Hal Steinbrenner wants his relationship with Juan Soto to be similar to his friendship with Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole, and the New York Yankees owner emphasized the team’s commitment to continually improve its roster if the star free-agent outfielder stays in the Bronx.

Left-handers Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves and Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox have been selected Major League Baseball’s Comeback Players of the Year.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is a finalist for his first National League MVP award after winning the AL honor twice, joined among the top three in NL voting by New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte.

For a World Series that was supposed to feature an epic battle between sluggers Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, guys like Mark Leiter Jr., Luke Weaver, Alex Vesia and Anthony Banda sure got a lot of face time.

Instead of a World Series championship film, the New York Yankees season ended in a comedy of errors that left them to pursue Juan Soto without a title glow.

Just when it appeared Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees were right back in this World Series, they all but gave away the trophy.

The Los Angeles Dodgers won their second World Series championship in five seasons, overcoming a five-run deficit with the help of three Yankees defensive miscues and rallying on sacrifice flies from Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts in the eighth inning to beat New York 7-6 in Game 5.

Game 5 of the World Series was quite a roller coaster for Aaron Judge.

Instead of closing in on title No. 28, the New York Yankees are on the verge of getting swept in the World Series for just the fourth time.

Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees need to start hitting if they’re going to climb back into this World Series.

Aaron Judge is sinking ever deeper into a gruesome postseason slump, and the New York Yankees’ championship chances are fading right along with him.

In the beginning, the World Series matchup of the Dodgers against the Yankees was a kind of charming intra-city showdown of two New York City boroughs, blue collar Brooklyn, equipped with a neighborhood called Gravesend, against the pretentious Bronx, with the fancy Grand Concourse.

Back at Dodger Stadium, Juan Soto is in the spotlight as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers meet in the World Series for the first time in 43 years.

The race was on to reach Shohei Ohtani first.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees will play Major League Baseball's starriest World Series in decades.

These Yankees have minted a new vibe going into their first World Series since 2009.

Sometimes, it really does help to have all that money.

Aaron Boone is convinced the New York Yankees have their highest kumbaya in years.

New York neighbors who became cross-country rivals, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are renewing their starry struggle in the World Series for the first time in 43 years.

Tommy Edman and Will Smith homered to send Shohei Ohtani into the World Series for the first time, and the Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated the New York Mets with a 10-5 victory in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series.

For the New York Yankees, the real opening day is World Series Game 1.

Tanner Bibee is getting a second crack at the Yankees in the AL Championship Series.

Aaron Judge finally delivered the kind of postseason moment in October that turns Yankees into legends.

Pinch-hitter Jhonkensy Noel tied the score with a two-out home run in the ninth inning and David Fry hit a two-run homer in the 10th, rallying Cleveland over the New York Yankees 7-5 and pulling the Guardians to 2-1 in the AL Championship Series.

José Ramírez's late home run in Game 2 of the ALCS was a positive sign for the Cleveland Guardians.

Aaron Judge hit a two-run drive into Monument Park for his first home run of this postseason, and the New York Yankees beat the Cleveland Guardians 6-3 to take a 2-0 AL Championship Series lead.

“Big Spender” is the theme music for baseball’s final four.

Two stops away from a Subway Series.

The Royals are looking forward to next season with a pronounced sense of optimism after going from a 106-loss trainwreck last year to the AL Division Series this year.

Gerrit Cole held the Kansas City Royals to a single run over seven innings Thursday night, sending the New York Yankees to a 3-1 victory that put them back to the American League Championship Series.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning, and the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 in Game 3 of their AL Division Series at Kauffman Stadium.

Two games into this postseason, those big-money deals for Aaron Judge and Carlos Rodón haven’t paid any October dividends for the New York Yankees.

Salvador Perez homered leading off the fourth inning to spark a four-run rally against Carlos Rodón, and the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Yankees 4-2 to even their AL Division Series at one game apiece.

Alex Verdugo hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and saved at least one run with a sliding catch along the left-field line, boosting the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 6-5 in their AL Division Series opener.

Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani has put up some of the best regular season numbers in baseball history over the past six months.

Shohei Ohtani topped Major League Baseball jersey sales for the second straight season while becoming the first player to reach 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in the same year.

Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes ended an impressive rookie season by retiring six hitters in order, including strikeouts of New York stars Juan Soto and Aaron Judge in his Yankee Stadium debut.

The New York Yankees won the AL East title for a first-round bye in the playoffs, dispatching the Baltimore Orioles with a 10-1 victory behind Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gerrit Cole.

The Major League Baseball playoffs are approaching and a Shohei Ohtani vs.

Following a one-year absence, the New York Yankees are back in the playoffs.

Aaron Judge drove in four runs in his first two at-bats, Juan Soto hit his 40th homer of the season and 200th of his career, and the New York Yankees moved to the cusp of clinching a playoff berth with an 11-2 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Aaron Judge is mashing homers at an astounding pace for the New York Yankees.

Aaron Judge ended the longest home run drought of his career with a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning that rallied the New York Yankees past the Boston Red Sox 5-4.

Aaron Judge has ended the longest home run drought of his career with a go-ahead grand slam for the New York Yankees against the Boston Red Sox.

Aaron Judge’s power outage has set a personal record.

Austin Wells hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning and added an RBI double in the eighth as the New York Yankees pulled away for a 10-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night and widened their lead in the AL East.

Even by their lofty standards, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani had quite a week.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit his 50th homer of the season, connecting in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies.

Aaron Judge hit his major-league leading 48th homer and Gerrit Cole allowed one hit in six innings to become the fourth active pitcher to reach 150 career wins as the New York Yankees beat the Cleveland Guardians 6-0.

Pinch-hitter Lane Thomas delivered a tiebreaking double to spark a six-run 12th inning, and the Cleveland Guardians outlasted the New York Yankees 9-5 in the longest major league game this season.

Parker Meadows set off fireworks with a 10th-inning single that brought hundreds of Little Leaguers to their feet and scored Zach McKinstry on a headfirst slide to give the Detroit Tigers a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees in the Major League Baseball Little League Classic.

The Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees were like kids again as they mingled with Little Leaguers ahead of the Major League Baseball Little League Classic on Sunday night.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit his 300th homer, reaching that milestone faster than any other player when he connected against the Chicago White Sox during a 10-2 victory.

Aaron Judge’s bat worked just fine in a pinch for Jazz Chisholm Jr. Chisholm hit his second homer of the game for the New York Yankees when he borrowed Judge’s bat for a late at-bat against the Phillies.

Looking to spark a struggling club, the New York Yankees acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the Miami Marlins for three minor leaguers: catcher Agustín Ramírez, infielder Jared Serna and infielder Abrahan Ramírez.

The Subway Series turned into two teams passing in different directions.

The oddsmakers say Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are the front-runners for baseball’s MVP awards.

Boston’s Jarren Duran, the All-Star MVP, hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth inning and the American League beat the National League 5-3 for its 10th win in the past 11 All-Star Games.

Paul Skenes became the fifth rookie to start an All-Star Game, retiring Steven Kwan, Gunnar Henderson and Aaron Judge for the National League in a hitless first inning.

Aaron Judge has set a franchise record for the New York Yankees on Saturday with his 34th home run before the All-Star break.

Benches cleared in the bottom of the ninth inning in Baltimore after Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad was hit in the helmet by a 97 mph pitch from New York Yankees closer Clay Holmes.

Shohei Ohtani remained the top-selling jersey during the first half of the season, followed by Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge.

Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are back in the lineup for the Philadelphia Phillies just in time for a series against Los Angeles in a matchup of National League division leaders.

Paul Skenes’ first All-Star selection was as speedy as his fastball.

Ben Rice became the first Yankees rookie to homer three times in a game and drove in seven runs as New York snapped a four-game slide with a 14-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

Shohei Ohtani has become the first player elected to start at designated hitter in four straight All-Star Games.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper were elected to start in the July 16 All-Star Game at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Francisco Alvarez went 3 for 3 with a homer and three RBIs, Tyrone Taylor added a three-run drive and the surging New York Mets routed the Yankees 12-2 for a two-game Subway Series sweep.

Cedric Mullins hit a two-run homer to spark a six-run second inning, Gunnar Henderson reached base four times and the Baltimore Orioles knocked out rookie pitcher Luis Gil early in a 17-5 rout of the New York Yankees.

Aaron Judge was out of the New York Yankees’ lineup against the Baltimore Orioles, one night after he was hit on the left hand by a pitch.

Long after his iconic “Catch” and his 660 home runs, and the daring runs around the bases with his hat falling off, Willie Mays could command a room like no other.

Yankees star Aaron Judge says X-rays and a CT scan were negative after he was hit on the left hand by a 94 mph fastball from Albert Suárez, forcing the slugger out of New York’s 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Shohei Ohtani won American League MVP honors unanimously twice in the past three years.

Trent Grisham hit a go-ahead, three-run homer, Aaron Judge and Oswaldo Cabrera also went deep and the New York Yankees rallied for a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers to prevent a three-game sweep in a series billed as a possible World Series preview.

Teoscar Hernández homered twice and drove in six runs, including a grand slam that helped power the Los Angeles Dodgers past the New York Yankees 11-3 for their second consecutive victory in this marquee matchup.

Teoscar Hernández broke up a scoreless game with a two-run double in the 11th inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Yankees 2-1 to stop New York’s season-best eight-game winning streak in a matchup viewed as a possible World Series preview.

Yankees slugger Juan Soto was removed from a game against the Minnesota Twins with left forearm discomfort.

Juan Soto homered twice, including a go-ahead drive in a four-run ninth inning against All-Star closer Camilo Doval, and the New York Yankees rallied past the San Francisco Giants 7-5.

Aaron Judge capped a spectacular May by homering twice in his first game ever in San Francisco and the New York Yankees beat the Giants 6-2.

Shohei Ohtani says he lost sleep after his translator was accused of stealing millions of dollars from the two-way baseball star.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was ejected for the first time in his career when he argued a called third strike by plate umpire Ryan Blakney in the seventh inning of Saturday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.

Crew chief Andy Fletcher says Aaron Judge should have been called for interference for his slide on a botched double-play attempt that sparked New York’s winning rally in the Yankees’ 15-5 victory at Milwaukee.

Joey Votto sure knows how to make an instant impression, going deep on the first pitch he faced as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Aaron Judge’s big toe is more than a footnote for the New York Yankees.

Juan Soto’s arrival is a sign the New York Yankees want stars to help them rebound from their worst season in three decades.

Shohei Ohtani, who has captivated baseball with his unprecedented combination of high-level hitting and premium pitching, became the first two-time unanimous Most Valuable Player when he won the American League honor.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner says he consulted with current and former players along with staff on whether to keep Aaron Boone before deciding the New York manager will return next year.

For the first time in nine years, baseball’s postseason won’t include a New York team.

Kevin Ginkel blew the last of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ three leads in a 6-4 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday, dropping them into a tie with the Chicago Cubs for the National League’s second wild card.

Aaron Judge became the first New York Yankees player to hit three home runs in a game twice in one season when he connected in the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

A win ended the New York Yankees' first nine-game losing streak in 41 years but left them 9 1/2 games out of the American League's last playoff spot.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge likely will avoid surgery on his ailing toe after the season.

Derek Jeter will attend Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day for the first time since his retirement when New York honors the 25th anniversary of its 1998 World Series championship team on Sept. 9.

Aaron Judge homered and singled twice in his second game back from the injured list and the New York Yankees topped the Baltimore Orioles 8-3.

Aaron Judge homered for the first time since returning from a toe injury, sending a 442-foot drive over the wall in center field in the third inning against Baltimore.

Anthony Santander homered off Tommy Kahnle in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Baltimore Orioles a 1-0 win over New York, spoiling Aaron Judge’s return for the Yankees.

The New York Yankees reinstated Aaron Judge from the injured list before opening a weekend road series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Aaron Judge is back in New York and could return to the Yankees’ lineup Friday night at Baltimore.

Aaron Judge is playing simulated games at the New York Yankees’ training complex in Tampa, Florida, as he gets closer to returning from a toe injury.

Aaron Judge says it would be exciting if Shohei Ohtani approaches the American League season home record the New York Yankees star set last year.