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Brian Cashman appreciates that World Series titles are expected from the New York Yankees, not just hoped for.

New York hasn’t even reached the World Series since its 27th championship in 2009, the second-longest drought in franchise history. The only longer one came in the Yankees’ first 18 years, from 1903 to 1920.

“We have a great shot, but we only have a great shot if we play our best baseball,” the general manager said Thursday ahead of an AL Division Series against Kansas City. “I know that we have the capabilities, but at the same time I caution that we’ve had capabilities many times before and you have to match those capabilities with, obviously, great defense, great baserunning, tremendous offensive at-bats against extremely tough pitching and, obviously, the most important aspect is pitching to the best of your abilities.”

After missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2016, the Yankees rebounded following the December acquisition of Juan Soto from San Diego. They led the AL in runs with 815 after finishing 25th in 2023 and topped the major leagues in home runs with 237.

“I do honestly believe that anybody that’s currently in the tournament has a legitimate chance to raise that trophy,” Cashman said. “I think we have the pieces that are here and we have the will to make it happen, and now we just got to go up against an opponent that’s very worthy.”

Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole (8-5) starts Saturday night’s opener for New York after recovering from elbow nerve irritation and edema that sidelined him from spring training until June 19.

Michael Wacha (13-8) starts for Royals. He has held Yankees star Aaron Judge to 1 for 18 with three walks and no homers in his career.

“I’m chalking this up to small sample and I’ll take Aaron Judge against just about anyone on any day,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “but we know Wacha is a tough customer. He’s always pitched us tough and we know we got our work cut out for us.”

New York beat Kansas City in the 1977 and ’78 AL Championship Series en route to World Series titles, and the Royals swept the Yankees in 1980 — leading George Steinbrenner to force out manager Dick Howser. The following summer, Howser took over as Royals manager and led Kansas City to its first World Series title in 1985.

New York won three of four at Kansas City in June, losing the series finale on Maikel Garcia‘s two-run double against Clay Holmes. The Yankees took two of three in the Bronx last month, losing the middle game when Seth Lugo and two relievers combined on a three-hit shutout for the Royals.

Kansas City swept Baltimore in a two-game Wild Card Series while the Yankees won the AL East and earned a first-round bye and a five-day layoff. The Royals are led by Bobby Witt Jr., likely to finish second to Judge in AL MVP voting, nine-time All-Star catcher Salvador Perez and a rotation that includes Wacha, Lugo and Game 2 starter Cole Ragans.

Reliever Lucas Erceg was acquired from Oakland at the July 30 trade deadline, and the 29-year-old right-hander had 11 saves in 13 chances for the Royals, striking out 31 and walking three in 25 innings. His fastball averages 98.6 mph.

“From early in the season ’til now, their bullpen has improved,” Boone said. “They’ve had a couple guys emerge down there and then obviously bringing in Erceg to anchor them has taken their bullpen to another level.”

Cashman said the Yankees are still deciding on their final roster moves heading into the ALDS, with right-hander Marcus Stroman’s status still up in the air.

“We haven’t made that final call yet,” he said. “Marcus threw in the sim [simulation] game yesterday, he threw two innings, so we’re trying to keep him with some volume and stretched out. I don’t expect him to be a starter in this series. As for what role we haven’t made that call yet.”

Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo remains doubtful for the Division Series after fracturing the fourth and fifth fingers of his right hand when he was hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh’s Ryan Borucki on Saturday.

“He’s full-bore treatment mode right now,” Cashman said, “A very tight window of healing to take place. … A lot less pain than you would expect and more strength to the squeeze than you would expect given what he’s gone through but he has not been doing baseball activity as of yet.”

Ben Rice and Oswaldo Cabrera are the primary alternatives at first.

DJ LeMahieu, who also plays first, has been sidelined since Sept. 3 because of a right hip impingement.

“He’s started to do things, Cashman said. “The time frame for him a little bit difficult.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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White Abarrio wins $3 million Pegasus World Cup

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White Abarrio wins  million Pegasus World Cup

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — White Abarrio won the $3 million Pegasus World Cup with a dominant performance at Gulfstream on Saturday.

He ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.05 under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who earned his third career Pegasus victory.

Sent off as the 5-2 favorite, White Abarrio paid $7.60, $3.80 and $3.

Locked returned $3.20 and $2.40, while Skippylongstocking paid $4.40.

White Abarrio hit the apex of his career in 2023, when he won the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic as well as the Whitney at Saratoga for trainer Rick Dutrow. The horse won the Florida Derby at Gulfstream in 2022.

The horse had been transferred when his Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was barred from racing at Churchill Downs and in New York after two of his horses died suddenly 48 hours apart in races at Churchill in the weeks leading up to the 2023 Kentucky Derby.

White Abarrio’s owners wanted to run him in the Met Mile at Belmont, so they chose the New York-based Dutrow to oversee him. The horse went back to Joseph’s barn in June 2024.

“Today he was spectacular,” a teary-eyed Joseph said. “I’m just thankful.”

In the $1 million Pegasus Turf, Spirit of St Louis edged Integration by a neck.

The 6-year-old gelding ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:44.50, just off the track record of 1:44.45 set by last year’s winner Warm Heart. He paid $17.80 to win at 7-1 odds.

Spirit of St Louis was ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and trained by Chad Brown, who won the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding trainer earlier in the week.

Chasing the Crown was third.

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Sanders unsure if he will throw at NFL combine

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Sanders unsure if he will throw at NFL combine

FRISCO, Texas — Former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders said Saturday he is unsure if he will throw at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis next month.

Sanders is attending the East-West Shrine Bowl but will not participate in practice or in the game Thursday. He was at the West team’s first practice at the University of North Texas on Saturday morning but stood on the field, watching the other prospects.

While Sanders won’t conduct any on-field work at the Shrine Bowl, he reiterated his belief that he’s worthy of being the top pick in the 2025 NFL draft. He has been training in the Dallas area with former Miami‘s Cam Ward, another top quarterback prospect in this year’s draft.

“We changed the program at Jackson [State University],” Sanders said. “We went to Colorado, changed the program. And we did everything people didn’t think we were able to do. So, that’s why I know I’m the most guaranteed risk you can take.”

Sanders met with multiple teams Friday, including the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, who hold the first three picks in the draft, respectively. The Titans met with Sanders for 45 minutes.

“I like that I’m able to get in the forefront of everything and they’re able to understand me and ask me whatever questions they want,” Sanders said. “I’m not ducking. I ain’t hiding. I’m right here, live in the flesh and able to answer whatever questions are out there.”

While Sanders is confident in his worthiness as the first overall pick, he said he would be “thankful for whatever situation and whoever drafts me. I know I’ll be able to change their program.”

Asked what he will bring to a team, Sanders smiled and said, “A lot of wins.”

Shedeur’s older brother Shilo, a safety, is also in Texas for the game. Colorado is also represented by wide receivers Will Sheppard, LaJohntay Wester, Jimmy Horn Jr. and cornerback Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig.

ESPN’s Turron Davenport contributed to this report.

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Mets’ Cohen: Alonso negotiations ‘exhausting’

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Mets' Cohen: Alonso negotiations 'exhausting'

NEW YORK — The New York Mets held their first winter event for fans in five years at Citi Field on Saturday, and there was one notable absence. Pete Alonso wasn’t in attendance because, for the first time since the 2016 draft, he isn’t a member of the Mets’ organization.

The homegrown star first baseman remains a free agent and, though a reunion remains possible, he might have played his last game as a Met.

Owner Steve Cohen bluntly said as much Saturday after taking the stage for a fireside chat with fans to chants of “We want Pete!”

“Personally, this has been an exhausting conversation and negotiation,” Cohen explained. “I mean, [Juan Soto’s negotiation] was tough. This is worse. A lot of it is, we’ve made a significant offer. I don’t like the structures that are being presented back to us. I think it’s highly asymmetric against us and I feel strongly about it.”

Alonso, along with third baseman Alex Bregman, is one of the two best position players left on the free agent market. The first baseman, who is represented by Scott Boras, originally sought a long-term deal, but he is open to returning to the Mets on a three-year contract and the Mets have been open to such a deal, according to a source. The obstacle has been money.

“I will never say no,” Cohen said. “There’s always the possibility. But the reality is we’re moving forward and we continue to bring in players. As we continue to bring in players, the reality is it becomes harder to fit Pete into what is a very expensive group of players that we already have and that’s where we are.

“I’m being brutally honest. I don’t like the negotiations. I don’t like what’s being presented to us. Maybe that changes. I’ll always stay flexible. But if it stays this way, I think we’re going to have to get used to the fact that we may have to go forward with the existing players that we have.”

The Mets recently re-signed outfielder/designated hitter Jesse Winker to a one-year, $7.5 million contract and added left-handed reliever A.J. Minter on a two-year, $22 million deal. They’ve also signed Soto (15 years, $765 million), Sean Manaea (three years, $75 million), Clay Holmes (three years, $38 million), and Frankie Montas (two years, $34 million), among other moves, this winter.

Preparing for life without Alonso, the Mets recently instructed third basemen Mark Vientos and Brett Baty to work out at first base. Vientos and Baty both confirmed the organization’s request Saturday.

“We all love Pete, and we’ve said that many times,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “And I think, as we’ve gone through this process, we’ve continued to express that. We also understand that this is a business and Pete, as a free agent, deserves the right and has the right and earned the privilege, really, to see what’s out there. We also feel really good about the young players who are coming through our system who have the ability to play at the major-league level.”

Vientos, 25, enjoyed a breakout season as one of the best hitters in the National League after solidifying himself as the Mets’ every-day third baseman in May and helping fuel the team’s run to the NL Championship Series. Baty, a former top prospect, was the club’s opening day third baseman last season. He struggled after a hot start before he was demoted to Triple-A and didn’t return to the majors.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza also named veterans Jared Young and Joey Meneses, both of whom signed this winter, as other options at first base if Alonso doesn’t return.

“Pete’s been here since I’ve been here,” said Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who has starred for the franchise since 2021. “He was here before me. So, yeah, it would be different if he goes somewhere else. Yeah, it would be different. But I think he should take his time. I think he should make the best decision for himself and not feel that he’s rushed.”

Alonso, 30, became a fan favorite while becoming a franchise cornerstone over his six seasons in Queens. He’s hit 226 home runs since making his major-league debut — the second-highest total in baseball behind only Aaron Judge. His 53 home runs in 2019 set a rookie record. He’s been a reliable everyday presence; he’s never missed more than nine games in a season and played in all 178 games, postseason included, in 2024. He’s made four All-Star teams and won the Home Run Derby twice.

But he rates as a poor defender and baserunner whose offensive production has declined over the last three seasons, creating a free-agent market that hasn’t been as fruitful as projected when he declined a seven-year, $158 million contract extension in 2023.

“Listen, he’s a special player,” Hall of Famer and former Mets catcher Mike Piazza said Saturday. “Guys that can hit 40 home runs are not walking on the street. So when he’s really in his game, he’s a special player. I hope, from a personal standpoint, I hope they work something out.”

Outfielder Brandon Nimmo, the longest-tenured player on the roster after debuting in 2016, signed an eight-year, $162 million contract to remain with the Mets two offseasons ago. Like Alonso, Boras is his agent. Unlike Alonso, he reached a resolution in December, not with spring training around the corner.

“I would love to see Pete back with us, but I also understand that I don’t make those decisions,” Nimmo said. “And that’s between Pete and our front office and David [Stearns] and Steve [Cohen]. And from what I understand, there’s been a lot of talks between them. I’m still hopeful that we’ll sign him.”

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