ARE THE YANKEES READY TO MOVE VOLPE?

God, I hope so.

I've reached my limit with Anthony Volpe. I used to defend this guy. I've waited for the breakout. I've bought into the "he's still young" argument. I've watched the flashes of brilliance and convinced myself they would eventually outweigh the mistakes. They haven't. And then I got annoyed. I researched why they babied this kid as long as they have.  Reported about it in: HOW YANKEE SCOUTS LOST THEIR WAY IN THE VOLPE RECRUITMENT.  What I found was startling. And so, things changed for me.  This kid is a special treatment case. Not earned... it's who you know.

Volpe is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Defensive miscues continue to pile up, the bat has never become the weapon the Yankees envisioned, and every game seems to feature another reminder that this experiment simply isn't working.

The good news? I'm not the only one who feels this way anymore.

For the first time since Volpe arrived in the Bronx, legitimate baseball insiders are openly discussing the possibility that the Yankees could move him before his value sinks any further. That's a significant shift. This isn't social media overreaction. This is baseball people acknowledging that the Yankees may finally be ready to pivot.

And honestly? It's about time. the chatter is getting louder.  The rumors aren't coming from one source. They're coming from several respected voices, and they're all pointing in the same direction.

Jim Bowden has floated one of the more intriguing ideas, suggesting the Yankees could package Volpe with reliever Camilo Doval in a deal with the Minnesota Twins for catcher Ryan Jeffers. It's a move that would address one of New York's biggest weaknesses behind the plate while giving Minnesota a young, controllable shortstop to gamble on.

Chris Kirschner of The Athletic has also identified Volpe as one of the Yankees' most logical trade chips. His thinking is simple: if the Yankees are serious about upgrading this roster, they have to be willing to move players who haven't lived up to expectations. Volpe fits that description whether fans want to admit it or not.

Ryan Garcia has reported that rival clubs continue to show genuine interest in Volpe. Why? Because he's still just 25 years old, he's inexpensive, and another organization may believe a change of scenery unlocks the player scouts once projected him to become.

That's the key.

The Yankees may no longer believe they can fix him.

Another team might.

Devon Platana went a step further by predicting Volpe could be one of the first underperforming Yankees shown the door if Brian Cashman decides this club needs a serious shakeup before the deadline. That's not exactly shocking.

If the Yankees are going to change the direction of this roster, they can't keep clinging to former top prospects simply because of where they were drafted.

Now look, for me, Ryan Jeffers makes too much sense. If Minnesota is willing to listen, Ryan Jeffers should absolutely be near the top of Brian Cashman's wish list. The Yankees have desperately needed offensive production from the catcher position, and Jeffers immediately upgrades the lineup. He gives the Yankees another legitimate bat while stabilizing a position that's been an offensive black hole for far too long.

Would it hurt to give up Volpe? Not even alittle. Maybe he'd cry which only means to me that he's been babied too much by the Yankees organization.  It also solves two problems at once. Minnesota gets a young shortstop they can develop. The Yankees get a catcher capable of helping them win now. That's exactly the kind of baseball trade contenders make.

Then there's CJ Abrams of the Nationals. I don't actually see this happening, but wow what a rumor. If the Washington Nationals decide to entertain offers, Abrams would represent everything the Yankees hoped Volpe would become. He's an All-Star caliber shortstop with game-changing speed, legitimate power and the type of offensive production that transforms a lineup. While injuries have forced other Yankees stars to carry more of the load, Abrams has emerged as one of the most dynamic young players in baseball.

Replacing Volpe with Abrams isn't just an upgrade. It's a statement. It shows us Yankee fans that the Yankees are actually series 9 years into Boone's managerial career.  

And there's another catcher worth watching by the way. If Minnesota asks for too much, Cincinnati's Tyler Stephenson becomes another fascinating alternative.

Stephenson has been mentioned repeatedly in trade discussions because he fills the exact hole the Yankees need to address. He's a proven offensive catcher capable of lengthening the lineup while giving the pitching staff a dependable presence behind the plate.

Would the Reds want Volpe as part of that conversation? Given his age and years of club control, they just might. Plus, I was convinced last year Volpe would become a Red for some strange reason.  Google it.  It just makes sense to me.

And here's the other reality nobody wants to ignore. George Lombard Jr. is coming.

The Yankees' top prospect continues to impress throughout the minor leagues, and there's a growing belief inside baseball that he's the organization's future at shortstop. If the Yankees truly believe Lombard is the better long-term answer, why keep forcing Volpe into a role he hasn't fully claimed?

Sometimes the hardest move is admitting you were wrong. Sometimes it's also the smartest one. Think about that.

But look, it's time, and this isn't about piling on Anthony Volpe. No, I don't think he's a legit major leaguer, but I also don't hate the kid as a person. He was put into this situation but a bunch of guys in a room that chose him because a scout in the Yankees organization knew him.

In the beginning, not knowing that? I wanted him to succeed. But the Yankees don't hand out trophies for patience. They are supposed to chase championships.

If Volpe's biggest value now is bringing back a catcher like Ryan Jeffers, opening the door for George Lombard Jr., or becoming part of a blockbuster for someone like CJ Abrams, then Brian Cashman has to seriously consider pulling the trigger.

Holding onto a player because you're afraid of watching him succeed somewhere else isn't a strategy. It's fear.

And the Yankees have spent enough time hoping Anthony Volpe becomes something he hasn't shown he can consistently be. Sometimes the best move for both sides is admitting it's over.

This might finally be that moment.

TRADING LOMBARD FOR ABRAMS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE

The Yankees have a shortstop problem. That much is undeniable.

What they do not have is a George Lombard Jr. problem.

That distinction matters as trade speculation begins connecting the Yankees to Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams. One proposal suggests there is a “pathway” to a deal if the Yankees construct a package involving Anthony Volpe AND Lombard.

That pathway should be barricaded immediately.

Abrams is an outstanding player having a spectacular season. Through July 27, he is batting .297 with a .367 on-base percentage, a .573 slugging percentage and a .940 OPS. He has 27 home runs, 82 RBIs and 114 hits. Among National League players, he ranks first in slugging, third in OPS and first in RBIs.

Those numbers are precisely why Washington would demand a staggering return.

The Nationals are not holding a clearance sale. Reports indicate that they are willing to listen, but they are not actively shopping Abrams. In a painfully thin shortstop market, Washington has every reason to demand an enormous overpayment for a 25-year-old All-Star performing like one of baseball’s premier offensive players.

That is where this proposal falls apart. Abrams is excellent, but the proposed price is ridiculous. The argument against trading for Abrams is not that he cannot play. He clearly can.

The argument is that the Yankees should not use their best opportunity to solve shortstop for the next decade as payment for someone else’s shortstop.

Lombard is only 21 years old, has already reached Triple-A and remains the most important position-player prospect in the Yankees’ system. He returned from the injured list in July and immediately collected nine hits in his first 17 at-bats, including four extra-base hits. Lombard has put himself into the major-league conversation.

That is not the type of prospect a smart organization includes merely because another team has made its asking price absurd.

Lombard is not an expendable lottery ticket buried in Class A. He is already knocking on the door. He possesses the athleticism, defensive ability, plate discipline and developing power to become the dynamic shortstop the Yankees have spent years trying to find. He's better than Volpe. The Yankees drafted him, developed him and moved him aggressively through their system. Now that he is approaching the majors, they are supposed to hand him away?

No.

Lombard should be considered off-limits. And the difference is the Volpe experiment has run its course. Volpe is a different conversation.

The Yankees have given him considerable time, patience and protection. At some point, potential must turn into sustained major-league production. New York cannot continue treating its shortstop position as a development laboratory while attempting to win a championship.

Volpe returned from shoulder surgery in 2026, but the organization’s public discussion has already shifted. José Caballero has entered the picture; Lombard is approaching the majors and questions regarding Volpe’s long-term grip on the position have become impossible to ignore.

There is nothing wrong with including Volpe in trade discussions. A change of organizations might benefit him, and the Yankees need to stop allowing draft status, popularity or past expectations to dictate their current decisions.

Volpe can go.

Lombard cannot.

Packaging the two together would be especially foolish. Volpe would be included as a distressed major-league asset while Lombard supplied the actual value Washington desired. The Yankees would essentially surrender their future shortstop to compensate for their present shortstop’s failure to establish himself.

That is backwards roster construction. The bottom line is the Yankees need to be smart. The proper solution is not to trade Lombard for a different long-term shortstop. It is to find someone capable of stabilizing the position for the remainder of 2026 without blocking Lombard in 2027 and beyond.

The Yankees need a rental.

That player does not have to be better than Abrams in a vacuum. Few available shortstops are. He needs to be a better acquisition for the Yankees because he would provide competent shortstop play without costing the organization its future.

Now look, the rental market is admittedly thin. MLB has described Abrams as the clear top shortstop potentially available because players such as Jeremy Peña, Zach Neto and Francisco Lindor are even less likely to be moved.

A thin market, however, is not permission to make a reckless trade. For me, the best answer is in the organization. There is also a possibility Yankees management appears reluctant to acknowledge:

Lombard himself might be the best shortstop option.

Bottom line, we need to move Volpe. Acquire a rental. Use Caballero if necessary. Promote Lombard when he is ready which is soon.

But under no circumstances should Brian Cashman trade George Lombard Jr. to solve a position Lombard is being developed to occupy.

The Yankees need a new shortstop now.

They should not sacrifice their next great one to get him.

URGENT TRADES NEEDED TO FIX BOONE'S YANKEES

Just over a week ago, the Yankees looked like they were cruising toward another division title. Fast forward seven straight losses, and they've transformed into baseball's most expensive slapstick comedy.

It's one thing to lose games. It's another to actively invent new ways to lose them every single night.

The Yankees have committed 17 errors in their last 12 games, turning routine outs into adventures and making opposing offenses look like the 1927 Yankees. Every ground ball has become an exercise in suspense. Every fly ball feels like a coin flip. Somewhere, the fundamentals packed their bags and entered the transfer portal.

And standing in the middle of this circus is Aaron Boone.

At some point, "the guys have to execute" stops being a valid excuse. Boone has managed this club for years, and the same problems continue to surface: sloppy defense, lifeless at-bats, questionable bullpen decisions, and a team that routinely looks unprepared in big moments. The Yankees don't simply lose games—they unravel them. That's a reflection of leadership.

Then there's the middle of the diamond.

Anthony Volpe continues to receive the kind of organizational patience usually reserved for Hall of Famers, despite producing nowhere near that level. June came and went with barely a pulse offensively, and while his defensive reputation remains solid in some circles, the mistakes continue to pile up. For a franchise that expects championships, the bar can't simply be "he's young." The Yankees need production, not perpetual potential.

Behind the plate, Austin Wells hasn't exactly made life easier.

The bat has gone ice cold, and what was once advertised as elite pitch framing has lost much of its value in the era of the automated ball-strike system. If the offense isn't there and the framing advantage has diminished, what exactly is separating Wells from dozens of replacement-level catchers?

The front office is rumored to finally be asking itself the same question.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to ignore trade possibilities. Hunter Goodman has emerged as one of the more intriguing offensive catchers in baseball, while Ryan Jeffers would immediately provide more thump than the Yankees are currently getting from the position. Neither player is perfect, but perfection isn't the goal anymore. Competence would be a significant upgrade.

Shortstop may require an even bolder solution.

With virtually no internal alternatives and Volpe failing to seize the job offensively, the Yankees may eventually have to explore bigger names. CJ Abrams represents the type of athletic, impact player who could completely change the complexion of the lineup, though other potential targets remain unavailable due to injuries or circumstances beyond New York's control.

Then there's the rotation.

If Brian Cashman truly believes this team is built to win now, why stop with complementary pieces? Tarik Skubal is the kind of ace who instantly changes a postseason series. Reports suggesting the Dodgers have cooled on pursuing him only make the possibility slightly more realistic for New York—assuming the Yankees are willing to pay the prospect price.

Of course, none of these moves will matter if the team continues to kick the ball around the field like it's spring training.

Seven straight losses.

Seventeen errors in twelve games.

An offense disappearing for innings at a time. A manager searching for answers he's had years to find. The Yankees don't have a talent problem. They have an accountability problem. Until that changes, every postgame press conference will sound the same, every loss will feel familiar, and every "championship caliber" conversation will become harder to take seriously.

For a franchise that measures success in World Series championships, playing fundamentally bad baseball isn't just disappointing. It's embarrassing.