![\"Yankees](\"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-2236167718-e1762985885538.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Getty<\/p>\n
Can the Yankees land the belle of the free agency ball?<\/p>\n
The\u00a0New York Yankees\u00a0have a few holes to fill and many options to consider. The offseason is in full swing, bringing a boatload of rumors and speculation along with it.<\/p>\n
One move could change the Yankees\u2019 fortunes in 2025. In fact, they are\u00a0among the top favorites\u00a0to land several pitching stars that could\u00a0bolster their rotation\u00a0and bullpen.<\/p>\n
Closer\u00a0Edwin Diaz\u00a0is one of the top relievers on the market, and the\u00a0Yankees are listed at +300\u00a0to scoop up the\u00a0New York Mets\u2018 arm (according to BetOnline). Just ahead of them in the odds are the reigning World Series Champions, the\u00a0Los Angeles Dodgers.<\/p>\n
Looking at what the Yankees need heading into the 2026 regular season, pitching is at the top of the list. The Athletic\u2019s Jim Bowden revealed the holes in the Yankees roster earlier in November.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen they are all healthy, the Yankees\u2019 rotation will include Max Fried, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rod\u00f3n, Luis Gil, Cam Schlittler,\u00a0Clarke Schmidt, Will Warren, and Allan Winans,\u201d\u00a0Bowden wrote on November 5, 2025. \u201cThat\u2019s not a group that needs improvement.\u00a0Devin Williams\u00a0and Luke Weaver are free agents, and improving the quality and depth of the bullpen is a key need for the Yankees.\u201d<\/p>\n
Devin Williams is warming up to the idea of joining the Dodgers after things didn\u2019t end well in New York. Diaz would be a massive addition to the Yankees bullpen.<\/p>\n
Diaz finished the 2025 season with a solid statline. In 66.1 innings pitched he recorded\u00a028 saves, 98 strikeouts, a 0.87 WHIP, and a 1.63 ERA. He only allowed four home runs off of 37 hits surrendered.<\/p>\n
Comparing that to the Yankees bullpen of 2025 reveals that Diaz would be a great upgrade. If he was on the Yankees for the 2025 season,\u00a0amongst relievers who have played at least 10 games, he would rank first in saves, first in strikeouts, first in WHIP, and first in ERA.<\/p>\n
If Diaz and the Yankees linking up is a possibility, discussing the money involved would be prudent. A new report has surfaced about the kind of dollars that the veteran closer is asking for.<\/p>\n
\u201cD\u00edaz, who turns 32 in March, is coming off one of his best seasons, one in which he produced a 1.63 ERA with a 38 percent strikeout rate and 8.1 percent walk rate in 66 1\/3 innings,\u201d\u00a0Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon wrote for The Athletic on November 12th. \u201cThe deal he wants, according to a person briefed on his wishes, is essentially the same one the Mets gave him the last time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two scribes remind their readers that when Diaz signed with the\u00a0Jets, he became the highest paid reliever ever.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Edwin D\u00edaz signed his five-year, $102 million contract with the New York Mets in November 2022, it was the largest in history for a reliever,\u201d Rosenthal and Sammon wrote. \u201cD\u00edaz, though, reached that agreement before becoming a free agent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Because this will likely be the last time that he can chase the bag, Diaz wants to make it count. According to these writers, he\u2019s the kind of player that is tough to find.<\/p>\n
\u201cDifference-makers of his caliber are difficult to find.\u201d<\/p>\n
Regardless of what happens, it will be interesting to see how Diaz\u2019s situation plays out. If he joins the Dodgers (or another club) the Yankees will be forced to pivot. And if he joins the Yankees, management can check off one item on their winter to-do list.<\/p>\n
Getty<\/p>\n
Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving.<\/p>\n
There might finally be light at the end of the tunnel for the\u00a0Tampa Bay Buccaneers\u00a0when it comes to injured running back\u00a0Bucky Irving.<\/p>\n
The Buccaneers offense has been without Irving for the last 5 games, since a Week 4 loss to the\u00a0Philadelphia Eagles\u00a0on September 28 due to a variety of injuries, although a shoulder injury has been of the most concern.<\/p>\n
\u201cPossibly big Bucs news,\u201d\u00a0Tampa Bay Times reporter Rick Stroud\u00a0wrote on his official X account on Wednesday, November 12. \u201cRB Bucky Irving is participating in the walk thru practice. G\u00a0Ben Bredeson\u00a0also working. Irving has not played since Sept. 28 due to foot and shoulder injuries.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Buccaneers are 6-3 headed into a brutal pair of road games coming up with a trip to face the\u00a0Buffalo Bills\u00a0in Week 11 before heading all the way across the country to face the\u00a0Los Angeles Rams\u00a0in Week 12.<\/p>\n
Irving, who rushed for over 1,000 yards as a rookie, has been sorely missed.<\/p>\n
While the Buccaneers have made up the slack at wide receiver with\u00a0Chris Godwin,\u00a0Mike Evans\u00a0and\u00a0Jalen McMillan\u00a0out with injuries, it\u2019s been harder to do that with\u00a0Rachaad White\u00a0stepping in for Irving.<\/p>\n
\u201cTodd Bowles said it was good to see Bucky Irving on the practice field but he was limited and it was just a walk-through,\u201d\u00a0Buccaneers.com\u2019s Scott Smith\u00a0wrote on his official X account. \u201cNeeds to see Irving in a full-speed practice before making any proclamations about a timetable for his return.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Irving\u2019s follow up too a bravura rookie campaign has fallen flat to this point, he has the advantage of playing on a team that\u2019s in first place in the NFC South Division \u2014 with a 2-game lead at that \u2014 and could very well be a dark horse contender if everyone comes back healthy over the next month who has been injured.<\/p>\n
Right now, the perception of Irving is that rookie year was just a flash in the pan.<\/p>\n
Bleacher Report\u2019s Brad Gagnon\u00a0called Irving the \u201cMost Disappointing Player\u201d on the roster in 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter averaging 5.4 yards per rush as a rookie, Irving has seen that number decline to 3.3 in 2025,\u201d Gagnon wrote on October 24. \u201cOnly one qualified back is below that. He\u2019s also yet to score a rushing touchdown.\u201d<\/p>\n
Irving had a season high 165 yards of total offense agains the Eagles \u2014 15 carries for 63 yards and 5 receptions for 102 yards. That kind of production can flip games like the 28-23 home loss to the\u00a0New England Patriots in Week 10.<\/p>\n
Right now, it seems like the only legitimate weapon 2-time Pro Bowl quarterback\u00a0Baker Mayfield\u00a0has on offense he can rely on is 2025 first round pick (No. 19 overall) and wide receiver\u00a0Emeka Egbuka.<\/p>\n
Egbuka, possibly the frontrunner to win\u00a0NFL\u00a0Offensive Rookie of the Year, leads the Buccaneers and is ninth in the NFL in receiving with 40 receptions for 677 yards and 6 touchdowns.<\/p>\n
The Buccaneers have also gotten a boost lately from their final pick in the 2025 draft with rookie wide receiver\u00a0Tez Johnson.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are just two rookies across the NFL this season with 250+ receiving yards and 4+ receiving touchdowns through Week 10 \u2026 Both are\u00a0Buccaneers\u00a0drafted by Jason Licht,\u201d\u00a0Buccaneers Communications wrote on its official X account on November 10. \u201cEmeka\u00a0Egbuka\u00a0(pick No. 19) & Tez Johnson (No. 235).\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Getty Can the Yankees land the belle of the free agency ball? The\u00a0New York Yankees\u00a0have a few holes to fill and many options to consider. The offseason is in full swing, bringing…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t