"EARNING A SPOT" DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING FAVORITES

What message are the Yankees sending to their kids grinding through spring training, chasing that call-up dream?

“Be electric… and we’ll book you a one-way trip to Triple-A.”

To be fair, that’s not always the rule. It just feels like the rule—until it isn’t. Consistency? Optional. Meritocracy? Situational. Favorites? Oh, they travel first class.

Just ask Jasson Domínguez.

Domínguez lit up Spring Training 2026—hitting over .325, rocking a .978 OPS, popping three homers, swiping three bags in just 13 games. In other words: he did exactly what you’re supposed to do when you’re knocking on the big-league door.

The Yankees’ response? “Great work, kid. Scranton’s lovely this time of year.”

Sure, the roster’s crowded. Fine. But you’re telling me there’s no room to rotate him in? No DH platoon, no left field reps, no real-time learning at the highest level like they do for the Volpes and the Wells of the world? Apparently not. Apparently he “needs more time.”

Meanwhile, Ryan Weathers strolls into a rotation spot with an 11.68 ERA, a 2.11 WHIP, and a souvenir shop’s worth of home runs allowed. But hey—welcome aboard, Ryan! Nice to meet you. Loved your dad, David Weathers.

And then there’s Anthony Volpe—the gold standard of “earning it.” Back in 2023, he tore up spring, hit over .300, flashed power, speed, swagger—the whole package. The word was earned. MLB.com wrote:

"Anthony Volpe earned his spot as the Yankees' Opening Day shortstop in 2023 with an elite spring training, batting over .300 with immense power and speed. He hit 3 home runs, stole 5 bases, and posted a 1.064 OPS in 19 games." He got the job.

And then… his actual career happened. At some point, “earned” stopped meaning “sustained,” and development took a backseat to stubbornness.

So yeah—in my book, Domínguez earned it. Twice over. The numbers say it. The effort screams it. The moment begged for it.

Instead, he did everything right and still got shown the door. But don’t worry—apparently, the bar isn’t performance. It’s… vibes? Timing? Lineage? Marketing? Spin the wheel.

Because if Spring Training is supposed to mean something, the Yankees forgot to tell their own players what that something is.

And that’s the real problem.

Not just the decisions—the double standards.

Not just the roster—the message.

Because right now, it sounds a lot like: “Earn it… unless we’ve already decided you didn’t.”

I hate the way this team is run.