JAKE BIRD'S A YANKEE, RIGGIO'S GONE & VOLPE LIVES ANOTHER DAY

Another day, another bewildering decision from the brain trust in the Bronx. The Yankees, in their infinite wisdom (read: full-blown delusion), just traded one of their most promising prospects, Roc Riggio, to the Rockies for… wait for it… Jake Bird. A middle reliever with a glorious 4.73 ERA. I'm dead.

Jake Bird is the kind of guy you pick up off waivers in a panic at 2 a.m. after your bullpen gets torched in a 14-inning game. It is my opinion that Bird's not the guy you trade one of your best young hitters for. Yet here we are. And somehow, the people running this team think we should be excited about this.

Let’s break this down.

Bird had a shiny little 2.63 ERA through June, which looked halfway decent. Then July came along, and he exploded like a cheap firework—14 earned runs in just over five innings. His ERA ballooned like the Yankees' expectations every spring. This isn’t depth. This is damage control. Thanks alot Brian Cashman.

But here’s where it really gets infuriating: they traded Roc Riggio but are still hanging on to Anthony Volpe like he’s Derek Jeter reincarnated. I mean—what is going on here? What dirt does Volpe have on Aaron Boone? Because the obsession is getting downright bizarre.

Let’s be honest—Volpe has been awful. The kid can’t hit, he makes throwing errors like he’s allergic to first base, and every time you think he’s figuring it out, he stumbles back into another week-long slump. But hey, Boone loves him. Boone adores him. Boone talks about Volpe like he’s his long-lost son who can do no wrong. Meanwhile, Roc Riggio—a kid with legitimate pop, fire, and improving defense—gets jettisoned to Colorado because… what? He’s not in Boone’s inner circle? And we gave him up for Jake Bird.

It makes zero sense.

 

Riggio was having a monster 2025. He was showing real power, a .542 slugging percentage, and 18 home runs in the minors already this year. He was improving defensively, he plays with a chip on his shoulder, and he’s homegrown. That’s the part that stings the most. He was the kind of second baseman with a bat that plays and a personality that could’ve thrived under the lights of Yankee Stadium.

But no, the Yankees kept the guy hitting .210 and launching throws into the 15th row. It’s not just bad talent evaluation—it’s cult behavior. It’s like Boone decided Volpe was going to be a star and now no one in the building is allowed to disagree, no matter how many times he boots a routine grounder or goes 0-for-4 with three Ks.

Meanwhile, Riggio had every right to be in the same conversation. Arguably? A better offensive profile than Volpe. I'm not kidding. More contact, more pop, and fewer delusions. 

 
And here’s the kicker—Riggio could have played second base very soon. Hell, they rushed Volpe up to suck at short, they could have rushed Riggio to do a decent job at second next year if they wanted to! He could’ve been Volpe’s double-play partner! But apparently, that was too much competition for Boone’s golden child to handle. I kid, I kid.

So instead of upgrading the middle infield with a rising bat and a gritty edge, we’re throwing Riggio into the thin air of Coors Field and crossing our fingers that Jake Bird doesn’t completely fall apart in pinstripes by mid-August. Because, yeah, bullpen relievers from Colorado always thrive in the Bronx. Sure. That tracks.

 
The Yankees aren’t just playing checkers while the rest of the league plays chess—they’re flipping the board over and gluing the pieces to the ceiling. The decisions make no sense. They’re clinging to the idea of Volpe being “The Next One” while shipping off someone who might’ve actually been the better player in the long run.

It’s a bizarre, frustrating, Boone-fueled fever dream, and we’re all stuck watching it spiral deeper into absurdity.

Jake Bird, welcome to the madness. Just don’t unpack too much—you’ll probably want out of here by August 30th.