CABALLERO VS. VOLPE BY THEIR ROOKIE NUMBERS ALONE

When you line up the rookie seasons of Anthony Volpe and José Caballero, the surface-level story feels obvious: one was the everyday shortstop for the New York Yankees, the other a versatile piece for the Seattle Mariners. One was marketed as the next face of a franchise; the other was barely mentioned outside of deeper baseball circles.

But once you move past the headlines and dig into what actually happened on the field, the comparison tells a very different story.

Back then they were 2 players on very different paths. Both players were true rookies in 2023, adjusting to major league pitching, speed, and pressure in real time. That matters. Rookie seasons aren’t just about production—they’re about how quickly a player proves they belong.

Volpe was handed the keys to shortstop in New York on Opening Day. That’s not a small thing. The Yankees don’t casually give that position away. From day one, he was positioned as the guy—the next long-term answer in a lineage that carries real weight in that city.

Caballero, meanwhile, carved out his role the harder way. He wasn’t handed a starting job. He moved around the field, filled gaps, and earned playing time through performance rather than expectation. No marketing push. No “next big thing” label. Just production where he could find it.

The Yankees didn’t just promote Volpe—they pushed him. The narrative was clear: homegrown shortstop, future star, cornerstone player. And because of that, he played 159 games. That kind of leash is rare for a rookie, especially one struggling at the plate.

Caballero? 104 games. Fewer opportunities, shorter leash, less margin for error.

So if you’re judging purely by counting stats—home runs, RBIs, total hits—Volpe looks like the clear winner. More games, more chances, more totals.

But that’s where things get misleading.

The numbers that actually matter—the ones that strip away playing time and focus on performance—tell a different story.

Caballero finished his rookie season with a .343 OBP, much higher than Volpe’s .272. That’s not a small gap; that’s the difference between a player who consistently gets on base and one who struggles to do so.

Even more telling. I hate these nerdy stats, but it's worth it here:

• Caballero posted a 98 wRC+ (essentially league average)
• Volpe came in around 84 wRC+ (well below average)

That means, relative to the league, Caballero was a more productive hitter—despite fewer games, fewer at-bats, and far less organizational backing.

And then there’s efficiency. Their OPS numbers? Nearly identical. But Caballero reached that level with less playing time and a far better on-base approach. He didn’t need volume to prove value.

Volpe, on the other hand, needed 600+ plate appearances to get there—and still didn’t match Caballero’s effectiveness.

That’s the red flag, but the Yankee front office didn't want you to dig. But this is where context matters.

Volpe wasn’t playing 159 games because he dominated—he played because the Yankees needed him to be the guy. The narrative demanded patience. The investment demanded opportunity.

Caballero had no such safety net.

And yet:

• He got on base more
• He matched overall offensive output
• He contributed elite baserunning (26 steals in limited time)

If you flip their roles—if Caballero gets 600 plate appearances and Volpe is fighting for reps—the conversation might look completely different.

This isn’t about saying Volpe is a bad player. He’s young, talented, and plays an ok defense. There could be a real upside there. But when you compare rookie seasons honestly, without narrative bias, Caballero’s year holds up—and in key areas, surpasses Volpe’s.

He was:

• More efficient offensively
• Better at getting on base
• Just as impactful overall despite fewer opportunities

And he did it without the spotlight, without the hype, and without the organizational push.

Look, the Yankees sold Anthony Volpe as the next great shortstop in New York, and that belief bought him time, reps, and patience.

José Caballero had to earn everything.

And when you strip it down to what actually happened on the field—not the expectations, not the branding, not the market size—the numbers point to a simple truth:

Caballero’s rookie season wasn’t just comparable.

It was the more telling indicator of a player who was already producing at a higher level.

SCHWARBER & THE BABE

Baseball has a funny way of sneaking history up on you. One minute you’re watching a routine Thursday doubleheader, the next you’re blinking at a stat that makes you do a full-on cartoon double take.

Here it is—the kind of number that deserves a dramatic drumroll:

Through 1,321 MLB games, Babe Ruth smashed 348 home runs.
Through 1,321 MLB games, Kyle Schwarber… hit 350.

Yes, you read that right. The Sultan of Swat has company, and it’s a guy who looks like he could just as easily be grilling burgers at your neighborhood cookout as launching baseballs into orbit.

Let’s set the stage. Ruth isn’t just a legend—he’s the legend, still sitting third all-time with 714 home runs, trailing only Barry Bonds and Hank Aaron. His name isn’t just in the record books—it practically is the record book.

So when Schwarber’s name pops up next to Ruth’s in any statistical sentence, it’s not just notable—it’s borderline absurd in the best way.

And yet, here we are.

On a breezy day at Citizens Bank Park, with the Philadelphia Phillies locked in a tight game against the San Francisco Giants, Schwarber casually did what Schwarber does: he went yard. That swing marked his 350th career home run, delivered with the same no-nonsense energy he brings to every at-bat—step in, grip it, rip it, admire the chaos.

The kicker? He reached that milestone in his 10th season, at age 33, putting him squarely on a trajectory that could see him cruise past 500 if he keeps this pace. That’s not just “pretty good.” That’s “start-clearing-space-in-Cooperstown” territory.

Schwarber’s rise isn’t built on myth or mystique like Ruth’s. There’s no sepia-toned nostalgia, no called shots—just raw power, a sharp eye, and a swing that treats baseballs like they’ve personally offended him. He’s the modern slugger: efficient, fearless, and perfectly comfortable living in the three-true-outcomes era.

But stats like this? They bridge eras. They connect black-and-white legends to high-def heroes. They remind us that while the game evolves, greatness still leaves the same unmistakable mark—over the fence.

So the next time Schwarber digs into the batter’s box, remember: you’re not just watching another at-bat. You’re watching a player who, game for game, kept pace with the most iconic power hitter baseball has ever known.

Not bad for a guy just casually rewriting expectations one moonshot at a time.

AUSTIN WELLS PLAYS AS GOOD AS A WET NEWSPAPER RIGHT NOW

What are we doing? Why do the Yankees pick wrong?

At some point, honesty stops being rude and starts being necessary. So here it is: Austin Wells is no longer a question mark for the New York Yankees—he’s an answer. And it’s not a good one.

This isn’t a slump. Slumps end. This is erosion.

Wells was supposed to bring lefty pop to a position that usually hits like a wet newspaper. Instead, he’s turned into a lineup sinkhole. We’re talking about a bat that doesn’t just go quiet—it disappears entirely. A .203 average? Minimal run production? That’s not “working through it.” That’s handing opposing pitchers a scheduled breather every third inning. For three straight seasons now, he’s hovered below league average, and not in a “just missing it” kind of way—in a “bring a flashlight, we can’t find him on the leaderboard” kind of way.

And the book is out. Breaking balls? Forget it. Sliders and sweepers don’t just beat him—they confuse him. At-bats that should have purpose instead look like guessing games where he’s always one pitch behind. Plate discipline hasn’t improved; it’s regressed. That’s a dangerous combo: less contact, worse decisions, same results.

But hey, maybe he makes up for it behind the plate? Not anymore.

Wells built his reputation on pitch framing—a subtle, valuable art that helped pitchers steal strikes and inflate effectiveness. Problem is that the league just hit delete on that skill. With the rollout of the Automated Ball-Strike system, framing has gone from prized asset to historical footnote. It’s like spending years mastering cursive only to find out the world switched to voice notes.

So, what’s left? A catcher with a below-average pop time, average blocking, and none of the physical tools that scream “difference-maker.” The one elite trait he had is now irrelevant. Everything else? Replaceable.

And then there are the moments you can’t coach away—the mental lapses. The kind that stick. The kind that make fans groan before the replay even ends. When those pile up alongside poor production, patience doesn’t just wear thin—it vanishes. This is why the conversation has shifted from “give him time” to “what are we doing here?”

Around the fanbase, the tone isn’t subtle anymore. The verdict is blunt: this looks like a backup catcher trending in the wrong direction. And on a team that claims to have championship aspirations, “backup-level and declining” isn’t a development plan—it’s a problem.

So, let’s call it what it is: the Yankees can’t keep running this out there and pretending it’s part of a winning formula. Either Wells turns into a completely different player overnight—which, let’s be honest, isn’t happening—or the team needs to act.

Trade him. Replace him. Move on.

Because right now, every game he starts feels less like strategy and more like stubbornness. And stubbornness doesn’t win in October.

DOMINGUEZ GETS ELBOW UPDATE

And everything is glorious.

For a moment there, the entire universe of New York Yankees fans froze like someone had just pulled the emergency brake on the season. Not that the Yankee offense needs him right now, that's not the point.  The point is the Yankee fans WANT him.

Because when Jasson Domínguez took a pitch straight to the elbow, this wasn’t just another “rub some dirt on it” situation. This was the future of the franchise getting smoked by 95 mph, and nobody was laughing.

He left the game. Tests followed. And then came that word—inconclusive—which in baseball terms usually translates to: “prepare for the worst and cancel your weekend.”

Domínguez, to his credit, stayed calm:
“It got me right in the elbow… Right when it hit me, my arm went numb a little bit, but since then it’s just been swelling.”

“Just swelling,” he says. Meanwhile, fans were already spiraling, imagining MRIs, specialists, and a press conference that starts with, “Unfortunately…”

But this time? Baseball showed mercy.

The tests came back clean. No structural damage. No long-term issue. Just a painful scare and a collective exhale across the Bronx.

And make no mistake—that exhale was loud, because Domínguez isn’t just another name on the lineup card. He’s the name. The one with the five-tool buzz. Fans love him. The one who looks like he was built in a lab specifically to fix everything that’s felt stale about this roster at times.

Power? Check. Speed? Easy. Presence? You feel it immediately. This is the guy the Yankees have needed—not bought, not borrowed, but grown. And to their credit, they’re finally doing the obvious: letting him play. Not hiding him. Not slow-cooking him behind veterans running on reputation fumes. Just giving him the ball, the bat, and the stage.

It only took a few years and a mountain of fan frustration, but here we are.

Which is why that pitch against the Texas Rangers hit a little harder than usual. It wasn’t just a bruise—it was a reminder of how fragile momentum can be, and how quickly things can go sideways. Thankfully, this one didn’t.

Domínguez brings life to a lineup that can drift into autopilot. He brings unpredictability to a team that sometimes feels scripted. And more than anything, he brings hope—the kind you can actually see sprinting down the line or launching a ball into the night.

So yes, disaster avoided.

But maybe take the hint: when you’ve got a player like Jasson Domínguez, you don’t get cautious to the point of paralysis. You don’t bury him in “development plans” while the big league team begs for a spark. You let him play. Because the future isn’t some abstract idea sitting in Triple-A.

For the Yankees, it’s already here—and it just took one fastball to remind everyone how much that matters.

DJ LEMAHIEU SENDS HIS GOODBYE TO THE YANKEES

There are exits in baseball that feel like slammed doors. And then there are the quiet ones—the kind where a guy just tips his cap, says thank you, and walks out like he handled everything else in his career: professionally, without noise, and with more class than the moment probably deserves.

That was DJ LeMahieu.

Nearly a year after the New York Yankees decided to move on, LeMahieu finally said his piece. No bitterness. No passive-aggressive nonsense. No “tell-all” tour. Just a simple, thoughtful message that basically said: this mattered to me.

And this time, we actually heard it in his own words:

“It’s been a minute since I’ve been in New York, but I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to the Yankees organization, my teammates, and the fans for my time there. The incredible moments on the field are something I’ll always cherish. Even though I wasn’t born there, New York will forever feel like home. Wishing the boys continued success.”

That’s it. That’s DJ LeMahieu. No fluff, no ego—just appreciation and a quiet nod on the way out.

And honestly? That tracks perfectly.

Because if you’re looking for a player who embodied what it means to be a Yankee without ever pounding his chest about it, you’re looking at LeMahieu.

This is a guy who showed up in 2019 as a sort of “nice addition”—a versatile infielder who could hit a little, move around, and hold things together. And then he proceeded to become the human equivalent of duct tape for a franchise that, at times, looked like it was being held together by hope and aspirin.

DJ quietly hit .300 and pretended none of it was happening.

He didn’t just play positions—he solved problems. First base, second base, third base… if you asked him to sell tickets between innings, he probably would’ve hit .310 doing that too.

And let’s not forget: for a stretch there, he wasn’t just good—he was elite. The kind of hitter who made you wonder if opposing pitchers had personally offended him. Line drives everywhere, at-bats that felt unfair, and an approach so calm it looked like he was late for a dinner reservation rather than facing 98 mph.

But here’s the thing about LeMahieu that stats don’t fully capture: he made the Yankees feel… stable.

No drama. No theatrics. No need to be the loudest voice in the room. While other personalities ebbed and flowed, DJ was just there—doing his job, doing it well, and making it look routine.

That matters more than people admit.

His message didn’t try to rewrite history. It didn’t beg for applause. It simply reflected what his time in New York actually was: meaningful, professional, and appreciated.

He wasn’t even from New York, and yet he said it felt like home.

That’s not something players say lightly. And it’s not something fans hand out freely.

You earn that.

And DJ LeMahieu earned it the old-fashioned way—by showing up, producing, and never making it about himself.

He didn’t leave with fireworks. No farewell tour, no curtain call, no dramatic final chapter. Just a quiet goodbye almost a year later… which somehow feels exactly right for a guy who built his entire Yankees career on letting his play do the talking.

So yeah—no bitterness here. Just appreciation.

For the hits.
For the versatility.
For the professionalism.
For being the kind of teammate every clubhouse needs and every fan base should respect.

The Yankees move on. They always do. That’s the business.

But players like DJ? They don’t get replaced so easily.

Whatever he does next, they’re getting a pro’s pro. The kind of guy who makes everything around him function a little smoother without demanding credit for it.

And if baseball has any sense of symmetry left, he’ll keep doing exactly what he’s always done:

Show up.
Do the job.
Say very little.
And somehow still be missed more than anyone expected.

LOMBARD JR. IS EARNING HIS KEEP

 

It’s honestly a little comical how the New York Yankees keep trying to roll out the red carpet for the “Anthony Volpe is back” storyline in the media. You’d think he’s been lighting up the minors for weeks. Instead, he’s barely played, had a bunch of off days, and logged just 26 at-bats. Yes, a .308 average looks great—until you remember that over 26 at-bats, a couple of bloop singles can turn you into Ted Williams overnight.

But sure, let’s keep polishing the numbers like they’re carved in stone.

Then comes the punchline: the Somerset Patriots announce his move, and somehow we’re supposed to believe fans are desperate to see him back in the Bronx. If that’s the case, someone forgot to tell… well, the fans.

Because on that very same day, George Lombard Jr. gets promoted—and suddenly the reaction is completely different. Not forced excitement. Real excitement.

From the New York Yankees Community, the quotes say it all:

“Wow. Can’t say he hasn’t earned it. Good for him.”

 “Makes sense, he was doing really well in AA.”

“Yankees are moving different rn, it’s incredible.”

“I think it’s only a matter of time before he’s up at the Major League level.”

That’s not hype—that’s momentum.

And it’s backed up by actual performance. Lombard Jr. put up a .312/.400/.571 slash line through 20 games, with a 1.009 OPS that had him near the top of the system. He even took Zack Wheeler deep for a 395-foot homer, just to make sure nobody thought it was a fluke.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are still trying to sell potential with Volpe, while Lombard Jr. is out here delivering results. One feels like a marketing campaign; the other feels like a promotion that couldn’t come fast enough.

Even the organization seems to be shifting, at least a little. Ben Rice already forced his way into relevance by producing, and Lombard Jr. looks like he’s next in line to do the same. It’s almost like performance is finally winning arguments over projections.

As for Volpe—you can point to injuries, timing, development curves, whatever you want. But eventually, production has to show up. The Yankees may still want him to be the answer, but right now, the louder answer is coming from someone else.

And if Lombard Jr. keeps this up, they won’t just hear the noise—they’ll have to act on it.

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.