THE YANKEES WILL SELL THE SAME TRADE DEADLINE LIE

My opinion of course, but it feels the same. Every July, the Yankees roll out the same sales pitch.

"We're going to be aggressive."

"We're going to get what we need."

"We're committed to being competitive at the trade deadline."

It's become as predictable as Old-Timers' Day. Then the deadline comes and goes, the impact players end up somewhere else, and we're treated to the same tired explanation: "There just wasn't a good fit."

Sound familiar? It should, because Yankees fans have been hearing this script for years. The names change. The excuses don't.

George Steinbrenner never wanted to hear about "the right fit." He wanted the player who made the Yankees better. Whether you agreed with every move The Boss made or not, one thing was never in doubt—he hated standing still. If the Yankees had a chance to improve, he expected his front office to make it happen. Somewhere along the way, that urgency gave way to caution, calculated risk assessments, and post-deadline explanations. That's not the standard Steinbrenner built, and it's certainly not the one Yankees fans were taught to expect.

Zack Belsky/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Now we're hearing that Tarik Skubal is probably staying put in Detroit or, if he does get moved, the Yankees aren't expected to be the team that lands him. That's baseball. Not every blockbuster is meant to happen, and no one expects Brian Cashman to empty the farm system for every available star.

But here's the problem.

If the Yankees miss on Skubal, are they going to pivot to another legitimate difference-maker? Or are we headed for another deadline where they convince themselves—and try to convince us—that a handful of complementary pieces somehow equals a championship push?

We've seen this movie before... last year.

Last year's deadline was the ultimate slap in the face to a fan base that's been begging for meaningful upgrades. Instead of attacking the club's biggest needs, the Yankees loaded up on three closers. Three. As if the bullpen was the glaring weakness, despite already having Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. It caused mass confusion for the pen.

For us fans? That's what we got. Not a lineup-changing bat. Not a frontline starter. More relievers.

And how did that work out? The Yankees didn't make the deep postseason run everyone expected, and those deadline moves looked more like checking boxes than chasing a championship. Yet, Cashman called it "Mission Accomplished". What a joke.

That's why fans aren't buying the promises anymore and if they are, they shouldn't.

This organization loves talking about its championship standard. It loves reminding everyone that the Yankees don't rebuild—they reload. Great. Then prove it. Championship windows don't stay open forever. Aaron Judge isn't getting younger. Gerrit Cole isn't going to pitch forever. Every season that passes without making the bold move when it's sitting right in front of you is another missed opportunity.

Nobody is asking the Yankees to win every trade. Us Fans are asking them to stop hiding behind the same excuses every July. If there isn't a fit for Skubal, then go find another impact player. Don't come back with a couple of depth pieces and expect everyone to applaud because you "tried."

Yankees fans have heard enough about trying. They want results.

The Yankees don't need another press conference explaining why a deal didn't happen. They need a front office that remembers the pinstripes are supposed to represent championships, not excuses. Until that changes, us fans have every right to question whether this organization is still operating like the Yankees—or just pretending to.

My take.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST, BUT WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR BOONE

Forgive me for this post dad, but I can't hold back anymore. My dad has been a Mets fan forever. He's from Queens after all. My mom is a Bronx girl. I got my baseball passion from her. So it saddens me to set myself up for the potential that my dad sees this post shortly after Father's Day but.....

Good Grief the Mets are a trainwreck. I mean, I am not delusional to think that we aren't but the Mets can't seem to get anything right. Queens is the land of former Yankees that sucked or failed with us and they still do. The change of scenery didn't fix anything.

The list of 2025 Yankee castoffs include Luke Weaver, pathetic Devin Williams, money chaser Juan Soto and now fired manager Carlos Mendoza. You know...the old Yankees bench coach that was Aaron Boone's right hand man. Yeah, him. He couldn't effectively lead the flawed roster that Steve Cohen bought and constructed for him.

The Yankees and the Mets are similar teams. Filled with big names, big money spent and flaws up the wazoo. They both love their analytics and think they can out slug anyone but they fall flat. The Mets are as flat as you can get in last place with a 35-49 record. The Yankees have a bruised ego with a 48-34 record and are back in second place. There's one major difference though.....

The Mets have an axe to grind and a chip on their shoulder. They have big money behind them to buy anything they need so they can finally win a World Series again. The Mets aren't getting where they need to be. They aren't winning, Cohen knows a change needs to be made.....so they made one. They weren't gonna wait around for Mendoza to have a breakthrough. Mendoza was fired but Baboonie is that unwanted house guest that just won't leave for the last nine seasons.

We've all wanted to evict Baboonie for years now. The Yankees won't do it though because they like their insanity. They like sticking with the same things that are proven to be ineffective since 2018. It's just easier to stick with it hoping for something to finally click and magically work. That's our mathematical strategy to win.

The Mets may have a better long term strategy, I don't know. I've seen a lot of crazy over the years. One of the things I remember the most growing up was how many times my dad would sit in front of our tv and watch "Let's Go Mets!" on VHS. I have to wonder if the Mets will be able to get back to that before we do.

We certainly aren't winning anything under Baboonie.....he should suffer the same fate as Mendoza.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

LIKE THIS? READ THIS:

BOONE & MENDOZA ARE EXACTLY THE SAME MANAGER

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

DEVIN WILLIAMS BACK TO HIS OLD YANKEES FORM

Oh, Devin Williams is “doing great".

Credit where it’s due — the Mets made a splash bringing him in. And honestly? The smartest move the Yankees made all winter might’ve been holding the door open on his way out. Because if his debut with the Mets was any indication, that first impression came with fireworks — unfortunately, they were launched by someone else.

Williams’ opening act? One pitch. One swing. One 422-foot missile courtesy of top Cardinals prospect J.J. Wetherholt. That’s not easing into spring — that’s a batting practice donation.

Let’s keep it real: Williams hasn’t looked like his old self since his days with the Milwaukee Brewers. The dominance, the mystique, the Airbender magic — it’s felt more like turbulence lately. The Yankees saw the dip, saw the price tag, saw other bullpen options on the board, and said, “We’re good.” For once, restraint might’ve been wisdom.

Meanwhile, Steve Cohen continues his ongoing quest to out-Yankee the Yankees. If that means collecting former Bronx names like they’re rare baseball cards, so be it. The irony? Modeling yourself after a team that hasn’t won a championship since 2009 might not be the blueprint you think it is.

Now, could Williams bounce back? Of course. It’s spring training. Weird things happen in February and March. Arms are stretching out. Hitters ambush fastballs. Stats lie. But still — when your Mets tenure begins with a 422-foot reminder that baseball is cruel, it’s at least a little funny.

Let’s just say: the Yankees may not have solved all their problems this offseason, but dodging that first pitch? That might age very well.

CASHMAN CAN'T WALK & CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME

It’s honestly astounding how aggressively unaggressive the Yankees’ front office has become. Once upon a time, this franchise hunted stars. Now, under the ever-comfortable watch of Brian Cashman and his circle of yes-men, they spent an entire offseason dumpster-diving for minor leaguers while dragging their feet on the one obvious move that mattered: getting Cody Bellinger back.

To be fair—credit where it’s due—they finally landed their big fish, and the news broke yesterday. Great. Applause. But here’s the problem: it never should have taken this long. The foot-dragging, the posturing, the “we’re totally fine as-is” routine—it all reeks of either penny-pinching or paralysis. Either the Yankees don’t want to spend money anymore, or Cashman has reached the stage of his career where multitasking is considered a hostile work environment. Neither option is comforting.

And while the Yankees sit on their hands, pitchers continue to come off the board. The latest? Freddy Peralta—now a New York Met. Let me be clear: I wasn’t pounding the table for Peralta. If anything, it felt like a potential Devin Williams 2.0 situation. I was cautious. Skeptical. But you know what was appealing? The idea that the Yankees might actually try to improve their team. That illusion, of course, vanished right on schedule.

Peralta is gone. The Mets acted. The Yankees watched. Again.

So now we’re left staring at a projected Opening Day rotation of Max Fried, Will Warren, Luis Gil, Cam Schlittler, and newly acquired Ryan Weathers. Intimidating? Only if you’re afraid of mediocrity. There’s no question the absence of another frontline starter will eventually grind Fried down and overwhelm rookie Schlittler. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón remain shelved, and pretending otherwise is organizational malpractice. A power arm early in the season isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. The fact that this seems invisible in Yankeeland is borderline deranged.

Even Yankees insiders see the problem. Over at Yankees on SI, Mitchell Cocoran laid out the dwindling options—many of which have already been discussed on Bleeding Yankee Blue. He’s right to bring them up though. As Cocoran wrote:

“Luckily for the Yankees, there are still options, but they are becoming few and far between.”

Cocoran suggests that one idea gaining traction is a trade for Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore, coming off a 2025 All-Star campaign with a 3.0 WAR, 185 strikeouts, and a 4.17 ERA. Another name floating around? Tarik Skubal—though even there, the Dodgers are reportedly lurking, because of course they are. According to Buster Olney, L.A. remains firmly in the mix.

And that’s the most disturbing part of all: the Yankees can no longer outmuscle—or even outmaneuver—the monster franchises. The Dodgers act. The Mets act. The Yankees issue statements.

This is the new Yankees brand: cheap, complacent, and painfully disengaged. Cashman responds to every question with a word salad about timing, fit, and how “trades are complicated.” No kidding. That’s the job. And right now, the job is screaming for a starting pitcher.

They needed one at the start of the offseason. They still need one now. Without Cole and Rodón, the pressure on Fried, Schlittler, and the rest of this thin rotation is enormous. One more power arm could be the difference between a playoff run and another October disappointment—maybe even the difference between a title and another wasted season.

Without it? This team will fall behind early. And if this is truly the plan, I’ll say it plainly: the Yankees will not win in 2026.

Sometimes common sense has to enter the room. Right now, it hasn’t. Cashman looks slow, detached, and completely unwilling to adapt. And honestly? I can’t stand it anymore.

BRIAN CASHMAN BLOWS IT AGAIN

Here we go again. Another winter, another bullpen arm slips through the Yankees’ fingers while Brian Cashman stares into the middle distance like he’s waiting for the market to apologize to him.

Brad Keller—yes, that Brad Keller—was right there. A right-hander with mid-90s heat, a splitter that eats bats, and a career reboot that turned him from “rotation filler” into a full-blown relief menace. His 2025 season with the Cubs? A flat-out breakout. A 2.07 ERA, hitters pounding the ball straight into the dirt, and the kind of profile that should make the Yankees drool given, you know, their stadium.

And what happened? Keller signs a perfectly reasonable two-year, $22 million deal with the Phillies.

The Yankees? Missing in action. Again.

Yes, it’s been reported they were “interested.” Which in Yankees front-office language means they glanced at the name, muttered something about flexibility, and went right back to doing nothing. Interest without action is just PR, and Cashman has mastered that art form. Like, serious question... who is ACTUALLY making decisions in the Yankees front office? Feels like nobody.

Let’s take inventory for a second. Devin Williams is gone (don’t worry, we didn’t want him anyway). Luke Weaver is gone. Mark Leiter Jr. is gone. This bullpen has holes you could throw a rosin bag through. Logic would suggest the Yankees should be pounding on every agent’s door looking for high-end relievers who actually miss barrels.

Instead, Keller walks.

Empire Sports Media summed it up nicely—and painfully—when they peeled back the numbers:

“Missing out on Keller stings even more when you peel back the layers of his 2025 dominance. He wasn’t just getting outs; he was suffocating opposing hitters with a batted-ball profile that ranks among the best in the sport.

Keller ranked in the 99th percentile for hard-hit rate and the 95th percentile for ground ball percentage, a lethal combination that effectively neutralizes the home run ball. In Yankee Stadium, where fly balls go to die in the short porch, having a pitcher who keeps the ball on the ground 56.6% of the time is a luxury the Yankees let slip away.”

Read that again. A ground-ball monster. In Yankee Stadium. And the Yankees passed.

So what’s the plan now? Hope David Bednar and Camilo Doval can shoulder everything? That’s not a terrifying bullpen—that’s a prayer circle. Good arms, sure. Elite, depth-loaded, October-proof? Not even close.

Which brings us back to the same exhausting questions we ask every offseason:
What exactly is Brian Cashman doing?
What exactly is Hal Steinbrenner doing?
Why is this franchise allergic to urgency?
Why does “being competitive” always seem optional?

This used to be a serious organization. Now it feels like a brand that sells nostalgia while cutting corners everywhere else. A complacent GM. A manager who survives on loyalty instead of results. An owner who keeps cashing checks while telling fans to be patient.

And honestly? It’s getting hard to care.

So, here’s the uncomfortable truth: the only leverage left belongs to us fans. Stop showing up. Stop buying tickets. Stop buying the gear. Starve the machine until it’s forced to change. Blame the front office—never the players—and make it clear that this level of apathy is unacceptable.

Because right now, being a Yankees fan doesn’t feel like pride. It feels like endurance. And I’m tired of it.

WEAVER TO THE METS & THE YANKEES STILL HAVEN'T MAKE A SIGNIFCANT MOVE

If this is what urgency looks like in the Bronx, someone needs to check the pulse.

The Yankees have officially sleepwalked into MLB free agency, and the early returns are… Amed Rosario and Ryan Yarbrough. That’s it. Two names that scream “placeholder,” not “contender.”  Meanwhile, the rest of the league is out here shopping like it’s Black Friday, and the Yankees are squinting at the clearance rack like they forgot their wallet.

At some point, we have to say the quiet part out loud: the Yankees do not appear to care about being competitive or even good in 2026.

And yes, before anyone reaches for the PR talking points, this is the same organization whose owner, Hal Steinbrenner, once suggested the Yankees are not a profitable franchise—which we all know is fucking bullshit. This is the New York Yankees, not a roadside lemonade stand. They print money in their sleep. Claiming poverty while fielding a half-asleep roster is insulting, not convincing.

The bullpen situation is a perfect snapshot of the rot. The Yankees desperately need relief pitching, yet somehow managed to sit on their hands while most of the high-end bullpen arms flew off the board. Even worse, several of those signings happened right in the AL East. Translation: the Yankees aren’t just standing still—they’re actively falling behind.

And if you want to see what a serious franchise looks like, glance north. The Blue Jays get it. They’re bringing in top-tier talent, players ready to win now. They look hungry. They look aggressive. Right now, they look like the new kings of the AL East, while the Yankees look like a brand living off past glory.

Then there’s the Luke Weaver situation, which somehow manages to be both baffling and infuriating.

According to Joel Sherman, “The Yankees were not part of the bidding to try to retain Weaver.” Not “they got outbid.” Not “they made an offer but fell short.” No—they didn’t even show up.

This is insanity.

Weaver was a legitimate bullpen weapon for the Yankees in 2025. Even if he wasn’t at the top of their wish list, you don’t just ignore a quality arm who already proved he could handle New York. Not even entertaining a conversation—especially when the contract was two years, $22 million—is organizational malpractice.

And now? Weaver heads across town to the Mets, where he’ll pitch alongside former Yankees Clay Holmes and Devin Williams. That alone should be humiliating.

But here’s the real question: it’s not “Why did Weaver go to the Mets?” It’s why the fuck didn’t the Yankees even try?

The Yankees are the ones who created the Weaver mess in the first place. He was a top closer down the stretch two years ago, and then Brian Cashman brought in Williams and detonated the bullpen hierarchy. Roles vanished. Confidence evaporated. Nobody knew where they stood—Weaver included, Williams included, everyone included. It was the dumbest bullpen decision Cashman made in 2025, and that’s saying something.

And now the follow-up act is even worse: they let Weaver walk without a phone call, without a pitch, without a pulse.

So, what’s the plan?

Nothing.

No replacement. No backup move. No urgency. Just another useful arm drifting away while the Yankees act completely fine with it. That tells you everything you need to know. This wasn’t a tough decision—they were comfortable letting him go.

This is why Yankees fans are furious. This is why the organization feels hollow. The Yankees don’t look competitive. They don’t look gritty. They don’t even look like they want to win anymore.

It’s not just disturbing—it’s embarrassing.

WEAK-CHINNED WILLIAMS SIGNS WITH THE METS

There’s really no polite way to frame it, so let’s just belly-flop straight into honesty: I am ecstatic that Devin Williams is officially someone else’s problem. Truly, this might be the first offseason moment where Brian Cashman didn’t step on a rake. Whether he hesitated, procrastinated, or simply stared into space long enough for the Mets to do something reckless, it worked out beautifully for the Yankees.

Because let’s be real — did anyone watch this man pitch in pinstripes? It was like buying a fancy espresso machine that only spits out muddy water. Williams showed up from Milwaukee, immediately lost the closer job, and then spent the rest of the season trying to remember where the strike zone lived.

But fear not, New York baseball fans! The Mets — God bless their chaos — have swooped in with a three-year, $51 million love letter. A big one. A “did we really need to spend that?” one. Enjoy that ride, Mets. Bring a helmet.

So, what now? Do the Yankees make a bizarre, galaxy-brained run at Edwin Díaz? Who knows. Stranger things have absolutely happened in this town.

If it were up to me, I’d happily bring back Luke Weaver, hand him the ninth inning, and rebuild the bullpen with actual logic. Will Cashman do that? Of course not. This is the same GM who treats roster construction like a Sudoku puzzle he’s too tired to finish.

But hey, at least he didn’t sign Devin Williams. Even a broken franchise gets one right every now and then.

Go grow that beard, Devin. Have fun with it.

IS LUKE WEAVER ON THE MOVE?

I loved when Luke Weaver parachuted into the Bronx and suddenly turned into Mariano Rivera’s chaos-loving cousin. The man stumbled into the closer role, found his rhythm, and started mowing dudes down like he’d been born on the mound at Yankee Stadium. Clay Holmes didn’t just lose the closer role—he gently backed away from it like someone who realized, “You know what? Maybe being a setup guy isn’t the worst thing.” It was a win-win. Weaver won the closer spot and Holmes found his footing again. It was pure gold.

And then came 2025, and Brian Cashman fucked it all up, by trading for Devin Williams, injecting unnecessary chaos into a bullpen that was finally stable. Suddenly we’re all sitting here questioning just how galaxy-brain stupid Cashman can get when he tries. Spoiler: pretty stupid.

Now Weaver’s a free agent, and while I would absolutely love to see him back in pinstripes, you can bet actual money that deep down—way past the interviews and the polite quotes—he’s thinking about how the Yankees treated him last season. And who could blame him?

Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter is already out here tossing out predictions that the Padres might swoop in for Weaver—not to close, but to start. The role he had before the Yankees turned him into a bullpen superhero. And shockingly, Weaver isn’t shutting the door on being a starter again.

“I would say, look, the door is open,” Weaver said about starting. “I am never going to just say ‘absolutely not.’ Like, ‘Hey, when the time comes, let’s talk about it. What does that look like?’”

Honestly? Now I’m fascinated. I want to see where this goes. I’m still a huge Weaver guy, but the Yankees absolutely wrecked his vibe in 2025. He needs to get back to that crisp, swagger-filled 2024 version—for New York, preferably—but who knows?

Stay tuned. The Luke Weaver Redemption Tour might be headed for the Bronx… or San Diego… we just gotta see. One this for sure though, I don't want him to leave New York. 

CUBS MAY BE IN ON WILLIAMS & I'M GOOD WITH THAT

I’ll be honest: Devin Williams to the Yankees always felt like inviting a raccoon into your kitchen because “maybe it’ll cook.” Unnecessary chaos. A vibes sinkhole. A self-inflicted wound we absolutely did not need going into 2025.

The Yankees would have been perfectly fine rolling with the bullpen they had and making adjustments on the fly—shocking concept, I know. Instead, Brian Cashman decided to get cute and shipped off Caleb Durbin, a major-league-ready infielder who could’ve actually helped the Yankees in the spot they desperately needed help. And what did we get? A season of infield musical chairs, a bullpen that felt like a panic attack in real time, and Devin Williams… existing.

Honestly, I didn’t want him here. Still don’t.

But—maybe—the winds are shifting. The Athletic says the Cubs are rethinking how they build bullpens this winter, which is a polite way of saying: “We realized one-year deals for relievers is the baseball equivalent of duct-taping a broken chair.” They might even commit to multi-year deals for the right late-inning arms. No, not Edwin Díaz money, but real investment.

Naturally, Devin Williams—Counsell’s old Brewers closer—is on their radar, and apparently drawing enough interest that his next contract might stretch beyond what the Cubs are even comfortable with. They’re also sniffing around Pete Fairbanks. In other words: Chicago might actually give Counsell options instead of prayer candles.

So… what does that mean for the Yankees?

Simple: if Devin Williams packs up his changeup and leaves the Bronx, I will personally throw a parade. Streamers, confetti, the whole thing.

And let’s not pretend this saga hasn’t been a mess. Williams went through a full-blown confidence crisis this season and admitted it out loud after coughing up a loss to the Astros: “I stink right now.” He said he hasn’t felt like himself, hasn’t found his groove since Tommy John, and is basically fighting ghosts out there. This is not the energy you want anchoring your bullpen.

He’s a free agent after 2025, and of course Brian Cashman—king of familiarity hires and emperor of the “easy way out”—might try to bring him back. Why? Because it’s simple. Comfortable. Familiar. It’s classic Cashman: miss the big picture entirely, then pretend he’s playing 4-D chess while the rest of us are watching him knock over his own pieces.

Letting Williams walk would be the smartest thing the Yankees could do. His shaky performances made the bullpen wobbly, his beard policy drama created noise for no reason, and the whole thing even threw Luke Weaver out of sync. Domino effect chaos.

And sure, the Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, and Giants are reportedly interested in Williams. He’ll get his market. Some team will gamble on a bounce-back. Good for them.

Me? I’m praying the Yankees sleep through the entire bidding process. If Craig Counsell truly feels comfy cozy with Williams, then by all means—Chicago, come get your guy.

One less bullpen headache in the Bronx? Yes, please.

LET THE YANKEES BULLPEN BLOW UP BEGIN!

Of the many things that just didn't go right last season, the bullpen was no exception. In hopes that we don't have to relive that experience again, we can rejoice in a brief moment knowing the bullpen is getting a giant makeover. I wonder what the final reveal will look like.

It should be a big change. The Yankees have three 2025 bullpen arms on the free agent market headlined by Devin Williams (Thank goodness for that), Luke Weaver and Jonathan Loaisiga in addition to five non-tendered arms. Now as long as Williams stays far away there should be some big changes coming.

The Yankees non-tendered Mark Leiter Jr., Scott Effross, Ian Hamilton and Jake Cousins, and minor league reliever Michael Arias ahead of the deadline to offer players contracts for 2026.  The Yankees need a major bullpen upgrade heading into next season because we cannot afford to have another repeat of what we just watched.

It's amazing how our offense had high rankings last season like first in runs, home runs and slugging percentage but our bullpen was at the bottom of the dumpster. A season prior the Yankees were sixth best to finishing at 23rd in the majors with a 4.37 ERA. It was a night and day difference that left me screaming at my television night after night.

On the surface, it sounds like a lot of men to replace in the bullpen but it's an addition by subtraction. Especially since I will no longer have to watch Leiter Jr blow a game and won't have to read about him being left off a postseason roster for a third straight season. 

So now Brian Cashman gets to focus on a full scale reclamation project and we get to sit back and hold our breath in terror. Now we just hope that they don't add a bunch of guys that the analytical nerds completely tarnish somehow. It's too bad they didn't release these guys a couple of days ago then they could’ve added some more rule 5 eligible players. 

I guess I have a dose of cynicism today. I'm glad we cut some dead weight, but Cashman's track record doesn't inspire a lot of confidence these days. Now he has plenty more reclamation prospects out there to claim. Let's just hope he doesn't chase after Joey Gallo who is making a comeback as a pitcher. That would be the next terrible nightmare......

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

CALEB DURBIN IS IN THE NLCS GUYS

It’s almost hilarious — if you can stomach the pain — how the Yankees spent an entire season scrambling for a third baseman when the solution was sitting right in their own farm system. All they had to do was believe in Caleb Durbin the way they believed in Anthony Volpe. Instead, Brian Cashman — the self-proclaimed architect of modern mediocrity — shipped Durbin off to Milwaukee for a closer the Yankees didn’t even need. Devin Williams was supposed to “lock down” the ninth inning. Instead, he wasn't good.

Back in December, New York sent Nestor Cortes, Durbin, and some cash to Milwaukee for Williams. It was hailed as a “win-now” move — classic Cashman buzzwords for short-term panic disguised as strategy. In reality, the Yankees traded away a contact-hitting, glove-first infielder for a relief arm who couldn’t handle Yankee Stadium pressure. It’s the kind of move that defines Cashman’s reign: impulsive, short-sighted, and allergic to player development.

Durbin didn’t just prove New York wrong — he embarrassed them. Milwaukee simply believed in Durbin and handed Durbin the keys and watched him flourish. By midsummer, Cashman had to call the Rockies and overpay for Ryan McMahon just to stop the bleeding. Translation: the Yankees traded away a cheap, controllable third baseman, then had to buy one back who, also was not good. That’s not baseball IQ — that’s front-office malpractice.

Meanwhile, Durbin’s rookie season spoke for itself: a .256/.337/.402 slash line, 11 home runs, 53 RBIs, and steady defense that gave Milwaukee’s infield life. A walk-off homer in May turned him from promising prospect to clutch performer, and he hasn’t looked back since.

The irony? While Durbin plays in the NLCS, Cashman’s Yankees are at home wondering how they managed to get fleeced again. Every time this front office makes a deal, it feels like they’re chasing ghosts of the 2009 team instead of building something real.

So, here’s the truth: Milwaukee believed in player development. Cashman believed in another quick fix. Now the Brewers might win a World Series, and the Yankees are left with empty analytics spreadsheets and another October spent in silence.

Brian Cashman didn’t just lose a trade — he lost the plot.

WILLIAMS IS OPENED TO COMING BACK, BUT WE DON'T NEED HIM

Devin Williams being open to returning to the Yankees is like saying you’re open to trying sushi again from the gas station that gave you food poisoning. Why? What on earth are we doing here?

Williams didn’t just struggle in New York — he was a full-blown disaster. His “Airbender” pitch? It disappeared, all right — just not in the way he intended. Every time he took the mound at Yankee Stadium, it felt like a scheduled implosion. The guy was supposed to be the stabilizer for the bullpen, but instead, he turned every late inning into a group therapy session for Yankee fans.

And now, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, Williams says he’s “definitely open to” returning to New York this offseason — though he adds, “it takes two parties for that.” 

Translation: I’m interested in coming back, but someone over there has to forget how bad I was first. Williams also admitted that playing in New York was “a challenge,” but claimed, “I’ve grown to love being here. I love the city. I love taking the train to the field every day. I really enjoyed my experience.”

That’s sweet, Devin. Truly. But loving the 4 train doesn’t make you a reliable reliever. The fans didn’t hide their frustration because you didn’t hide your meltdowns. You were supposed to be a weapon — instead, you were a warning label.

And let’s be honest: the Yankees never needed him in the first place. This was Brian Cashman’s classic move — overthink the obvious, make an unnecessary trade, and then act confused when it blows up. Since acquiring Williams, the bullpen was a circus, the rotation fell apart, and the postseason — surprise, surprise — ended in misery. Again.

That’s because this entire operation — from Cashman to the analytics crew — built a team for 162 games, not for October. They love their charts, exit velocities, spin rates, and expected whatevers, but they completely forgot that playoff baseball requires heart, guts, and players who don’t crumble under pressure. The Yankees are built like a regular-season simulation — and once the calendar flips to October, that simulation crashes.

And the worst part? No one gets held accountable. Cashman keeps his job. The analytics department keeps spinning numbers like a carnival wheel. And now we’re actually entertaining the idea of bringing back the guy who was part of that failure? That’s not a plan — that’s insanity.

Devin Williams can love New York all he wants — the city, the trains, the skyline. But unless he learns how to throw strikes in Yankee Stadium, he can keep that love story long-distance. Because the Yankees don’t need nostalgia; they need results.

Cashman and his analytics empire should be the ones packing their bags, not rearranging the same broken pieces. The Yankees are a mess right now, and the fact that we’re even talking about bringing back a reliever who couldn’t handle New York proves it. Williams may be “open” to a return — but the Yankees should slam that door shut and finally fire the people who keep opening it in the first place.

THE YANKEES ARE STILL CHASING THEIR ENDING

It's been a season of running in circles. Now the question is does the regular season chase end with a Wildcard berth or with an AL East title?

I REALLY dislike when the Yankees cannot control their own destiny. That's where we are. Instead of winning more games while Toronto was slumping, now we have to wait and see how these last six games play out. Can the Yankees win the last two series against the White Sox and Orioles? Yes, but can they also win while Toronto loses to the Red Sox AND the Rays? The Yankees have more favorable matchups but, that means nothing. 

Again, the Yankees are not in control of their own destiny. I am sick to my stomach hoping the Red Sox beat Toronto while we win our games. It's a new level of sickness for me this season. My stomach is in knots just thinking about it. It doesn't change the fact that this is reality though....no matter how much I hate it and wish this wasn't the case. It also doesn't stop me from thinking about all of the games we lost that we could've gained more ground. The series against the Tigers is burned in my brain. Seriously, if we had won on September 10th we would be one game back right now. Of course, there are dozens of other games I am thinking "should've could've, would've" right now.

It's just not a good feeling with one week left in the regular season. Instead of playing strategic ball, and preparing for a clear role in the postseason we are hoping for our own success as others lose. It just brings so many other series to mind. Or moments that I personally want to forget. All of the errors (here's looking at you Anthony Volpe), blown saves (here's looking at you Devin Williams) and other disappointments (like missing Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton from game action) are bad memories. Oh and all of the moments of mismanagement and game ejections for Aaron Boone can't be forgotten either.

So, this is it. Now we sit and wait to see how the Yankees end September based on their own efforts and by any spoilers. It's a tough spot to be in. It just doesn't quite feel the same when you have to root for other team's failures instead of taking care of business on your own. It's time to end on a high note....we really need it.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

BOONE HAS BACKED US IN THIS CORNER. PANIC FEELS LIKE THE ONLY WAY OUT

 The Yankees should have beat the Astros last night. They didn't. The end.

You want to look desperate? Go ahead, argue balls and strikes. You want to look like a total clown? Be my guest. But let’s get one thing straight — the Yankees should’ve won that game.

And before you say I’m being dramatic, here’s what I wrote yesterday in YANKS WIN, BUT GIVE OUTS TO ASTROS BECAUSE OF VOLPE about Anthony Volpe and the cost of “free outs”:

“...they can’t afford too many ‘Volpe moments’ dragging down the October run. We are giving outs away. In close games? We lose because of that.”

Well, guess what? Last night we lost. Last night was Exhibit A. And yeah, we’ll never know if Volpe actually connects on those swings — if those hits would’ve flipped the game — but I do know this: the best possible Yankees weren’t on the field. Williams? Really? Volpe? Again? It’s like Aaron Boone fills out his lineup card with a dartboard and a blindfold hoping to get a reach around late night after the game. it's creepy and bizarre and I don't get any of it.

Let’s talk about the game, though, and how they coughed it up.

The Yankees were up 4-1 after Ryan McMahon’s sac fly in the sixth. Then Jeremy Peña parked one in the seats, and suddenly the Astros had all the momentum. In the eighth, Boone decided to roll with Devin Williams — a guy whose “struggles” are becoming a personality trait at this point — and shocker, disaster struck. A 4-4 tie turned into chaos.

Williams and Boone both got tossed for chirping the ump over balls and strikes. Williams said afterward:

“I said, ‘I had four that you missed,’ and he threw me out for it. Never been ejected in my career.”

Translation: guilt by association. Boone has managed to turn himself into Public Enemy No. 1 among umpires. Stand next to him, you’re toast too.

Meanwhile, Anthony Volpe went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and still somehow kept his spot. Jose Caballero has been gathering dust on the bench.Makes no sense.

Oh, and Giancarlo Stanton? After his defensive adventures in left, maybe — just maybe — don’t roll him out there for a third straight game. But nope. Logic took the night off.

This wasn’t a game the Yankees “got squeezed.” This was a game lost because of panic, bad lineup choices, and a season-long pattern of mismanagement. Now, they’ve got their backs against the wall and a brutal stretch of games coming up.

And here’s the kicker: nobody in that front office ever admits they screwed up. They just let Boone roam free like Chucky on a Saturday night murder spree. Chaos.

It’s time to cut the head off the snake. Send Boone packing. Change the narrative. Because Yankees fans are done watching this team play catch-up.

AROLDIS CHAPMAN IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE YANKS GIVING UP ON THEIR GUYS

I keep coming back to one question: why did the Yankees give up on Aroldis Chapman so fast? Sure, the guy had his rough stretches in pinstripes, but let’s not kid ourselves—Chapman was a force. A tough competitor, a fireballer with a presence few relievers in baseball history could match. Not a Devin Williams, not a David Bednar—Chapman was better. And yet, the Yankees couldn’t wait to show him the door.

Yes, there was the 2016 suspension, a messy chapter in his career. A girlfriend accused him of choking her and firing off shots in his garage. Prosecutors dropped the charges for lack of evidence, though Chapman admitted to the gunfire (which, let’s face it, was reckless but not exactly the same as the headline-grabbing allegations). MLB still dropped the hammer with a suspension—more about Rob Manfred flexing faux authority than proven wrongdoing. That was the start of the Yankees distancing themselves. They didn’t want to deal with the bad PR, so they quietly framed him as a headache and moved on.

And yet, George Steinbrenner once made second chances a cornerstone of his Yankees. Doc Gooden. Darryl Strawberry. Guys with real demons, who George embraced and who rewarded him with production and redemption arcs. Chapman and Hal Steinbrenner? Chapman didn’t get the same grace. Instead, the Yankees basically shrugged and said, “Go scratch.” Eventually, Chapman felt disrespected, and the marriage fell apart.

Now? The guy’s still shoving 100 MPH fastballs past hitters. He’s bounced around—won a title with Texas, now thriving with Boston of all teams. The Red Sox signed him, liked what they saw, and just extended him. They’re paying him $13.3 million next year with an option for 2027. Meanwhile, Yankee fans are watching him close games at Fenway while our bullpen situation looks like a coin flip. That’s not irony—that’s organizational malpractice.

And here’s where it burns: this isn’t just about Chapman. This is a pattern. The Yankees always seem to cut bait too quickly. Caleb Durbin? Gone. Now thriving in Milwaukee in their infield. Gleyber Torres? He’s torching pitchers in Detroit while we cycled through second basemen like they were scratch-off lottery tickets. At third base, we finally land Ryan McMahon—.217 hitter, hardly terrifying. And in the bullpen? Don’t get me started. They already had Luke Weaver proving himself, but Cashman couldn’t help himself—he had to overcomplicate things by bringing in Devin Williams, who has been, frankly, a disaster in pinstripes.

The truth is the Yankees operate from a place of confusion. They panic, they shuffle, they tinker, and they give up on their own too soon. Chapman is the poster child for this mess. The Red Sox gambled and are laughing their way to wins. The Yankees? They’re juggling four guys for the closer role and still can’t decide who should pitch the ninth. That’s not strategy—that’s indecision.

Yes, the Yankees are on a seven-game winning streak right now. That’s nice. But when October rolls around and the margins shrink, fans won’t forget how badly this team manages talent. And if the postseason ends early, maybe—just maybe—it’s time the Yankees give up on Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone the way they’ve been so quick to give up on everyone else.

Because let’s be clear: Aroldis Chapman is still out there blowing hitters away. The Yankees are still out there pretending like they’ve got a plan. And us fans? We see right through it.