MANY YANKEE FANS DON'T WANT ANTHONY VOLPE BACK

Sadly, Boone is obsessed with him. 

But seriously, let’s stop tiptoeing around it and just say what a whole lot of Yankee fans are already shouting into the void:

Most of them don’t want to see Anthony Volpe in the Bronx anymore—and they definitely don’t want to see him back with the big club right now.

Harsh? Sure. But it didn’t come out of nowhere.

Volpe is on the verge of returning, possibly as soon as Friday, and the Yankees are acting like the cavalry is arriving. Meanwhile, the numbers say he’s barely unpacked his bags in rehab. Twenty-two at-bats. Seven games. Even if he crams in a few more appearances, he’s still nowhere near the “full spring training” workload the team itself claimed he’d need.

So what exactly are we doing here?

While all this is happening, José Caballero is out there actually producing—getting on base, making plays, doing the job without fanfare. The Yankees are winning games. The machine is running. And yet, there’s this looming sense that none of it matters because the organization is just waiting to reinstall Volpe like a software update nobody asked for.

Manager Aaron Boone says he wants Volpe ready to play every day. That sounds great—until you realize his rehab hasn’t even been handled like that’s the goal. Days off, limited reps, a slow ramp. It’s not exactly screaming “this guy is about to carry the load.”

And that’s where the frustration turns into something stronger.

Because fans have watched this movie already. They’ve seen the extended leash. They’ve seen the struggles brushed aside. They’ve seen a player hit .212, commit 19 errors, battle injuries—and still be treated like an untouchable piece of the future.

At some point, patience runs out.

This isn’t about rooting against a kid for the sake of it. It’s about exhaustion. A lot of fans have simply reached the point where they don’t believe anymore. They don’t see a breakout coming. They don’t see a cornerstone. They see a player who’s been given chance after chance while others—like Caballero—have to fight for every inning.

And now, with the team playing well, the idea of forcing Volpe back into the lineup feels less like optimism and more like stubbornness from Brian Cashman and Boone.

That’s the real disconnect.

The Yankees don’t have a glaring hole right now except for Austin Wells. They’re not desperate. There’s no urgent need to rush anything. And yet, here comes the push to get Volpe back in uniform, back at shortstop, back in the spotlight—ready or not.

So yeah, the tone has shifted.

It’s no longer “we hope he figures it out.”

For many fans, it’s become: “we’ve seen enough.”

And whether that’s fair or not, it’s the reality the Yankees are choosing to ignore as they prepare to bring him back anyway.

BIG NEWS! IT'S ELMER TIME!

Yeah, I am excited and I am gonna write about it and follow this and hype this just as much as some other prospect that I refuse to name. It's Elmer Rodriguez time, y'all! It's a big deal.

I've been talking a lot about Elmer recently and for good reason. He has been damn good down in Triple-A and he has earned this opportunity. Today, we get to see Elmer make his major league debut in Arlington, Texas! Twitter at least shares my enthusiasm, this video was all over my feed.

The timing couldn't be more perfect. The Yankees decided to pitch Elmer in front of other starters because playing today keeps him close to his planned Triple-A start Tuesday. He stays close to schedule, the Yankees get an off day on Thursday and the stars align for an exciting debut. Aaron Boone thinks Elmer will get at least two starts as the Yankees wait on Carlos Rodon's return to the team. He made his first rehab start last week so now we get to see what the Yankees best pitching prospect.

Ever since the Yankees acquired Elmer from the Red Sox in a December 2024 trade for catcher Carlos Naravez, the Sox have been bragging about how good their new catcher has been doing. This trade has turned into a bigger trade than either side expected now that Narvaez has become Boston's primary catcher and finished sixth in the American League Rooking of the Year voting last season. Equally impressive, Elmer was once considered to be a mid-tier prospect knocking on Double-A's door and he has quickly climbed the ranks with an improved pitching arsenal that gives him a MLB opprtunity.

I like Elmer because he has a developed pitching arsenal. He doesn't rely on just one pitch and he can throw multiple pitches with conviction. His fastball isn't overpowering but he has good command and mixes them in with a changeup, slider, curveball and an occasional cutter. Scouts have also given good scouting reports on an above average sinker that induces a lot of ground ball action that I really would like to see for myself. He is no stranger to fooling hitters into hitting some ground balls and that talent in Yankee stadium would be a HUGE plus. 

It's been a long time since I have been this excited about a pitching prospect. In fact, if you may remember the Killer B's who were in the Yankees system from 2010-2011....it's been that long. We don't have a great history of developing pitchers. I am hoping Elmer changes that....

In fact I am hoping Elmer could be the glue that keeps this team together in the future. OKAY, no more corny jokes I promise, but I am really excited to see what this kid's got!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE YANKEES CONSTANTLY PICK WRONG

The New York Yankees are always doing it. They pick wrong.  They're the baseball equivalent of duct-taping over a leak and calling it “renovation.” They’re hot, they’re winning, and they’re giving everyone just enough dopamine to ignore the faint but persistent sound of something going wrong.

If you turn the volume down on the win column for a second, you can still hear it:

drip… drip… drip…

Two of those drips in my opinon? Paul Goldschmidt and Austin Wells.  Goldschmidt’s arrival felt like buying a classic car. Sleek. Proven. A little nostalgic. The kind of move that gets a nod of approval—until you actually try to drive it daily. Last year he started hot, then died. That should have been the first indication to not bring him back in 2026.  But they did.

According to MLB.com, Goldschmidt’s second-half fade the year prior raised legitimate questions about declining bat speed and consistency. FanGraphs backed that up, pointing to a dip in hard-hit rates and overall offensive output. Translation: this wasn’t a random cold stretch—it looked like the start of a trend.

Fast forward to now, and the numbers aren’t whispering—they’re yelling. A sluggish slash line around .125/.276/.333 isn’t “working through things,” it’s a blinking dashboard light. According to Baseball Reference, his strikeout rate has climbed to levels he hasn’t touched in over a decade. That’s not good.

And here’s the kicker: the Yankees didn’t need to do this. And if Goldschmidt is about decline, Wells is about something arguably more frustrating—a promise that hasn’t cashed in. Wells was supposed to be a bat-first catcher. That was the whole pitch. You live with the defensive imperfections because the offense makes it worth it.

Right now? The offense is more concept than reality. According to Baseball Savant, Wells’ 2026 production has lagged significantly, with stretches where his wOBA sinks into the low-.200s despite decent contact metrics. That’s often framed as “bad luck,” but the pattern has been persistent enough to raise eyebrows. Add in a strikeout rate north of 26%, and you’ve got a hitter who isn’t just slumping—he’s searching.

Which is a problem, because according to Baseball America, Wells was projected as a middle-of-the-order force. Not a role player. Not a project. A lineup anchor. That version of Wells hasn’t shown up. Where do they get this stuff from?  According to Pinstripe Alley, his plate discipline has improved—he’s walking more, chasing less—but the results haven’t followed. It’s the baseball version of eating healthy and still gaining weight. Technically progress… but not the kind you can see on the scoreboard.

Now look, I'm not a total dick. Wells does bring value behind the plate and I know this. According to MLB.com and Baseball Savant, his pitch framing has been legitimately strong, stealing strikes and helping the pitching staff. That’s not nothing.

But it’s also not everything. Because outside of framing, the defensive profile has holes. According to FanGraphs scouting evaluations, his pop time lags behind top-tier catchers, limiting his ability to control the running game. In simpler terms: runners aren’t exactly losing sleep over his arm.

According to the New York Post, even during this surge, the bottom of the Yankees lineup—including Wells—has struggled badly, posting numbers like a .143 average and a .404 OPS over a meaningful stretch. That’s not a minor issue. That’s a lineup imbalance waiting to be exploited.

Because eventually, the winning cools off. Pitchers adjust. The bloopers stop falling. And when that happens, teams don’t collapse because their stars fail—they collapse because their weak spots get exposed, like Wells, like Goldschmidt.

Right now, Goldschmidt looks like a bet on the past that isn’t paying off in the present. Wells looks like a projection that hasn’t materialized into reality, and both issues were, frankly, foreseeable.

Scouting reports dating back to Wells’ draft—according to Baseball America—questioned whether he’d stick at catcher long-term. 

The Yankees are winning. That part is real, but so are the cracks, and cracks don’t care about your record. They don’t disappear because the team rattled off seven straight. They wait. They widen. And eventually, they demand attention.

I'm a realist, don't hate me. I call it like I see it.

THE YANKEES MADE A BIG DECISION ABOUT LUIS GIL!

Another disappointing outing for Luis Gil yesterday. It's really unfortunate, because I really wanted to see him thrive and transform and find a way out of this long slump he's been in since 2024. His last start wasn't it. Gil gave up six hits in four plus innings with a lot of hard contact. It left the Yankees with no choice....

After the series ending loss to the Astros yesterday, the Yankees have optioned Gil back down to Triple-A. He was already on a short leash, but he showed us more of the same and just forced the Yankees hand. It's been a tough road for Gil since his rookie season. He hasn't been a MLB viable starter for more than a full season now. I hope they can get him back to that viable starter again but it is going to take a lot of hard work and the faster they get him back down in the minors and working on it, the better off they will be.

After Gil was sent down, the Yankees quickly made a corresponding move by calling Jasson Dominguez back up (again). This could have more to do with Giancarlo Stanton and an incoming trip to the Injured List for his calf. The Yankees are going to need another person in the outfield, and quite honestly I would like to see Aaron Judge get a partial day off by giving him a day as designated hitter against the Texas Rangers. Something else to think about though....if the Yankees want to avoid the platoon situation again and allow him the consistent at bats they need to let him play against lefties and righties. They cannot platoon him again. He needs to play everyday like he was in Triple A to allow him to get better.

So I am concerned the Yankees are going to screw that up, because let's face it they don't learn from a lot of their mistakes. But that still leaves the question of IF the Yankees are going to add another pitcher. Rolling with 12 pitchers is very risky. The Yankees don't need to add another starter right now thanks to their schedule. Honestly, they can get by until middle of May without a fifth starter but they should add another bullpen arm for some depth. Gil was going to be sent down when Carlos Rodon returns here in a couple of weeks, but unfortunately his poor performance sped up the timeline and now the Yankees need to prepare for the next best option.

So here it comes, last week I said I was focused on Elmer Rodriguez and now he could have an opportunity.... maybe. This is no way a guarantee, it fact it could be a long shot but his sinker, changeup or slider arsenal could be much more effective than Gil's changeup and flat fastball that everyone and their brother was making contact with. It's not a bad idea to give our third ranked prospect a trail run here. It feels like a smart option to give the kid the next three or four weeks to see where he is at. If we don't, it could be a missed opportunity. We need to be playing our best options and right now he could be it!

Something isn't right with Gil. The move needed to happen. Now Gil and the Yankees need to figure it out and put us in a better position in the future....with or without Gil.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

 

CABALLERO IS PROVING HE CAN MAN SHORTSTOP

Let’s not overcomplicate this: when a guy is playing well, you play him. This isn’t a philosophy class—it’s baseball.

Right now, Jose Caballero is doing everything short of grabbing the lineup card himself and penciling his own name in. A .280 average, a little pop with three homers, ten stolen bases, and defense that doesn’t make you reach for antacids? That’s not “holding down the fort.” That’s production. That’s impact.

And lately? It’s been louder. Over his last two weeks, Caballero’s been on a tear—hitting .377 with timely power and driving in runs like he’s got somewhere to be. For a stretch in early April, he turned into an on-base machine, putting up a .389/.522/.722 slash line. That’s not just good—that’s “why is this guy not playing every day?” good.

Meanwhile, Anthony Volpe—the organization’s golden ticket—is inching back from injury, and suddenly we’re supposed to believe there’s a “decision” looming.

A decision? About what?

If a player is producing at a premium position like shortstop—giving you quality at-bats, driving in runs, and playing clean defense—you don’t sit him down because someone with a better résumé is ready to clock back in. Baseball doesn’t work like a corporate office where seniority wins out. Or at least, it shouldn’t.

Sure, you rotate. Give Caballero a breather here and there. Ease Volpe back in. Nobody’s arguing against that. But the idea that Caballero is just a placeholder? That this is all temporary until the “real” guy returns? That’s where things start to feel a little… predetermined.

Because Caballero isn’t just filling in—he’s making a case.

Defensively, he’s been steady and reliable, flashing range and an easy, natural arm. The numbers back it up too—positive outs above average, strong instincts, no drama. Compare that to Volpe’s recent track: a Gold Glove in 2023, sure, but followed by a 2025 season littered with inconsistency and too many mistakes. Potential is great. Stability is better—especially if you’re trying to win now.

And that’s the part that doesn’t quite add up.

The Yankees are winning. The lineup has rhythm. There’s momentum building. And momentum in baseball is fragile—it doesn’t care about prospect rankings or long-term projections. It cares about who’s hot right now.

We’ve seen this story before. A player earns his spot the hard way, produces under pressure, and then gets nudged aside the moment the “chosen one” is ready. Not because of performance, but because of expectation.

That’s the tension here.

Volpe can develop and become talented. Nobody’s denying that. But he’s also been streaky, and at times, uncertain—especially in the field. Caballero, on the other hand, has been the opposite: steady, productive, and increasingly hard to ignore. Yet you can feel where this is heading.

Volpe’s rehab numbers look fine on paper—.273 over a handful of games—but let’s be honest: that’s against minor league pitching. It’s not exactly the same as navigating big-league arms with games on the line. So here we are, watching this unfold in real time.

Caballero is playing like a guy who deserves to stay. The Yankees, historically, operate like a team that prefers its script already written.

If they stick with the hot hand, they keep rolling.

If they don’t? Well… don’t act surprised if that “drip… drip… drip” starts echoing again.

'DAWG' SCHLITTLER GIVES YANKEES WHAT THEY NEED IN SOX SWEEP

The Yankees are cooking right now, and the one-two punch of Max Fried and Cam Schlittler has me doing a double take every time I look at the box score. Something has clearly clicked with this pitching staff. You can feel it. The confidence, the execution, the “good luck hitting that” energy—it’s all there.

Now, before anyone starts planning the parade down the Canyon of Heroes, let me be clear: it’s April. I’m not getting carried away. I am Robert Casey of Bleeding Yankee Blue. I will get you happy and then burst your birthday balloon right in front of you. I'm a realist. Baseball has a funny way of humbling you the second you start getting comfortable. But at the same time… you’d have to be blind not to see that something real is happening here.

And then there’s Schlittler—an absolute menace on the mound. The guy is a straight-up dawg. I mean, seriously, a 1.77 ERA? That’s not just good, that’s borderline ridiculous. And the wild part? He’s dealing with garbage off the field—death threats aimed at him and his family—and still going out there and shoving like it’s just another day. That’s not just talent, that’s toughness. Also, let’s get something straight: threatening players over a game is beyond stupid. It’s baseball. Get a grip.

Anyway, back to the part that actually makes sense—the Yankees are winning games. They’re 16–9, sitting on top of the American League, and just took another one from the last-place Boston Red Sox in their own building. And it wasn’t even a masterpiece offensively. The bats took their sweet time waking up. They had the bases loaded in the fourth and came away with nothing—strikeouts from Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham, plus a harmless popup from Randal Grichuk. That’s usually the kind of inning that comes back to haunt you.

But not this team. Not right now.

They found a way anyway, because that’s what this team seems to do when things are clicking—they win the games they probably shouldn’t, or at least right now. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t explosive, but it was enough. And “enough” has been more than enough lately.

Look, I’m still keeping one foot on the ground. I’ve seen too many seasons go sideways to start declaring anything in April. But I’m also not going to pretend this isn’t fun. The last three games? Yeah, they’ve put a smile on my face.

Let’s see how long they can keep this thing rolling.

 

THE ONLY "MATCHUP" BOONE SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT IS PLAYING BEN RICE EVERYDAY

Don't overthink it, you tool. 

This isn’t a tough call—it’s baseball, not a Sudoku puzzle. Play Ben Rice. Every. Single. Day.

The guy’s 27, he’s scorching hot, and he’s hitting everything with seams. When a bat is that alive, the only strategy is simple: stop overthinking and stay out of the way. Momentum is a fragile thing—you don’t bench it, you feed it.

Of course, Aaron Boone will roll out the usual “we like the matchups” explanation when Rice gets a day off. But here’s the problem: right now, the matchup is Rice. Lefty, righty, doesn’t matter—he’s been handling both like it’s batting practice. That’s more reliable than any color-coded spreadsheet getting passed around the dugout.

Boone loves to sound like he’s playing 4D chess, but sometimes the smartest move is the most obvious one. Trust what you’re seeing. Trust the results. Maybe even—wild idea—trust your gut.

Now we’ve got Boone saying Rice “can handle 162 games,” like he just cracked the Da Vinci Code. Breaking news: a 27-year-old professional athlete can play baseball regularly. Stunning. Truly groundbreaking analysis.

To be fair, it’s good Boone recognizes how valuable Rice has been—because right now, he might be the Yankees’ best hitter. While Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are still heating up, Rice showed up hot and never cooled off. A .319 average, eight homers, 18 RBIs—those numbers don’t appear out of thin air. They come from being in the lineup… wait for it… almost every day.

And if you asked Rice? He’s not lobbying for a carefully curated “150-game sweet spot.” He wants to play. Every day. Like any hitter who feels like he can’t miss.

So why did Boone’s “162 games” comment even become a headline? It’s not insight—it’s common sense dressed up like strategy. There’s nothing revolutionary about letting a 27-year-old who’s mashing stay in the lineup.

At the end of the day, good managing isn’t about sounding smart when things are going well—it’s about steering the ship when they aren’t. That’s where the real test is.

So here’s the bottom line: play Rice every day. Ride the hot streak until it cools off, then think about a breather. It’s not complicated. It’s just baseball—gut-level, common-sense baseball.

I BELIEVE IN WARREN, BUT I'M NOT THERE YET WITH WEATHERS

Will Warren is starting to make me rethink things—and I don’t say that lightly.

I’ve watched enough of him now to admit it: the kid is growing up in front of us. Not in a flashy, highlight-reel way every night, but in that quieter, more annoying-to-opposing-teams way where suddenly the box score looks clean and you’re not entirely sure when it stopped being a “question mark” start and turned into “oh, he’s actually getting us through this.” I’m not all-in on the hype train, but I’ll give credit where it’s due—he’s finding real footing.

After a 2025 rookie season where he basically became a baseball workhorse—33 starts, steady production, and the kind of availability managers dream about—he’s carried that into 2026 and turned the dial up. Through his first five starts, the results have taken a noticeable step forward, with a 2.49 ERA that doesn’t feel like a small sample fluke so much as a continuation of real development.

What’s changed isn’t just luck or vibes either. There’s been actual refinement here. A slight tweak in his positioning on the rubber, some mechanical cleanup, and suddenly his stuff is playing up. The metrics back it too—better command, more strikes in the zone, and most importantly for a Yankees fan’s blood pressure, fewer free passes. He’s attacking hitters instead of auditioning for a full-count drama series every inning.

And durability? That part matters more than people admit. Thirty-three starts last year wasn’t just a stat—it was survival. Now he’s carrying that same “give me the ball every fifth day” energy into this season and actually pitching deep enough into games to let the bullpen breathe. That alone earns you a few extra innings of goodwill in New York.

So yeah… prove me wrong, Will. I kind of like where this is going.

Now, Ryan Weathers is a different conversation entirely—and I’m not ready to be sold just because the box score smiled at him once.

I’m calling the last good outing what it felt like: a break in the weather, not a forecast change. There’s history here that makes Yankees fans side-eye these things anyway—his name alone carries a faint echo from a different era, and no, that doesn’t automatically translate into present-day trust.

And look, I get it, he’s had moments this season. But there’s still a lot of “hold on a second” baked into his profile. He’s had starts where things get loud in a hurry—like the April 14 outing where the Angels turned the baseball into souvenir material. It was one of those weird stat lines where you almost have to double-check the franchise record book just to confirm it actually happened: double-digit strikeouts mixed with multiple home runs allowed in the same game. That’s not balance—that’s chaos with a uniform on.

The underlying concerns are still there too. Too much hard contact. A barrel rate that makes you wince a little. A ground-ball profile that doesn’t quite rescue him when the ball is lifted in a park like Yankee Stadium. And when hitters aren’t missing, the pitch count climbs fast enough that you can practically see the bullpen phone ringing before the fifth inning ends.

Even some of the deeper evaluations have pointed out the same thing: the secondary pitches flash potential but don’t always behave, and when the curve or changeup isn’t landing, things tend to unravel quickly. The result is usually the same storyline—five-ish innings, a few too many stressful frames, and a manager quietly hoping the bullpen remembered to stretch.

So where does that leave it? Honestly, somewhere in the middle of “interesting addition” and “let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

The Yankees, as a whole, are rolling right now. The rotation has held together better than expected, and there’s real reason for optimism. But not every piece is equally convincing just yet. Warren feels like he’s trending upward and earning trust start by start. Weathers still feels like a guy you keep watching with your arms crossed, waiting for the sample size to stop arguing with itself.

For now, it’s working. The results are there as a team. But some stories are still being written in pencil—and Weathers is very much one of them. Sorry, it wouldn't be Bleeding Yankee Blue without a harsh, real opinion. Deal with it.

BEN RICE IS THE REAL DEAL

Something funny has happened in the Bronx, and no—it’s not another mystery injury or a bullpen game gone sideways. It’s Ben Rice turning into an absolute menace at the plate, and doing it in a way that screams, “this is real, deal with it.”

Back in 2024, Rice looked like a guy with promise but also like someone who might get lost in the endless shuffle of Yankees roster experiments. The batting average didn’t jump off the page, and casual fans probably shrugged. But underneath that modest surface was something far more interesting—loud contact, strong barrel rates, and the kind of metrics that quietly whisper, “just wait.”

Well, waiting is over.

By late April 2026, Rice hasn’t just arrived—he’s kicked the door in, rearranged the furniture, and claimed a permanent seat in the lineup. This isn’t a hot streak fueled by bloopers and wind-aided home runs. This is a full-blown Statcast-backed takeover. We’re talking top-tier, elite-level contact. It’s the kind of number you expect from the guys who get paid to hit cleanup in October.

And if you’re looking for proof that this isn’t smoke and mirrors, the expected numbers are basically nodding along in agreement. His xwOBA and expected slugging are right there with the actual production, which is a polite analytical way of saying: yeah, this is exactly what should be happening. And you know I hate talking about weird stats, but this guy is doing great things.

But here’s where it gets even better—because the easy thing would’ve been to label Rice as a platoon bat and move on like Boone was doing. A nice little role player who sits when a lefty is on the mound. Except Rice apparently didn’t get that memo. He’s hammering left-handed pitching to the tune of well over .300, launching homers, and generally making that whole “platoon” conversation look outdated. Even Aaron Boone has had to admit the obvious, noting Rice’s progress against southpaws. Translation: you can’t take this guy out of the lineup anymore without it looking ridiculous.

And yet… this is the Yankees we’re talking about. Which means somewhere, at some point, there will be a temptation. A lineup shuffle. A “rest day.” A matchup-based benching that makes everyone collectively scream into their coffee.

Let’s be clear: that cannot happen.

If Boone even thinks about pulling Rice out of the lineup while he’s doing this, Brian Cashman should be on the phone to the dugout before the lineup card is even finished printing. Not a casual call, either. The kind of call that says, “What are we doing here?” followed shortly by, “Let’s not do that again.” And if the message doesn’t land? Well… there are bigger conversations to be had. Like Fire Boone? Wishful thinking.

Because Rice isn’t just producing—he’s doing it with a blend of power and discipline that teams spend years trying to develop. He’s walking, he’s hunting fastballs like he’s got the answer key, and that subtle swing adjustment he made on his own has turned him into a fastball-destroying machine. Pitchers try to sneak one by him, and it ends up in the seats. It’s not complicated.

Through the first few weeks of 2026, he’s hitting over .300, piling up home runs, and running an OPS that lives north of 1.200. That’s not “nice start” territory—that’s “build the lineup around this guy immediately” territory. And he’s doing it while driving in runs, stepping into big spots, and stabilizing a lineup that’s had its share of early-season chaos.

What really stands out, though, is the confidence. You can see it. This is not a fill-in. This is not a placeholder. This is a former 12th-round pick who has developed into a legitimate force, someone who can play first, slide into DH, and—most importantly—hit anywhere you put him.

The New York Yankees don’t just have a good story here. They have a solution. A middle-of-the-order bat who’s proving, night after night, that the numbers are real, the adjustments are real, and the production is very, very real.

So, the plan is simple: write his name in the lineup. Every day. In ink. Not pencil. Not “we’ll see.” Not “depending on matchups.”

Because if Ben Rice is hitting, the Yankees are dangerous. And if Boone decides that’s optional, he's missing the point entirely, which he does all the time.

WHY I LOVE SPENCER JONES

Wow!, When I read Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa's piece called FIVE TOOL TALENT OR NOT, JONES DOESN'T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES!, I didn't realize how much she didn't like Spencer Jones.  Then she decided to break my chops about it! How dare she. Well look, I guess it's time to explain where my heads at when it comes to Jones.  Here we go...

There are two types of baseball fans in this world: the ones who panic at a strikeout… and the ones who understand that sometimes a strikeout is just the price of admission for absolute chaos.

If you’re watching Spencer Jones right now and clutching your pearls every time he swings through a pitch, take a deep breath and open a history book—specifically the chapter on Reggie Jackson, patron saint of “yeah he struck out, but did you see where that last ball landed?”

Because the parallels? Oh, they’re spicy. Let’s start with the obvious: Spencer Jones is basically a walking science experiment in power. According to Baseball America, early in 2026 he’s already showing the full “three true outcomes” experience—homers, walks, and strikeouts—with 19 strikeouts in just 37 plate appearances (a 51.4% rate).

That’s not a typo. That’s a “hide your children, hide your batting average” kind of number.

But here’s the thing: five of his seven hits went for extra bases. When he connects, it’s not a single—it’s a small event registered by NASA.

And this isn’t some fluky April heater. In 2025, Jones mashed 35 home runs with a .571 slugging percentage across Double-A and Triple-A, while still running a strikeout rate north of 35%. Translation: yes, he swings and misses a lot… but when he hits the ball, it files a police report.

Now let’s talk about the ghost of Yankee Stadium past—the guy everyone forgets struck out a ton because all anyone remembers are October fireworks. Reggie Jackson didn’t just strike out a lot. He holds the all-time MLB record with 2,597 strikeouts.

That’s not “he struck out a bit.” That’s “he struck out more than anyone who has ever picked up a bat.”

And yet…

• 563 home runs
• 1,700+ RBIs
• Five World Series rings
• A casual nickname of Mr. October because he treated the postseason like his personal fireworks show

Oh—and according to MLB stats, he struck out 100+ times in 18 different seasons. Eighteen! If Twitter existed in 1972, Reggie would’ve been DFA’d by June and trending under #TooManyKs. Here’s where it gets fun. A young Reggie Jackson was exactly what Spencer Jones is now: a terrifying, flawed, unbelievably dangerous hitter. In 1968, for example, Jackson hit 29 home runs while striking out 171 times—a massive number for that era.

Back then, that kind of strikeout total practically came with a handwritten apology note to the fanbase. But guess what teams realized? Runs matter more than aesthetics. Because here’s the dirty little secret about baseball that drives batting-average purists insane:

A strikeout and a weak groundout are exactly the same thing. One just looks uglier.

And if the trade-off is that your “ugly” hitter also launches 35+ home runs, drives in runs, and changes games with one swing… you live with it. Happily. You send it flowers. Reggie Jackson was the blueprint. According to MLB analysis, his power production was 80% better than league average, even while his strikeout rate was way above his peers. Teams didn’t just tolerate the strikeouts—they accepted them as part of the deal for elite production.

Which brings us back to Spencer Jones, a 6-foot-7 problem for opposing pitchers. He’s already shown a Light-tower power (multiple HR bursts in spring and minors), Elite extra-base hit ability as well as the ability to change a game with one swing. And yes… a strikeout rate that makes hitting coaches wake up in a cold sweat.

But here’s the key: the Yankees don’t need Spencer Jones to be a contact hitter. They need him to be a run producer. And according to MLB.com reporting, even the organization understands that his strikeouts may simply be the “tradeoff” for his elite power.

Sound familiar? That’s literally the Reggie Jackson experience. So, let’s say it plainly, you Jeana, are you listening? If Spencer Jones becomes a guy who hits 35–45 home runs, drives in 100 runs, and wins games… nobody is going to care if he strikes out 200 times. Not in the Bronx. Not anywhere. Because baseball history has already answered this question.

The all-time strikeout king is also one of the greatest sluggers to ever live. So, the next time Spencer Jones swings through a pitch and the crowd groans, just remember—you’re not watching a flaw.

You’re watching the cost of doing business for a potential star. Reggie Jackson paid that price. And if things break right? Spencer Jones might too. And if that happens, Yankees fans won’t be counting strikeouts…

They’ll be counting rings. One would hope.

THE YANKEES PROSPECT YOU SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO!

No, I am not talking about Spencer Jones. It's no secret by now I am OVER that guy. Casey digs him, I don't. NEXT.

So who is next? I'm watching Elmer Rodriguez. If you don't know who he is, he's the Yankees number three prospect who opened eyes at spring training. It was easy to watch that other guy who is overhyped. The real story just might be Elmer!

In all my time here, I have a history for getting excited about pitching prospects and Elmer is my latest. I am anxiously awaiting his next start to see how he builds upon his impressive start of the season. In three starts, he has pitched 15.2 innings, struck out 13 and has a ridiculous 1.15 ERA. In his last start he threw first pitch strikes to 17 of the 21 batters he faced. Yes, that gets me excited. 

Another thing that gets me excited, is when we can stead some good talent from Boston. We did that with Cam Schlittler and Elmer could be another good pick up. Schlittler popped on the scene in a big way last season and Elmer had a good season in the minors. In 27 games last season, he struck out 176 batters and held opponents to a .192 BA. He's got a good sinker in his pitching arsenal and all good things that give me tingles. Boston drafted him in the fourth round in 2021 and traded him to us in exchange for catcher Carlos Narvaez and that could pay dividends in the future.

It's early in the season, and he has more to prove in Triple-A but you never know what the Yankees may need later in the season. If he continues to progress, he could force the Yankees hand and make it impossible for the Yankees not to give him a call up. Right now a lot has to go wrong with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon getting closer to return but there have been question marks with Luis Gil and his ability to be a reliable starter after he has regressed since his 2024 rookie season.

The Yankees have proven they are not shy about calling young studs up. We saw it last year with Schlittler, and if Elmer keeps pitching the way he is now the Yankees would be stupid not to give him a shot to help this team win the division.

Elmer's not ready yet, but he's getting closer and I like what I am seeing.
All eyes on Elmer!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE YANKEES & ASTROS SWAP NOBODIES!

The Yankees get better and better at frustrating fans and now players alike. Back in February, the Yankees designated Braden Shewmake for assignment to clear up a spot on the 40-man roster. But he sat in limbo waiting....and waiting until yesterday.

On Sunday, after waiting two and a half months, Shewmake was traded to the Houston Astros for pitcher Wilmy Sanchez. The shortstop that had no clear path to the majors and just sat around cleasring up a 40-man roster spot for all of last season is officially gone. This is what frustrates me about the Yankees. We had no where to put him, and he was not a clear upgrade over Anthony Volpe but let's just let him hold on to a valuable spot that anyone else could have and we could've used. That's the New York Yankee way.

And there was no reason to keep Shewmake as long as we did. He was bad at Scranton last season with a .244 BA and he was on pace for more of the same this spring. Even an extensive injury history in the infield would not have given him a golden opportunity at the big league level. We just like to hold onto scrubs.

The Astros, unfortunately need him. They have significant injuries they are dealing with and let Mauricio Dubon walk over the winter so now they are desperate and get the Yankees leftovers. Not that we are left with much better.....

So now we have Sanchez, the Astros leftovers. He's going to be the latest reclamation project for the Yankees. We all know how much Brian Cashman loves those. Now Matt Blake gets another pitcher he has to try and tune up. I will say if Blake can work his magic there COULD be an upside but it is a gamble. In 61 innings pitched last season he only gave up six home runs so it will be interesting to see if he can keep that success in New York. He also recorded 75 strikeouts so he has potential....but he does have some serious command issues holding him back but at 22 years old, he's still young enough to mold and get him ready for big league play.

Potential is always nice, but we are all tired of watching the Yankees go dumpster diving for projects. This strategy has blown up in our faces now with Camilo Doval and Jake Bird. Not to mention, there is still some trauma lingering from the failures of Clay Holmes, Mark Leiter Jr and Jonathan Loaisiga and honestly I could continue with this list but I am gonna save myself some PTSD....it's going to be a long season.

The Yankees and Astros swapped nobodies this weekend. As we sit and wait for the Yankees to make a deal for a difference maker, we all age a little more and grow more frustrated. These are not the moves of a contender, but a pretender.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj