CASHMAN PROTECTED LOMBARD. WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU DONE FOR THIS TEAM?

I keep seeing these ridiculous takes about the Yankees’ trade deadline:

“One of Brian Cashman’s best moves was not trading George Lombard Jr.”

Seriously?

Protecting your best young player isn't some brilliant front-office achievement. That’s Cashman’s job. You know what else is his job? Finding another way to make the Yankees better.

If a team demands Lombard, say no. Then call somebody else. Offer different prospects. Take on money. Get creative. 

Cashman has an entire organization at his disposal. The choices aren't trade Lombard or go home.

This Yankees’ deadline leaves us in a familiar place: Cashman made moves, including Heliot Ramos and Luis Garcia Jr., but did he actually do enough to turn this team into a championship favorite?

That’s the problem. He did not. Cashman always seems to go through the motions. Make the calls, make better calls. Ask about the big names. Tell everyone the prices were too high. Protect a prospect. Make a few secondary moves. Do something meaningful.

Deadline over. And we did this last year too.

In 2025, Cashman brought in Ryan McMahon, David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Jake Bird, José Caballero, Amed Rosario and Austin Slater. There was plenty of deadline excitement then, too.

And where did it get us? Doval, Bird and Slater are already off the team. We didn't move the needle. That’s why I don't want to hear about Cashman “winning” another deadline because he didn't make a stupid trade.

Not making a bad trade isn't the same thing as making a great one. Keep Lombard. Absolutely. But then GO GET SOMEBODY ELSE. Someone meaningful.

We are the New York Yankees. Cashman has prospects, major-league players and enormous financial resources to work with. Eventually the standard has to become championships again—not congratulating Brian Cashman because he managed to protect one of his own best prospects.

But that’s not genius. That's just part of the job.

SKUBAL OFF THE BOARD & THE YANKEES GOT UGATZ

The trade deadline is supposed to separate contenders from pretenders. Saturday night, the Dodgers reminded everyone exactly who they are.

Tarik Skubal, arguably the best left-handed pitcher in baseball and a back-to-back American League Cy Young winner, is headed to Los Angeles. The rich got richer, adding another ace to a rotation that already features Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and with Tyler Glasnow working their way back.

That's what organizations do when winning is the only thing that matters.

The Braves weren't sitting around either. They landed Lane Thomas to improve their club.

And the Yankees?

Brian Cashman's big splash so far is... two prospects from Pittsburgh for Camilo Doval that most fans have never even heard of.

Seriously?

Is this really how the trade deadline is going to play out? Because if it is, it's complete garbage.

Year after year, Cashman talks about being aggressive. Year after year, the Yankees get lapped by organizations that actually understand the assignment. The Dodgers identify elite talent and go get it. The Yankees identify "organizational depth" and hope nobody notices.

This isn't about demanding every superstar in baseball. It's about showing some urgency. The Yankees have obvious holes on this roster, yet Cashman continues to operate like he's protecting the farm system for a future that never seems to arrive.

Enough already.

The Yankees aren't supposed to be stockpiling mystery prospects while the Dodgers are collecting Cy Young winners. They're supposed to be chasing championships.

There's still time to change the narrative, but the clock is ticking. If Cashman's answer to the Dodgers landing Skubal and the Braves adding Lane Thomas is a pair of anonymous minor leaguers, then don't insult Yankees fans by calling this a successful deadline.

Call it what it is.

We may be looking at another failure from a front office that's become far too comfortable with mediocrity. And if this deadline ends the way it's started, it will once again expose the biggest weakness in the Yankees organization—and it isn't on the field. 

It's sitting in Brian Cashman's chair.

BOWDEN FLOATS A BLOCKBUSTER & I HATE HOW I LOVE IT SO MUCH

The MLB trade deadline is almost here, and that means one thing: mock trades are flying everywhere. This latest one comes from former MLB executive and current insider Jim Bowden, who proposed a blockbuster that would send shockwaves through both the American League East and Central.

Yankees receive:

• Ryan Jeffers (C)

Twins receive:

• Anthony Volpe (SS)
• Camilo Doval (RHP)

On paper?

I can't believe I'm saying this...

I kind of love it.

Let's get one thing out of the way. Jim Bowden has become famous for proposing trades that rarely happen. Every deadline he throws dozens of ideas against the wall, and historically, very few become reality. So no, this isn't a report that the Yankees and Twins are discussing this exact deal. It's simply Bowden identifying a trade he believes both organizations could realistically agree to.

And honestly? This is one of the better ideas he's had. The Yankees have made no secret of their need to improve behind the plate.

Ryan Jeffers has quietly developed into one of the better offensive catchers in baseball. He brings legitimate power, gets on base, and has experience handling a pitching staff. He's exactly the type of player who could lengthen New York's lineup heading into October. Jeffers has also been widely connected to the Yankees as the deadline approaches.

Then there's Anthony Volpe.

As much as Yankees fans want him to become the long-term answer at shortstop, we're now several seasons into his big-league career, and consistency has remained elusive. He is not what the Yankee scouts said he would be. Some flashes, but the offensive production simply hasn't matched the expectations that came with being one of baseball's top prospects.

If Brian Cashman believes George Lombard Jr. is the future—or another internal option is close—it becomes much easier to consider moving Volpe in a deal that fills an immediate need. After all, we still have Jose Caballero.

Now, from the Twins' perspective, this isn't just giving away a catcher. It's acquiring a former top prospect who still possesses Gold Glove-caliber defense, athleticism, and years of team control.

Anthony Volpe would immediately become part of Minnesota's young core and gives them a player they can build around if they believe a change of scenery unlocks his offensive ceiling.

Adding Camilo Doval makes sense, too. Yes, Doval has struggled to find consistency since arriving in New York, but the raw stuff remains electric. Triple-digit velocity doesn't disappear overnight, and a fresh start could benefit both player and organization. His value has slipped in New York, making him a logical change-of-scenery candidate.

For Minnesota, that's two controllable players in exchange for a catcher approaching free agency.

But this trade comes down to one question: Are the Yankees willing to give up on Anthony Volpe?

That's a massive decision because Aaron Boone is in love with the kid and the Yankees front office will not admit they messed up with this kid. If Volpe eventually becomes the All-Star many projected, this trade could haunt New York for years. For me though? I don't see it. I think Volpe is actually as good as it's gonna get.

But maybe, just maybe the Yankees believe they've already seen his ceiling—and Jeffers helps them make a legitimate World Series run—it's a gamble worth considering. Championship windows don't stay open forever.

And so, you're asking me, would I pull the trigger? Yeah. I probably would.

Ryan Jeffers fills arguably the Yankees' biggest offensive weakness while giving them another legitimate middle-of-the-order threat for October. Minnesota gets a controllable everyday shortstop with upside plus a hard-throwing reliever who could thrive with a fresh start.

It's balanced. It's aggressive.

And for once...Jim Bowden may have actually come up with a trade that makes a lot of sense.

The funny part? Bowden is rarely right when it comes to predicting deals.

But damn... I love this one.

THE BEST OF THE BAD, BUT WILL THAT LAST?

Let's face it, the American League is awful this year. As bad as the Yankees are, they shouldn't be playing THIS bad. We just hit an all new low folks, and it's as embarrassing as it gets.

What a way to ruin a holiday weekend. For the first time since 2014, the Minnesota Twins just won a series against the New York Yankees in New York. To make it worse, they scored 17 runs in the final two games. That is just something no one should stomach. I never like to throw a George Steinbrenner reference because let's face it I want the man to rest in peace but his son has completely destroyed his franchise. There is no more "rest in peace" possible for poor George. He's rolling in his grave right now.

And he should be. This team is going no where. At this rate, we all know the National League easily walks through anyone this season. We won't be a factor because the Rays will finish us off and the Rays are no match for a Nation League power house. We have an infinite list of problems to fix. Some of the fixes are obvious, but the "decision makers" as I call them won't make the necessary choices.

There are some obvious moves to make:
1) Fire Aaron Boone, bring in new blood
2) Fire Brian Cashman

3) DFA Camilo Doval and recall Yovanny Cruz
4) Send Austin Wells to Triple-A and recall J.C. Escarra
5) Get rid of Anthony Volpe....FOREVER! 

6) Whenever Jazz Chisholm returns, stop relying on him

7) Bolster catcher, bullpen, right handed bat and starting pitcher depth at the deadline

Ideally, I'd say send Chisholm packing with Volpe but the Yankees have other more pressing needs so I don't see it happening. The Phillies have proven you can fire your manager and come back stronger. There's no logical reason to keep Baboonie as a manager. We aren't winning with him. He's not adding anything valuable and he's not delivering the expectation of WINNING. 

That's what the Yankee legacy was. We had the expectation to compete and win every year. That legacy died a long time ago. Now it's about doing just enough to line Hal Steinbrenner's pockets with cash. To hell with winning. The Yankees don't know how to do that anymore. They don't evolve. They don't surround themselves with actual leaders that know how to win.

So now we continue to lick our wounds. We get to be the best of the bad....but I don't even think that lasts long. We have a four game series coming up against the Rays. As of Sunday we were four games behind the Rays thanks to our freefall of failures. After this series ends on Thursday that could be 8 games if the Yankees don't pull their heads out of their ass. If we go 8 games behind the baseball world as we know it comes to an end.

I've never felt this disgruntled before. I've had my stretches of angst but this is a whole new level. This is a bad team and it's a bad team build by bad "decision makers" that don't know how to right the ship. It's time to clean house so we can stop being one of the best of the bad. Even those days are numbered.

That may be in Hal's DNA.....but it's not in mine!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

BOONE. A MASTERCLASS OF MISMANAGEMENT

AI generated

Just eight days ago, the Yankees sat atop the American League East with the best record in the league. Today, they look like a team that misplaced the map, the compass, and maybe even the captain.

Aaron Judge described the Yankees' recent collapse as a "lack of focus." That's certainly part of it. But this seven-game nosedive feels much bigger than players pressing at the plate. This is a club that looks completely directionless, and when a team appears lost, the spotlight naturally falls on the man writing the lineup card.

Aaron Boone's fingerprints are all over this collapse. The latest disaster against Detroit was another masterclass in how to lose a baseball game.

Camilo Doval entered the 11th inning and immediately retired the first two hitters on harmless ground balls. One out away from escaping the inning, the Yankees intentionally walked a batter to face Hao-Yu Lee. The strategy looked clever for about five seconds. Doval lost the strike zone, walked Lee, then walked Spencer Torkelson to force home the go-ahead run. Detroit didn't have to earn it. The Yankees handed it away.

The Tigers eventually won 6-2, but the game was effectively over the moment New York gift-wrapped that third run. Sound familiar?

It should.

For nearly two weeks, the Yankees have looked like a team inventing new ways to beat themselves. Defensive mistakes have become routine instead of rare. Over their previous 12 games, they committed 17 errors that directly led to 23 unearned runs. Championship teams don't play defense like that. Teams in free fall do.

Judge reportedly challenged teammates during the losing streak, trying to spark some urgency inside the clubhouse. Good for the captain. But let's be honest—why is the injured captain carrying the responsibility of lighting a fire?

Isn't that supposed to be the manager's job? Where the hell is Boone? Every manager deals with injuries. The Yankees are missing Judge because of a fractured rib, and Giancarlo Stanton remains sidelined. No one is pretending Boone has a fully healthy roster overflowing with All-Stars. That's exactly why good managing matters right now.

Anyone can pencil Aaron Judge into the third spot when he's healthy. Anyone can hand the ball to established stars when every option is available. The real test of a manager comes when the roster is wounded, the offense is lifeless, and confidence is evaporating.

That's where Boone consistently comes up short.

Night after night, day after day, the same struggling hitters continue appearing in the same spots. Ice-cold bats remain in the lineup. Players who desperately look like they need a mental reset are simply shuffled around instead of being challenged or held accountable. Players that shouldn't even be in the infield are still playing every single day and not hitting anything.  The offense keeps producing the same miserable results, yet the approach rarely changes.

At some point, repeating the same decisions while expecting different outcomes isn't patience—it's stubbornness.

Yes, players deserve criticism for failing to produce. Big leaguers have to hit. They have to catch the baseball. They have to execute.

But when the same players continue struggling for days, then weeks, while the manager changes virtually nothing, accountability eventually reaches the dugout.

Leadership isn't delivering clichés after another loss. Leadership is making difficult decisions before the game starts. Leadership is recognizing when a lineup isn't working. Leadership is pushing the right bullpen buttons. Leadership is creating urgency instead of hoping it magically appears.

Right now, the Yankees don't resemble a disciplined team. They resemble a ship taking on water while the captain insists everything is under control.

We've watched respected managers lose their jobs for far less than a seven-game collapse featuring sloppy defense, an anemic offense, questionable bullpen management, and lineup decisions that seem disconnected from reality.

For Yankee fans, this isn't just frustrating—it's embarrassing.

I've criticized Boone's managerial style since the day he took over because the same pattern continues to repeat itself. I dare you to google Bleeding Yankee Blue and Aaron Boone.  There are at least 100 articles of me ripping this guy to shreds because of incompetence.  

Look, when everything is rolling, the Yankees can overwhelm teams with talent. But when adversity arrives, when adjustments are required, when leadership matters most, the cracks become impossible to ignore.

This isn't about blaming injuries. It's not about blaming bad luck, food poisoning, the weather, or the baseball gods.

This is baseball.

Adversity is part of the job description.

The Yankees don't simply need Aaron Judge to return. They need someone in the dugout willing to challenge players, make uncomfortable decisions, and steer this franchise out of the storm. Boone does none of that.

So, untilit happens, don't be surprised if this ship keeps sinking.

FALLING BACK DOWN TO EARTH

The Yankees have a pattern. They start the season off strong, and then when the dog days of summer arrive they hit a wall and take a nose dive. We've seen that in July and as frustrated as I get when I see it, I still know it's likely. But....it's middle of may. We are ahead of schedule. The Yankees just dropped three series in a row we should've beaten. Are we already free falling?

We knew the bullpen needed an overhaul. Cashman made some interesting moves and back in March they were rolling and we asked DID CASHMAN FINALLY GET SOMETHING RIGHT? I said I wanted to see Camilo Doval, Jake Bird and David Bednar adapted and performed over the next six months before celebrating a good start of the season. I think we can officially say we don't need six months. We can't afford six more weeks with what is going on....

These guys are complete busts! Our "needs" list is growing longer and longer by the minute. Once again, this is not a team built to win a championship. It's a team that is going to hit a wall and come up short while the National League contenders plow through them. The Yankees need to make some moves, take on some payroll and right some wrongs here.

The bullpen trio has to go. Right now, I only trust Tim Hill. That's it! Bednar is not a real closer, and Doval and Bird are gambles that are almost a guaranteed failure. Unless our starters can go eight innings, we are setting ourselves up for a blown game like we saw last night against the Mets. These games just can't happen, especially now that our starting rotation took a hit losing Max Fried. There's just no confidence.

The Yankees also need a catcher because Austin Wells isn't it! The Yankees don't want to use Ben Rice behind the plate and honestly, I am not feeling good with Paul Goldschmidt the rest of the season getting more reps at first base. The Yankees need more stability. It's a patch job.

It's no secret Anthony Volpe is a disaster and he's back up again because Jose Caballero is injured. When Caballero is healthy again, he needs to come back to shortstop, and the Yankees just need to cut their losses with Volpe. He's not going to be our answer, maybe some other team can use him.

Honestly, the infield and the bullpen really concern me right now. These are big pieces that just have to function. The pitching and offense (when it shows up) can't make up for those voids. Championship caliber teams don't gamble like this. 

Cashman needs to fix this - because if he can't and he can't put together that winning team he doesn't belong here and the Yankees need to pull their heads out of their butts. Just like in any job, if you can't perform....it's time to move on.

This is a mess and we're all tired of it. Bandaged, flawed teams are not what we expect in the Bronx. No more mediocrity - stop the freefall! Fix it, already!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE YANKEES & ASTROS SWAP NOBODIES!

The Yankees get better and better at frustrating fans and now players alike. Back in February, the Yankees designated Braden Shewmake for assignment to clear up a spot on the 40-man roster. But he sat in limbo waiting....and waiting until yesterday.

On Sunday, after waiting two and a half months, Shewmake was traded to the Houston Astros for pitcher Wilmy Sanchez. The shortstop that had no clear path to the majors and just sat around cleasring up a 40-man roster spot for all of last season is officially gone. This is what frustrates me about the Yankees. We had no where to put him, and he was not a clear upgrade over Anthony Volpe but let's just let him hold on to a valuable spot that anyone else could have and we could've used. That's the New York Yankee way.

And there was no reason to keep Shewmake as long as we did. He was bad at Scranton last season with a .244 BA and he was on pace for more of the same this spring. Even an extensive injury history in the infield would not have given him a golden opportunity at the big league level. We just like to hold onto scrubs.

The Astros, unfortunately need him. They have significant injuries they are dealing with and let Mauricio Dubon walk over the winter so now they are desperate and get the Yankees leftovers. Not that we are left with much better.....

So now we have Sanchez, the Astros leftovers. He's going to be the latest reclamation project for the Yankees. We all know how much Brian Cashman loves those. Now Matt Blake gets another pitcher he has to try and tune up. I will say if Blake can work his magic there COULD be an upside but it is a gamble. In 61 innings pitched last season he only gave up six home runs so it will be interesting to see if he can keep that success in New York. He also recorded 75 strikeouts so he has potential....but he does have some serious command issues holding him back but at 22 years old, he's still young enough to mold and get him ready for big league play.

Potential is always nice, but we are all tired of watching the Yankees go dumpster diving for projects. This strategy has blown up in our faces now with Camilo Doval and Jake Bird. Not to mention, there is still some trauma lingering from the failures of Clay Holmes, Mark Leiter Jr and Jonathan Loaisiga and honestly I could continue with this list but I am gonna save myself some PTSD....it's going to be a long season.

The Yankees and Astros swapped nobodies this weekend. As we sit and wait for the Yankees to make a deal for a difference maker, we all age a little more and grow more frustrated. These are not the moves of a contender, but a pretender.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

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.

SEND RYAN WEATHERS BACK TO WHEREVER THE HELL YOU GOT HIM!

Let’s stop pretending the Brian Cashman master plan is anything more than a recycling bin of bad ideas dressed up as “strategy.”

First, it was the victory lap—mission accomplished!—after bringing in David Bednar, Jake Bird, and Camilo Doval… a trio that has turned late innings into a nightly horror show. And we were knocked out of the playoffs. Season over. Now we’re supposed to believe in the latest science experiment: Ryan Weathers, a guy who throws hard but hands out runs like it’s Halloween candy.

And somehow, the Yankees’ marketing machine keeps rolling these guys out like they’re headline acts instead of cautionary tales. It’s not roster building—it’s gaslighting with graphics.

Let’s call it what it is: this team hasn’t spent like the Yankees in years. They’re patching together a supposed contender with duct tape, crossed fingers, and whatever spare parts Cashman finds in the bargain bin. This isn’t the Bronx Bombers—it’s a clearance rack.

Remember 2009? That wasn’t luck. That was a front office actually acting like the New York Yankees. CC Sabathia, A. J. Burnett, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher—they went big, and guess what? It worked. Shocking concept.

Now? It’s a patchwork roster orbiting Max Fried, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger, hoping gravity alone keeps the whole thing from drifting into irrelevance.

This team isn’t good—it’s marketed to look good.

Ryan Weathers in pinstripes is the perfect example. The game starts, and even a kid can see it coming: “Weathers is pitching? That’s a loss.” Imagine being a Yankee fan and saying that? What the hell. When the fans can predict the outcome before the first pitch, what exactly is the front office doing—other than pretending everything is fine?

Five innings. Five runs. Four home runs. But sure, let’s celebrate the strikeouts. Because nothing says “ace” like getting shelled while occasionally missing a bat.

And here’s the bigger issue: you cannot expect a lineup to claw back every single night because your pitcher decided to implode in the first inning. That’s not resilience—that’s exhaustion. It’s bad baseball.

Six losses in the last seven games after a hot start tells you everything. This isn’t a slump. It’s regression to the mean of a mediocre roster.

Meanwhile, Oswald Peraza was out there last night for the Angels actually competing, creating pressure, forcing mistakes—doing everything his team should be doing. But by the time he makes an impact, the damage is already done. Good for him. Sticking a finger in Cashman's eye.

And in the dugout? Aaron Boone looks like a guy trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing. No urgency, no adjustments, and a bullpen strategy that feels like it’s being picked out of a hat.

You cannot expect Aaron Judge to carry this entire operation on his back every night. That’s not a plan—that’s a wish.

But don’t worry—the hype train is already moving. Anthony Volpe is being packaged like a savior, a franchise messiah ready to rescue the Bronx. What they’re not highlighting? A rough Double-A showing with 2 strikeouts that don’t exactly scream “immediate solution.” And for context, he batted against Zach Wheeler, an established major league pitcher.  So that just proves to me, he's not qualified to be on a major league field.  Pathetic.  

This is what the Yankees have become: a brand selling nostalgia while delivering mediocrity.

At some point, fans have to stop buying it—literally and figuratively. Because right now, the loudest thing in Yankee Stadium isn’t the bats.

It’s the disconnect.

WHY DID WE LET LUKE WEAVER WALK AGAIN?

The modern bullpen isn’t about labels anymore—it’s about leverage, flexibility, and giving your team multiple paths to win. That’s exactly why Luke Weaver has more real value than David Bednar right now, and it’s not even particularly close.

Bednar is supposed to be a hammer. One job, one inning, shut the door. That’s the deal. But here’s the problem: if you’re only bringing one thing to the table, you better be elite at it. Not good. Not “figuring it out.” Elite. And lately, Bednar hasn’t been different. A velocity drop, he’s been alittle shaky. 

Meanwhile, Weaver is the exact opposite kind of weapon. He doesn’t need perfection to be useful. He gives you options—and options win games over 162.

Weaver can give you two or three clean innings when your starter flames out early. He can patch together an emergency start without the entire bullpen catching fire behind him. He can stabilize extra innings, bridge the middle frames, or come in with traffic on the bases and actually put out the fire instead of pouring gasoline on it. Even when he’s not dominant, he’s contributing. That’s the key difference—his floor still helps you win.

And that’s where this becomes almost insulting from a roster-building standpoint.

Weaver fits the modern game perfectly. He’s the guy you deploy in the 5th, 6th, or 7th when the game is actually on the line—not just when the scoreboard tells you it’s time for a save opportunity. He stops rallies before they become losses. He keeps games from spiraling. He protects the rest of your staff by eating innings and preventing overuse. In a long season, that kind of pitcher doesn’t just help you win today—he keeps you from collapsing tomorrow.

Bednar? He’s locked into the 9th inning like it’s written in stone. No flexibility. No creativity. And if there’s no save situation, he’s basically a very expensive spectator. That’s a luxury you can afford when the guy is Mariano Rivera-level automatic. When he’s not? It’s a liability dressed up as a role.

And this is where the Yankees deserve every ounce of criticism coming their way.

Because when Bednar and Camilo Doval arrived, Brian Cashman puffed his chest out and essentially stamped it “mission accomplished.” Like the bullpen puzzle was solved. Like fans should just nod along and be grateful. How’s that looking now?

Messy. That’s how.

Bednar isn’t locking down good enough. The bullpen isn’t stabilized. And the one guy who actually gave you flexibility, length, and insurance across multiple scenarios—Luke Weaver—is gone.  

So, here’s the question that should be hanging over the Bronx like a storm cloud: why didn’t they prioritize keeping the guy who gives you more ways to win?

This isn’t complicated. It’s basic roster construction in 2026. Versatility matters. Durability matters. The ability to influence multiple parts of a game matters. Weaver checks all those boxes. Bednar checks one—and right now, he’s not even checking it well...again, shaky.

For a franchise that loves to talk about “championship standards,” the Yankees are making decisions that feel anything but. This isn’t some grand philosophical debate. It’s common sense.

And right now, common sense is nowhere to be found in that front office.

DID CASHMAN FINALLY GET SOMETHING RIGHT?

It's an interesting question in a very early season. I like to give credit where credit is due and I do when it is earned. Some folks are praising Cashman early on but let's get closer (much closer) to the dog days of summer before we go breaking out the trophies and medals for "most improved" categories.

The bullpen was a serious weakness last season. We knew it needed an overhaul so that's why we said LET THE YANKEES BULLPEN BLOW UP BEGIN! The Yankees experiment with Devin Williams was a disaster and even Luke Weaver crashed and burned in epic fashion that I never expected. He didn't address his problem with tipping pitches and that helped him lose his job. Both guys are playing for that other New York team now, and Cashman has made over the bullpen.

That new bullpen has a 3-0 start after sweeping three from the Giants with their perceived weaker bullpen. Four relievers combined for 4 2/3 scoreless innings to finish off Saturday's 3-1 win to make it 11 shutout innings in the opening series. All three of the Yankees 2025 trade-deadline additions played key roles in the series and now it has the baseball world asking if Cashman outsmarted everyone. Read more about what NJ.com had to say HERE.

Last season the bullpen ERA was 4.37, 7th worst in MLB and 11th best in the American League. That was a big drop from the 2024 World Series season when their 3.62 bullpen ERA ranked third in the league and sixth overall. The Yankees did look sharp after losing some bigger names over the winter but it's easy to look sharp in the first series of the season. Everyone's rested!

The Yankees don't NEED big names to be successful. We had that last year and it didn't work well for us. The Yankees do need good strategy, guys with good fundamentals and rest! How many times have we seen the Yankees bullpen just get taxed and absolutely drained after being used to much and too often? It's one of the Yankees biggest faults. It happens every. stinking. season! The Yankees change their roster but they don't change the way they operate and it annoys me.

So yeah, right now Cashman may look like a genius to some. It is way too early to start celebrating. I want to see how Camilo Doval, Jake Bird and David Bednar adapt and perform over the next six months. That's a grind! We caught a glimpse of success now, but we need to see long term results. Not to mention, odds are pretty good that Cashman will look to add new reinforcements by the trade deadline so those guys will also need to be evaluated.

I am not going to toot Cashman's horn just yet with the existing bullpen. I will say the Yankees made smart additions by subtraction by getting rid of dead weight. 

That's as far as I will go....for now. 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE YANKEES BULLPEN IS OFFICIALLY DEPLETED

The pitchers that the Yankees used to have in their bullpen are fleeing... leaving Camilo Doval and Dave Bednar to take care it of by themselves.  And where is Brian Cashman?  I assuming in the fetal position in the center of his bed in a dark room.  Why do I picture this? Because there is literally no excuse for the General Manager of the biggest, strongest franchise in baseball history to be sitting on his hands and not spending a dime or even TRYING to retain talent to be on the Yankees. Which means only one thing; the Beast of the Bronx is done.  We are no longer scary, dominant, strong or intimidating.  We are the Marlins of the Northeast, and it's the worst I've seen this team since 1990.  What the hell are we doing as an organization? I am being serious. Tell me. 

The Braves made it official on Friday: right-hander Ian Hamilton is heading to Atlanta on a one-year, non-guaranteed deal. Another former Yankee, another fresh start, another reminder that the Bronx bullpen is slowly turning into a ghost town.

Hamilton spent the 2025 season wearing pinstripes, logging 36 appearances and a 4.28 ERA over 40 innings. The numbers don’t exactly leap off the page, but anyone who actually watched knows Hamilton’s story with the Yankees isn’t told by a single stat line. This is the same guy who came out of absolutely nowhere in 2023, armed with that funky “Slambio” pitch, and somehow turned himself into a legitimate setup option. No hype, no pedigree—just results. For a while, he was one of the rare bullpen surprises that actually worked.

Then came the injuries. Then came the roster shuffling. Then came the classic Yankees ending: a non-tender in late 2025 and a quiet exit out the side door.

Now Hamilton is gone, too—joining the long parade of relievers who once filled the Yankees bullpen and now populate everyone else’s. If you’re keeping score at home, that bullpen is looking less like a strength and more like a clearance rack.

Was I ever banging the table for the return Ian Hamilton? No, but that's not the point. But I understood what he brought. He worked. He competed. He showed up. He was solid, he was respected in the room, and—this part matters—he was a body. A usable, capable body in a bullpen that is currently running on fumes.

The Yankees are depleted, folks. This isn’t dramatic, and it’s not nitpicking. It’s reality. Arms keep leaving, replacements don’t keep coming, and the plan—if there is one—remains invisible. 

Hamilton landing with the Braves isn’t a franchise-altering move, but it’s another small, annoying reminder that the Yankees keep letting useful pieces walk… and there’s no clear end in sight.

WHAT SHOULD THE YANKEES DO WITH LUKE WEAVER?

The Yankees are prepping for their formal meetings in Tampa, and they have some decisions to make as they start shaping their 2026 roster. One of their decisions is going to have to involve Luke Weaver and after his 2024 season, I really didn't think he would be taking up such a big part of the Yankees puzzle.....but he is.

The Weaver from 2024 and Weaver this season are complete opposites He was one of the headlines last year because he came out of nowhere and he became one of Aaron Boone's most trusted arms. Hell, after 2024 I thought he had a good argument to be the next closer. But this season, was a big regression.

There's a lot of questions now about Weaver and his confidence. Despite working with Gerrit Cole since mid-summer, he hasn't looked right. He went from being a dominant figure last season to a pitcher that lost some of his mechanics and started tipping his pitches. Even scouts said his delivery was obvious, and he was giving too many clues to what was coming next. He wasn't fooling opposing hitters and they picked up on everything that was coming, read more HERE. His ineffectiveness on the mound is what made him fall out of Boone's trusted circle and replaced with Camilo Doval.

And that's not all. Looking back, now the question of stamina comes to light. Spring training was not a great start for Weaver. His velocity was down, leaving questions if Weaver's increased workload in 2024 had taken a toll on him, and if he was ready for what was to come. By summer, Weaver suffered a hamstring injury. After experiencing discomfort, an MRI confirmed a hamstring injury, and the initial diagnosis was supposed to be an absence of 4 to 6 weeks. Weaver received a plasma injection to help with the recover....but the Yankees reinstated him after only 17 days.

And once Weaver came back, he didn't look the same. The mechanics were off and soon his confidence was gone. Listening to him after ALDS Game 1, I'd be lying if I said I was not concerned. He even said he wasn't 100%, read more HERE.

"I don't really feel like myself. I don't feel like my mind is completely clear to go out there and attack. I do feel physically strong. I do feel mentally strong overall."
I think that is a real concern. The Yankees have some blame here. They rushed Weaver back without letting him heal and obviously he overcompensated in other areas to deal with it and just lost the mechanics he once had and his confidence.

So now the Yankees have to decide what to do here. Can they "fix" Weaver? History doesn't paint a pretty picture there and I just don't trust their medical approaches. Could more rest this offseason help get him back on track? Maybe, but he's also going to get a pay raise this year (he's a Scott Boras client) so maybe the Yankees are better served letting him test free agency and finding a more cost effective arm. The Yankees bullpen was a weakness this season, so I am not sure the Yankees shouldn't just rebuild it around David Bednar. I miss the old Weaver and I'd want him back, but I am concerned.

Would you want Weaver back for the right price? Comment and tell us.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj