What happened with the Yankees last night?
There was no score. Seriously. If you woke up today scouring the internet for the score of yankees game last night, you probably realized pretty quickly that the lights were out at the Stadium. It is January 17, 2026. The grass in the Bronx is likely under a layer of frost, and the only guys hitting home runs right now are doing it in the cages or down in Tampa.
Baseball is in the deep freeze of the offseason.
But even without a box score, the Yankees were the biggest story in baseball last night. While the fans are waiting for the crack of the bat, the front office is playing a high-stakes game of Tetris with the roster. Yesterday, January 16, was a massive deadline day in the MLB world. It was the start of the international signing period, and the Yankees weren't just sitting on their hands.
The move everyone is talking about
Forget the scoreboard; look at the transactions. The Yankees officially landed Ryan Weathers earlier this week, but last night was about the future. Brian Cashman and his crew were reportedly finalizing a slew of international deals to bolster a farm system that has been under the microscope lately.
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The big news? The Yankees are doubling down on pitching depth.
We saw it with the Weathers trade. He’s a lefty with a pedigree—his dad David wore the pinstripes back in the 90s. It’s a legacy move, sure, but it’s also a desperate need for a rotation that looked gassed by last September. Last night wasn't about winning a game in the standings; it was about trying to make sure they don't run out of arms when it actually matters in August.
Why you're seeing scores that don't make sense
If you're seeing a result like "Yankees 3, Nationals 5" or something similar on social media today, you’re looking at a ghost. There are a few things that happen this time of year that confuse the casual fan:
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- Video Game Simulations: Streamers are constantly running "What If" seasons on MLB The Show.
- Historical Recaps: Fans often post "On this day" highlights from old playoff runs.
- Winter Ball: A few Yankees prospects are playing in the Dominican or Venezuelan winter leagues, but that’s not the "Yankees game" most people are looking for.
The reality is that the 2026 season doesn't even start its "soft opening" until February 20. That’s when the Yanks head to Sarasota to face the Orioles in the Spring Training opener. Until then, the only score that matters is the one on the balance sheet.
The AL East is a total arms race right now
While the Yankees were quiet on the field last night, their rivals were making noise. The Orioles just dropped $155 million on Pete Alonso. The Dodgers (who aren't in the East but basically haunt everyone's dreams) just gave Kyle Tucker a quarter of a billion dollars.
People are getting frustrated. You can feel it on the talk radio shows. The Yankees are showing a bit of "restraint," which is a word fans in New York absolutely hate. There’s this feeling that while other teams are buying the mall, the Yankees are clipping coupons. But with the addition of Weathers and the international signings that went down yesterday, the strategy seems to be "smarter, not louder."
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What to look for next
Since there wasn't a score of yankees game last night, you're probably wondering when you can finally see some real baseball. Here is the roadmap for the next few weeks:
- Arbitration Deadlines: This is where the remaining big-name contracts get settled so we don't have to deal with messy hearings.
- Truck Day: Early February. The equipment trucks leave the Bronx for Tampa. It’s basically a holiday for die-hards.
- February 20: The first actual game of 2026. Yankees at Orioles. Ed Smith Stadium. 1:05 PM.
If you’re itching for Yankees action, the best thing you can do right now is keep an eye on the injury reports for the guys currently rehabbing in Tampa. That’s where the real "wins" are happening in January. Keep a close watch on the rotation health; that’s going to be the difference between a deep October run and another early exit.
Check the Spring Training broadcast schedule on YES Network. It usually drops right around now, and it’s the first real sign that winter is almost over.