STUBBORN YANKEE FRONT OFFICE REFUSING TO BE COMPETITIVE

The Yankees front office isn’t just misfiring—they’ve turned dysfunction into a long-term investment strategy. And if you’re a fan, you’ve seen this exact production on repeat for over a decade. Same rigid thinking, same recycled excuses, same hollow October ambitions. Since 2009, the only thing that’s evolved is the price of the tickets and time wasted.

Let’s start at the top, because that’s where the rot lives.

Brian Cashman has somehow mastered the art of doing nothing while calling it stability. In most industries, 15+ years of the same underwhelming results would get you a polite escort to the exit. Here? It gets you a lifetime appointment. Cashman operates like a man who solved baseball in 2009 and has refused to update the software since. Every bad contract, every blocked prospect, every “trust the process” and "mission accomplished" press conference—it all traces back to a front office that confuses stubbornness with intelligence.

And then there’s Aaron Boone—a manager in the same way a GPS is helpful when it refuses to reroute. Boone doesn’t manage games; he narrates them after they happen. Lineups feel like they’re printed in permanent marker, bullpen decisions come straight out of a hat, and accountability is treated like an optional feature. Watching him manage is like watching someone try to microwave a steak—technically it’s being done, but nobody feels good about it.

And the front office as a whole? They don’t understand how to run a baseball team in 2026. They run it like a spreadsheet with emotional attachment issues. Performance is secondary. Contracts are sacred. Prospects are decorations until they become inconvenient.

This Spring training is the perfect example of their backwards logic. You can dominate—hit .500, crush 10 home runs, outplay everyone on the field—and it means absolutely nothing if you’re not already part of their pre-approved script. It’s not a competition; it’s a formality. The roster isn’t earned—it’s pre-written.

So, when a talent like Jasson Domínguez gets sent down, it’s not shocking—it’s predictable. Because this organization doesn’t reward production, it rewards payroll. A guy like Trent Grisham gets priority not because he’s better, but because he’s expensive. That’s not roster construction—that’s financial obligation disguised as strategy.

And don’t even get started on the pitching decisions. Watching Carlos Lagrange outperform guys like Ryan Weathers and still get buried is the kind of logic that would get you laughed out of a fantasy league. Fewer hits, fewer runs, better overall performance—but hey, Weathers cost prospects in that trade, remember? So now we’re emotionally invested. The Yankees don’t cut losses; they double down on them.

That’s the philosophy: once they make a mistake, they commit to it harder.

This isn’t a championship-caliber operation—it’s a bureaucratic maze. Decisions aren’t made based on winning; they’re made based on protecting previous decisions. It’s baseball run by ego, not evidence.

And the biggest casualty of all this? Aaron Judge.

Judge should be the face of a dynasty. Instead, he’s the centerpiece of a cautionary tale. When he spoke out about his frustrations in which the Yankees didn't upgrade on top free agents this off season, it wasn't a misspeak, it was a cry for help.  We’re watching a generational talent get boxed into a system that refuses to maximize him. He’ll hit historic numbers, collect personal awards, and carry the team on his back—only to fall short because the people building around him are stuck ten years in the past.

He deserves rings. Instead, he’s getting press conferences about “staying the course.”

At some point, fans have to stop pretending this is acceptable. This isn’t bad luck—it’s bad leadership. It’s complacency at the highest level. It’s an organization more concerned with being right than being successful. Boycott, boycott, boycott.

If this were any other franchise, changes would’ve been made years ago. But this is the Yankees—where tradition apparently includes refusing to admit you’re wrong.

Until Brian Cashman is gone, until Aaron Boone is replaced by someone who actually manages, and until the front office learns that winning matters more than saving face, nothing changes.

And that’s the real tragedy—not that the Yankees aren’t winning, but that they don’t even seem to understand why they aren’t.

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ENOUGH! LET'S BOYCOTT THE YANKEES TO CHANGE THIS TEAM'S FUTURE

YANKS NEED TO MAKE A BIG SPLASH, BUT WE'RE NOT AS PRESTIGIOUS AS WE USED TO BE

KEEP DIM BULB VOLPE AWAY FROM THE MICROPHONE

Anthony Volpe still feels like that kid in class who forgot his homework and is banking on confusion as a strategy. You ask him a direct question—simple, clear, impossible to misinterpret—and what you get back is a cloud of words that somehow manages to avoid the answer entirely. It’s not just dodging the question, it’s performing evasiveness like it’s part of the job description. He must have learned from Boone.

And that’s the problem: this isn’t a one-off thing. This is the routine. Every interview with this child turns into the same exercise—restate the question, sprinkle in some vague optimism, and land nowhere. It’s like watching someone try to filibuster their way through accountability. By the end of it, you’re not informed, you’re just… exhausted.

"I've never been hurt in my life. To go from rock bottom and build it all the way back up, you learn so much about yourself."

Anthony Volpe could begin taking live at-bats in April. He details his progression with @M_Marakovits pic.twitter.com/DRO9W2ItYY

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) March 15, 2026

Read that description. "He details his progression". Who wrote that for YES, a 5-year-old? Did they actually watch that garbage? No information. By the way, the YES Network did this guy a disservice putting this interview out there.  He comes off as a total dummy.  

Now look, not every player needs to be a media savant. Nobody’s asking for stand-up comedy. But when you’re the shortstop for the New York Yankees, there’s a baseline expectation: awareness, clarity, some indication that you understand what’s happening around you. Right now, Volpe sounds like a guy narrating his own uncertainty in real time.

Take that rehab quote. It’s not just bad—it’s almost impressively empty:

“Yeah, I mean, I guess it’s kind of a process… progressing, I think… I don’t know zero to 100 where that really is…”

That’s not insight. That’s someone saying words until the microphone goes away. You could swap in any situation—injury, slump, day off—and the answer would still “work,” which is exactly why it doesn’t.

And here’s where it gets worse: this isn’t happening in a vacuum. This is a player the organization has doubled down on. The same New York Yankees front office that used to pride itself on ruthlessness and standards now looks like it’s bending over backwards to justify a decision that just isn’t paying off.

Because let’s be honest—what exactly was the evaluation here? Which scout watched this and said, “Yes, that’s the guy. Build around him.” What did they see that nobody else is seeing now? The bat hasn’t exactly forced the issue. The presence isn’t there. The communication isn’t there. The impact? Also questionable.

At some point, this stops being about patience and starts being about stubbornness.

And the injury situation only adds to the skepticism. Fans aren’t stupid—they can sense when something feels… managed. When a player disappears for a stretch and suddenly there’s a narrative that conveniently cools off criticism, people are going to connect dots, fair or not. And if the goal was to hit pause on the frustration, it didn’t work. If anything, it just gave people more time to stew on it.

Now the front office is in a corner. If they stick with him, it looks like they’re ignoring reality. If they pivot—send him down, reduce his role—it’s an admission that they got it wrong. And this regime does not like admitting it got anything wrong.

So instead, we’re stuck in this weird limbo where Volpe continues to get run out there, continues to say a whole lot of nothing, and fans are expected to just… believe. Believe in the upside, believe in the plan, believe that eventually something will click. It's bullshit.

But belief isn’t built on vague answers and underwhelming results. It’s built on flashes—something tangible. Right now, there’s just not enough there.

And that’s the most frustrating part. It’s not even anger anymore—it’s confusion. Confusion about why he’s this entrenched. Confusion about what the long-term vision is. Confusion about how a franchise that once demanded excellence is now asking its fans to settle for ambiguity.

Because at the end of the day, fans don’t need perfection. They just need something real to hold onto.

Right now? They’re getting nothing but air.  Sack this kid, it's over.

GRICHUK IN. OSWALDO OUT.

 Grichuk’s in. Cabrera’s out. And yeah… it stings.

You can’t help but get a little déjà vu here—Oswaldo Cabrera starting to feel like Oswald Peraza 2.0: talented, versatile, and somehow always on the outside looking in whenever the Yankees start playing roster Tetris. At some point you wonder if it’s about performance… or just preference.

Anyway, the Yankees are busy putting the final touches on their Opening Day roster, and according to the New York Post, Randal Grichuk has punched his ticket. The numbers this spring? Let’s just say they won’t be framed and hung in Cooperstown—two hits in 16 at-bats isn’t exactly screaming “must-have.” But that’s not really why he’s here. Grichuk is the classic depth piece: a veteran bat, right-handed, with a reputation for punishing lefties and holding down a corner outfield spot without turning it into a circus.

Still, the ripple effects are hard to ignore.

Jasson Domínguez, who lit up spring like it owed him money, gets shipped to Triple-A. And now Cabrera joins him.

That’s the part that really hurts.

Because Cabrera didn’t just have a quiet spring—he had a brutal road to even get to spring. After that ugly injury in May 2025, he spent months stuck in a boot, rolling around on a scooter, watching his teammates from the sidelines and probably grinding his teeth down to dust. By the time 2026 camp rolled around, he was finally cleared, slowly working his way back, trying to rediscover timing that had been on pause for nearly a year.

And just when it looked like he was ready to re-enter the picture—boom. Ticket to Scranton.

Officially, it’s about getting him more at-bats. Unofficially? We’ve heard that one before.

So now Cabrera heads to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, tasked with proving—again—that he belongs. Maybe he forces their hand. Maybe he gets the call when the inevitable injury bug hits. Or maybe he becomes the latest name on the “what could’ve been” list.

Meanwhile, Grichuk settles into his role: veteran insurance policy, lefty-masher, bench piece with occasional pop. There’s value there, no doubt. The Yankees clearly see it.

But whether this move pays off—or just becomes another head-scratcher in a long line of Bronx decisions—is something we’re all about to find out.

ARE WE WATCHING DEVELOPMENT OR DENIAL WHEN IT COMES TO VOLPE?

So, the New York Yankees are supposed to roll out the red carpet for Anthony Volpe when he comes back? Not so fast.

If anything, he should be walking back into a job interview—not a coronation.

Why? Because the Yankees suddenly have options… and not the “break glass in case of emergency” kind. Real ones. José Caballero is ready to open the season at shortstop and, frankly, looks like the steadier hand right now. Ryan McMahon has even drawn internal confidence to slide over there if needed. And lurking in the pipeline? George Lombard Jr.—a name that’s starting to sound less like “future” and more like “sooner than you think.”

Meanwhile, Volpe is rehabbing from labrum surgery with no clear timetable, coming off a season where the glove wobbled (19 errors) and the bat whispered (.212 average). That’s not “hold my spot,” that’s “hope there’s a spot.”

And here’s the uncomfortable part: the competition isn’t just depth—it’s arguably better.

Caballero brings cleaner defense, smarter baserunning, and more reliable production right now. Lombard Jr. is flashing the kind of range, arm strength, and defensive instincts that scouts drool over—plus a little more pop in the bat. Even McMahon, in a pinch, might give you fewer headaches.

So, when Volpe returns, the leash shouldn’t be short—it should be Velcro.

Because this isn’t about potential anymore. It’s about performance.

Yet if you know the Yankees, you know the script: double down, smile confidently, and hope nobody notices the original bet might’ve been off. Admitting a miss on a high-profile draft pick? Not exactly their brand.

So, they’ll try to force it. Give him the runway. Sell the upside. But the rest of the roster—and anyone watching closely—will be asking a much simpler question:

Are we watching development… or denial?

Stay tuned.

BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE MERCH ON DASHERY!

Let’s get one thing straight right out of the gate: Bleeding Yankee Blue didn’t climb out of the crowded Yankee blog jungle by playing nice, staying quiet, or asking permission.

We grew because we don’t. 16 years we are still here, despite the haters telling us one year would be it.

Look, we stayed true to ourselves. We’re not here to cozy up to the organization. We’re not here to nod along like dashboard bobbleheads and Jomboy every time the front office spins another “trust the process” speech. We’re here because we’re fans—the kind that actually watch the games, feel the losses, and don’t need a media guide to tell us what our eyes already know.

If the Yankees are dealing? We’ll scream it from the rooftops like it’s October in the Bronx.

If they’re flat, sloppy, uninspired, or just plain bad? We’ll call it out with receipts. No filter. No fear. No favors. And that’s exactly why people keep showing up.

Because in a world full of “access journalism” and soft takes designed not to ruffle feathers, BYB has become one of the fastest-growing grassroots Yankee voices by doing something radical—telling the truth. Not the curated truth. Not the “maybe if we say it gently, they’ll invite us back” version.

The real truth. We're not here to make friends. We're here because we believe in honest journalism and hard takes.

And here’s the kicker: that attitude isn’t just living on the page anymore—it’s walking around in the wild.

The Bleeding Yankee Blue merchandise Dashery has taken on a life of its own. What started as a fun extension of the brand has turned into something way bigger. The gear is everywhere—New York streets, stadium seats, random corners of the country—and fans are proudly sending in photos like they’ve joined a not-so-secret society of fed-up, die-hard Yankee loyalists.

This isn’t just merch.

It’s a statement.

It says: “I love this team… but I’m not blind.”

And that’s the balance BYB has always stood for. Because let’s be crystal clear—we love the players. The grind, the hustle, the moments that remind you why you fell in love with baseball in the first place? That still matters.

But the front office?

That’s where the patience runs out.

There’s a disconnect right now, and pretending otherwise is just insulting to the fans who invest their time, money, and sanity into this team. The decisions, the direction, the stubborn refusal to adjust—it’s not working. And deep down, everyone knows it.

So yeah, we’re saying it: this organization needs a new voice at the top. A new approach. A front office that actually matches the urgency of the fanbase. Because until that happens, all the talent in the world isn’t fixing what’s fundamentally broken.

That’s not being dramatic—that’s being honest.

And honesty is kind of our thing.

So, while the suits upstairs keep doing whatever it is they think they’re doing, we’ll be right here—writing, reacting, celebrating, venting… and building something real with fans who get it.

And if you’re one of those fans? Show it.

Hit the Dashery. Grab the gear. Wear it like armor. Send us your photos from wherever you are—Bronx, Brooklyn, Jersey, or halfway across the world. Because this thing we’ve built? It’s not just growing…

It’s spreading. Support the players. Love the game. Stay loud.

And as for the front office?

Yeah… we’ll keep the heat on.

"EARNING A SPOT" DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING FAVORITES

What message are the Yankees sending to their kids grinding through spring training, chasing that call-up dream?

“Be electric… and we’ll book you a one-way trip to Triple-A.”

To be fair, that’s not always the rule. It just feels like the rule—until it isn’t. Consistency? Optional. Meritocracy? Situational. Favorites? Oh, they travel first class.

Just ask Jasson Domínguez.

Domínguez lit up Spring Training 2026—hitting over .325, rocking a .978 OPS, popping three homers, swiping three bags in just 13 games. In other words: he did exactly what you’re supposed to do when you’re knocking on the big-league door.

The Yankees’ response? “Great work, kid. Scranton’s lovely this time of year.”

Sure, the roster’s crowded. Fine. But you’re telling me there’s no room to rotate him in? No DH platoon, no left field reps, no real-time learning at the highest level like they do for the Volpes and the Wells of the world? Apparently not. Apparently he “needs more time.”

Meanwhile, Ryan Weathers strolls into a rotation spot with an 11.68 ERA, a 2.11 WHIP, and a souvenir shop’s worth of home runs allowed. But hey—welcome aboard, Ryan! Nice to meet you. Loved your dad, David Weathers.

And then there’s Anthony Volpe—the gold standard of “earning it.” Back in 2023, he tore up spring, hit over .300, flashed power, speed, swagger—the whole package. The word was earned. MLB.com wrote:

"Anthony Volpe earned his spot as the Yankees' Opening Day shortstop in 2023 with an elite spring training, batting over .300 with immense power and speed. He hit 3 home runs, stole 5 bases, and posted a 1.064 OPS in 19 games." He got the job.

And then… his actual career happened. At some point, “earned” stopped meaning “sustained,” and development took a backseat to stubbornness.

So yeah—in my book, Domínguez earned it. Twice over. The numbers say it. The effort screams it. The moment begged for it.

Instead, he did everything right and still got shown the door. But don’t worry—apparently, the bar isn’t performance. It’s… vibes? Timing? Lineage? Marketing? Spin the wheel.

Because if Spring Training is supposed to mean something, the Yankees forgot to tell their own players what that something is.

And that’s the real problem.

Not just the decisions—the double standards.

Not just the roster—the message.

Because right now, it sounds a lot like: “Earn it… unless we’ve already decided you didn’t.”

I hate the way this team is run.

YANKEES GO LIVE SEASON "DEVELOPMENT" AGAIN

Why exactly is Ryan Weathers locking down a spot in the New York Yankees rotation after a spring that looked more like a batting practice showcase—for the other team?

Let’s not sugarcoat it: the numbers were rough. An 11.68 ERA across four starts. Fifteen hits, ten runs (nine earned) in just over nine innings. Yes, there were 12 strikeouts, but that’s like complimenting the garnish on a dish that’s already on fire. The results weren’t just underwhelming—they were loud.

And yet, here we are.

Aaron Boone waved it off with the classic spring training disclaimer: health looks good, the “stuff” is there, and the stats don’t matter. Which, sure, is a nice sentiment—if you’re talking about one shaky outing. But at some point, “don’t look at the numbers” starts to feel less like wisdom and more like willful blindness.

This feels less like a vote of confidence and more like a lack of alternatives dressed up as optimism. Instead of saying, “We don’t have better options,” which is what it really is, the organization is spinning it into “everything’s fine.” But Yankee fans aren’t blind—they can read a box score just as well as anyone in the front office.

And that’s really the frustrating part: the disconnect. The reliance on projection over production. The insistence that what could be matters more than what is. There’s only so long you can sell potential before people start asking for results.

To be clear, this isn’t even really about Weathers. He might turn into a perfectly serviceable pitcher. “Perfectly fine” has value in baseball. But pretending he’s something more—some hidden ace waiting to emerge—feels like a stretch that even Yankee Stadium’s short porch can’t accommodate.

At a certain point, fans just want honesty. Not spin. Not hopeful guesses. Just reality.

JUDGE & JETER ARE MORE DIFFERENT THAN YOU THOUGHT!

I know a lot of us are focused on the end of spring training. I am too, but I am also still thinking about the World Baseball Classic. I'm not even stewing over the fact that we lost. I am thinking about what Aaron Judge said after USA beat the Dominican Republic.

You probably know what I am talking about, but if you don't Judge made some interesting comments comparing the World Series with the World Baseball Classic, you can read about it HERE.
"I'll say, it's been bigger," Judge told reporters. "The World Series I was in versus the crowd here and the one we had against Mexico, it's bigger and better than the World Series. The passion that these fans have representing their country, representing some of their favorite players, there's nothing like it."

There's no doubt in my mind that putting on a jersey with your country's name on it is something that cannot be described, and could be one of those once in a lifetime moments. There's a lot of pride, and a feeling of being part of something bigger than just yourself and the MLB team you play for. I just don't know that I would say the crowds are "bigger and better" than the World Series. That's like comparing a New York pizza to Paella!

I guess that means I thinking more like Derek Jeter who did say "I think people are always trying to compare what's bigger. It's completely different. When you retire, they ask, ‘How many championships did you win?’ for a reason. Playing in a World Series, going through a 162-game schedule plus the postseason, is difficult to do." It is hard to compare a tournament played for a couple of weeks with some players not even on a MLB team to a 162-game season. I think Jeter is right. They are completely different. Playing on a MLB team AND the World Baseball Classic are both huge accomplishments, and great moments in a player's career....but they are not one in the same.

The World Baseball Classic elimination round is a one game lose and your done scenario. The best team doesn't always win, sometimes it is the team that gets great pitching and a few timely hits in that game. We saw that in this tournament. I will not downplay the talent and significance of the tournament but the World Series is still the ultimate title in this sport and you have to accomplish infinitely more to get that ring and call yourself a champion.

I'd be interested to hear what Judge says later IF he ever wins a Word Series. Jeter has FIVE World Series championships and competed in two World Baseball Classics so there's no one more qualified to speak on the subject than he is. 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THIS YANKEES STARTING ROTATION IS HARDLY CHAMPIONSHIP CALIBER

Here’s the thing—and it’s not exactly a hot take—it’s getting harder and harder to read about the Yankees’ rotation without grinding your teeth a little.

The deeper you go, the more it feels like this staff is being held together with duct tape, crossed fingers, and whatever’s left in the trainer’s room. Opening Day isn’t creeping up anymore—it’s basically here—and the rotation still feels like a group project where nobody did their part until the night before.

The latest comes via Bryan Hoch, who laid out a few end-of-spring storylines. One of the more telling ones: Cam Schlittler had a minor setback that slowed his buildup. Translation? He might be sitting around 70 pitches when the season starts. The workaround is a piggyback situation—which is a polite baseball way of saying, “we’ll figure it out as we go.” The Yankees can get away with it early since they don’t need a fifth starter immediately, but that’s more scheduling luck than actual planning.

And sure, you might also see names like Carlos Lagrange and Kervin Castro floating into the picture. Which is fine… if you’re talking about mid-July depth. Not ideal when it’s March and you’re already flipping through the emergency contacts list.

But the bigger issue is what’s happening—or not happening—with Carlos Rodón.

According to Chris Kirschner, manager Aaron Boone isn’t even sure Rodón will pitch in a spring training game before the regular season. Let that sink in. We’re talking about a frontline starter.

Rodón will throw another live BP, and Boone says he expects him back “at some point in April.” At some point? We knew he was coming back from injury, but give me some specifics please!

And that’s really the tone here. There’s a noticeable lack of urgency. Boone doesn’t come across like a manager trying to piece together a contender—he looks like someone hoping the problem sorts itself out if he just doesn’t poke it too hard.

So, what does this rotation actually look like right now?

Max Fried is the guy. He was brought in to stabilize things, and to his credit, he’s healthy and ready. No complaints there. He’s your Opening Day starter, and frankly, he has to be more than that—he has to be the adult in the room.

Luis Gil was supposed to be a key piece, but his spring has been rough. The velocity is there, but the results aren’t. Giving up seven runs in three innings isn’t a “shake the rust off” outing—it’s a red flag. At this point, you’re hearing whispers about the minors or the bullpen, which is not what you want for someone penciled into your top three.

Will Warren is stepping in and now he’s expected to carry meaningful innings right away. That’s a lot to ask from a young arm, especially when “depth piece” suddenly becomes “please save us.”

Schlittler, as mentioned, is on a pitch count. Ryan Weathers is slotted into the back end to provide “stability,” which is usually code for “just give us four innings and don’t set anything on fire.”

And then there’s the injured list, which reads like a who’s-who of who you actually wanted to rely on.

Gerrit Cole is working back from Tommy John and might return in May or June. Rodón is aiming for late April, maybe. Clarke Schmidt is even further out and might not even come back as a starter.

So yes—needless to say—this is not a championship rotation. Not at all.

Could it become one? Maybe, if everything breaks perfectly. But “everything going right” is not a strategy—it’s a wish.

And right now, this whole situation feels less like a plan and more like a hope that April doesn’t ask too many tough questions.

THREE STARTERS ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH

All offseason I kept saying the same thing. Actually, scratch that—I said it last season too. The Yankees needed one more legit starting pitcher to sit next to Max Fried. Just one. Then when Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole come back, suddenly the rotation looks nasty. Add Cam Schlittler into the mix and you’ve got the makings of something serious.

But nobody wanted to hear it.

Instead, the Yankees went out and traded for Ryan Weathers, wrapped the move in a nice little bow, and Yankee social media tried to sell it like they’d just discovered the next ace hiding in a clearance bin. On top of that, everyone just assumed Luis Gil would magically snap back into Rookie of the Year form, like there’s some kind of “reset to dominance” button you press every March.

Fast forward to now—just weeks from Opening Day—and the Yankees rotation looks… shaky. And honestly, that’s not fair to Max Fried. The guy can only carry so much of the load.

Sure, Will Warren is opening some eyes this spring, and Cam Schlittler looks promising. But let’s be real for a second: promising isn’t the same thing as ready. And right now, ready is exactly what the Yankees need.

Fans love to point to the eventual returns of Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole, and yes, that will help. But the team actually has to stay afloat until they get there. If two of your five starters are consistently struggling before those guys return, things can spiral quickly.

Even Sports Illustrated writer Jordon Lawrenz is sounding the alarm with a wrote that “Three Quality Starters Isn’t Good Enough.” Funny… that sounds awfully familiar. Oh right—I’ve been saying that exact thing right here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.

Lawrenz points out that the Yankees know they have prospects like Carlos Lagrange waiting in the wings, but it’s way too early to start calling those names over Gil and Weathers. Early spring struggles happen, sure—but when it’s multiple starters, that’s when the concern meter starts flashing.

But this is the Yankees’ pattern. They don’t act before problems happen. They wait until the problem is staring them in the face… and then they react.

Let’s call it what it is: Ryan Weathers was never the answer. It was a questionable move from the start. And simply waiting around for Cole and Rodón to return is basically handing wins to your opponents and hoping you can play catch-up later.

If the Yankees want to be contenders—hell, if they want to talk about being 2026 World Series champions—the front office needs to get its act together.

But will they? Probably not.

And hey, why would they listen to me over here at Bleeding Yankee Blue?

I only called it months ago. Losers.

PAUL DEJONG COULD PROVE TO BE A SOLID SIGNING

I’ve always had a soft spot for Paul DeJong, and even though I wasn’t expecting fireworks from him this spring, having a guy like that waiting on the bench is exactly the kind of quiet insurance a team loves. He’s been around the block, understands the flow of the game, and feels like the type of veteran who could slide into the New York Yankees clubhouse without missing a beat.

Despite signing DeJong to a minor-league deal, Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com has floated the idea that the former All-Star could sneak onto the Opening Day roster. That possibility becomes even more realistic if Oswaldo Cabrera isn’t fully ready after losing most of last season to an ankle fracture.

If that happens, DeJong suddenly becomes a very useful piece. With starting shortstop Anthony Volpe expected to miss time while recovering from shoulder surgery, the Yankees could use someone who brings both experience and flexibility to the infield. DeJong’s deal reportedly comes with a $1 million payday if he makes the big-league roster, and what he offers is pretty straightforward: steady defense across all four infield spots and a bat that still has some pop in it.

With Volpe likely out until at least May following labrum surgery, DeJong is basically competing to help hold the line early in the season. Jose Caballero is expected to handle most of the fill-in duties, but DeJong gives the Yankees a veteran option who’s been in big moments before.

And honestly, let’s be real for a second—if Volpe weren’t in the picture at all, the Yankees probably wouldn’t skip much of a beat running with Caballero and DeJong. Between the two of them, there’s enough defense, experience, and occasional power to keep things steady.

That’s why bringing DeJong in this offseason might end up looking like a sneaky smart move. It’s not flashy, but sometimes the best roster decisions are the ones you only notice when you suddenly need them. 

A TERRIFIC TRADE IDEA THE YANKEES HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF

Credit where it’s due: Zach Pressnell of Sports Illustrated may have just sketched out the kind of practical, win-now move the New York Yankees should be sprinting to the phone about. His idea—sending pitching prospects Kyle Carr and Brock Selvidge to the St. Louis Cardinals for left-handed reliever JoJo Romero—is one of those trades that makes so much sense you almost wonder why it hasn’t already happened.

Romero is exactly the kind of arm the Yankees’ bullpen currently lacks: a proven, high-leverage lefty who can handle the eighth inning and keep dangerous left-handed hitters quiet when the game tightens up. The Yankees do have left-handed options, but they’re more matchup specialists than late-inning stoppers. Romero would immediately slide into a setup role and give the bullpen the kind of October-ready depth contenders need.

Pressnell’s logic is refreshingly straightforward. The Yankees would be turning two intriguing but unproven prospects into a reliever who’s already shown he can thrive under major-league pressure. Prospects are baseball’s favorite lottery tickets—fun to dream about, occasionally life-changing, but far from guaranteed. Romero, on the other hand, is the reliable appliance that works every day.

For the Cardinals, moving Romero wouldn’t derail their long-term plans, and adding arms like Carr and Selvidge gives them developmental upside. For the Yankees, it’s an immediate upgrade for a bullpen that has lost key pieces like Devin Williams and Luke Weaver and still needs a stabilizing presence late in games.

In other words, it's clean. Fair for both sides and perfectly aligned with the Yankees’ win-now mentality. The only real mystery is why the Yankees’ front office hasn’t already picked up the phone. Sometimes the best ideas in baseball are the obvious ones—and this feels like one of them.

THE GREAT BOONE PUPPET DEBATE REALLY ISN'T A DEBATE

Brian Cashman doesn’t get to tell fans how they’re supposed to feel about Aaron Boone. That’s just not how fandom works.

Since Boone took over for Joe Girardi, Yankees fans have heard the same message over and over from the top. Every year, Hal Steinbrenner reminds everyone that it’s “championship or bust.” Every year, the season ends without a championship, and every winter Brian Cashman assures fans that meaningful upgrades are coming.

And yet… here we are again.

So, when people look at the Yankees and say Boone feels more like a pawn than a power figure, it’s not coming out of thin air. Fans have watched this same movie for years now. Boone sits in the dugout, smiling, chewing gum, managing the lineup card while the front office supposedly calls the big shots, in my opinion of course.

Cashman, however, insists that narrative is completely wrong. Speaking to Fox Sports reporter Deesha Thosar, he made it clear the criticism bothers him.

“Like, at the end of the day, I know all that's going to matter is if we're winning games. And even when we are winning games, it still won't matter... Because there's a lot of narratives out there that just aren't the case. Like, to this day, I'm definitely frustrated with the one narrative that the manager is the puppet, and we're dictating his moves. None of it's true.”

The problem is, that explanation lands with a thud among fans who have watched this team spin its wheels for years.

Yes, the Yankees have talent. Nobody denies that. Aaron Judge is one of the best players in baseball. Giancarlo Stanton can still crush a baseball into orbit. Cody Bellinger brings legitimate skill to the lineup.

But building a championship team takes more than a few stars surrounded by ongoing development projects. Too often the Yankees feel like a lab experiment — mixing veteran power hitters with prospects who are learning on the fly at the major league level.

And when the team falls short, Boone is the one sitting in the manager’s chair.

Cashman, though, says the public perception simply won’t change no matter what he says.

“I can't change people's minds. They want to believe what they want to believe, no matter what... It's like politics and conspiracy theories. You can try to prove it scientifically, prove it with people testifying under oath, or, like, I can roll out former managers, you can ask those guys. It doesn't matter. It doesn't mean anything. People still say it. So it's like, well, then what am I going to do?”

Well, here’s an idea: give fans a roster that actually looks upgraded.

Because from the outside looking in, it often feels like the Yankees make one splashy move and call it a winter. The bullpen still needs depth. The roster still leans heavily on development experiments. And somehow Boone is expected to steer that mix to a championship.

Not exactly a fair assignment.

Sports Illustrated writer Joseph Randazzo summed up the situation perfectly:

“It's hard to say what they think will be accomplished by repeating year in and year out that Boone isn't a puppet, but, in a lot of ways, it comes off the way Mark DeRosa has come off for Team USA. He put his foot in his mouth by doubling down, telling the public that he, in fact, knew the United States didn't ‘punch their ticket’ to the knockout round, and all that has gotten him is more criticism. Shooing away criticism comes off as a lack of understanding of the crux of everybody's frustration in the first place. That makes everything worse.”

And that’s exactly the point.

Every year the Yankees insist the criticism is misguided. Every year they promise improvement. And every year the same frustrations resurface.

The Yankees are a good team. But they’re not a great one. And good teams don’t hang championship banners in the Bronx.

Spring training doesn’t change that. Adding one player in the offseason doesn’t change that. Rolling into the season with roster holes and hoping internal development solves everything doesn’t change that.

You know what also doesn’t help? A manager who feels more like the players’ buddy than their boss.

If you want to see what strong dugout leadership looks like, watch managers like Bruce Bochy or the legendary Jim Leyland. Their teams play with discipline, urgency, and accountability.

That’s leadership.

So when Cashman says fans are going to believe what they want to believe, he’s right about one thing: fans will decide for themselves.

And until the Yankees prove otherwise on the field, plenty of people will keep believing the same thing.

Aaron Boone isn’t running the show.

He’s holding the strings someone else is pulling.

ANOTHER REASON WHY BASEBALL IS NO LONGER ABOUT THE FANS

If you ever needed another reminder that the modern baseball business isn’t really about the fans anymore, congratulations — the 2026 season just handed you a perfect example wrapped in a streaming subscription. They will mask it like they are, but when your own local network, who is owned by the team doesn't get the rights to their own opening night game, you have to question it.

The New York Yankees will open their season on March 25 against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park… and you won’t find it on YES Network. Nope. The first Yankees game of the season — Opening Night, no less — will be exclusively streamed by Netflix.

Yes. The Yankees’ own network doesn’t even get the Yankees’ first game of the year. That promo? It's cool right? The concept... horrible for us die-hard fans.

Think about that for a second.

The reason? Major League Baseball signed a three-year streaming deal with Netflix reportedly worth about $50 million. The agreement gives the platform exclusive rights to certain marquee events from 2026 through 2028, and the Yankees–Giants matchup was chosen as a standalone national showcase. It’ll be the only MLB game played that day — a primetime event designed to bring eyeballs to Netflix’s first live baseball broadcast.

Great for Netflix. Not exactly great for the fans who actually follow the Yankees every night.

And it’s not like the Yankees didn’t see this coming. This isn’t a sudden thunderbolt from the sky. The team with one of the richest brands in sports somehow allowed its own Opening Night to get scooped away from its own network. The YES Network, the channel literally built around Yankees baseball, is now flying across the country just to broadcast… one game of the series.

Even Michael Kay didn’t try to sugarcoat it. He summed up the situation pretty bluntly, saying losing the pomp and circumstance of Opening Day “sucks.” He’s right. It does. But the issue goes deeper than that. Kay pointed out the awkward reality of the schedule: the opener is on Netflix, the finale is on Fox Sports, and the YES crew gets stuck with the middle game. So, the network voice of the Yankees is essentially boarding a plane to San Francisco to call exactly one game. That’s not just inconvenient. It’s ridiculous.

And for fans, the bigger problem is what we’re losing. When you turn on a Yankees broadcast, you expect the familiar voices — Kay, the analysts, the booth that lives and breathes the team every day. That connection matters. It’s part of what makes baseball feel local, personal, and rooted.

Netflix’s broadcast will instead feature a national crew including Matt Vasgersian, CC Sabathia, and Hunter Pence. Look, Sabathia is beloved in the Bronx and nobody’s complaining about hearing from him. But let’s be honest: a national broadcast crew is not the same as the people who call your team every single night. It turns the whole thing into something sterile. Less hometown baseball, more corporate presentation.

And that’s really the point here.

This deal isn’t just about one game. It’s about where the sport is headed under commissioner Rob Manfred. MLB has made it clear it wants to shift toward a nationalized media model — potentially bundling local digital rights by 2029 and selling them collectively.

Translation: fewer regional broadcasts, more big national streaming deals. In other words, the exact opposite of what built baseball’s connection with its fan bases in the first place.  Yes, baseball has always been a business. Nobody is naive about that. But once upon a time the business side stayed mostly behind the curtain while fans got to enjoy the game.

Now the curtain is gone. The business is the show.  Streaming deals. Exclusive rights. Platforms fighting over games like they’re tech assets instead of part of a community’s culture.

And Opening Day — the one moment that’s supposed to feel special for every team’s fans — is now being used as a tech launch event.

So call me crazy if you want. But when that first Yankees pitch of the year is thrown and the voices you’ve listened to for years aren’t there… you’ll feel it. That’s the moment you realize something about the sport has changed.

Shame on MLB for selling it that way. And honestly, shame on YES for not fighting harder to keep the Yankees’ own Opening Night where it belongs.

I'M NOT BUYING RYAN WEATHERS

Remember what I said about Ryan Weathers? Yeah… I meant it. Spring Training or not, I never bought the hype around this kid and I’m still not buying it now. At some point the New York Yankees have to stop running these little “development experiments” like they’re a science fair project gone wrong. We already sat through the Anthony Volpe Experience and the Austin Wells Adventure. Both of those have been… let’s call it “educational.” We really don’t need another lesson.

Today didn’t exactly inspire confidence either. Weathers got tagged early in a 7–6 loss to the Atlanta Braves, and that first inning was basically a disaster movie. Four runs crossed the plate before anyone could finish their coffee. When it was over, the left-hander had allowed four earned runs on seven hits across 3.2 innings.

Not exactly the kind of outing that makes fans jump up and scream, “Yes! This is the guy!”

But if you listen closely to the spin machine coming out of the New York Yankees front office, they’ll tell you the real story is that Weathers hit 100 mph on the radar gun. And sure, that’s nice. Radar guns are fun. Fireworks are also fun. Neither of those things necessarily mean the pitcher actually got anyone out.

Velocity is great, but you know what’s even better? Not giving up four runs before the stadium hot dogs are warm.

The reality is that Weathers already had an uphill climb with the fan base. The Yankees paid a steep prospect price to bring him in, he’s had a laundry list of injury concerns over the years, and now his spring performances have been… let’s politely call them “uneven.” That’s not exactly the recipe for instant Bronx love.

Right now, he’s penciled into the rotation mostly because the Yankees are waiting for the cavalry to return. Until Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón get healthy and back from the injured list, Weathers is basically serving as a placeholder. A bridge. A temporary patch on the tire while the real engine is in the shop.

And honestly? That’s exactly what he looks like.

Maybe he figures it out. Maybe the velocity turns into results. Baseball has surprised us before.

But if we’re still hearing in June about how “encouraging” it is that Ryan Weathers can touch 100 while the scoreboard lights up like Times Square, I’m done. At that point I might just start rooting for the Pittsburgh Pirates out of sheer emotional self-defense.

Because even the most loyal Yankees fan has a breaking point. And the Bronx “pitching lab” might be getting dangerously close to mine.

I know, ya'll hate my negativity. I get it, but I'm not wrong.  

WILL WARREN IS PROVING ME WRONG & I LOVE IT!

The New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers, and the big headline for me was Will Warren — who, to my surprise and mild delight, actually looked terrific. Yes, that Will Warren. And yes, I’m fully prepared to admit it when a guy makes me look a little silly.

Warren pulled off something no other Yankees pitcher has managed this spring: he made it through the sixth inning. In March baseball, where starters are usually yanked faster than a bad Wi-Fi connection, that’s a pretty big deal.

As Empire Sports Media noted:

“Throwing 64 pitches effectively is fantastic for his tune-up process, proving he is nearly ready for a full starter’s workload. If his progression stays on this trajectory, he should be knocking on the door of 80 pitches by the time he takes the mound for his next Grapefruit League appearance.”

And honestly? I’m here for it.

Now, let’s be clear about something: I haven’t exactly been president of the Will Warren fan club. Not even close. But I am a fan of players who shove doubt back down the throats of people like me. So go ahead, Will — prove me wrong. I’ll happily eat that serving of crow if it means the Yankees get a legitimate arm.

The next hurdle is consistency. Last year Warren had an unfortunate habit of mixing a great outing with one that looked like it was sponsored by gasoline and matches. Those occasional meltdowns have to disappear. That's where he lost me.

There are encouraging signs, though. His four-seam fastball has ticked up about one mile per hour this spring and is showing roughly two extra inches of induced vertical break. In other words, it’s got a little more life — the kind that can make hitters swing under it instead of sending it to the parking lot.

The real trouble spot in 2025 was his sweeper. Opponents hit a very unfriendly .336 against it. That’s less “wipeout pitch” and more “please hit this somewhere hard.” If Warren can turn that offering into something merely average, scouts believe he has the tools to evolve into more than just rotation filler.

Right now, the projection is that Warren could settle in as a reliable back-end starter for the Yankees in 2026. But if the pitch mix sharpens and the bad outings disappear, that ceiling might creep closer to the middle of the rotation.

For a guy I wasn’t exactly sold on? That’s a development worth watching.

Stay tuned.