COULD MACKENZIE GORE BE ON THE RADAR?

 

Could MacKenzie Gore actually be on the Yankees’ radar? Supposedly yes — which is shocking, because the Yankees’ radar usually only detects ex-All-Stars from 2017 and pitchers held together with hope and duct tape.

If you don’t know Gore, you should. The kid’s a legitimately talented left-hander with guts, fire, and an arm that actually misses bats — something the Yankees treat like a luxury item. At the Winter Meetings, ESPN tossed around questions like “Which team is under the most pressure?” Jesse Rogers didn’t hesitate: the Yankees. Why? Because Toronto is out here making moves like they’ve discovered a cheat code. Their top priority now? Japanese star pitcher Tatsuya Imai.

Meanwhile, the Yankees keep saying they’re “in” on Imai, but whenever Cashman says he’s in, it usually means he’ll show up three days late with coupons and a confused look. While the Yankees are busy protecting Anthony Volpe like he’s a national treasure, the Blue Jays are building a legitimate contender. Imai is important now, and why not? They’re going for it. The Yankees are going for… well, vibes.

And suddenly, instead of being all over Imai like they claimed, the Yankees rumors are drifting toward another name — MacKenzie Gore. ESPN’s reporting it. ClutchPoints is reporting it too. Rogers flat-out said Gore is likely to be moved: “Where there is smoke, there is fire… his name came up a lot in Orlando.” Translation: he’s available and he’s good. Of course that sets off Cashman’s bargain alarm.

Rogers even said the Yankees or Orioles make the most sense. Imagine that — the Yankees making sense for a good pitcher who isn’t 38 or recently broken. Refreshing!

Gore’s résumé is actually impressive: debuted with San Diego, earned an All-Star nod in 2025, boasts a lively fastball, growing breaking stuff, and legit strikeout potential. Yes, he still battles his walk rate. Yes, he ended 2025 early with an injury. But the ceiling? High. Very high. “Possible ace” high. Which means the Yankees should absolutely be sprinting after him… and therefore probably won’t.

Why? Because this front office is terrified — terrified of spending real money, terrified of trading real prospects, terrified of doing anything bold enough to actually improve the team. That’s how you end up signing players like Bradley Hanner, who has zero Major League innings but fits perfectly into Cashman’s “We swear this is a sneaky-smart move” discount bin.

It’s ridiculous. It’s predictable. It’s exhausting.

And if the Yankees don’t wake up, the rest of the AL East will keep powering up while the Bronx Bombers keep fiddling with clearance-rack projects and then wondering why October feels so far away.

CASHMAN'S COUPON CLIPPERS

WTF is going on in the Bronx?

The New York Yankees need to get their offseason act together, because right now this front office looks like it’s running a yard sale instead of a franchise worth billions. We’re weeks into the winter and what has Brian Cashman done? Exactly what he always does: rummage through the bargain bin, dust off something nobody else wanted, and parade it around like he just discovered fire.

Translation: “Nope, we’re not spending on stars. Nope, we’re not being bold. But hey, look at this guy we got for the cost of a Staten Island studio apartment!”

And the latest episode of “Cashman’s Coupon Clippers” features… Bradley Hanner. Yep. A righty from Cleveland who hasn’t even sniffed the big leagues yet. The Yankees announced him like he was some secret weapon, when in reality it’s another scratch-off ticket. If he makes the roster, he pockets 800K. If he doesn’t, he’s another Matt Blake science experiment.

Why? Honestly—why? Why why why why why?

We’re told his sweeper is promising and that Matt Blake can unlock his potential. Cute idea. But if Blake is some pitching wizard, maybe he could fix the bullpen we already have instead of Cashman dragging home another fixer-upper from the MLB clearance rack.

Yes, Hanner give “depth,” but here’s the real question: Where’s the sure thing? Where’s the guy you don’t hope succeeds, but know succeeds? Where’s the actual investment?

Oh right—forgot. Hal Steinbrenner is too busy polishing his spreadsheets to care. As long as the luxury tax stays comfy and the profits stay warm, why bother building a championship roster? The man treats the Yankees like a boutique hotel chain, not a baseball powerhouse.

And Cashman? Cheap. Cheap. Cheap. A coupon-hoarding, penny-pinching mastermind who loves nothing more than pretending mediocrity is a strategic masterstroke. The man sees a $2 reliever and thinks he found the Holy Grail.

I’m sorry, but I’m done. Not with the players—never with the players—but with this front office that absolutely, unequivocally DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE HELL IT’S DOING. Why should fans dump money into tickets, merch, and concessions when the Yankees won’t put real money into the team?

They’ve made rooting for this franchise feel like a chore. Painful. Embarrassing. A test of endurance. Why do you think I never write anymore? It's the same story every day? There's nothing interesting with this team.

I’m not going back to the Stadium until Boone is gone and this front office stops treating the Yankees like a budget cosplay of the Tampa Bay Rays. We’re soft. Softer than pudding. And at this rate, we’re not getting back to being competitive anytime soon.

Hanner’s Triple-A numbers show potential, sure—but potential isn’t the problem. The problem is that the New York freaking Yankees shouldn’t be bargain hunting. They should be setting the standard. Instead? They’re clipping coupons and praying.

They're not a serious franchise.