CAM SHOVES AS YANKEES TAKE THE SERIES

The Yankees beat the Angels 6–3 in 10 innings Wednesday night, taking the series and escaping Anaheim with another important win.

Cam Schlittler was magnificent. Eight innings. Two hits. One run. Nine strikeouts. No walks. He retired 20 of the first 21 hitters he faced and lowered his American League-leading ERA to 2.04. Schlittler didn’t merely give the Yankees a chance—he carried them until the offense finally woke up. The kid is becoming a great major-league pitcher right before our eyes.

Then came the 10th inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Austin Wells slapped a two-run single into right field to break the tie. Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham and Ben Rice followed with RBI singles as the Yankees hung a five-spot on the Angels.

Tip your cap to Wells. It was a clutch hit in a big moment. But let’s keep the parade under control. Wells is still batting an awful, horrendous .190. One big hit doesn’t suddenly turn him into Jorge Posada or Thurman Munson. Those were championship catchers who produced when it mattered over entire seasons—not once every few weeks.

Celebrate the hit. Praise the moment. Just don’t confuse one clutch swing with greatness. Write that down.

This game belonged to Cam Schlittler. That’s a series win. Pack the bags and keep moving.

MAYBE AUSTIN WELLS JUST ISN'T GOOD

At some point, you have to stop calling it a slump.

Austin Wells is hitting .175. He hit .219 last year and .229 the year before that. His career average sits around .213.

Folks, maybe this isn't a season-long slump. Maybe Austin Wells just isn't that good. I know. The framing. The defense. The underlying metrics. The expected numbers. I've heard it all.

Wonderful. Maybe the Yankees can hang a TRYING banner in Monument Park.

Eventually your starting catcher has to hit the baseball. Wells has struggled making consistent contact, his power has disappeared for long stretches, and left-handed pitching has made him look completely overmatched. But my bigger problem isn't Wells.

It's the Yankees scouts. What the hell are these people evaluating? Seriously. Because we're watching the Anthony Volpe disaster unfold at the same time. Another highly touted Yankee prospect. Another player we were told was going to be a cornerstone. Another organization-favorite whose actual major-league production never matched the hype.

At what point does somebody investigate the people making these evaluations?

Because Wells and Volpe aren't 17-year-old lottery tickets anymore. We've seen them against major-league pitching. The results matter. Yet the Yankees continually seem more interested in scouting what a player might become than acknowledging what he's actually become.

That's dangerous. And it's becoming a pattern. Potential. Projections. Exit velocity. Athleticism. Makeup. Upside.

How about hits? Wells has shown occasional stretches where the bat comes alive. Great. But a few hot weeks don't erase years of mediocre offensive production. And apparently Wells does have one elite evaluation skill.

Burritos.  The guy became a social-media hit reviewing breakfast burritos and grading them on a 100-point scale. Maybe the Yankees should put him in the scouting department.

At least Wells appears capable of identifying the difference between an 87-point burrito and a 73-point burrito. I'm increasingly unconvinced Yankee scouts can identify the difference between a legitimate everyday major leaguer and another prospect they're desperately hoping becomes one.

That's the problem. We heard the hype with Volpe. We're hearing the excuses with Wells.

Meanwhile, Yankee fans are supposed to wait patiently while the organization tells us their internal numbers see something our eyes apparently don't.

Enough. Sometimes a slump is a slump.

And sometimes the scouts simply got the player wrong.

Maybe that's Austin Wells. Maybe that's Anthony Volpe. And maybe the Yankees need to stop grading their prospects and start taking a very serious look at the people doing the grading.

IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT I AGREE WITH AROD, BUT IT JUST HAPPENED!

Ten years ago yesterday, August 12th, 2016, Alex Rodriguez played in his last game as a Yankee against the Rays. Oh how I look at that and think about the irony. Now he just sits back and talks about them and the strategy the Yankees should've taken to chase down the Rays in the AL East.

It's funny because he's been doing a lot of talking lately. I don't always agree with him. His idea that the Dodgers are good for baseball this week is one I don't agree with. However, the idea that the Yankees should've gone "all in" at the trade deadline I do agree with. If you missed it, check it out HERE. 

"The issue that you have with the Yankees, it's a tale of two stories," Rodriguez said. "They have the best pitching in baseball. They've collected some of the best pitchers, and by the way they haven't even been healthy all year but this is a championship-caliber pitching staff. I would've loved to see an extra arm or two because the by-product of not having a good offense, especially without Aaron Judge, they're pretty much 30th in every offensive category. What's gonna happen is you’re gonna play in a lot of tight games, you're not gonna blow anyone out. That means you're gonna tax your bullpen. You're gonna be the belly of your bullpen most of the year, and by the time September comes, their arms are gonna fall off. So that's my biggest concern."

We have wasted so many good, productive years in Judge's career. Next year he will be 35 and let's be honest, he's had some gnarly injuries. That's not going to get easier for the Yankees to manage. He's not going to be the young spring chicken anymore. Our starting pitching hasn't been this strong in a long time. Why waste that with an anemic offense that doesn't show up when Judge is out? It's even worse considering Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton are still out with their own injuries. It's like they are giving up without actually selling off the team.

Why not go "all in" as Rodriguez said and get some impact bats and upgrade your weaknesses that clearly aren't working? If you aren't going to sell, then don't just stand pat and make Band-Aid fixes! Cut the dead weight! Cutting Anthony Volpe wasn't enough. George Lombard Jr. getting his promotion needed to happen (it just wasn't an option not to), but they should've done more than just that. They needed to upgrade Austin Wells too!  That line from Brian Cashman about having "limited options" at catcher was a load of crap! Our rivals did it. That doesn't fix the Yankees but it sure is an addition by subtraction just getting rid of Wells who can't even hit his weight.

The Yankees needed to do more. They needed to be hungrier. The rest of these teams are looking at our starting rotation wishing they had it. They are envious for a moment, and then they realize all their offense has to do is 'keep them in the game' because they are likely to win those close games because our bullpen is not at the same level. A one run lead isn't as hard to protect for our rivals as it should be. You can't just rely on your starting pitching....the offense and bullpen need to also execute.

As Rodriguez said, "It's amazing how the whole fan base knew exactly how this was going to turn out and it did." That shouldn't be okay. That shouldn't be accepted and swept under the rug. Judge deserves more. The team deserves more. The fans deserve more. We deserve a front office with balls. We deserve a change from the top down. 

What a disgrace.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THIS FEELS LIKE YANKEE BASEBALL AGAIN!

Something strange happened while I watched the Yankees beat the Braves 5-4 today. I wasn't stressed out. I wasn't waiting for the stupid mistake, the lifeless at-bat or the inevitable Yankee self-destruction. I was actually sitting there enjoying baseball.

Imagine that.

The energy around this team has changed, and for me, George Lombard Jr. is right in the middle of it. The kid has been in the majors for less than a week, yet he already carries himself like he belongs here. It's not just the talent. It's the athleticism, professionalism and class. There is a confidence about Lombard that doesn't feel forced. He plays hard, handles himself the right way and brings an energy this team desperately needed.

Then he goes out Saturday and launches his second major-league home run. This kid is 21 years old. I'm not crowning him Derek Jeter. I'm not doing that nonsense. But there is something about the way Lombard carries himself in pinstripes that gets your attention. He looks comfortable. He looks prepared. Most importantly, he looks like he's having fun.

And that feeling is spreading. Spencer Jones was another huge part of it today.

Jones drove in two runs today, including a go-ahead triple against Chris Sale. That's what I've been waiting to see from these young players. Not hype. Not prospect rankings, not stuff that the Yankees are telling me these players are supposed to be. Just them being them. No Drama. Production in important moments against great players.

Jones and Lombard have injected athleticism and unpredictability into a Yankee lineup that too often felt slow and stale. Suddenly, I want to see what happens next.

And none of this works without pitching.

Gerrit Cole looked like Gerrit Cole.  Seven innings. Two runs. Nine strikeouts. He also became the fastest pitcher in Yankee history to reach 1,000 strikeouts with the club. But forget the milestone for a second. Cole pitched like an ace. That's what matters.

He went toe-to-toe with Sale and gave his team seven strong innings. If the Yankees are going anywhere meaningful, that's the Gerrit Cole they need. Yes, the bullpen made the ninth inning more interesting than necessary. Bednar eventually shut the door and the Yankees walked away with another win.

But I'm looking beyond one Saturday afternoon. This team feels different. For too long, watching the Yankees felt like work. Every game came with aggravation. Bad fundamentals. Bad decisions. Bad energy. Even wins sometimes felt exhausting. I was literally pissed off every day.

Right now I'm watching George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones and feeling something I haven't felt enough watching this team.

It's Fun.

Lombard especially has changed the temperature for me. There is a professionalism and maturity to this kid that jumps off the screen. He doesn't need theatrics. He just plays baseball, and he plays it beautifully. That's what Yankee baseball should look like.

Good young players. Athleticism. Great pitching. Energy. And fans actually enjoying themselves again. Maybe it's only the beginning. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Who knows.

For the first time in a while, I'm not watching the Yankees wondering how they're going to screw it up. I'm watching to see what George Lombard Jr. is going to do next. And somehow, this 21-year-old kid has made me believe again.

Wow, I miss that feeling. 

Meanwhile... Austin Wells is batting .170.  Next on the chopping block? Man I hope so.  We need a clean team... no more dead weight!

IT JUST FEELS DIFFERENT WITH LOMBARD OUT THERE

I don’t know how else to explain it. The Yankees are suddenly more enjoyable to watch.

That doesn’t mean they’re fixed. It doesn’t mean Brian Cashman suddenly became a genius. And it certainly doesn’t mean Aaron Boone figured out how to manage overnight.

It just feels different.

The Yankees beat the Braves 3-2 in 10 innings Friday night, snapping Atlanta’s eight-game winning streak. Ryan McMahon brought home Luis Garcia Jr. with the walk-off sacrifice fly, and somehow the Yankees escaped with a win after spending most of the night doing absolutely nothing offensively.

And yet, I enjoyed watching it. I think a lot of that has to do with George Lombard Jr.

There is a completely different energy around this team with Lombard playing shortstop. Maybe part of it is simply seeing something new. Maybe it’s watching a young player who brings some excitement and athleticism instead of feeling like we’re watching the same failed experiment over and over again.

Whatever it is, I feel less stressed watching Yankee baseball right now. And Lombard was right in the middle of the ninth-inning comeback. He reached base, moved up on an error, and eventually scored as the Yankees finally woke up. Even lightweight Austin Wells drove in the first run, and Ben Rice ripped the game-tying single off the right-field wall with two outs.

That’s the kind of inning we haven’t seen enough of. But—and this is a BIG but—we cannot ignore what happened during the first eight innings.

The Yankees still can’t score.

That worries me.

Max Fried pitched a terrific game against his former team, allowing just three hits over 6⅓ innings. And for most of the night, the Yankees were preparing to waste another excellent pitching performance because the offense couldn’t do anything against Tyler Mahle, who threw six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.

Sound familiar? That has been one of the most frustrating parts of this team. The pitching gives them an opportunity to win and the offense disappears. You cannot expect to consistently win games 2-0, 3-2 and 2-1. Eventually you need to HIT. Eventually somebody needs to put a crooked number on the scoreboard.

And if this team actually believes it can make noise in October, that has to change. You cannot spend eight innings asleep and expect a ninth-inning miracle every night.

But here’s the weird part. I’m enjoying watching them again. That matters to me.

There was something exhausting about watching this team before. Every ground ball to shortstop felt like an adventure. Every game felt like we were waiting for the next mistake, the next excuse and the next Aaron Boone press conference explaining why something that obviously wasn’t good was actually pretty good.

Now Lombard is out there and there’s freshness. Youth. Energy. Possibility.

He’s going to make mistakes. He’s going to strike out. He’s going to have bad games. That’s baseball, especially for a 21-year-old kid getting his first taste of the majors.

But I’d much rather watch a talented young player develop than watch the Yankees stubbornly force something that clearly wasn’t working simply because admitting it would mean admitting they were wrong.

And Friday night had something else we haven’t seen enough from this club:

A True Team Fight.

They were down to their final out. They could have folded. Instead, they scratched together two runs in the ninth and finished the job in the 10th.

But again, it doesn’t erase the offensive problems. It doesn’t suddenly make this lineup dangerous. But it made Yankee baseball fun. And after everything we’ve watched this season, I’ll take that.

George Lombard Jr. hasn’t magically fixed the New York Yankees. But somehow, with him standing at shortstop, the whole damn thing feels a little lighter.

Less stressful. More energetic. More interesting. Maybe even a little hopeful.

Now somebody please start scoring some freaking runs.

BACKUP CATCHER MITCH GARVER APPEARS TO BE THE SOLUTION SAYS CASHMAN

Now just to be clear.  Cashman never said Mitch Garver was the solution. That is how I am interpreting it. Don't get sensitive.

The Yankees just refuse to solve the catcher problem.

At some point you have to stop pretending this is all part of some grand plan. Brian Cashman knows Austin Wells has been a disaster. The organization knows it. The fans know it. You don't go shopping for catchers in August unless you're trying to put a Band-Aid over a bullet hole.

So what's the latest solution?

The Yankees signed veteran catcher Mitch Garver to a minor league contract.

That's it. Not a frontline catcher. Not someone who changes the lineup. Not someone who forces his way onto the major league roster. A Triple-A insurance policy.

Garver opened the season as Seattle's backup catcher before hitting just .175 with four home runs and 15 RBIs. The Mariners cut him loose on August 4. That's the player the Yankees are now hoping can somehow provide depth. If that sounds underwhelming, that's because it is. But here's what makes this even more frustrating. Just days ago, Brian Cashman insisted there wasn't a realistic opportunity to improve behind the plate at the trade deadline. That explanation never passed the smell test, and it looks even worse now.

The Red Sox managed to land Adley Rutschman in the blockbuster move of the deadline. The Rays found a controllable upgrade by acquiring Liam Hicks from Miami. Two division rivals recognized a glaring weakness and actually addressed it.

The Yankees? They watched. Now they're digging through the bargain bin hoping Mitch Garver has something left. This isn't roster building. It's damage control.

It's another example of Cashman trying to convince everyone that there was "nothing available," only to turn around a few days later and sign a catcher who had just been released. If there truly weren't any upgrades, why is the organization suddenly scrambling for catching depth?

Because they know they have a problem.  The Garver signing doesn't fix anything. It simply adds another name to a growing collection of mediocre catching options while avoiding the one thing that actually needed to happen: acquiring a legitimate everyday catcher when the market was open.

Instead, Boston got better and are right on our heels. Tampa Bay got better and they're in first place.

The Yankees got... Mitch Garver.

If that's the response to one of the club's biggest weaknesses, don't expect anyone to confuse it with urgency. It's just another reminder that when the Yankees had a chance to solve the problem, Brian Cashman blinked—and now everyone else is paying for it.

 

THE RIDICULOUS YANKEES! BEST TEAM ADDITION WAS ALREADY IN HOUSE!

You know, I'm really not happy about how the Yankees botched the trade deadline. They really screwed that up to the point that the Red Sox and the Rays are off in the distance pointing and laughing at us. Our rivals made the upgrades that Brian Cashman claimed weren't possible. There were "limited opportunities" on the market. Limited to who? Only Cashman who can't seem to get the job done.

He has one job, and that is to build a championship caliber team, and find ways to improve upon it. Other teams did it, but he's just not capable. Sure, I know he added Heliot Ramos and Luis Garcia Jr. He added offense which is needed because this lineup is dead without Aaron Judge but, it's a band-aid fix. Neither of these guys play catcher or can come out of the bullpen. They are fine. I want more than fine. I am tired of settling or being complacent while our biggest competitors become more dangerous.

Nothing against Ramos or Garcia. They are just bats the Yankees hope will add some offense to the lineup. Meanwhile, we are still stuck with Austin Wells who can just continue to suck without having an excuse like he's under too much pressure and folding because of it. Now he can just suck because the Yankees will let him because now they have no opportunities instead of "limited opportunities." The only plus to this is Anthony Volpe can suck down in Triple-A and we don't have to watch him night after night screaming the same obscenities when he doesn't hit or screws up defensively. 

So the win for Cashman is we stop bitching about Volpe and now we get to watch George Lombard Jr. finally get his opportunity. He's as untouchable as one could be for a while, but the Yankees stupidly stuck with Volpe for too long. He certainly wasn't holding onto his spot because he earned it, they just wanted Volpe to blossom into something he was never going to be. If the Yankees weren't going to trade Lombard Jr, they needed to give him a chance. It's not like he could be worse. That's almost impossible....

So now you have to wonder if the Yankees best addition was actually a subtraction of Volpe and calling up top prospect Lombard Jr. That was their trade deadline. We got better by sending down a scrub. That's it. Lombard Jr is a talent for sure, we saw it last night there is so much potential there but.....this can't be the big splash for a team with championship aspirations!

We are defined as a team that makes additions by subtraction....that's what we have become. These "decision makers" are a joke. Time will tell, but I hope Lombard Jr. makes the Yankees regret being stupid for so long.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

CASHMAN'S TRADE DEADLINE MALPRACTICE

He knew the Yankees needed a catcher, and he did nothing. Brian Cashman wants Yankees fans to believe the catching market dried up before the trade deadline.

That's convenient. It's also absolute nonsense.

How I picture Brian Cashman Today (Altered Image)

After the deadline, Cashman claimed there was a "limited opportunity" to acquire a catcher, suggesting his hands were tied. That's the kind of explanation you give when you're trying to justify doing nothing.

Here's the problem. Doing nothing is exactly what Brian Cashman did.

This wasn't some hidden flaw that only the analytics department could uncover. Every person watching Yankees baseball knew the catching position was a liability months ago. Fans knew it. The media knew it. Opposing teams certainly knew it. Bleeding Yankee Blue has been reporting it for months.

Cashman knew it too, and he still let the deadline come and go without making a meaningful upgrade. Austin Wells has been one of the weakest offensive catchers in baseball this season. He's hitting .167 after 221 at bats with just 8 home runs and 16 RBIs. His year has been derailed by a prolonged slump, followed by a stint on the injured list because of cervical headaches. Since returning, the Yankees are still waiting for the breakout they've been promised. He's the weakest catcher in the league... but don't worry he still rates burritos and wears the orange catching gear as an homage to one of the greatest catchers of our lifetime, Thurman Munson.  But that doesn't change the fact that he is weak.

Hope by the Yankees front office isn't a strategy. Wells needs to pack up and take the bus to somewhere else and bring Volpe and those ridiculous scouts with you... cause they all got it wrong.

Then there's Ali Sánchez.

Sure, he's hitting .273, but let's not pretend that's solving anything. Sánchez is a backup catcher who gives you defense and little else. If he's your safety net on a club chasing a World Series, you've already got a problem.

Cashman admitted the Yankees have struggled offensively, especially from the catching position.

Great.

Now explain why you ignored it. This is where the excuses fall apart. The market was NOT empty.

The Boston Red Sox landed Adley Rutschman, arguably the biggest impact catcher available, and they did it while breathing down the Yankees' necks in the standings. Think about that for a second. The Yankees' biggest rival identified a weakness, acted aggressively, and came away with a franchise cornerstone.

The Yankees? They watched it happen.

The Tampa Bay Rays strengthened themselves by acquiring Liam Hicks, a young catcher with offensive upside and years of club control. Arguably better than Austin Wells.  The Los Angeles Dodgers, facing injuries behind the plate, refused to sit around waiting for good luck. They added Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia because smart organizations understand that depth matters in August and September.

Everywhere you looked, contenders were improving. Except in the Bronx.

Cashman's lone catching move was acquiring Omar Alfonzo, a minor league prospect who isn't helping the Yankees win one game this season. That's not fixing the major league roster. That's filing paperwork.

And that's become Brian Cashman's trademark.

For years, the Yankees have operated as though urgency is optional. Every deadline feels the same. They identify obvious weaknesses, spend days leaking how hard they're working, then congratulate themselves for making half-measures while pretending the market didn't cooperate.

Enough.

The job description of a general manager isn't to explain why something couldn't be done. It's to find a way to get it done.

No one is paying Brian Cashman to shrug his shoulders. He's paid to outwork other front offices, identify opportunities before anyone else, and improve his roster. Instead, he watched Boston get dramatically better. He watched Tampa solve a need. He watched Los Angeles reinforce its roster. And he did what has become far too common under his leadership.

He settled.

Yankees fans are tired of hearing about "limited opportunities." Winners create opportunities. Aggressive front offices manufacture deals. Championship executives don't hide behind excuses after the fact. Cashman had one clear assignment at this deadline: improve a catching corps that has been an offensive black hole all season.

He failed. Not because the players weren't available. Not because the Yankees lacked resources.

Because the general manager lacked the urgency to do the job. And if the Yankees' season ends with another October disappointment, remember this deadline. Remember that Brian Cashman saw one of the biggest holes on his roster, acknowledged it publicly, and then chose to leave it exactly as it was.

That's not bad luck.

That's bad management. Bad leadership. You should be ashamed of yourself.

YANKS CHOOSE .162 HITTING CATCHER OVER ADLEY RUTSCHMAN

Yikes!

Baseball's trade season always feels like a poker game where everyone insists they're not bluffing—right up until an ace disappears across the table. If reports are accurate, the Boston Red Sox are on the verge of landing star switch-hitting catcher Adley Rutschman from the Baltimore Orioles in a blockbuster deal that could reshape the American League East.

For Boston, it's the kind of move that says, "We're done rebuilding. Hand us the chips." Adding one of baseball's premier catchers to an already dangerous lineup would instantly make the Red Sox better.

 
And then there's the Bronx.

If the Red Sox are loading up while the Yankees stand still, the question practically asks itself:

Brian Cashman, where are you? 

Are you really content with Austin Wells? Wearing an orange chest protector as a tribute to Thurman Munson is a classy gesture—but how about paying tribute with the bat? Thurman built his legacy by producing when it mattered, not by hitting .162. 

It's a freaking gimmick.

The Yankees aren't a franchise that celebrates effort alone; they're measured by results. If your biggest rival is making franchise-altering moves while you're watching a catcher struggle to stay above the Mendoza Line, that's not patience—that's complacency.

The Yankees don't need nostalgia. They need production. Wake up, Brian Cashman.

YANKEES LATEST CATCHER SIGNING DOESN'T MOVE THE NEEDLE

The Yankees signed 34-year-old Christian Bethancourt to a minor league contract, adding organizational depth behind the plate without using a 40-man roster spot. Bethancourt is a journeyman backup catcher with a career .229/.259/.362 slash line over parts of eight major league seasons. He's played for six different organizations and hasn't appeared in the majors since 2024.

Sure, it's a low-risk move. But that's the problem.

The Yankees continue to settle for depth pieces instead of finding legitimate talent. Bethancourt is a solid defensive catcher with a strong arm, but he has never been a consistent major league hitter and isn't the answer for a team with World Series expectations. He is not a star. In some regards he is just as good as Austin Wells and that ain't good.

At some point, "organizational depth" has to become "major league talent." The Yankees desperately need a catcher who can actually impact games, yet they keep rolling the dice on reclamation projects and career backups. If this is the front office's idea of improving the roster, it's no wonder fans are frustrated.

MAYBE WELLS SHOULD RANK HITS INSTEAD OF BURRITOS

So let me get this straight.

Austin Wells has enough free time to bring back his famous burrito rankings... while he's in the middle of one of the worst offensive seasons by any regular catcher in baseball? Click here.

Really? Fans saw Wells post another enthusiastic burrito review this week, handing out a glowing 92/100 to a Philly cheesesteak breakfast burrito. Good for him. But Yankees fans aren't hungry for breakfast content—they're starving for production.

The question has to be asked:

Why the hell is Austin Wells concentrating on burrito reviews when he's almost out of a job?

That's not personal. That's reality. As of today, Wells entered the weekend carrying a shocking .166 batting average, the lowest among all Major League hitters with at least 220 plate appearances. His on-base percentage and OPS also rank near the bottom of baseball. Yes, he homered Saturday against Philadelphia, but one swing doesn't erase four months of offensive frustration.

The Yankees have remained patient because Wells continues to provide value behind the plate. His pitch framing, game-calling and defense are still respected throughout baseball.

But this is the New York Yankees. Defense alone doesn't guarantee playing time forever.

The clock is ticking. With the trade deadline approaching, reports continue to connect the Yankees to catching help, including Minnesota's Ryan Jeffers. The organization clearly understands that they may need more offense from the catcher position if they're serious about making a postseason run, or they hear us fans screaming about it.

Whether that help comes via trade or from within the organization later this season, the pressure on Wells is obvious. He's no longer playing from a position of security. 

The dude needs to read the room. Look, nobody is saying Wells can't enjoy life away from the field. Players deserve hobbies. But perception matters.

When your batting average is sitting at .166 and fans are watching strikeout after strikeout, posting celebratory burrito reviews isn't exactly the message supporters want to see.

Maybe that's unfair. Maybe the burrito posts have nothing to do with his preparation. But fans aren't grading breakfast burritos. They're grading at-bats.

The Yankees desperately need more from the catcher position. Whether it's Wells rediscovering the hitter everyone believed he'd become, a deadline acquisition, or another catcher forcing his way into the picture, something has to change. Because if the Yankees want to play deep into October, they can't continue getting historically poor offensive production from one of the most important positions on the field.

Austin Wells gave that burrito a 92.

Right now, Yankees fans are giving his season something much lower and rightly so.

WHEN IT COMES TO AUSTIN WELLS, THE YANKS HAVE TO STOP PRETENDING

Remember when the Yankees told us Austin Wells was untouchable? Remember when every trade deadline conversation ended with, "The Yankees aren't moving Wells. He's the catcher of the future."

Well...

The future called. It wants a refund.

There comes a point when "potential" expires. For Austin Wells, that expiration date came months ago.

Wells is slashing .155/.247/.258. For those of you who don't spend your nights swimming through FanGraphs, let me translate:

League average is 100. Austin Wells is producing offense at 42 percent of league average.

That isn't a slump. That's an anchor tied to the bottom of Aaron Judge's lineup. His .493 OPS was the lowest among all qualified Major League hitters earlier this month, and his .153 batting average was right there with it. Think about that for a second. Out of every qualified hitter in baseball, the Yankees' starting catcher was sitting at the bottom of the food chain offensively.

And yet...

We're still supposed to hear about his framing? His game calling? His "intangibles?"

Enough. This is the New York Yankees. Not the Savannah Bananas. By the way, he couldn't even play on the Bananas. They're better than him.

Look, you don't get to hide behind defensive metrics while posting numbers that would embarrass a backup middle infielder from 1978. In fact, Talkin' Yanks pointed out something that should make every Yankee executive squirm.

Austin Wells' OPS was the worst by a Yankee with at least 175 plate appearances since Jim Mason in 1976.

Let that marinate. Fifty years.

Nearly half a century. That's the company he's keeping.

And look, Austin Wells deserves criticism. But the bigger failure belongs upstairs. The Yankees drafted Wells in the first round because scouts believed his bat would carry him. They sold us on a catcher who could change games offensively. Instead, they've produced one of the least productive everyday hitters in baseball. That's not on Wells. That's on the people who evaluated him. That's on the amateur scouting department. That's on player development. That's on Brian Cashman.

How many times does this organization get to miss before someone is held accountable?

 Estevan Florial.

Oswald Peraza.

Anthony Volpe still searching for consistency.

Now Austin Wells.

At what point do we stop calling these "growing pains" and start calling them what they are? Evaluation failures. One thing has driven me crazy about this organization for years. The Yankees fall in love with their own prospects. They convince themselves every first-round pick is the next cornerstone.

Meanwhile, other organizations aren't afraid to cash in prospects before their value disappears. The Yankees? They hold onto them until the rest of baseball figures out what they actually are. Then they wonder why nobody wants them. Had Cashman traded Austin Wells after his promising 2025 season, he'd have brought back real value.

Today? You're lucky if another general manager answers the phone before putting you on hold.

Now look, this isn't personal. I don't dislike Austin Wells. I dislike watching the Yankees pretend this is acceptable. There's a difference. Wells didn't ask to be labeled untouchable. He didn't ask fans to believe he was the next great Yankee catcher. The organization did that. And now the organization owns this mess and yet, won't admit it. Because championship windows don't stay open forever.

Aaron Judge deserves better. Gerrit Cole deserves better. Us Yankee fans deserve better. And if Brian Cashman honestly believes Boone putting in Austin Wells every day is good, then maybe we should be restructuring the entire front office.

The bottom line? The numbers aren't lying anymore. They're screaming. Thank god the trade deadline is coming. The Yankees better do something.

THE TRADE IDEAS ARE REAL, MR. CASHMAN. ENOUGH EXCUSES.

There comes a point in every Yankees season when the front office has to stop pretending duct tape is a long-term solution.

The Yankees have spent weeks trying to convince everyone that if they just "get healthy," everything will magically fall into place. That's cute. It's also fiction.

The offense has disappeared for long stretches, the catching position has become an offensive black hole, the shortstop situation has become a nightly exercise in lowered expectations, and Aaron Boone continues to manage every game as if tomorrow's matchup is somehow more important than today's. Meanwhile, the trade deadline is staring Brian Cashman right in the face.

Let's start behind the plate.

Austin Wells simply hasn't provided enough. Whether it's inconsistency at the plate or an inability to carry the offense from a premium defensive position, the Yankees cannot honestly convince themselves this is a championship-caliber catching situation. Championship teams don't shrug their shoulders and say, "Good enough." They improve. Between our 3 catchers, it's literally a disaster.

If the Athletics are willing to listen, Shea Langeliers should be at the top of the list. That's the new rumor coming down the pike of course. He brings legitimate right-handed power, multiple years of team control, and immediately lengthens a lineup that has become painfully dependent on waiting for Aaron Judge to save everyone. Ryan Jeffers is my pick. Jeffers deserves a phone call too. The Yankees have reportedly been connected to both catchers, and for good reason.

Now let's discuss the elephant in the room wearing No. 11.

Shortstop.

How many years are Yankees fans supposed to hear about "upside" before someone actually produces? The organization has effectively punted the position since Didi Gregorius left town, convincing themselves each new experiment would somehow blossom into the answer. It hasn't happened. Every contender has impact production somewhere up the middle. The Yankees keep hoping lightning strikes. Hope isn't a strategy.

If there's an opportunity to upgrade, do it.

And if there isn't? Then stop pretending the current production is acceptable.

Then there's Aaron Boone.

Boone is exactly who we've always known he is. He'll tell you everyone is grinding. He'll remind you the guys are working hard. He'll talk about process. He'll praise quality at-bats after scoring two runs.

Enough.

The Yankees don't need another motivational speech. They need urgency. They need someone willing to manage the game in front of him instead of the binder sitting next to him. Too often Boone waits for the three-run homer like yesterday with Rice, only to lose the game later. It often feels detached.

This roster is too talented to sleepwalk through July.

Brian Cashman doesn't need to reinvent the franchise. He simply needs to admit what everyone watching already knows.

The Yankees need:

• A legitimate offensive catcher.
• An upgrade at shortstop.
• Another bullpen arm wouldn't hurt.
• And perhaps most importantly, an organizational wake-up call.

The American League isn't exactly loaded with unbeatable juggernauts. The door is still open. But every day the Yankees convince themselves they're only one healthy player away is another day wasted. This deadline isn't about making a splash for headlines. It's about admitting the roster has flaws.

Championships aren't won by explaining problems.

They're won by fixing them. We need to make some moves, now!

PINSTRIPE CLEARANCE, COME & GET IT!

We salvaged one game against the Dodgers we won against the Pirates Monday. It's something I guess. Now we are two games behind the Rays, but the Red Sox are chasing us. We have a lot of work ahead of us, and we need some big winning streaks. As much as I love the Yankees I don't have faith this team has what it takes to go the distance.

This team isn't the same without Aaron Judge. Hell, this team isn't championship caliber when Judge is playing because Aaron Boone runs this clown show. Judge, and our starting pitching staff are the anchors of this team. The rest of them are just remnants of the "run it back" team from last season that collapsed and failed.

This team has been more of the same for years. The last time we made meaningful changes was the great fire sale was ten years ago! It was the great fire sale of the 2016 trade deadline. It was a bitter pill to swallow when it happened. It felt awful, it felt like we were giving up. It felt...."un Yankee like."

But at the time it was the right decision. We even went so far as to praise Brian Cashman for recognizing the tough call but executing it, read KUDOS TO YOU, BRIAN CASHMAN! The Yankees are never looked at as sellers....until we became sellers and we came back stronger the next season with new blood. I will give Cashman credit for that. He recognized the Yankees were unlikely to make a deep postseason run and cashed in on an aggressive seller's market. He traded away several high valued veterans to teams that needed an edge and gained 12 prospects that helped to transform the farm system. He made the right move. Is that really unlike what we have right in front of us now?

If we are honest about this season, there haven't been enough high moments but there have been a lot of free falls. I can't even call it a rollercoaster. So knowing that, at what point should the Yankees have a fire sale again? What do fans need to see to decide to "ride or die" with this current circus show? I honestly can't think of anything, especially with Judge out indefinitely and we have paper weights like Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe taking up roster space.

A Yankees fire sale isn't the worst idea in the world. This team needs new everything. New veteran presence to help Gerrit Cole and Judge and most of all new leadership from actual managers unlike the "decision makers" we have now. Baboonie should be at the top of the cut list! 

It's time for a whole new approach - it's time to rip the band aide off! Who is with me?

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

YANKEES HAVE INTEREST IN ANOTHER CATCHER

Oh to have a new catcher on this roster. What a nice thought, right? Because Austin Wells sucks and his .153 batting average isn't going to help fix anything. I'm just sick of thinking, talking, blogging about or watching him. I'd just like to dump him and be done with it.

The Yankees have this bad habit of falling in love with all of these guys that score well on their crazy evaluations. Then they get excited and dub him the guy for the job, the guy that helps lead the Yankees to the promise land of a championship. Then, it doesn't take long to see him not live up to their great expectations and he falters and the Yankees spend more time defending their screwup rather than fixing the problem.

We've been in the last stage for too long. He sucks, the Yankees defend him and he sucks sucking and we keep losing. Meanwhile, the Yankees are sniffing around for another catcher. The Yankees have been tied to Ryan Jeffers, and he would be a fine upgrade (anyone would honestly), but the Twins are a competitive team. They have a real chance to make the postseason, so the Twins moving Jeffers seems extremely unlikely.

And then there is Hunter Goodman. He's also someone that might be hard to move but for a different reason. The Rockies stink. They are 24 games back in their division and in last place. Keeping Goodman doesn't help them contend but it does allow the Rockies to build around him. He's under team control for the next three seasons. There's no real reason to get rid of him unless another team gives the Rockies something that they just can't refuse.

Which will be hard for the Yankees. They don't exactly have a ton of blue chip prospects to give up and the ones they do have, they don't want to. The Rockies are going to start by asking for George Lombard Jr, Dax Kilby, Elmer Rodriguez, and possibly even Ben Rice. It would be not be an "affordable" move for the Yankees. The Yankees would have quite a challenge to outbid other suitors (because there will be several) and have enough attractive chips to get it done. It certainly wouldn't be easy.

But boy is it necessary. He is everything Wells isn't. He's a tight handed bat and productive offensively and maybe not quite as good defensively but...who cares! He's not bad behind the plate and we need guys that can hit the ball. We need that idea of 'see the ball, hit the ball and put it in play,' and he can do that. Wells can't hit the broad side of a barn with the world's biggest bat. It's time to fix the problem that has been ignored for too long.

Wells needs to go....the Yankees need to pick a replacement. Pick anyone, seriously....choose the "eeny meeny miny moe" method for all I care but it's time to fix this wrong!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj