THE YANKEES CAN'T HIDE BEHIND "WE TRIED" ANYMORE

The Yankees are out of excuses.

Every July, Brian Cashman talks about being aggressive. Every August, fans are left convincing themselves that another collection of "solid depth pieces" was somehow enough. It never is.

This deadline can't end with the Yankees adding another spare part while the contenders around them land impact players.

If the Yankees are serious about winning in 2026, Mason Miller should be at the top of their list.

Miller isn't just another reliever. He's one of the most dominant arms in baseball, routinely blowing hitters away with a fastball that averages over 101 mph and reaches 104. He's the type of pitcher who shortens postseason games and changes an entire October.

The problem? San Diego knows exactly what he's worth.

The Padres reportedly want a package that starts with top prospect Dax Kilby, and it likely wouldn't stop there. Jasson Domínguez could be part of the conversation, along with major league-ready starter Will Warren and one of the Yankees' premium pitching prospects like Ben Hess or Carlos Lagrange.

That's a steep price.

So what? Cashman's job is to negotiate and figure out what's best for them too. So, do your job!

Championships aren't won by protecting every prospect. They're won by identifying elite talent and paying what it takes to get it.

The Yankees have developed a frustrating habit of treating the trade deadline like a bargain hunt. While other contenders swing for stars, the Yankees too often settle for role players and then spend the winter explaining why the market "just didn't line up." No more excuses.

Fans don't want another press conference about how the Yankees were "in on" everybody.

Nobody hangs banners for almost making a trade.

If the front office believes this roster has a real chance to win a World Series, then prove it. Stop collecting complementary pieces. Stop worrying about losing every prospect. Make a deal, negotiate the right players. Fans are tired of this front office. We want to win.

Go get the player who actually moves the needle!

Because if this deadline ends with another round of "we tried," don't expect anyone in the Bronx to applaud the effort.

So tired of the hurry up and wait.

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

THE YANKEES ARE BUILDING THEIR SHORTSTOP FUTURE & VOLPE AIN'T IN IT

Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa will have a more significant focus on Volpe and him shitting the bed in today's game, but for me, right now... I just want to talk about the Yankees future in the field.

Let’s stop pretending. Anthony Volpe isn’t just slumping—he’s on a full-blown downward spiral. This isn’t a “young player working out the kinks” situation anymore. This is what happens when you fast-track a marketable kid with a clean face, the right connections, and zero college experience just to sell a few extra jerseys on Opening Day. And now the Yankees are dealing with the consequences and they should be ashamed of themselves.

Volpe was handed the keys to shortstop like he was the prince of The Bronx. But the fairy tale is cracking. Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Cubs wasn’t just another bad day—it was a highlight reel of why the Yankees may already be planning a future without him.  (time is 6:16)

At the plate? Another 0-for-3. His hitless streak now has him 9-for-70 since June 23. Horrible. His batting average has dipped to an anemic .214. Mario Mendoza called me today and asked that I stop connecting his name with Volpe's. Why? BECAUSE IT'S THAT EMBARRASSING! 

Volpe's OPS? Try .671. Not exactly what you want from your starting shortstop. But hey, at least he’s known for his glove, right? Wrong. 

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.

Volpe’s defense was just as messy. In the seventh, with two outs and a runner on second, he fielded a grounder—then air-mailed the throw wide to first. That mistake brought in the Cubs' fourth run. A little later, he jogged after a routine grounder and lobbed one to second base like it was a Sunday picnic. Dansby Swanson beat the throw, and Volpe just stared into the abyss.

But don’t worry, Aaron Boone had the usual word salad ready: “If the throw is on line, he’s out.”

Gee, thanks, dickhead. Maybe next time explain gravity while you're at it. Boone constantly defending Volpe like he’s a Little Leaguer learning the ropes isn’t just annoying—it’s insulting to fans who know better.

Meanwhile, the Yankees might already be turning the page.

While Volpe was busy booting plays in The Bronx, George Lombard Jr. was making noise at the Futures Game. The 18-year-old shortstop smoked a double, drew a walk, and looked smooth as silk in the field. Scouts took notice. MLB Pipeline now ranks Lombard as the No. 35 prospect in baseball, the No. 10 shortstop, and—wait for it—the top prospect in the Yankees system. He’s the only Yankee in MLB’s top 100.

Translation: He’s coming. And fast.

Oh, and if you thought Lombard was the only threat to Volpe’s reign, think again. With their first pick in the 2025 MLB Draft (39th overall), the Yankees selected Dax Kilby, a shortstop from Newnan High School in Georgia. Kilby is a left-handed hitter with excellent contact skills, patience at the plate, and—dare we say it—a real plan.

Ranked No. 62 by MLB.com and 75 by Baseball America, Kilby isn’t just some “project.” He’s another signpost pointing to a future that no longer includes Volpe as the guy. Here's the problem with Kilby and the Yankees analytics department though. The Yankees already tried the "drafting the SS out of High School" route with Volpe and it's a disaster. Why not let the guy spend a few years in the minor leagues rather than 2 minutes.  At any rate, it's clear the Yankees are thinking future and Volpe ain't in it.

And so where does that leave Anthony Volpe?

Right now, somewhere between everyday starter and the Yankees’ version of IKF—just a placeholder until the real talent arrives. That may sound harsh, but look at the writing on the wall. For the first time in a long time, the Yankees aren’t putting their head in the sand. 

They're preparing for the future. Lombard. Kilby. A shortstop shake-up is coming. Hell, is I had to pick, I'd grab a dude named Dean Ferrara from Fairfield. Newly graduated with college experience, unlike Volpe. He not only knows how to hit but can actually play defense and is the dark horse of this entire MLB Draft. 

Volpe was a rushed product. Great smile. Great story. Not ready.

And now the Yankees—finally—seem to realize it.