AARON BOONE IS CRACKING... AND IT SHOWS

Sure, the Yankees have a hitting problem, but they have a hitting problem because they have a horrendous leadership problem. IS ANYONE LISTENING TO ME? The manager has to go. it starts at the top.

The New York Yankees just lost another extra-inning game to the Chicago White Sox. Read that sentence again. The White Sox. Again.

This isn't about one bad afternoon. This isn't about one pitcher missing the strike zone. This isn't about one hitter failing to deliver with runners in scoring position. This is what organizational failure looks like. And it starts at the very top.

Brian Cashman built this roster. Hal Steinbrenner continues to endorse the direction and be MIA. Aaron Boone continues to manage as if the Yankees are one inspirational speech away from turning into the 1998 Yankees. Enough already.

Boone's postgame press visit tonight was the latest reminder that this franchise has completely lost its identity. When Fernando Cruz walked in the winning run on four pitches in the 11th inning, Boone wasn't interested in discussing what happened. He wasn't interested in accountability.

Instead, he barked at reporters.

"We've got to score a freaking point."

Really? This isn't football. It's called a run.

But seriously, that's your message? Of course, the Yankees have to score. Anyone with a television figured that out by the third inning. But here's the part Boone either refuses to acknowledge or simply doesn't understand.

Leadership isn't about stating the obvious. Leadership is about accountability.

Yes, players swing the bats. Nobody is disputing that. The Yankees were a pathetic 4-for-31 with runners in scoring position over the last two games against Chicago and stranded 21 runners. That's embarrassing.

But when the same failures happen over and over and over again, the manager doesn't get to shrug his shoulders and blame execution. At some point, the manager owns the product. That's what being the manager of the New York Yankees is supposed to mean. Instead, Boone has become the master of excuse-making.

Someone's hurt. Somebody almost came through. The at-bats were competitive, but we gotta do better. The guys battled but we came up short.

How many years have Yankees fans heard the same script? The names change. The excuses don't, and Boone is still there... are you getting it yet? Maybe it's not the personnel, it's the dude riding the bus.

Meanwhile, Brian Cashman watches this slow-motion disaster unfold and somehow keeps convincing ownership that this is all just bad luck. Bad luck? The Yankees have spent years constructing a roster that is too one-dimensional, too injury-prone, too dependent on home runs, and too incapable of producing a simple base hit when it matters most.

That's not bad luck. That's bad construction.

The injuries to Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton are real. Nobody denies that. But championship organizations don't completely collapse because three players go down.

They adapt. They develop. They respond. And the manager helps to navigate that.

The Yankees do none of those things. Instead, they roll out the same lineup, expect different results, and then act shocked when another game slips away.

Ryan Weathers did his job. The bullpen did its job for nearly the entire afternoon. Even Fernando Cruz had done quality work before running out of gas in the 11th.

The offense? Missing. Again. And Boone's answer is to yell at reporters? That tells you everything.

Managers who are confident don't explode over legitimate questions. Managers who know they have answers don't become defensive every time someone mentions the trade deadline.

When Boone was asked whether the Yankees needed reinforcements, he snapped.

"It doesn't matter."

Actually, Aaron, it matters a lot. Because if this roster is good enough—as you continue insisting—then you're admitting something else. You're admitting the manager isn't getting enough out of it.

Which is it? Is the roster flawed? Or is the leadership failing? You can't have it both ways.

The most frustrating part is that the Yankees continue operating as though mediocrity is acceptable as long as someone can explain it away during a postgame press meeting.

That's not the standard this franchise was built on. George Steinbrenner would have demanded answers. Today's Yankees demand patience. That's the real problem. The front office has become comfortable with failure. Aaron Boone is great at failing. And Yankees fans have become far too familiar with watching both happen in real time.

The bats absolutely deserve criticism. But without accountability from the dugout and competence from the front office, this cycle never ends. Boone cracked tonight... and that tells you all you need to know. Bottom line?

They need new leadership. Because if this week proved anything, it's that the biggest thing missing from the Yankees isn't offense.

It's urgency. Just watch that press meeting tonight with Boone... he was lost. Why? Well... when you can't handle a job... you freak.

Boone is freaking out. 

YANKS DO THEIR TYPICAL LOSS/WIN SPLIT

You want to know what's exhausting about this Yankees team? It's not that they lose. Baseball teams lose. Even good ones. It's how they lose.

The Yankees split Wednesday's doubleheader against the Pirates, dropping Game 1 in painful fashion before bouncing back with a crisp 2-0 win in the nightcap. That's the kind of split that leaves fans feeling more frustrated than satisfied because the opener never should have slipped away.

Let's start with the obvious. Max Fried is exactly what the Yankees needed. Forget the final score of the second game for a minute.

The biggest win of the day wasn't just another number in the standings—it was watching Max Fried look like Max Fried again.

After missing time with an elbow bone bruise, Fried walked back onto that mound like he never left. Five scoreless innings. One hit. Seven strikeouts. Complete command.

No rust. No excuses. Just dominance.

He attacked hitters, trusted his stuff, and retired the final 12 batters he faced. That's what aces do.

When Fried is healthy, this Yankees rotation becomes a completely different animal. He changes the complexion of every series, every playoff conversation, and every expectation.

Welcome back, Max. The Yankees desperately missed you. Oh, and if there's one player who deserves more recognition, it's Ben Rice. His three-run blast in Game 1 completely changed the momentum and rescued what looked like another lifeless offensive performance. Without Rice, that game isn't even close enough to reach extra innings. He delivered when the Yankees absolutely needed someone to wake up a sleeping offense.

That's becoming a trend. Rice doesn't seem overwhelmed. He doesn't seem afraid of the moment. He simply plays baseball, and right now he's giving this club far more production than several veterans who are supposed to be carrying the load.

The Yankees need more of that attitude. But even with Rice in Game 1, they lost. And that sucks. That loss stung. Not because Pittsburgh is a bad team. Because the Yankees practically handed it away.

Gerrit Cole deserved better. Eleven strikeouts over seven innings is exactly what your ace is supposed to give you. Yes, two home runs hurt, but after that performance, your teammates and bullpen have to finish the job. Instead? The offense disappeared for most of the afternoon.

Two hits through four innings. No pressure. No consistency. Then, just when Rice erased the deficit with one swing, the bullpen couldn't hold it together.  Fernando Cruz couldn't escape the tenth, and suddenly another winnable game turned into another frustrating loss.

That's becoming a habit.

Look, it is my opinion that Championship teams don't waste performances like this and that's the problem. Every time the Yankees waste a brilliant outing from Gerrit Cole, it chips away at something bigger than one game. Your ace goes out there, gives you everything he has, and the offense sleepwalks through seven innings. Then the bullpen gives it back.

That's not championship baseball. That's careless baseball. And we've seen this movie far too many times. But look, at least the Yankees answered in Game 2.

Jasson Domínguez came through with the go-ahead RBI double. Volpe followed with an RBI single. The bullpen locked it down. Most importantly, Max Fried looked every bit like the pitcher the Yankees have been waiting to get back. Now comes the hard part.

Stop wasting great pitching. Support your starters. Execute the fundamentals. Because if this team wants October to mean something, they can't keep turning quality starts into missed opportunities.

Wednesday could have easily been a sweep. Instead, it's another reminder that talent alone doesn't win baseball games. Execution does.

My take.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED & THE 'FAKE NEWS' WORLD OF BRIAN CASHMAN

The Yankees had the blueprint for a clean, stress-free win: Max Fried on the mound, a slim lead, and momentum on their side. Naturally, it all went sideways. Why? Because the bullpen once again treated a lead like a polite suggestion instead of a responsibility.

And the wild part? This wasn’t supposed to be an issue anymore. Cue the flashback—July 31, 2025. Brian Cashman steps up after the trade deadline and essentially stamps the roster with a big “Mission Accomplished.” Reinforcements had arrived: David Bednar, Jake Bird, and Camilo Doval. Three arms, one promise—problem solved.

Except… not even close.

Bird’s already been rerouted to Wilkes-Barre like a package marked “return to sender.” The others? Let’s call it aggressively average. Sprinkle in a few more spare parts, and somehow the bullpen still operates like it’s held together with duct tape and crossed fingers.

Meanwhile, yesteday Fried actually gave them a chance. He settled in, found a groove, and carried a one-run lead into the sixth looking every bit like the ace. Then came the turning point—because of course it did. Former Yankee Oswald Peraza ties it with an RBI double, and Fernando Cruz follows that up by turning a crack into a crater with three more runs.

From there, it became a parade of “who’s that?” and “why now?”—Angel Chivilli (I don't know who this is) and Ryan Yarbrough—and just like that, the wheels weren’t just off, they got lost. The offense, for dramatic effect, vanished right on cue.

So yes, they got run over by an Angels team that isn’t exactly a juggernaut. And the question keeps coming back: how does a team that stockpiles bullpen arms like collectibles still end up with a relief corps that can’t close a door, let alone a game?

I’ll give you the short answer—because the guy in charge thought the job was already finished. “Mission accomplished,” remember? That’s starting to look less like confidence and more like the moment the GPS lost signal.

And it’s not just the bullpen. This is part of a longer résumé that raises eyebrows: the Carlos Rodón deal that hasn’t delivered co-ace results, the gamble on Frankie Montas that came with a warning label attached, a roster that seems permanently one tweak away from the injured list, and an offense that lives and dies by the long ball—usually dies when it matters.

At some point, it stops being bad luck and starts being a pattern.

And if you zoom out? Brian Cashman only really has one unquestioned crown jewel—2009. The rest? All of it traces back to the foundation built by Gene Michael. Since then, it’s felt more like maintenance than mastery.

Yesterday was just another episode in a very familiar series: shaky bullpen, silent bats, and a team that looks less complete the closer you examine it.

And the best (or worst) part? It’s only April 17. Plenty of time for things to improve… or for the same script to keep running on repeat.

YANKEES PLAY LIKE GARBAGE WHILE BOONE CLINGS TO "BELIEVE & HOPE" FOR VOLPE

Before we get into this shit show, let me state for the record that the Yankees let Gleyber Torres walk and he's had quite a production season for the Tigers. It's refreshing. He bet on himself, took the one year deal with Detroit and he will have a wonderful offseason because he proved to Major League baseball that he can still play. Meanwhile the geeks in the Yankees "analytics" back room wanted him off the Yankee roster last year because they saw no future in Torres projections.  

But what those numbers do not tell you is that heart and guts play a major role in a major league player.  And they picked wrong.

Meanwhile, Anthony Volpe is at this point the worst shortstop in the league, due to errors... do to him just sucking the life out of the Yankees lineup with zeroes on the board every night.  Last night was another example. And if you look at say, the comparison of hitting between Torres and Volpe, Torres was quite productive.  Volpe? I mean, my mom might have done a better job... at least worked a walk. 

What are we doing here Aaron Boone? Why are you obsessed with this kid? Does he remind you of him? Is Michael Volpe you golfing buddy? Are you in love with him? Serious questions here, because I have to tell you, when you are playing for a playoff spot, you put the best guys on the field. You're not and rolling out Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe night after night is just Loserville.

Boone says the Yankees “believe and hope” Anthony Volpe’s best days are ahead — preferably now, as the team claws for October baseball. Cute. The problem? We’ve been “believing and hoping” since April. It hasn’t worked. At all.

This isn’t about injuries or bad luck. This is about Boone. He picks wrong. Constantly. He manages like a guy rolling dice in a dark room, then spends half his energy arguing balls and strikes he knows won’t get overturned. It’s leadership theater — and the Yankees are paying for front-row seats.

And now, on September 10th, the grand strategy is to… keep “believing and hoping” Volpe figures it out? That’s not a plan; that’s wishful thinking disguised as management. Bench him. Yesterday. This is a great tweet by the way. Those numbers? Those are numbers of a high schooler playing in the major leagues, folks. The kid sucks. 

Give Jose Caballero the keys to shortstop and walk away slowly. The guy’s got a ton of innings already at short, owns four defensive runs saved, nine outs above average, and, newsflash, he actually knows what to do with a baseball when it comes his way. Even on an off night at the plate, Caballero can still get on base, create chaos, and score runs. That’s called production.

Volpe? He gives away outs like Halloween candy. It’s painful. It’s predictable. And it’s killing this team. Boone’s refusal to make the obvious move isn’t just frustrating — it’s flat-out embarrassing.

Bleeding Yankee Blue has been yelling about this for six weeks. It’s obvious. Caballero should be the everyday shortstop. Everything else is Boone’s ego talking, and right now, the Yankees can’t afford his bad choices.

Do you want me to make this even sharper and more sarcastic — like a rant that sounds fed up with Boone and the front office? It could hit harder, trust me.

And last night's game? A disaster.  As of right now the Yankees are 3 games out of the lead in the American League East. In the Wild Card, which is like 3rd place closer, we are clinging to a lead that we could pretty much lose if we have a bad series to the Tigers and Red Sox next.  But year, let's "believe and hope" Boone, you fucking idiot. How about manage?

The game, if you can even call it that — it was more like a live demonstration of how to burn down a season in one inning. Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr. managed to give up nine runs without recording a single out in what has to be one of the most humiliating seventh innings Yankee Stadium has ever witnessed. Tigers 12, Yankees 2. On a crisp night in the Bronx, the only thing colder than the bats was Aaron Boone’s brain.

Cruz and Leiter’s stat line looked like a drunk Little League scrimmage: four walks, four hits, one hit batter, one wild pitch, 36 pitches thrown… only 14 for strikes. That’s not pitching — that’s performance art.

And then here comes Aaron Boone, Mister “Everything’s Fine,” delivering another one of his canned sermons:

“Tonight’s a tough night, but it doesn’t change a lot of the good things that have happened in some of these games…”

Stop. Talking.

Boone, fans don’t care about the “good things" yesterday. You don’t get credit for showing up to work and doing your job occasionally. Yankees fans expect this team to be good all the time. That’s the standard. But instead, we get chaos, inconsistency, and empty platitudes from a manager who treats every meltdown like a minor inconvenience.

And don’t even start with the “it’s on the players” narrative. No. This disaster starts at the top. Boone, Brian Cashman, and Michael Fishman are steering this Titanic into an iceberg at full speed. Boone can’t manage a bullpen. Cashman’s roster construction is a joke. Fishman… honestly, what does he even do? And HAL STEINBRENNER? The man’s somewhere on a yacht pretending this team isn’t unraveling like a cheap sweater.

This isn’t “bad luck.” This is bad leadership. The Yankees are playing panic baseball because the people in charge have no plan, no vision, and apparently no accountability. We’re stuck in “catchup mode,” but time’s running out, and Boone’s strategy is basically “close your eyes and hope for the best.”

Hal, where are you? Boone, pack a bag. Cashman, start updating your résumé. The fans deserve better than this clown show.

GET IT TOGETHER.

BELLINGER IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR. YANKEES WIN!

The New York Yankees are giving me whiplash. One day they look like contenders, the next they look like a Little League team that forgot which base comes after second. (Blame Volpe for that.) Can we just pick a lane already? This constant yo-yo of hope and heartbreak is exhausting.

Saturday’s 3-1 win over first-place Toronto should have been one of those “we’re back, baby!” moments, and, sure, it was — but it came with all the drama this team loves to manufacture. The play of the game? Cody Bellinger — the human defibrillator keeping this team alive — unleashed a laser from right field to gun down Bo Bichette at the plate on Nathan Lukes’ single in the top of the sixth. That throw saved the Yankees’ lead and, let’s be honest, probably my sanity.

“I feel like every win at this point is pretty big,” Bellinger said afterward, which is adorable considering the Yankees have made every loss feel enormous, too. “I got a good jump on it… just wanted to make a good throw.” Well, mission accomplished, Cody. Without you, we’d probably be talking about another ninth-inning meltdown today.

Speaking of miracles, the bullpen — yes, the same bullpen that’s been leaking runs like a busted faucet — actually came through. Fernando Cruz and David Bednar tag-teamed the final seven outs without blowing up the scoreboard. Imagine that: three scoreless innings in a high-leverage game. Somebody give them a medal. 

The win sliced Toronto’s AL East lead to three games, and the Yankees are somehow still clinging to the Wild Card like a cat hanging from a ceiling fan. But here’s the thing — these games are big. This series is massive. This is season-on-the-line stuff. Aaron Boone, of course, had his usual “zen monk” take:

“We know what’s at stake,” Boone said. “We know how important these games are. But you also can’t make them bigger than what they are.”

Sorry, Boone, but no. These games are bigger than big. They’re enormous. Treat them like it. If the Yankees are clawing back now, it’s only because they’ve spent the last four months digging their own grave thanks to your weak decision-making, a front office allergic to common sense, and an analytics department that thinks baseball is played on spreadsheets instead of grass.

Here’s the ugly truth: if this season ends without a playoff run, the Yankees need a full-blown purge. Boone? Gone. Fishman? Gone. Every single number-crunching “genius” who thought math could replace instinct? Pack your calculators and leave.

Because here’s what I believe — if this team played with more gut and less algorithm, we wouldn’t be clawing back right now. We’d already be on top of the AL East, laughing at Toronto instead of chasing them.

But no, here we are, praying the bullpen holds, begging for consistent offense, and counting on Cody Bellinger’s right arm to save the season. Again.

Win today please!

ANOTHER AARON BOONE DECISION LOSES GAME FOR YANKS

Here we go again. Another game, another avoidable Yankees loss, and — spoiler alert — another chapter in Aaron Boone’s How Not to Manage a Bullpen masterclass.

The Yankees coughed up a lost to the Sox. A 10-7 win, Yanks lose. Painful? Sure. Predictable? If you’ve watched this team under Boone, absolutely.

Now, let’s be fair: when a pitcher gets the ball, he’s supposed to do his job. If he doesn’t, that’s on him. But let’s zoom out. Because the question isn’t just who blew the game — it’s why was that guy in the game at all?

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ian Hamilton. Your ninth-inning guy....against the Red Sox. Yes, that was the decision Aaron Boone made. And no, it doesn’t make sense.

Hamilton hadn’t pitched in a week. He’s been shaky. Yet Boone tapped him to hold the line in the ninth, and it predictably exploded in his face. Or rather, our faces. Because Yankee fans are the ones paying the price for this recurring nonsense.

FanSided said it best in a scathing and accurate breakdown:

“Hamilton pitched the ninth inning and immediately allowed four straight Red Sox hitters to reach base. Two of those runners scored, turning what was a one-run deficit into a three-run deficit. Hamilton was once an important piece in the Yankees' bullpen, and he hadn't pitched in a week, but using him in that game in that spot is just the latest Aaron Boone blunder.”

Boom. Right there. That’s the story. And that’s the problem.

This isn’t Hamilton hate. The guy has had moments. But managing isn’t just about pulling names from a hat — it’s about context. It’s about feel. It’s about not being completely clueless in high-leverage situations. And yet here we are.

Once again, the Yankees hand Boone a lead, and he returns it gift-wrapped to the opponent like a confused mall Santa in July.

We’ve been down this road before. We screamed about it last October when Boone trotted Nestor Cortes out to face Freddie Freeman with runners on and no bullets left. That wasn’t Year 1 Boone. That was Year 6 Boone. And it was still a total disaster.

So fast forward to last night. With the bullpen available, why was Ian Hamilton the choice? Jonathan Loáisiga likely wasn’t an option after back-to-back outings. Fine. But Devin Williams? He threw 14 pitches the night before. Fernando Cruz? Just 9 pitches.

And you’re telling me they were both down? In a one-run game? Against Boston?

Give me a break.

There’s no guarantee they would’ve shut the door, but the odds were infinitely better than running a rusty Hamilton out there cold. This wasn’t complicated. This wasn’t 4D chess. This was “Who’s my best arm tonight?” and Boone somehow forgot the entire board.

And here’s the part that blows my mind: where is the outrage?

Where are the other Yankees blogs? The analysts? The media members? Why aren’t more people calling this out?

The man is bad at this. Full stop. And every loss like this one is a reminder that a different manager might have this team in first place instead of floating in mediocrity. The margins matter. And Boone is consistently on the wrong side of them.

And don’t even get me started on the postgame pressers. You want professionalism from your manager? Boone was literally picking his teeth while talking to reporters after the game.

 

We’re not making this up. The Yankees are bleeding and this dude’s flossing on camera.

It’s embarrassing.

At some point, the Yankees’ front office has to recognize what’s painfully obvious to the rest of us: this team will never win a championship with Aaron Boone as the manager.

You want to beat Boston? Win a division? Hoist a trophy in October?

You don’t do it with a guy who thinks “rested and rusty” is a bullpen strategy.

Tonight is a must-win as far as I'm concerned. The series is still within reach. But if Boone keeps rolling out the wrong guy at the wrong time, this team will keep losing games it should win.

And when that happens — again — don’t blame the bullpen.

Blame the guy picking his teeth in the dugout while the season goes down the drain.

That’s the bottom line.

WEAVER INJURY COULD PROVE TROUBLESOME FOR YANKEES

In Sunday night’s 7–3 win over the Dodgers, Yankees manager Aaron Boone handed the ninth inning keys to Tim Hill. At first glance, no big deal. But then the truth trickled out — Luke Weaver “felt something.” And I hate that phrase. Nothing good ever comes after a pitcher “feeling something.”

Weaver's been a warhorse. His outing in Anaheim marked his fifth appearance in seven days — which, according to FanSided, is workload territory usually reserved for late-October thrill rides, not the middle of the baseball season. That set off the alarm bells in my brain: If Weaver’s out, who takes the wheel?

If it’s a hamstring issue — and that’s the early speculation — he could be sidelined for more than just a weekend. That would leave the Yankees in a bit of a bullpen bind. Do they roll the dice again with Devin Williams? He’s been lights out… until you give him the ninth. The man’s allergic to save situations. He thrives in the shadows, not under the closer spotlight. Pressure hits different when the game’s on the line, and for Williams, that difference has been glaring.

Mark Leiter Jr. has the stuff, but sometimes I wonder if Boone trots him out because of the back of the jersey rather than what’s actually coming out of his hand. The pedigree's nice, but this isn't a baseball family reunion — it's a bullpen that needs a boss.

We can only hope this is just a blip for Weaver. The guy’s been electric this year: a 1.05 ERA across 24 appearances, and he’s locked down 8 of 9 save chances. He’s not just a closer — right now, he’s the closer. Losing him would be like pulling the battery out of a championship run.

Tim Hill got the job done on Sunday, recording the final three outs. But is he a ninth-inning guy or just a lefty specialist temporarily moonlighting as one? That’s a question we don’t want to have to answer long-term.

Help may be on the way in the form of Fernando Cruz, who’s expected to rejoin the team this week. Cruz was dialed in before he hit the injury list, and while he’ll definitely help, the Yankees bullpen is starting to look like a MAS*H unit.

Bottom line — the Yankees need Luke Weaver healthy. Not “pushing through something” healthy. Not “maybe available this weekend” healthy. Actually healthy. Because if he’s out for an extended stretch, the late innings in the Bronx are about to get really chaotic, real fast.

A DEVIN WILLIAMS REPLACEMENT COULD BE HAPPENING

So… is it safe to say the Devin Williams experiment is starting to feel more like a failed science fair project? You know, the kind where the volcano doesn’t erupt, the judges smile politely, and your mom says “you tried your best” on the drive home. I mean seriously, we should’ve known something was off when the man put more fight into saving his beard than saving games. Priorities, Devin!

Look, I’m not here to coddle feelings—this is Bleeding Yankee Blue, not a group therapy session. And I’m just being honest when I say Williams is giving off big “not built for the Bronx” energy. Maybe it’s the soft vibes, maybe it’s the 9.00 ERA in eight games, or maybe it’s that ninth-inning implosion against Tampa where he coughed up a four-run lead like it was a hairball. Whatever it is, it ain’t inspiring confidence.

Now, the Yankees are still doing the whole “let’s be patient” routine. Sure, let’s all hold hands and wait while Williams rediscovers his “airbender” pitch—currently missing more action than a Mets playoff appearance. But here’s the thing: the Bronx isn’t exactly the most forgiving place to “figure it out.”

Meanwhile, Fernando Cruz is over here making hitters look foolish with his elite splitter. The guy’s struck out 19 in just 12 innings, and he doesn’t even have to bring drama with it. No beard debates, no excuses, just straight filth. Yeah, he can’t go multiple innings, but neither can Williams—at least not without heart palpitations from the fanbase.

Oh, and let’s not forget Jonathan Loáisiga, who’s lurking in the shadows like Batman. He’s throwing live BP down in Tampa and creeping toward a return. If he gets healthy, suddenly Williams isn’t just looking over his shoulder—he’s looking at the bullpen door closing behind him.

Still, if we’re talking about the next closer in line, I’ve got two words for you: Luke. Weaver. I’ve been pounding this drum louder than John Sterling on a home run call. The guy shows up, shuts up, works hard, and owns his outings like a grown-up. Even when his velocity dipped, he kept dealing. That’s what a Yankee closer should be—not someone who needs a pep talk and a beard stylist after every outing.

Don’t get me wrong, Cruz in the ninth would be wild and probably a little fun. But to me, the pecking order is clear: Weaver closes, Cruz sets up, and Devin either figures it out fast or waits in the car.  

At the end of the day, this isn’t personal. It’s just baseball in New York. You either handle the heat or you’re off the stove. And right now, Williams is looking like lukewarm leftovers.

SUPERBOY FERNANDO CRUZ IS CRUISING!

Who is happy with Fernando Cruz? I know I am.

I absolutely love these kinds of stories—ones where a change of scenery and a chance to shine unlock something special. That’s exactly what’s happening with Fernando Cruz.

When the Yankees struck a deal with the Cincinnati Reds on December 20, 2024, sending Jose Trevino to Cincinnati in exchange for Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson, most fans saw it as a minor move. Now? It looks like a sneaky stroke of genius. Trevino’s doing just fine over in Cincy, but let’s give the spotlight to Cruz, who’s quietly turning into one of the most electric arms in the Yankees bullpen.

The secret sauce? A splitter so nasty it should probably be illegal. Cruz came into the Bronx already flashing a strong version of the pitch, but under the careful guidance of pitching coach Matt Blake, that thing has become an absolute weapon. The Yankees have all but scrapped his cutter and dialed back his fastball in favor of the pitch that’s putting hitters in the blender. His splitter usage has jumped from 41.9% last season to a staggering 54.7% in 2025. And the results? Filthy.

Fernando Cruz, Disappearing 82mph Splitter. ✌️ pic.twitter.com/ZfS10VcglD

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 19, 2025

Even Empire Sports Media couldn’t help but gush over the numbers, highlighting Cruz’s absurd stats against hitters who dare swing at the splitter: a microscopic .053 batting average and a .105 slugging percentage. The whiff rate? 65.7%. The put-away rate? 50%. Translation: hitters aren’t just missing—they’re flailing like they’ve never seen a baseball before. As ESM cleverly put it, “It’s like having a Ferrari parked in your garage—why not drive it every chance you get?”

Cruz isn’t just passing the nerd test either. Sure, he’s in the 99th percentile in both whiff rate and strikeout rate, fanning 42.1% of batters he faces. But the eye test tells the same story: this guy can chuck. The ERA sits at 2.79, and he looks every bit like a late-inning weapon. Every outing feels like a revelation—he’s confident, nasty, and clearly pitching with something to prove.

Asked about his splitter, Cruz didn’t get into spin rates or mechanics. He simply said, “That’s my gift from God.” And honestly? Watch him throw it and you might believe him.

The Yankees clearly do. They’ve committed to maximizing what makes Cruz special, and it’s paying off in a big way. For a guy who came over in a relatively quiet trade, he’s making a whole lot of noise in pinstripes. These are the stories that make baseball so damn fun. A guy gets a shot, grabs it with both hands, and runs with it.

Tip your cap—Fernando Cruz is no longer just a nice story. He’s a weapon. And in my book, he’s a keeper.

JOSE TREVINO JUST GOT HIS

Break out the Skyline Chili and raise a toast (or, you know, a Cincy-style three-way), because Jose Trevino just locked down his future in the Queen City! According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Cincinnati Reds have signed Trevino to a three-year contract extension worth nearly $15 million, with a club option for 2028. That means Trevino, one of baseball’s genuinely good dudes, gets some well-earned job security—and a whole lot of opportunities to catch fastballs before it rips a hole in his glove.

Trevino landed in Cincinnati this past December after the Reds pulled off a trade with the Yankees, sending reliever Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson to New York in exchange for the 2022 Platinum Glove-winning backstop. Under his old deal, he was set to hit free agency in 2026, but now the Reds have locked him in through 2027, with a chance to keep him around even longer if they pick up that option. Smart move, Cincy—good teammates and good people aren’t always easy to find.

For Trevino, this is nothing but a win. He gets some well-deserved financial security, a fanbase that already appreciates his energy, and, let’s be real, a much friendlier hitter’s park than Yankee Stadium. And for the Reds? They get a defensive wizard behind the plate, a clubhouse leader, and a guy who absolutely deserves every bit of this extension.

So congrats, Jose! Here’s to more web-gem framing, clutch hits, and being the guy every pitcher wants to throw to. Cincinnati just got a little better—and a whole lot luckier—to have you.

YANKEES MAY HAVE FOUND THEIR BREAKOUT RELIEVER!

Hold onto your pinstripes, Yankees fans—Fernando Cruz might just be the secret weapon you didn’t know you needed! This is exactly what Brian Cashman had in mind: snagging a couple of "lightning in a bottle" guys who could set spring training ablaze. CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson is all-in on Cruz as a breakout candidate, saying he’s got "high confidence" that the right-hander is ready to make a leap in 2025.

Okay, sure—Cruz was on last year’s breakout list too, and usually, that’s a bit like showing up to summer school: not ideal. But Cruz’s story feels different. A change of scenery could be just the magic spell he needs to transform into a Bronx gem. The smart money says the Yankees will toss Cruz’s ineffective cutter into the Hudson River—a pitch that served up nine of his 15 home runs allowed over the past two seasons. Instead, expect New York to unleash his filthy splitter, following the blueprint they used with Tommy Kahnle and his devastating changeup. That splitter isn’t just good; it’s downright disrespectful to hitters, holding them to a minuscule .353 OPS over the last two years. With a few tweaks, Cruz could morph into a high-leverage nightmare for Aaron Boone and the defending American League champs.

With the return of Luke Weaver and the addition of Devin Williams, the Yankees’ bullpen was already shaping up to be a strength. But if Cruz can cash in on this breakout potential, that bullpen could go from "tough" to "absolutely terrifying." Let’s not forget, the Yankees sent José Treviño to the Cincinnati Reds this offseason to snag Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson. Now it’s Cruz’s turn to make the Yankees look like trade wizards.

Get ready for some Cruz control in the Bronx—this ride could get wild!

YANKEES SEND JOSE TREVINO AWAY

The New York Yankees made a noteworthy roster move, acquiring right-handed pitcher Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for catcher José Trevino.

Trevino, who impressed early in his Yankees tenure, struggled in the latter half of 2023 due to persistent wrist injuries that ultimately derailed his season. Despite returning in 2024, he relinquished the starting catcher role to Austin Wells, whose breakout performance earned him third place in the AL Rookie of the Year voting.

Fernando Cruz, the centerpiece of this trade, brings a much-needed strikeout punch to the Yankees’ bullpen, which lacked consistency in overpowering hitters last season. In 2023, Cruz posted a 3-8 record with a 4.86 ERA over 69 appearances for the Reds. However, his underlying metrics highlight his potential: Cruz racked up 109 strikeouts against 36 walks in just 66 ²/₃ innings. His splitter, used in over 40% of his pitches, held batters to a paltry .116 average, making it a devastating weapon. Cruz complements his arsenal with a four-seam fastball and a cutter.

Alex Jackson, a 28-year-old journeyman, is a defensively reliable catcher but has struggled offensively throughout his career. He hit just .122 with three home runs in 58 games with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023. Signed by the Reds to a minor league deal prior to this trade, Jackson will likely provide depth behind the plate for the Yankees.

While Jackson adds a steady glove, Cruz is clearly the standout in this deal, offering the Yankees a potent arm capable of transforming their bullpen into a strikeout machine.