CASHMAN'S "AGGRESSIVE" LOOKING FOR A RIGHT-HANDED BAT APPARENTLY

You ever notice how every time you read about the Yankees—whether it’s in the paper, on a blog, or scribbled on a napkin at a Bronx deli—there’s always this obsession with “upgrading”? Like it’s some kind of annual tradition. Fire up the trade machine, cue the mystery sources, and panic about right-handed bats. Meanwhile, the Yankees? They're actually doing just fine. Even with injuries, even with Boone as their manager, the team’s humming along like a well-oiled pinstriped machine. It’s almost... refreshing.

But of course, here comes USA Today’s Bob Nightengale to shake the snow globe. In a May 25, 2025, report, he declared that the Yankees are “aggressively” hunting for a right-handed bat. Aggressively! You’d think Brian Cashman was on a safari.

Look, Bob Nightengale’s been around forever, and he’s got a knack for drama, but he’s also got a résumé of rumors that read like a choose-your-own-adventure gone wrong. 

If his scoop turns out to be nonsense, no worries—he just tosses out the ol' “anonymous source” shield and skates off untouched. It's the media equivalent of ghosting your fantasy league after drafting six injured players. You see where I'm going with this?

Anyway, on to some names being thrown into the Yankees’ hypothetical shopping cart. Nick Deeds of MLBTradeRumors.com chimed in with some “could-be” options: Otto Lopez (Marlins), Lenyn Sosa (White Sox), and Amed Rosario (Nationals). Deeds notes that right-handed infielders are slim pickings this year, which sounds about right—like looking for WiFi in a tunnel.

• Otto Lopez is slick with the glove at second base—no doubt. But guess what? We already have a second baseman. This isn’t musical chairs.

• Lenyn Sosa is hitting .280 with a .696 OPS, which is perfectly fine if you’re looking for “decent” infield depth and not a lineup-changing force.

• Amed Rosario is batting .303 with two home runs and one stolen base as of May 31. Nice numbers, but are we really sprinting to the phones for that?

These are plug-and-play types, sure. But the million-dollar question remains: Do we even need this right now? The team is rolling. The vibes are good. The wins are coming even though last night sucked. Even with some guys down, the roster is answering the bell.

Look—I love rumor season as much as the next baseball junkie. It’s like hot stove Christmas. But let’s be real: a lot of these stories are clickbait sugar highs. They’re fun for a day or two, then disappear faster than a SnapChat from Hal Steinbrenner. No trade. No truth. Just smoke, mirrors, and someone hoping to spike their engagement numbers.

That said, we report everything here. Rumors, speculation, trades, tantrums—you name it. But we also give our thoughts, and more importantly, we trust our eyes. 

The Yankees are getting the job done. So BYB freaks, keep your heads on straight. Do the research. Dig into the facts. Don’t get played by a headline.

You’re smarter than that.

WHEN GAMES GET TIGHT, BOONE FOLDS

The dude is clueless. The dude is unfit to run this team. Everyone on the east coast was yelling into their TV. We all knew that Ohtani was about to crush us. I'd even suggest that Fried knew that Ohtani had seen enough of his stuff to make a dominant swing. You know who didn't get any of it? Aaron Boone.

Managing a baseball team when everything’s going right? That’s easy. Just sit back, spit sunflower seeds, and ride the wave. But managing when things get messy? When tension hangs over a game like a storm cloud? That’s when a real manager earns his paycheck.

So, what does Aaron Boone do in those moments? He takes a nap with the bullpen phone unplugged.

Let’s not sugarcoat it. Friday night in Los Angeles was a statement game—the kind of matchup the Yankees should treat like Game 1 of the World Series. Instead, Boone treated it like a Tuesday in June. The Dodgers came ready for war. Boone brought a wet sponge.

Sure, some fans will try to pin this one on Max Fried. He gave up a solo shot to Shohei Ohtani, then got burned eventually. But if you’ve been watching baseball for more than five minutes, you know the third time through the order is where good pitchers become vulnerable and great managers earn their stripes. Boone didn’t even bother to reach for the Sharpie.

This wasn’t just any hitter, either. It was Shohei Ohtani. You let him see a pitcher three times in one night and expect a miracle? That’s not managing. That’s gambling with someone else’s chips.

Boone froze. Again. Like he always does when the pressure ratchets up. Ohtani crushed another ball into the Hollywood Hills, Freddie Freeman doubled twice and collected three hits, and the defending champs feasted on a manager who clearly didn’t read the scouting report—or didn’t care to.

That once-comfortable 5–2 Yankees lead? Gone faster than Boone’s postgame accountability.

Even after Fried was finally yanked—far too late—the bleeding didn’t stop. The Dodgers racked up four runs in the inning, some before Fried left, some after. Doesn’t matter. The damage was done, and Boone stood there like a guy watching a wine glass fall off the table in slow motion.

And for good measure, Boone decided to pinch-hit DJ LeMahieu in the eighth with two runners on and two outs, even though DJ’s OPS looks like a typo on the back of a Little League card. Predictably, he flied out, threat over, inning dead, hope extinguished. It's fun to try to give guys a chance Boone but do it when the pressure is off and guys like DJ can build some confidence. It was like he pulled his name randomly from a hat. This wasn’t just poor decision-making—it was managerial malpractice.

The Yankees needed a tactician. They got a bystander. Again.

And that’s why this team hasn’t sniffed a championship under Boone. When the lights get bright and the games get tight, he always seems to fold. It's not the first time he's mismanaged a pivotal moment, and it won’t be the last. He’s had years to grow into this job, and yet the learning curve still looks like Mount Everest.

This loss doesn’t land squarely on Max Fried’s shoulders. It lands on Boone's. He didn’t adjust. He didn’t react. He didn’t manage.

And if you’re wondering why the Yankees didn’t win the World Series last year—or why they won’t win it this year—look no further than the top step of the dugout.

Leadership matters. Sadly, we just don’t have any.

Today’s another chance to prove someone in pinstripes actually has a pulse. But if Boone’s holding the reins again… expect more of the same.

WILLIAMS, STANTON, VOLPE, STROMAN NAMED IN BRAIN-MELTING TRADE RUMORS

The story comes from the Hudson Reporter. Is it true? No one knows for sure, but this is the quote that leads the article: " Four of their well-known players—Giancarlo Stanton, Marcus Stroman, Anthony Volpe, and Devin Williams—could be traded. But inconveniently, the rumors come at a time when the team is dealing with both injuries and changes in performance."

I mean, what?

Okay, I’ll just say it—I’d personally drive Anthony Volpe to the airport if it meant getting rid of him. That’s how little faith I have in the guy right now. But ironically, that probably means the Yankees won’t trade him. Because that’s how this team operates: cling to the overhyped, coddle the underperforming, and act like you’re the smartest guy in the room. And yet, here we are… floating the names of Giancarlo Stanton, Marcus Stroman, and yes—even Volpe—in actual trade rumors. What world is this?

Giancarlo Stanton to the Mariners?

According to the Hudson Reporter (not usually your go-to for hardball rumors, but let’s roll with it), the Yankees might be looking to unload Giancarlo Stanton to Seattle. Now we have seen this story before.  Read TRADE IDEA SENDS STANTON TO SEATTLE... BUT WHO WE TRADING FOR?  In the end, that article was written by Clutchpoints and there was no indication on who we would get in return from the Mariners. Look don't get me wrong, Stanton gets hurt alot, but he’s a hulking, injury-prone slugger who occasionally wakes up and crushes 450-foot homers like it’s a video game. And now that Ben Rice and a few other hitters are showing signs of life, the Yankees might think, Hey, maybe we can live without this $300 million meat statue! But there's the problem with all of this; who would take this guy at this point unless we were paying the rest of his contract? It would be alot of work for Cashman.

I mean, sure, why not? But good luck convincing anyone to take on his contract without begging Hal Steinbrenner to throw in cash, a pitching prospect, and maybe a heartfelt apology letter.

Here's another thing. Stroman might be more tradeable. Weird, right? Now here’s one that makes a little twisted sense. Marcus Stroman has a player option for 2026, but get this—he may not be healthy enough to trigger it. So naturally, the Yankees might look to trade him before he even has a chance to come back and make things more complicated.

In other words, his injury actually helps his trade value. I’m not sure if that’s clever front-office maneuvering or just dumb luck wrapped in a Band-Aid, but at any rate, blame Bob Nightengale for that theory.

But here's my favorite one. Volpe for Ozzie Albies! I mean, let's go! According to Hudson reporter, some "experts" (quotation marks required) are imagining a scenario where the Yankees flip Volpe for Ozzie Albies of the Braves.

Let’s break this down: Albies is 28, has three All-Star nods, and a contract so cheap it makes dollar pizza look like a luxury item—seven years, $35 million, with two team options. But he’s also batting .225 with five homers and just 0.2 bWAR this season, so… maybe the Braves are ready to say bye-bye and try something new. And when it comes to Volpe, I feel the same. But, the Hudson Reporter claims the Yankees "lack a solid backup at shortstop," which, I’m sorry, is just lazy research. Hello? Oswald Peraza is still very much a thing. The guy’s glove is big-league ready and if you actually gave him consistent reps—something Aaron Judge himself has lobbied for—you might even get some offense out of him. I’m not saying he’s the next Jeter, but come on, we’ve seen worse.

As for moving Oswaldo Cabrera to short? Well, the universe immediately struck him down with a severe ankle injury. Jazz Chisholm? He hasn’t played short since 2021, so let’s not pretend he’s a plug-and-play option either.

And now finally, Devin Williams. The once dominant reliever, now set up guy might be shipped to the Phillies, per a hypothetical deal suggested by Clutch Points’ Garrett Kerman. The proposed return? Outfielder Jordan Viars and righty Andrew Baker. But here's a question. Why would Philly want Williams? Well, closer José Alvarado just got slapped with an 80-game PED suspension, and he’s not allowed to pitch in October. That’s a big ol’ hole for a first-place team. Williams, despite some bumps, still flashes that Bugs Bunny changeup and could be the answer. Meanwhile, the Yankees get a young bat and a hard-throwing arm—classic deadline upside lottery tickets.

So What Does It All Mean?

Let’s not kid ourselves: some of these rumors make sense (Stroman, Williams), some are wishful thinking (Stanton), and others, like Volpe-for-Albies, make you squint and go, “Wait, are we really talking about this?” But that’s the beauty of the trade deadline—it turns everyone into armchair GMs and forces us to imagine insane scenarios that might just make our team a little better, or at least more watchable.

Whatever happens, it’s coming fast. The deadline will be here before we know it. So, buckle up, clear your Twitter feed, and prepare for a bunch of names to get tossed around like batting practice balls. Maybe—just maybe—we’ll be shocked in a good way.

But knowing the Yankees? They’ll probably stand pat and remind us how much they “believe in the guys in this room.”

Yikes.

ANOTHER 3RD BASE OPTION BECAUSE WE ARE FALLING OVER OURSELVES FOR CONTENT

Let’s begin with what we already know—because it’s been screamed into the baseball ether more times than Boone’s been ejected for arguing balls and strikes. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is coming back, and the Yankees are planning to plant him at third base. 

DJ LeMahieu? He’ll be staying at second, where he’s aged into the kind of defensive wizardry that deserves its own statue. The man’s 36, has the range of a shortstop, and has been so good at second, it’s almost criminal to consider moving him. Plus, it's probably smarter at this point.

But just because the infield is set doesn’t mean all of us sports writers can’t have a little hot stove fever in June for the hell of it. Why not toss out a wild name or two and see what sticks? Enter Connor Norby, Miami Marlins third baseman, and recent subject of speculative trade fun courtesy of Jacob Mountz over at Yardbarker.

Now, Mountz makes a decent case—and here comes the obligatory actual quote for the folks who still care about facts:

“In his 2024 rookie campaign, Norby hit .236 with nine home runs in 176 at-bats for the O’s and Marlins, displaying some promising power potential. This season, his power has wavered after returning from injury, but he is beginning to excel as a contact hitter. Norby is slashing .276/.319/.425 with three home runs in 127 at-bats since his return. However, more recently, Norby has shown signs of turning a corner.”

Not bad! In fact, those are numbers you’d absolutely consider if the Yankees had, say, a black hole at third base, a carousel at second, or were playing Peraza at both simultaneously just for laughs. But that’s not the case here.

Here’s where I admit something: when the Yankees are rolling, it gets tough to stir the content pot. I’m that curmudgeonly guy shouting at people to get off the metaphorical Yankee Stadium lawn. I critique. I second-guess. I still don’t know how Aaron Boone wakes up each morning, walks past a mirror, and says “Yep, I should still be managing this team.” The guy couldn’t manage a drive-thru, let alone a pitching staff.

But when the team is good—or, heaven forbid, off for a day—we all turn into wish-casting lunatics. We suggest trades. We dream up bold moves. It’s part of the fun. Even though third base is clearly Jazz’s job at this point. I mean, it's out there and on record. Even though DJ isn’t going anywhere at 2nd. Even though Oswald Peraza is sitting on the bench wondering if someone’s going to fake an injury so he can finally get a couple starts.

So, do we need another speculative piece about a guy like Connor Norby? Of course not.

But is it still kind of fun to think about? Absolutely. That’s baseball. And hey, shoutout to Mountz—he did the work, laid out the numbers, and stirred up the what-if machine. Norby may not be headed to the Bronx, but the idea of it is the kind of harmless summer daydreaming that keeps baseball fun even when your team doesn’t need fixing.

My take? Yankees don’t need Norby. They’re flush with infielders, the lineup’s humming, and unless Brian Cashman has a serious “look at this shiny new toy” moment, nothing’s changing.

Still… keep dreaming, folks. It’s what we do.

Carry on.

JAZZ CHISHOLM: TEAM GUY!

Look who’s almost back. That’s right, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is inching closer to a return, and I, for one, am thrilled. Not just because he’s electric on the field and makes things happen, but because he gets it. He’s a team-first kind of guy—and in a clubhouse that’s finally clicking, that matters.

And let’s give some rare credit to Aaron Boone for not overthinking things. DJ LeMahieu is finally heating up at second base. Why mess with a good thing? DJ’s settled in, the glove is sharp, and the bat’s waking up. So, Jazz coming back to play third? Chef’s kiss. Logical, practical, and, dare I say, the exact move a team with playoff aspirations should make.

Now let’s rewind for a moment—remember when Chisholm strained his right oblique back on April 29 against the Orioles? That stung. Oblique strains are tricky, and the early estimate was four to six weeks on the shelf. But here we are, almost right on schedule, and the recovery is looking solid.

Jazz has officially entered the rehab phase of his comeback tour, suiting up for the Double-A Somerset Patriots in a game against the delightfully named Akron RubberDucks. But the most important part? He’s getting reps at third base. It's what the Yankees want. That’s where Jazz is headed.

“This week is about getting him comfortable again,” Boone said. “I want him working over at third.” Is it a bit of an experiment? Sure. But it’s also a clear sign that the Yankees aren’t just hoping Jazz fits in—they’re planning around him.

And how does Chisholm feel about the shift? Like a pro, of course.

“Boone told me he really wanted me at third,” Jazz said in a chat with Max Goodman. “I’m a team guy. I’m here to win a ring, not argue about where I play.”

Music to my ears.

The guy’s got flash, fire, and that all-important ‘W’ mentality. He’s not coming back to make a scene—he’s coming back to make a difference.

So yeah, it’s official. The comeback is on. Third base has Jazz hands all over it. And I’m here for every second of it.

Let’s go.

WHO'S GETTING KICKED OFF THE DANCE FLOOR ONCE JAZZ RETURNS?

I have a guess.

So, the million-dollar question floating around the Bronx right now: When is Jazz Chisholm coming back? And when he does, who gets bumped off the dance floor?

Well, folks, here comes the twist in the infield shuffle. Jazz is scheduled to start a minor league rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset today against Akron, playing—you guessed it—third base. Yep, the same position he had literally never played as a pro until the Yankees decided to toss the Marlins’ flashy center fielder into the hot corner blender last summer and see what came out.

Now, Oswald Peraza? The guy’s been holding down third like a human vacuum cleaner. He’s making web gems look routine. But here’s the rub: If you can’t hit, Boone doesn’t see you, except if you're Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells. And right now, Peraza’s bat is swinging a ghost—he’s hitting .165 with three homers in 34 games. That’s not exactly a resume-builder when the front office is itching to slot in the guy, they actually paid real money for.

Here’s where the Yankees logic train starts to sound like it’s running on square wheels:

• Oswald Peraza: Elite defense, struggling bat.

• Jazz Chisholm: Electric athlete, injured since April 30 with an oblique strain, learning third again.

• DJ LeMahieu: Former batting champ, now 36 and trying to remember what offense feels like (batting .206 through 11 games) but still has a gold glove reputation and a contract that screams “please don’t bench me.”

So, naturally, what’s the plan? Play Jazz at third—despite the fact that it's not his natural position—because DJ looks better at second. Makes sense, right? No? Just nod.

And poor Peraza? The writing’s on the Yankee Stadium wall in pinstriped Sharpie. Boone isn’t playing him enough to let him develop, and the Yankees have approximately 413 infielders vying for about three spots. Someone’s got to go. 

Bottom line: If Jazz’s oblique holds up and he starts moonwalking around third base like he belongs there, Boone’s got his built-in excuse to phase out Peraza. Best defender or not, the Yankees are running a depth chart, not a meritocracy.

So, stay tuned. Jazz might be ready by next week. And once he moonwalks in, someone else is gonna get moonwalked right out and I see the writing on the wall.

JUAN SOTO: ALL MONEY, NO SWAG!

I'm sure I am not alone but, I have some Mets friends and there tune sure has changed a lot since December. So, after taking it gracefully for months, I decided to have a little fun this week. I found the Juan Soto milk carton several times in my feed on X and I had to have some fun with it. Soto is missing....and Mets fans are hating it.

Meanwhile, yes I am loving it. I will admit that I loved watching Soto look so lost in the Subway Series. I know realistically he won't stay in this slump all season but seriously....what a change from Soto in pinstripes to Soto in that other ugly New York uniform. What's missing?

I think David Cone said it best HERE. I've always been a big Coney fan, so when he talks, I listen. I think he hit the nail on the head here. Not for nothing, he knows what it is like to play for both teams so I really don't think anyone can relate to Soto the way he can.

"It just reminds me of what my ex-manager Joe Torre used to talk about a lot. And he was around it sort of at the end of his career, when analytics started to come into the game and make a big play and all the information in the big data era. He still wanted to talk about the heartbeat," Cone said. "He still managed the heartbeat of the player. And that’s what’s going on with Juan Soto. It’s the heartbeat. It's emotional. There’s no question about it. That's what leads to the confidence in the batter's box. That leads to the lack of the Soto shuffle. That's just feeling it, and that's clearly emotional. That's the human element that's going on with him. And I don't know how you work through that. That's something he's going to have to figure out himself. He's got a good support group around him that is going to give him everything he needs. But bottom line is, Juan Soto's got to feel it emotionally. And until he does, we're not going to see the same old swagger that we're used to seeing from him."

I think he's on to something there and I say that because when I was watching the series, I disagreed with some of what Michael Kay said. When Soto was at the plate being booed, he was smirking. Kay said he wasn't fazed by it, or letting it get to him....and I disagree. Plenty of players have been booed in Yankee stadium, but I feel like many of them did a much better job at just tuning it out as best as they could and just focusing on the at bat. His body language said the opposite and honestly it fueled my reaction to him watching at home. I became MORE vocal with every smirk he gave. He was letting all of the noise around him consume him....so I don't agree with Michael Kay at all. It's like we were watching a completely different series.

I think Soto is dealing with some feelings. I think he didn't want to be in the shadow of Aaron Judge. I think he thrived with Judge's support and protection and now he doesn't have that in Queens and he isn't dealing with it. Now he is the guy that needs to live up to his ridiculous salary and he hasn't figured out how to do it. He's choking, and he's lost the spark that he once had. He's a shadow of himself and until he deals with that his swag is all but gone. He's all money, no results.

So yeah, Soto belongs on the milk carton. He chose to leave the Bronx for the money so now he needs to MAN UP and deal with it. Or don't and let the rest of the baseball world watch him spiral out of control and flush Steve Cohen's money down the drain.

#SORRYNOTSORRY

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

RODON'S JOURNEY HAS BEEN INSPIRING!

Let’s be honest—when Carlos Rodón first put on the pinstripes, he might as well have shown up in clown shoes and a fake nose. Big contract, bigger expectations, and… a start that felt like Carl Pavano: The Sequel. The injuries. The inconsistency. The thousand-yard stare after a three-inning meltdown. Yankee fans weren't just skeptical—we were practically sharpening pitchforks in the Bronx.

Then came the facial hair saga. First the beard—gone. Then the mustache phase, where Rodón looked like he should be tying someone to train tracks or robbing a saloon. It was all part of an identity crisis that mirrored his pitching. Was he the ace we paid for or just another name on the Yankees’ long list of cautionary tales?

But here’s the twist: Rodón stuck with it. 

He didn’t run from the pressure, didn’t make excuses, and didn’t try to beard his way out of trouble. And now, in 2025, he’s doing what many of us thought he might never do—he’s shoving. Consistently. Confidently. Quietly.

On Tuesday night, Rodón was absolutely filthy. He blanked the Angels over seven innings, struck out 10, and made Anaheim’s hitters look like they’d never seen a fastball before. Not a single baserunner got past second. It was clinical, it was dominant, and—frankly—it was everything Yankee fans have been dying to see.

This wasn’t just another win. This was Rodón stepping into the void left by Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil, and saying, “I got this.” His ERA’s down to 2.60. The Yankees are rolling. And Rodón, against all odds, is starting to look like the co-ace we hoped for.

Let that sink in. Carlos Rodón, the same guy we once feared might be the next chapter in the “Disaster Contracts” section of Yankees history, is now one of the most reliable arms in the rotation. He’s tough. He’s efficient. He’s throwing darts.

I’ll admit it—I was ready to slap the Pavano label on him and never look back. But Rodón? He kept grinding. The Yankees kept believing. And now, I’m eating crow with a side of humble pie—and loving every bite of it.

If there's any justice in baseball, this version of Carlos Rodón should be headed to the All-Star Game. He’s earned it. He’s endured it. And maybe, just maybe, we’re finally witnessing his true Yankee moment.

So here’s to you, Carlos. Keep mowing ’em down. Keep proving us wrong. And please—stay mustache-free unless it’s for a postseason villain arc, in which case... let’s ride.

RUMOR MILL HEATING UP WITH SOME GUYS YOU KNOW

 As the trade deadline inches closer, one thing is practically guaranteed: the New York Yankees will be in the market for pitching. Yes, the starting rotation has been solid for most of the season. But if history is any indication, the front office will still poke around for upgrades — because that’s what contenders do. Depth wins championships, and there’s always that underlying pressure to improve, even if the rotation isn’t currently broken.

That brings us to a name that might trigger a few eye-rolls from Yankee fans: Andrew Heaney.

Yes, that Andrew Heaney — the same one who flopped in his first stint with the Yankees back in 2021. It didn’t go well then, and nobody’s pretending otherwise. But this season? Heaney’s quietly putting together a solid campaign with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and if the Yankees are looking to pad the back end of their rotation without gutting the farm system, he might be worth a second look.

Before you slam your laptop shut in protest, hear this out.

R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports recently highlighted the Pirates as a team likely to be sellers at the deadline. Pittsburgh is still deep in a rebuild, and while speculation swirls around rookie sensation Paul Skenes, Anderson doesn’t expect the Pirates to move him — even if fans of other teams (yes, including the Yankees) would love to see it happen.

Let’s be honest: it feels like Skenes is wasting away in Pittsburgh. He’s a generational arm, and unless the Pirates turn things around quickly, his prime might be spent fighting uphill battles. From a Yankees fan’s perspective, the idea of Skenes in pinstripes is the dream. But it’s just that — a dream, for now.

Instead, Anderson points to more realistic trade chips on Pittsburgh’s roster:

“Impending free agents Andrew Heaney and shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa are logical candidates to go, and it would only make sense to explore the market for relievers David Bednar and Dennis Santana,” he writes. “If the Pirates really want to get bold, how about shopping catcher Joey Bart?”

It’s a practical take. Heaney, now 33, is on a one-year, $5.25 million deal — the kind of contract that makes midseason trades painless. In 11 starts this season, he owns a 3.41 ERA — a noticeable improvement over his career 4.40 mark. He started hot, posting a 1.72 ERA through his first five outings, before leveling out a bit. Still, those are serviceable numbers for a team looking to fortify the back end of the rotation for the stretch run.

Do the Yankees actually revisit the Heaney experiment? Probably not. They’re not typically in the business of retreads that didn't pan out the first time. But stranger things have happened. And if they view him as a low-cost insurance policy, there’s at least a kernel of logic in the idea.

In the grander picture, this conversation isn’t just about Heaney. It’s about the Yankees’ inevitable deadline posture. The team will explore arms, and depending on how the market shakes out, someone like Heaney — or perhaps a more tantalizing piece like Bednar or even Skenes in some wildly aggressive scenario — could end up in the mix.

So file this away under "Interesting but Unlikely." Keep an eye on Pittsburgh. Whether it’s a former Yankee like Heaney or a big swing for someone like Skenes (pipe dream or not), the Pirates could end up playing a role in the Yankees’ trade deadline story.

Stay tuned.

LUIS GIL IS COMING BACK SOON, GUYS!

Let’s all take a moment to be ridiculously grateful for the Yankees’ pitching staff this season. Despite starting the year without Gerrit Cole and high-upside arm Luis Gil, the rotation has been lights-out. Honestly, it’s been so good you almost forget the Yankees are missing two of their nastiest arms. Almost.

But now comes some spicy news from the rehab beat: Luis Gil is inching closer to a return. That’s right — the same Luis Gil who strained his right lat during a bullpen session back in spring training, Feb. 28, and landed on the 60-day IL just before the season kicked off.

Fast-forward to now, and Gil is scheduled to finally resume mound work this Friday. Yes, it’s been a minute — and yes, this is the first time he’ll throw off a mound since that lat said “no thanks” three months ago. But things are finally trending upward.

If all goes according to plan (and no new muscles rebel), we could see Gil back on the big-league mound before the trade deadline. That would give him a little time to ramp up without burning him out — which is key, considering he hit a wall last summer and ghosted his effectiveness like it was an ex.

The hope now is that general manager Brian Cashman doesn’t pull a classic Cashman and label Gil’s return as the "big midseason acquisition." Yankee fans have seen that movie before — and spoiler alert: it's not a blockbuster.

Lest we forget, Gil was diagnosed with a high-grade lat strain in March 2025, after already missing most of 2022 and 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery. The guy’s been through it. He started a throwing program in late April, eyeing a return in late June, maybe early July.

If his progress holds up, he could be back just in time to give the Yankees an extra jolt heading into the dog days of summer.

So yes, the rotation has been elite — but with a healthy, sharp Luis Gil rejoining the mix soon? That’s the kind of overkill Yankee fans can absolutely get behind.

SUPPORT FOR PERAZA FROM THE GREAT AARON JUDGE

Bleeding Yankee Blue has been banging the “Let Peraza play every day” drum like it’s the encore at a rock concert, and for good reason.

Now to be fair—yes, fair, even though we’re frustrated—Volpe is seeing more pitches and learning to adjust. He's flailing with a purpose. Meanwhile, Oswald Peraza? He’s getting yanked around like a piñata at a toddler’s birthday party.

Peraza’s been doing his best to fill in the gaps, but let’s be honest: the poor guy’s been treated more like a patch than a plan. And the whispers are getting louder: has the window already closed on him before it ever really opened?

“He’s gone from top prospect — even starting a game in the 2022 playoffs — to well-regarded talent to someone the organization clearly doesn’t expect big things from,” Brendan Kuty wrote for The Athletic. “And he hasn’t proved them wrong yet.”

Ouch. But can we really expect him to prove anything if the Yankees keep treating his playing time like a game of musical chairs?

Through 76 at-bats this season, Peraza is slashing an icy .158/.229/.303. That’s not going to get him a plaque in Monument Park, but let’s remember—he’s also not getting consistent reps. You can’t expect a guy to light it up at the plate if he’s getting benched the second he blinks wrong.

The Yankees, ever the impatient suitors, are already eyeing third base upgrades like someone scrolling Zillow during an argument. But while the brass crunches numbers and scans trade rumors, there’s at least one person who believes in Peraza: the Captain.

“Give him a chance to play every single day, good things are going to happen,” Aaron Judge said recently, reminding us why he wears the ‘C’ with class.

And Peraza? He’s trying to soak it all in, even if he’s more spectator than starter these days.

“I’m getting a lot of experience,” he said earlier this month. “But if I’m not playing every day, I’m watching the game. A lot of my teammates are superstars, and I talk with my teammates every day.”

Even the coaching staff sees something brewing. James Rowson, the Yankees’ hitting coach, has spotted tangible improvements in Peraza’s swing mechanics.

“You’re in that position where you’re able to get behind the baseball and drive through it,” Rowson said. “You can see when the ball strikes the barrel, you can tell it’s square and there’s room for it to go. I think he’s getting to that point where he’s doing that more consistently.”

Translation: the tools are still there. The talent is still real. What’s missing? Opportunity.

So here’s the deal, Boone—stop treating Peraza like a placeholder. His glove is gold-glove caliber and his upside is still sky-high. Play the man. Let him build confidence. Let him struggle a little, learn a little, and then—just maybe—thrive a lot. You don’t rediscover a “top prospect” by parking him on the bench.

Bleeding Yankee Blue’s been right about this from the start. Give Peraza the runway and watch him take off.

YARBROUGH IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Yesterday’s headliner wasn’t Aaron Judge launching 4 dingers or anything. Nope, the star of the Yankees' 5–1 win over the Angels was none other than Ryan Yarbrough, the stealth bomber of the Bronx.

While Yankee fans usually flock to see fireballers pumping 99 on the radar gun, Yarbrough rolled in like a wily illusionist with a bag of tricks—none of which involved pure velocity. The southpaw spun six dazzling innings, allowing just two hits, one walk, and collecting seven strikeouts like they were coupons at the grocery store. His only real blemish? The sixth pitch he threw, which Zach Neto deposited into the center-field seats. After that? Silence from the Angels' bats—he ghosted them like a bad date.

And make no mistake: this isn’t just a one-night wonder. Since stepping into Carlos Carrasco’s vacated rotation spot, Yarbrough is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in four starts. Not bad for a guy whose spring with the Blue Jays was so rocky, it ended with him hitching a ride to the Bronx bullpen before being told, “Hey kid, you’re starting again.”

As a whole, the Yankees’ rotation has been dealing straight fire (even if Yarbrough’s version is more campfire than wildfire). In May, Yankees starters have posted a league-best 2.37 ERA—a dramatic drop from April’s more pedestrian 4.25. Credit Yarbrough for doing his part with kitchen-sink finesse: cutters nibbling at the edges, sweepers sweeping up the mess, sinkers sinking spirits, and changeups that confuse hitters like they forgot their glasses.

“I’ve never been the guy to really blow up a radar gun,” Yarbrough said with a smile that said, And I don’t need to be. “It’s about learning how to get guys out in other ways. I guess it’s a different look—something they don’t see every day.”

That “different look” is baseball’s version of a retro flip phone in a world of iPhones—unexpected, functional, and surprisingly effective. Sure, his fastball barely dents the 90 mph wall, and his breaking stuff is more yoga than CrossFit, but it’s working. Call it junkball jazz—rhythmic, offbeat, and occasionally brilliant.

Yarbrough’s journey has had its bumps. He's battled with inconsistent velocity, spring struggles, and a career arc that’s felt more like a sine wave than a steady climb. But now, nestled in the Yankees’ rotation, he’s found his groove.

In a league obsessed with power, Ryan Yarbrough is the changeup—literally and figuratively—that no one saw coming.

CASHMAN IS LOOKING FOR A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK TO UPRGRADE THE YANKEE ROSTER

On a good day, I am worried about what Brian Cashman can accomplish. Even when conditions are the best of the best and can't get any better I still worry. The Yankees have some holes they want to fill by the trade deadline and this season, it looks very damn difficult.

Remember in Spring Training when Cashman said there wasn't a lot out there for starting rotation help after the Gerrit Cole news dropped? There's always hope that some team is going to turn into a seller after a poor start but...it's not looking so good right now. We've been riding with Ryan Yarbrough and Will Warren but that's not an ideal situation. The Yankees have World Series aspirations, so a proven starting staff is needed. The Yankees are still searching....and I think Cashman is going to keep searching late into summer. He may come up empty handed, or he may go dumpster diving again.

As hard as a starting pitcher may be to find, rumor has it the Yankees are narrowly focused on finding a right handed infielder. If that wasn't specific enough, if that right handed infielder could play third base that would be the perfect scenario. Yup, let's just go from super hard to damn near impossible. That's what's running around the socials though. Cashman may be crazier than I thought he was.

So even if we eliminate the right handed infielder that plays third and just play on the diamond somewhere the pickings are still slim. Otto Lopez of the Marlins, Lenyn Sosa of the White Sox, or Amed Rosario of the Nationals could fill a need, but we are so far from the trade deadline that none of these teams are so far out that they are sellers yet. A lot could happen still.You could look at other teams like the Colorado Rockies or the Baltimore Orioles who have massively disappointed but even that could be challenging. That also assumes that the Orioles would even be willing to engage with the Yankees in a trade, which I wouldn't hold my breath on. 

The Yankees roster flaws have created some very difficult challenges when trying to make meaningful editions to improve it. I guess you can credit that to another Cashman fail, because now he is really looking for a needle in a haystack to fix it. It's going to be interesting to see how this unfolds over the next 9 weeks.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

COULD BEN RICE BE MOVING POSITIONS?

Look, let’s start with the obvious: Ben Rice is crushing it. The kid’s been everything you’d want in a midseason surprise—a burst of power, steady presence at the plate, and most importantly, someone who took Giancarlo Stanton’s empty DH seat and didn’t just keep it warm, he turned it into a throne.

Through 41 games, Rice has launched nine home runs and is batting .250—not exactly Mickey Mantle reincarnate, but considering he was a depth option a few months ago, the numbers scream one thing: "Keep this guy in the lineup."

And that’s exactly what the Yankees are trying to figure out. Because one day (allegedly) Stanton will rise from the Injured List like a $300 million phoenix, and someone’s got to step aside. But who? The Yankees' offense is humming. Messing with the chemistry now would be like unplugging the toaster while it’s still mid-bagel.

So now there’s chatter—maybe Rice moves to third base? J.C. Escarra, infielder and now apparently part-time rumor mill, hinted that Rice has “the hands” and “the arm strength” to man the hot corner. He told Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News:

“He has the hands, and he definitely has the arm strength to play there. So, you never know.”

Well, we do know this: Ben Rice has never played third base in a big-league game. That’s kind of important. Boone, always the king of cryptic coach-speak, said back on May 19th that Rice had been taking reps at third “for fun,” and warned the press to “not necessarily read anything into it.”

(Translation: Please stop asking about it before we even know what we’re doing.)

Now here’s where things get a little spicy. Because if the goal is to keep Rice’s bat in the lineup—and it absolutely should be—why experiment with moving him to a brand-new position when you already have a gold-glove caliber glove rotting on the bench?

Yes, we’re talking about Oswald Peraza. The Yankees treat Peraza like a USB cable in a drawer full of lightning cords—undeniably useful, but somehow always overlooked. He doesn’t get consistent at-bats, and then gets criticized for not hitting enough. Well, no kidding. The guy gets one shot every 10 days and is expected to produce like Aaron Judge.

And yet—when he does get the chance, he delivers. Case in point: that rocket double against the Rockies that sparked a Bronx-style beatdown.

That’s not nothing. That’s baseball.

So, if we’re drawing up the lineup card—and let's be honest, we’re all better at it than Aaron Boone after a large, iced coffee and three confusing analytics reports—it goes like this:

• Volpe stays at short. We get it. It's written in stone. He's Boone's boy toy.

• Peraza starts at third base and gets regular ABs so he can, you know, actually develop.

• Ben Rice keeps doing what he does best: mash as the DH.

• And Stanton? He can take his sweet time. No one’s rushing him back until his legs are ready to do more than just jog out of the tunnel.

As for J.C. Escarra, hey—we love the enthusiasm. But maybe chalk this one up to rookie chatter. Saying Rice “might” play third is like saying Judge “might” try catching. It’s not technically wrong, but let’s maybe let the coaching staff handle position changes. Boone already gives us enough to scratch our heads over.

In the meantime, let’s not overthink this. The Yankees are winning, the offense is clicking, and Ben Rice is turning heads every time he steps to the plate. Be grateful, be happy, and for the love of the pinstripes—don’t fix what isn’t broken.

PLAIN & SIMPLE: STEVE COHEN ISN'T GETTING WHAT HE PAID FOR

When Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets this past offseason, he didn't just accept a contract—he accepted a crown. A record-setting deal that made headlines for its size, scope, and symbolism: Steve Cohen’s Mets were not only willing to back up the Brinks truck, they were ready to build around Soto for the next decade and a half.

Yes, the Mets gave him the most money. More than the Yankees, more than the Dodgers, and more than anyone else even dared to offer. Soto chose the Mets, plain and simple. But now he has to show why he was worth that decision—not just in dollars, but in desire.

Instead, it’s been a slow, uninspiring start in Queens. And the questions are piling up fast.

Soto's body language? Flat. His smile? Nowhere to be found. His hustle? Noticeably missing. And it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Mets fans, already exhausted by years of bloated payrolls and underperformance, are beginning to turn. It's not just that Soto's struggling at the plate—it's that he doesn’t look like he cares.

Even Mets manager Carlos Mendoza has acknowledged Soto's sluggish demeanor, noting that the star outfielder is “frustrated” with his slow start. Mendoza didn't share details of their conversations, but it’s clear something is off. He’s not running balls out. He’s not playing with fire. He's not, well, Juan Soto.

Inside the clubhouse, some say the mood is just as concerning. Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay recently said Soto seems “very, very glum.” There’s chatter that he already misses the Yankees—who were serious contenders in free agency but, in the end, weren’t ready to go as far as Cohen financially.

Which brings us to Scott Boras.

Soto’s agent defended his client in a May 23 interview with Jon Heyman of the New York Post, insisting that a bit of regret is natural when all your options are elite. According to Boras, Soto is just adjusting to his new reality. “It’s taking time to learn how to wear the crown,” he said. Boras described this transition as a “90-day assimilation period,” saying there’s still another month to go before Soto fully acclimates.

Boras went on to say he’s advised Soto to "swing less" and be patient. Wait—what? Swing less? Ease into a $700 million contract? What kind of message is that sending? Is this really the time to slow-play greatness?

Let’s be blunt: there’s no time for a 15-year honeymoon. When you accept the richest contract in baseball history, the spotlight doesn’t dim—it blazes hotter. This isn't the time for excuses. It’s the time to lead. To electrify. To perform.

Because right now, Soto doesn’t look like the centerpiece of a championship team. He looks like someone who’s unsure of his choice.

And maybe he is. In a Sports Illustrated profile from spring training, Soto struggled to explain why he ultimately picked the Mets. He acknowledged that the Yankees "did a pretty good job" recruiting him, but hesitated, rambled, and admitted that their lack of urgency bothered him. “I wanted to get it done,” he said, referring to a deal with the Yankees, but they were "still bouncing around.”

Eventually, he chose the team with the most certainty—and the deepest pockets. Soto said Cohen’s commitment to contention made him believe the Mets were best suited for the long haul. He mentioned Cohen’s hands-on recruiting efforts. Family-friendly. Big vision. Big wallet.

But none of that matters now if the performance doesn’t follow.

Because here’s the hard truth: Juan Soto looks miserable in a Mets uniform. And that’s not what a nearly billion-dollar man should look like. He should be bursting out of the dugout with fire. He should be running out every ground ball like his contract depends on it. He should be leading—not sulking.

And if he isn’t, it’s on Steve Cohen to step in and ask the tough question: Are we getting what we paid for? If not, the conversation shouldn't just be about patience—it should be about accountability.

If this continues, Cohen has every right to sit down with Boras and Soto and say, “We need to talk...we need to restructure this contract. We're not getting our return.” Because elite money demands elite effort. And right now, Juan Soto looks like anything but a generational superstar.

He took the money. Now he has to earn it. That's the bottom line.

GODZILLA: PART 2

Get ready, Bronx. There’s buzz in the air thicker than the garlic fries in Section 205, and it’s not about Aaron Boone’s latest ejection. According to MLB insider and professional rumor wrangler Jim Bowden, the New York Yankees are lurking among six early favorites to snag Nippon Professional Baseball’s next megastar, Munetaka Murakami, when he’s expected to hit the open market this winter. Think Hideki Matsui, but younger, potentially better, and—wait for it—a possible fit at third base. Maybe.

Yes, you read that right. Murakami, Japan’s current Sultan of Swat, has drawn early comparisons to the Yankees’ beloved Hideki “Godzilla” Matsui. That’s enough to make any Yankees fan dig out their old No. 55 jersey and start pricing flights to Tokyo. The lefty slugger, just 25, already has 242 career home runs in NPB, a Triple Crown on his shelf, and the Japanese-born single-season home run record (56 in 2022) in his back pocket. You don’t earn a nickname like “Mura-Mash” by bunting.

Now, before you pencil him in at the hot corner in the Bronx, Bowden did toss a bit of cold sake on the idea—he thinks Murakami is a better defensive fit at first base. That’s convenient timing if you’ve been paying attention, because Paul Goldschmidt, currently holding down that spot in pinstripes, is only signed through this season. If Murakami does come stateside, and the Yankees decide to open the vault (again), he could be next in a long line of Japanese stars to make a home in the Bronx.

But here’s the plot twist: the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ah yes, Hollywood’s favorite baseball team and the unofficial U.S. welcoming committee for international talent. If there’s a global superstar available, the Dodgers are usually first in line—and already printing the jersey. Murakami is expected to be posted after the 2025 season thanks to a clause in his current NPB contract, which means teams will actually have to pay him real, grown-up money. None of that international pool slot magic here. And this deal could be massive—potentially $200 to $300 million massive. The bidding war could make Shohei Ohtani’s free agency look like a flea market haggling session.

Still, if there’s a team with both the money and the mystique to lure Murakami, it’s the Yankees. The legacy. The fanfare. The roll call. The pressure cooker of New York media asking about every 0-for-4 day. Sounds like fun, right?

Murakami could be the perfect bridge between the Yankees' proud past and a reloaded future. A power bat in the middle of the order, some flexibility at the corners, and the kind of international draw that sells out road stadiums. If he hits the market, he’ll be the most anticipated Japanese export since Matsui stormed the Bronx in 2003—and if Brian Cashman has any sense of baseball poetry, he’ll make sure Murakami doesn’t end up in Dodger Blue.

The sequel to Godzilla might be coming. But first, it’s up to the Yankees to make sure he premieres on Broadway, not Sunset Boulevard.