#YANKEES LATEST RUMORS JUST PUT A DAMPER ON MY HOLIDAY!

First and foremost - to those of you who celebrate Merry Christmas! I really hope you are unwinding, and making memories with family and friends this holiday season. I know I am, but as I have been decking the halls, shopping and food prepping I have been sitting around and waiting for the Yankees to make a move.

I have had my eyes and ears plastered to Tatsuya Imai because I really want to see where the guy that doesn't want to be a Dodger ends up signing. It's intriguing to me. There's been so much hype about the Yankees being a real contender and as much as I secretly want to see that happen and know it's not likely, Jack Curry threw some cold water on that dream Tuesday night on an episode of Hot Stove, read more HERE.

"The vibe between Imai and the Yankees does not exist," per Curry. A quote that dampers some of my Christmas cheer even though I knew that was likely all along. I was still dreaming about it though. There's something about signing the guy that SAYS he wants nothing to do with the Dodgers that excites me. Even if he doesn't mean it, just hearing such a bold statement makes me more intrigued by him. He's the guy that has a new energy that is not on our team that could be a sparkplug. So to hear Curry say the connection isn't there sucks, and it makes me hope he is wrong.

But he might not be. Over the weekend Aaron Boone revealed that the Yankees had not met with Imai and he was not sure if they would. Could that be a strategy? Sure, it could but do we really think the Yankees are being THAT thoughtful? I don't see that in the Yankees playbook. Not to mention, if the Yankees are interested they need to get that ball rolling. Imai must sign a MLB contract by January 2, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET, this is when his posting window expires. MLB teams (AND THE YANKEES AHEM) have a limited window to negotiate with him. Time is running out and fast.

It's frustrating waiting around for NOTHING. The Yankees are not engaged, not with it. They seem to be more than comfortable going into the 2026 season with the same team we had last year. You know, that team that couldn't beat the Blue Jays and climbed back into the division race because they had an easier September schedule but in the end STILL fell to the Blue Jays. Yeah, that team....Hal Steinbrenner obviously doesn't see what we see. He doesn't care to as long as the profits continue to roll in. The rest of the division has improved and we have not. Don't let the Rays fool you by the way. They are loading up with some real young talent from within and soon we are going to see what they can build and have for many years....but we cannot.

The prime years of Aaron Judge are disappearing fast and the rest of our rivals are making meaningful moves. Is Brian Cashman even working? Did he take the winter off? He's missing in action. I hope the Imai rumors are false, but even if they aren't the Yankees need to DO SOMETHING FAST!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj