Thursday Night PrimeTime Report – 1/30/25

Good evening,

Here is tonight’s Thursday Night PrimeTime Report:

Yankees

Have the Yankees made enough moves to fill the significant void left by Juan Soto? Hal Steinbrenner seems to think so. The Yankees’ chairman and managing general partner feels that improving the team's pitching and defense may make them a stronger contender than they were last season.

Indeed, the Yankees struggled defensively last year, and their starting pitching depth was lacking. With the addition of Max Fried, he and Gerrit Cole now form one of the best one-two pitching combinations in the league, although they are still behind the Dodgers.

“It’s difficult for most of us owners to do the kinds of things that [the Dodgers] are doing. We’ll see if it pays off,” Steinbrenner told Meredith Marakovits earlier this week. It became evident years ago that the Yankees are no longer the wealthiest team in baseball; the Dodgers have reached a stratospheric level. The Yankees have approached this offseason aggressively since Juan Soto signed with the Mets, yet their roster still pales in comparison to that of Los Angeles.

After last season’s disappointing conclusion, the Yankees' goal this year – more than usual – is to win the World Series. They aim to secure the pennant and finish the job. The Yankees have become a stronger defensive team, but without Juan Soto, their offense is expected to be weaker than last year. The hope is that improved defense and an upgraded pitching staff will compensate for this setback.

Following last season’s debacle, which included giving up five unearned runs in Game 5 of the World Series, Hal Steinbrenner has a chip on his shoulder. Hopefully, Aaron Judge feels the same way. However, the roster feels incomplete, and with pitchers and catchers set to report in less than two weeks, this raises some concerns. The Yankees claim they plan to start DJ LeMahieu at third base this season or hold a competition for the spot, although sources suggest that Marcus Stroman’s contract is hindering them from making another major move.

Interestingly, a few days ago, Marcus Stroman removed all references to the Yankees from his Instagram profile and unfollowed the team he grew up adoring. The colors and content on his profile imply that he is unaffiliated with any team. This could indicate that the Yankees may have found a way to trade Stroman or offload at least some of his $18 million contract. If they haven’t, he could report to Spring Training an unhappy fellow.

Manager Aaron Boone recently told WFAN that Jasson Domínguez is expected to start in left field for the Yankees this season, with Cody Bellinger in center field, and Aaron Judge returning to right field. Also, Paul Goldschmidt will play first base, Anthony Volpe will be at shortstop, Austin Wells will start behind the plate, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. will move to second base. Unless another move is made or the Yankees decide to start DJ LeMahieu at third base, they will have a competition between LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Oswald Peraza for the starting job at the bag.

Another concern for the Yankees is who will fill the leadoff hitter role. Chisholm is too much of a power hitter for that position. Domínguez is also a power hitter, but he is patient at the plate and could earn the leadoff spot out of Spring Training. Anthony Volpe is the only other probable candidate, but he struggled in that role last season.

With this information, here are my batting order and starting rotation predictions for the 2025 Yankees as of 1/30/25:

Batting:

1. LF Jasson Domínguez (S)
2. RF Aaron Judge (R)
3. 1B Paul Goldschmidt (R)
4. C Austin Wells (L)
5. DH Giancarlo Stanton (R)
6. 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L)
7. SS Anthony Volpe (R)
8. CF Cody Bellinger (L)
9. 3B DJ LeMahieu (R)

Pitching:

1. RHP Gerrit Cole
2. LHP Max Fried
3. RHP Luis Gil
4. LHP Carlos Rodón
5. RHP Clarke Schmidt
6. *RHP Marcus Stroman

Also, relief pitcher Tommy Kahnle signed with Detroit on Wednesday for one year ($7.75 million). The righty is now a three-time former Yankee.

*Indicates potential sixth starter, which is unlikely

Rangers

The Rangers are wrapping up their second of three consecutive days off, following two regulation losses after a stretch of seven wins and three loser points. The state of the team is in disarray.

In January, Sam Carrick and his fourth line thrived, while Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Artemi Panarin struggled considerably. Meanwhile, the Rangers' special teams units showed little improvement. Once a cornerstone of this generation of Rangers, the signs now suggest we may be witnessing the end of an era.

Unless the Rangers can overcome their issues and secure a playoff spot, significant questions about the team's future will soon loom. I have raised these questions many times before, but they have only begun to take shape since last season ended. At the start of this season, those questions became more tangible, and it’s disheartening to acknowledge that Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider’s careers appear to be winding down.

It pains me to suggest such a somber reality while we all continue to support our Rangers, but if their efforts prove unfruitful, that reality will set in quickly. Kreider and Zibanejad have been the backbone of this Rangers team for years and two of the most effective linemates in the franchise's history. Unfortunately, this season they were separated quickly after some of the worst plus/minus ratings in the league led to a dismal 4-15 team record.

Additionally, the Rangers' power play has ranked among the best in the league for many seasons, including being among the top five last year, primarily powered by Kreider’s net-front deflections and Zibanejad’s sharp one-timers. However, neither player has contributed much to the man-advantage this season. Chris Kreider has been dealing with back spasms, which complicates the assessment of his current stats compared to last season. Nonetheless, his recent numbers have been significantly lower, especially on the power play.

According to Larry Brooks, Kreider (52) and Zibanejad (47) have combined for 99 power-play goals over the last three seasons, but this year, Kreider has scored five while Zibanejad has scored three. “I believe in the law of averages,” Kreider told the New York Post after Tuesday’s loss. “I’m going to wait for that to regress toward the mean and for me to start putting those chances in and continue to position myself to get those chances.” Kreider’s situation is most recently reminiscent of the Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu, who was once an unstoppable batting machine but never returned to form after fouling a ball off his toe. Hopefully, it does not become as tragic.

When a hockey player exerts themselves too much too early in their career, it can lead to long-term deficiencies in their game. Unfortunately, these issues can arise at a young age. Ryan Lindgren, for example, is only 26 but has put himself on the line for his team so many times that his body has endured significant wear and tear. He remains a serviceable defenseman but may never regain the speed or athleticism he had when he was younger. This situation suggests more for Lindgren than just natural aging.

The New York Post spoke to Mika Zibanejad during his team’s practice today and asked him about his struggles. He mentioned that he feels his game has improved lately, but in the past week, it has resembled his performance from November and December. “[Creating chances, being on the attack, and playing good defense] doesn’t happen, and then you guys talk about it and ask me about this and that,” Zibanejad explained. He seemed a bit defensive but later added, “But also for my own sake, I think it’s just what I’m expecting out of myself. Not just expecting, but what I know I can do. It’s been better.”

Zibanejad is 31 and Kreider is 33. Both players should have a few years left in the tank, but they might be dealing with injuries or mental blocks. Perhaps they will overcome their challenges and return to form. But what if they don’t? What direction will the Rangers take then?

Additionally, Larry Brooks released an article earlier tonight discussing Jimmy Vesey. It’s been a while since we heard that name! Vesey has been a reliable substitute forward for the Rangers for several seasons, known for being smart and dependable on the ice. However, with Arthur Kaliyev expected to be a healthy scratch on Saturday, Jonny Brodzinski is anticipated to take his place instead of Vesey. “It seems that I have fallen out of favor and have just been cast aside over an extended period,” Vesey lamented. “It feels like I have no role or purpose on this team. I’m kind of dying by being here.”

Vesey, now 31, is the third Rangers player this season to express discontent with his role on the team. Kaapo Kakko voiced similar concerns in December before getting traded, and Zac Jones made comments shortly after, but later brushed them aside. Like Jones, Vesey is worried that if he doesn’t play soon, he will lose his skills. Given his age, this concern is understandable, but head coach Peter Laviolette may not share that perspective. Vesey stated he loves New York but is “unhappy” in this situation. He is not complaining, though, and his sentiments are logical.

In other news, two big trades were made around the NHL within the last week, suggesting the market has opened. According to Elliotte Friedman, Philadelphia is currently finalizing a trade to send Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to Calgary for Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier.

Knicks

Madison Square Garden’s other professional team is on a roll right now with five straight wins, including consecutive wins over two top Western Conference teams (Memphis and Denver). Last night, the Knicks beat the Denver Nuggets 122-112 for the second time this season. The Knicks have scored 408 points (143, 143, 122) in their last three games, the most in a three-game span in franchise history.

A little over a month ago, the Knicks won an impressive nine games in a row, but that streak included two wins over Orlando and Washington. This five-game win streak includes defensive improvements, blowouts, record-breaking scoring streaks, and wins over good teams, including Atlanta, Memphis, and Denver.

Karl-Anthony Towns has been struggling from three-point range since his thumb chipped a few weeks ago. However, his defense hasn’t slumped at all. The Knicks held Nikola Jokic to 17 points while Jalen Brunson scored 30 and OG Anunoby netted 23. The best plays of the game, though, came off exceptional defense. “[Jokic is] one of the best players in the NBA, so it takes a team effort and be willing to take the competition and take the matchup,” said Towns after an exceptional defensive performance. “All I can say for me is I wanted to make it difficult on him and make him have to consistently think about the pressure we had to apply.”

“I think [the Knicks] are the favorites – not the favorites, but I think top five candidates for the title,” said Jokic after last night’s game.

While the score of this game was close many times, and the lead fluctuated five times, the Knicks never faltered defensively. They were committed to their game on both sides of the ball for the entire 48 minutes. The Knicks have been emphasizing a catch-and-shoot mentality lately because of the philosophy that a player is never more open than when they receive a pass. Since the players can move quickly and thrive in transition, this approach is useful. It showed in Jalen Brunson’s 15 assists, including seven in the fourth quarter.

“I was able to get out in transition and my teammates were making plays. I was just getting them the ball,” said Jalen Brunson.

The Knicks need to continue their surge as they prepare to host the Lakers in a marquee matchup on Saturday night. They have a big week ahead.

In this game, Denver had a biggest lead of eight points while the Knicks led by as many as 12 points. The score was tied five times with five lead changes and a longest run for 15.

That will conclude this report. Have a good night.