotation. The Pirates later selected him first overall in 2011.

So, if the Yankees are playoff contenders come July (which, at least seems more than likely here in early May), should Cole’s name be on Cashman’s wishlist? John Harper of the NY Daily News believes so.

From Harper:

It’s too early for either team to seriously consider such a move just yet. The Yankees need to continue mashing, establishing themselves as serious contenders to the point where it would be worth taking a big chunk out of the farm system for the right pitcher.

And the Pirates have to be far enough out of contention in another month or two to be convinced they do need a rebuild.

But sooner or later they’re almost certainly trading Cole, an elite power pitcher who will be a free agent after the 2019 season, because they won’t be able to afford to sign him. So the question is when.

While Cole, now 26, hasn’t posted All-Star numbers in all five of his major league seasons, he has been the headliner to Pittsburgh’s underwhelming pitching staff this decade. But with the Pirates currently sitting in the NL Central basement with a record of 12-16, Cole is a trade target and could be moved before he becomes eligible for free agency in 2020. It’s also worth noting that Cole’s role as the ace in the coming years isn’t concrete. Rookie Tyler Glasnow and sophomore Jameson Taillon are Pittsburgh’s highly touted arms who may lead a future rebuild of the franchise.

But much like the conversation revolving around Quintana’s candidacy, questions remain on which prospects the Yankees would yield for a player like Cole. Before Chicago moved southpaw Chris Sale to the Red Sox for a bevy of farmhands, New York’s stance on the Sale sweepstakes was clear: no top prospects are worth sacrificing for an ace. While Cashman wasn’t thrilled that a division rival won the contest, mortgaging the future wasn’t an option. But Chicago’s steep prices don’t reflect on Pittsburgh’s style of business, so out of the Yankees’ esteemed youngsters, who’d be mentioned in a trade package?

In Harper’s analysis, a baseball executive spoke of outfielder Clint Frazier and pitcher Justus Sheffield, stating, “Frazier hasn’t hit much in Triple-A but he’s still young with a high ceiling, and Sheffield projects as a No. 3 or 4 starter. It might take another solid prospect and a fringe guy too, because Cole would be a hot commodity if he is available, and Pittsburgh would want quantity as well as quality. But the Yankees have the depth to outbid other teams.”

Since the Yankees acquired both players from the Indians for Andrew Miller last summer, Frazier, 22, has been viewed as a fan favorite. Despite the trivial controversy around his once-long red locks and lack of maturity, Frazier offers strength and power, which would be appealing to any club. To be fair, a player like Frazier is worth keeping around, but where would he play in the Bronx? In just 26 games, it seems like Aaron Judge will be the every-day right fielder for a long time, and with Jacoby Ellsbury’s unfriendly contract, he’ll remain in center. Even if New York finds a new home for Brett Gardner, there are other outfield prospects who could fill major league shoes, such as Blake Rutherford and Dustin Fowler. But, of course, the Yankees plan to spend a wad of cash two winters from now, when Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are expected to be free agents. 

Pushing for Cole would be a solid option for New York, as he has shown ace-esque stuff (19-game winner in 2015). It’ll depend on if the Yankees believe they’re one player away from being legitimate contenders, which, contrary to this winter’s assumptions, is possible.

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Yankees first baseman Greg Bird reached second base twice on Monday afternoon with two doubles against the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that he had some trouble advancing another 90 feet to the next bag.

Bird was thrown out at third base on two infield ground balls hit by Aaron Judge–one fielded by the shortstop and one the pitcher–which suggests that the spring training rust hasn’t left the 24-year-old just yet.

“Those are bad reads, plain and simple,” Bird told the New York Post. “I’ll just get better at it and just work on it and be better. Those were bad reads, straight up. I mean I guess a little bit, your instincts, whatever you want to call it. I just got out there and I didn’t go with my gut. I should have went with my gut. I’ll learn from it and we’ll work on it a little bit.”

Yankees manager Joe Girardi will supervise baserunning drills back at the George M. Steinbrenner Field complex on Tuesday.  Spoiler alert: Bird will be participating.

“You try to weigh the good that he did (Monday) against the mistakes and you just try to eliminate those,” Girardi said. “He hasn’t played a lot. I don’t know how much that had to contribute to him making base-running mistakes, but those are things we need to clean up and needs to clean up. He has to adjust his reads a little bit. I told him if he hit triples he doesn’t have to make that read. It was good to see him swing the bat because that’s really important.”

While fundamental tasks are sometimes the most challenging to perform, Bird was still pleased with his timing and swing at the plate. That’s the important thing, right?

“You just want to have quality at-bats,” Bird told the NYDN. “I just felt my timing was a little late the first two days. I was seeing the ball well, but not quite matching up my swing with what I’ve seen. Today, I was able to match the two together.”

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Yankees’ prospect Clint Frazier isn’t interested in the comparisons. He isn’t interested in filling someone’s shoes. He simply wants to be himself.

At least that was the 22-year-old outfielder’s message in regard to the link between him and Indians’ reliever Andrew Miller, who were the centerpieces of a five-player swap before the trade deadline last July.

“I’m not watching [Miller] pitch anymore,” Frazier told the New York Daily News on Tuesday night at the team’s “Winter Warm-Up” event at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. “I don’t want to watch him. I don’t think I need to try to fill the shoes of another person.”

Perhaps the pressure to match Miller’s stature hit Frazier in early August. In 25 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Frazier — now the Yankees No. 2 prospect according to Baseball America — struck out 31 times in 101 total at-bats, while hitting just .228/.278/.396 with three home runs. Miller, who earned 123 strikeouts in 74.1 innings with New York and Cleveland, also posted a lights-out 1.40 ERA in 10 playoff appearances.

The lesson? Only worry about your development.

“I think I kind of lost who I was when I was struggling last year,” Frazier said. “I didn’t know how to recover from such a slump that I went through. I think that was good for me to grow as a player and grow as a man, and I’m looking forward to this year.

“[Miller] did what he did because he’s one of the best pitchers in the game. To try to live up to the hype that he had because I was traded for him was hard. He went out there and did what he did and I struggled, and I think for the first time in my life I was humbled to a maximum tee. I needed that. I needed to get off cloud nine and realize that there are things I need to work on. I’m glad that a guy like Andrew is who I got traded for, so I need to continue to work everyday.”

Frazier’s worked on some of those things with Yankees’ mentor Reggie Jackson, who had built a strong bond with Frazier last fall in the Instructional League down in Florida. The Hall of Famer told Frazier to cut down on his overaggressive swings in the box, and to “be yourself.”

In order for Frazier to be himself, the game must be simplified, with offseason workouts that demand aches and pains, of course. During a fan Q&A session, Frazier said his max bench press was 390 — a decent number at best. But in his first trip to Yankee Stadium since his draft week in 2013, Frazier believes all the pieces will come together in 2017, whether or not the results land him in pinstripes this year.

“I think if I perform, I’ll be in the right spot,” Frazier said. “I’m not the general manager. I can’t call myself up. But I think everything is going to fall into place the way it should be.”

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In the eyes of Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, penciling in Aaron Judge as next season’s starting right fielder would be premature.

But Hal Steinbrenner’s attitude toward the 24-year-old rookie appears to be a little more encouraging.

The Yankees owner spoke of Judge’s candidacy in the first part of a two-part interview with Meredith Marakovits on YES Network, expressing optimism in the young slugger’s makeup despite a lackluster two-month major league debut in 2016.

“He’s got some work to do; he knows that,” Steinbrenner said of Judge, who hit .179 with 42 strikeouts and only four home runs in 95 plate appearances. “We’re going to figure out exactly what we think is wrong. My expectations are he’s going to be my starting right fielder this year. That’s a big deal and a big opportunity. I know he’s going to make the most of it.”

Steinbrenner conveyed discontent with New York’s late September struggles, but also spoke highly of a few young Yankees who premiered this past summer, including catching phenom Gary Sanchez.

“Tough year,” Steinbrenner said. “Always disappointing when we don’t make the playoffs; that’s unacceptable quite frankly, the way we view the world. But there was a lot of hope the last two months; a lot of hope for the future, a lot of excitement. The fact that they came up, and not September call ups, but in a real pennant race where things were tight and close the entire time, really. It was the real deal for them and you can’t have a better test than that, and they responded.

“We’ve been watching Gary (Sanchez) for a lot of years now and we always knew the potential, as we did with several other players that I’m sure we’ll be talking about. But we’ve watched him progress, and it’s all gone well and he’s the real deal. He’s everything we thought he would be.”

While rumors have circulated around New York’s inclination to invest in a starting pitcher on the free-agent market, Steinbrenner hinted at the possibility that expenses could be minimal this winter, with rotation solutions made internally between a group of young arms.

“There’s going to be competition in the starting rotation, we know that,” Steinbrenner said. “We’ve got (Adam) Warren, we’ve got (Chad) Green, (Luis) Cessa, (Luis) Severino, (Bryan) Mitchell. We’ve got good options for two spots. That’s going to be pretty fun to watch, I think. It’s just great to be able to witness that, it’s great to be able to be in that situation, to have that kind of talent actually competing for one of 25 spots.”

In terms of the bullpen, however, Steinbrenner’s vote of confidence has been given to reliever Dellin Betances, who surprisingly labored over the course of September. But faith in Betances won’t necessarily shroud the Yankees’ appeal to polished free-agent closers Aroldis Chapman or Kenley Jansen.

“Health-wise, I’m not worried at all; mentally-wise, he’s as tough as they come,” Steinbrenner said of Betances, a three-time All-Star who turns 29 in March. “I think he could be the closer; that doesn’t mean we’re not going to strengthen the bullpen in one way or another. We’ll see where he fits in, where he best ends up. We’re just starting that process, but particularly with some of the young starters we have, I think it behooves us to strengthen that bullpen and try to shorten the game a little bit.”

According to Steinbrenner, New York’s front office will “go through every possibility, trying to get a good idea of where our weaknesses are, where we can improve, and then look at our options.” The second portion of Steinbrenner’s interview will air Thursday evening on YES Network’s Yankees Hot Stove program.

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As the Major League Baseball calendar officially flips to its offseason agenda on Thursday, the Yankees will have the winter months to choose how to spend roughly $60 million that is currently off their payroll.

The presumed plan involves New York diving into this year’s free agent market, which is already chock-full of polished closers, including Cubs’ Aroldis Chapman, Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen, and Nationals’ Mark Melancon.

But the bullpen vacancy could be fixed internally with right-handed reliever Dellin Betances, who assumed the closing role on Aug. 1 without the solace of lefties Chapman and Andrew Miller.

While Betances struggled to find consistency in the late innings, baseball’s greatest reliever doesn’t believe the 28-year-old’s mishaps will continue much longer.

“I think Betances has done a tremendous job,” Yankees great Mariano Rivera told Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News on Saturday in Chicago. “He needs to see a little bit differently; he has nothing coming behind him now. Before, he did. I think he’s capable of doing the job and he will do the job. I don’t see why not.”

Rivera, who was at Wrigley Field on Saturday to present Orioles’ closer Zach Britton with the 2016 Mariano Rivera Award (which goes to the American League’s best reliever), has no doubts in Betances’ abilities, and notices a few parallels between their careers.

“For me, I needed to get outs,” said Rivera, who made the transition from setup man to closer in 1997. “In the eighth or in the ninth, I needed to get outs. That was my focus. I didn’t pay attention to if it was the eighth or the ninth.”

Despite earning nine saves in ten opportunities in August, Betances floundered on the mound in September, finishing the month with a 9.64 ERA in 11 outings. But Rivera believes Betances can improve his results by fielding his position properly, while also preventing baserunners from stealing.

“He has the right mentality. That’s a big boy out there,” Rivera said. “I don’t think that he will be shy about doing that job. Looking forward to spring training and the beginning of the season to see how he will respond in a full year as a closer.”

As for Indians’ relief ace Andrew Miller, who was dealt by the Yankees at the trade deadline, Rivera has admired Miller’s willingness to place his ego aside and pitch lights-out in all situations this postseason.

“It’s selfless,” Rivera said. “There’s no, ‘I can’t throw that because I’m not a setup man or a long reliever.’ Forget about it. Those boys get in there and are getting the job done. It’s not about yourself; it’s about the team. If the team needs you, you go there.”

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When left to choose between a left-handed reliever with craftsmanship or conflagration, Alex Rodriguez has his mind made up.

As a former Yankee teammate to Cleveland Indians’ reliever Andrew Miller and Chicago Cubs’ closer Aroldis Chapman, Rodriguez has provided unique insight as an interim Fox Sports analyst this postseason, and has wasted no time in voicing his opinions.

According to a report from John Harper of the New York Daily News, Rodriguez has placed Miller above Chapman as the best reliever in baseball, largely based on Miller’s professionalism and selfless demeanor.

“I played for 22 years and I’ve never seen a clubhouse hurt so much when a guy was traded,” A-Rod said of Miller. “It wasn’t just because he’s great. He is the best reliever in the game. He has the best slider. He throws 94. He can get righties and lefties out.

“He’s (also) extremely intelligent. He went to the University of North Carolina. He’s a leader, he cares, he speaks out in meetings. I don’t think the world knows what a special guy Andrew Miller is.

“What he does as a leader, what he does for the young teammates, and how he sets the tone for starters and relievers, he’s off the charts.”

Both Miller and Chapman were traded by New York at the trade deadline, and have struck out a combined 60 hitters since changing uniforms this summer.

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On Friday afternoon, former Yankees Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Robinson Cano, and Joe Torre released statements on Alex Rodriguez’s 22-year career. The following tweets are via Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.

Statements on A-Rod from Torre, Jeter and Pettitte. pic.twitter.com/WJ7Gulw0K1

— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) August 12, 2016

 

Statements on A-Rod from Mariano and Cano. pic.twitter.com/bQNXBBanyx

— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) August 12, 2016

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When it comes to the fate of the slumping Alex Rodriguez in New York, the Yankees may be delaying the inevitable.

The departure of Carlos Beltran to the Texas Rangers on Monday afternoon now leaves the designated hitter slot vacant in New York’s lineup, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the 41-year-old Rodriguez will assume the role until his contract expires.

According to Peter Botte and Christian Red of the New York Daily News, a source familiar with the situation believes that the Yankees could release Rodriguez before the season’s end, capping off what has become an unorthodox rebuild of New York’s roster.

“I hope not,” Rodriguez said about a potential release. “I want to play and think I can make a difference on the field and in the clubhouse.”

Last Monday, a source told the Daily News that there was “almost no chance” that Rodriguez would be cut this season or next, and that owner Hal Steinbrenner had a brief, but productive conversation with A-Rod at Yankee Stadium.

Despite ownership stating that the status of Rodriguez hasn’t formally been discussed behind closed doors, the latest report suggests that the notion of parting ways with A-Rod has crossed management’s mind considerably.

“A-Rod is a choice for our manager and coaching staff as they try to dissect every day what’s the best lineup to put out there,” general manager Brian Cashman told the Daily News. “He’s going to do everything he continues to do to try to put himself in a position to succeed and then leave the decision making to the field staff if there’s opportunities to play or not.

But the opportunities haven’t come. In the month of July, Rodriguez hit .135 with only 42 plate appearances, starting in just nine games. Yankees manager Joe Girardi has admitted that he needs to find at-bats for Rodriguez in certain situations, but even that idea is half-baked, as A-Rod was quickly replaced by rookie Ben Gamel as a pinch-hitter in the 10th inning against the Mets on Monday night in Queens.

The lack of trust and dependency for Rodriguez is all too apparent in the Yankees’ clubhouse, and the motivation to keep him on the active roster may only be due to his chase for career home run No. 700.

Rodriguez is due $21 million at the end of the season, with another $21 million owed in 2017.

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