MAYBE CASHMAN SHOULD HAVE SIGNED SEAGER FOUR YEARS AGO

Always dragging his feet.

The sudden offseason “buzz” about Corey Seager possibly landing in the Bronx this winter would be funny if it weren’t so painfully on brand. Because here’s the part everyone conveniently forgets: the Yankees had a clean, wide-open runway to get Seager four years ago. No smoke. No mirrors. No trade gymnastics. Just money, intent, and a front office willing to act. Instead, Brian Cashman did what Brian Cashman always does — absolutely nothing.

That inaction handed us Anthony Volpe as the long-term answer at shortstop, a decision that has aged like unrefrigerated milk. In fact, it now belongs in the Yankees Hall of Infamy right next to trading Jay Buhner for spare parts. Different era, same regret, same front office DNA. Stupid.

Now we’re supposed to believe the Yankees are calling the Rangers to see if Corey Seager might be available? Calling. Not acquiring. Not prying loose. Calling. Is Cashman dumb? Because those appear to be the two remaining options. This is what desperation looks like when it’s four years late and wearing a suit.

Sure, an upgrade over Volpe in 2026 would be a lovely gift. A miracle, even. But Seager isn’t that gift. He’s a locked door the Yankees don’t have the keys to — and never bothered to copy when the locksmith was standing right in front of them.

Yanks Go Yard summed it up perfectly, noting:

“Even if Brian Cashman and Co. were going all-in on Seager right now, it sounds like the Yankees would be running into a rock-solid barrier in the form of Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young. ‘We are not shopping Corey Seager, I want to make that very clear,’ Young said.”

Alrighty then. Message received. Translation: You had your chance. You blew it. Stop calling.

So let’s recap what we know. The Rangers aren’t moving Seager. Cashman is suddenly desperate to upgrade shortstop. He should have signed Seager four years ago. And the Yankees continue to operate with the least aggressive front office imaginable in a sport where aggression is mandatory if you want to win. They never jump when elite players are available — only after those players turn into franchise cornerstones somewhere else. Then comes the regret tour.

But hey, don’t panic — we got Miguel Palma, right?

Here’s the one sliver of actual good news, though, if you’re counting down the days until the Volpe era mercifully ends. According to Randy Miller of NJ.com:

“(Volpe) may only have one more season to keep his job long-term because George Lombard Jr., the organization’s No. 1 prospect, is a shortstop who figures to reach Triple-A at some point next season after playing for High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset in 2025.”

Thank God. Because let’s stop pretending this season was about a sore shoulder. I don’t buy that for a second. What we saw was the collapse of hype meeting reality. Volpe wasn’t injured in my opinion — he was exposed. And now the Yankees are doing what they always do after a catastrophic decision: rewriting the narrative to avoid admitting they screwed it up.

Brian Cashman isn’t unlucky. He’s stale. He’s complacent. And in a league where the Yankees need to be ruthless, fearless, and aggressive to matter again, he’s still operating like it’s 2009 and patience is a strategy. It isn’t. It’s just another excuse — four years too late.