YANKEES LAND A PITCHER FOR JORBIT VIVAS

Well, the New York Yankees and their timeless tradition: flipping position players for pitching like it’s a going-out-of-business sale on infielders. Truly, who could have predicted this plot twist?

This latest move sends Jorbit Vivas to the Washington Nationals in exchange for right-hander Sean Paul Liñan. Vivas, originally picked up from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, was supposed to bolster infield depth—but instead mostly just… existed on the roster.

His Yankees résumé? A brief 29-game cameo featuring a .161 average, one home run, and five RBIs. Not exactly Cooperstown material. With Washington, though, he might settle into that classic utility role—part second baseman, part third baseman, part “hey, can you grab a glove real quick?”

On the flip side, the Yankees get Liñan, ranked 27th in the Nationals’ system. Not a headline-grabber, but the kid can pitch a bit. The 21-year-old posted a 3.03 ERA with 106 strikeouts over 77.1 innings in 2025, bouncing around multiple levels. His changeup is the calling card, which in Yankees terms probably translates to “we’re intrigued.”

So once again, the Yankees ship out a young bat and bring in an arm, staying firmly committed to their organizational motto: we don't have enough pitching! You know, something I've been screaming about for about 2 years now on BYB.

Stay tuned.

THE YANKEES SHOULD HAVE NEVER LET GLEYBER TORRES WALK

As the head honcho here at Bleeding Yankee Blue, allow me to humbly report that I was right. The New York Yankees should not have given up on Gleyber Torres. Period. End of story. Send the apologies in writing, Cashman.

Remember all that noise from the front office, the stat-heads, and the Volpe fan club about how Gleyber was expendable? That he didn’t “hustle enough”? That we had “better infield options”? Yeah, how’s that working out?

Let’s check in on our infield in 2025:

• Jorbit Vivas? Ghosted.

• Oswald Peraza? Still finding his way, when he's allowed to play.

• Oswaldo Cabrera? Sitting on the IL after his ankle turned into confetti.

• Jazz Chisholm? Playing out of position again because Boone doesn’t know how to manage a Little League lineup, let alone a Major League one.

Meanwhile, Gleyber Torres is over in Detroit grinding. And I mean grinding. In his first 54 games as a Tiger, he's rocking a .269 avg, five homers, 30 RBIs, and a sparkling 122 OPS+. That’s not just decent—it’s solid, reliable, postseason-bound baseball. He’s not just thriving; he’s thriving without the pressure of being micromanaged by Aaron Boone and benched because he’s not the golden child.

Look, maybe it was Brian Cashman who decided Torres had worn out his welcome. Or maybe it was Boone, who seems to favor guys with nice smiles and empty stat lines over legit talent. Gleyber wasn’t a clubhouse pet. He stood his ground and I respected that about him. He knew he belonged. And that made him expendable in the eyes of this front office, which continues to mistake "youth movement" for "chaotic infield roulette."

And the funniest part? The Detroit Tigers might actually go deep into the playoffs this year. That’s right—Detroit. While the Yankees are once again sleepwalking their way through Boone’s playbook of bullpen misfires and seventh-inning meltdowns.

Gleyber Torres will get the last laugh.
And guess what?
So will Bleeding Yankee Blue.

Because we told you so.

THAT YOAN MONCADA RUMOR THAT CONNECTS HIM TO THE YANKEES

The rumor mill never sleeps—especially when the New York Yankees are involved. Baseball’s most headline-hungry franchise could be linked to a Little League shortstop in Idaho, and somehow it would still dominate the back pages. But in this case, the buzz actually makes sense.

Despite a logjam of infielders, the Yankees’ 2025 options have delivered more mediocrity than magic. DJ LeMahieu is slow, but improving, Oswald Peraza has yet to seize his moment, and Jorbit Vivas hasn’t quite made the leap. It’s a crowded room—but nobody’s standing out. And with the trade deadline lurking like a Bronx summer thunderstorm, you can bet Brian Cashman is snooping around for reinforcements.

One name rising through the whisper network? Yoan Moncada. Yes, that Yoan Moncada—once hailed as a future superstar, now quietly piecing together a solid season with the Angels. The switch-hitter is batting .228/.333/.478 with five home runs, and more importantly, he’s healthy, motivated, and on an expiring contract.

“Yoan Moncada, a switch-hitting infielder in a contract year, fits the mold of a cost-effective rental,” wrote Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media—and he might be onto something.

Moncada’s primary home is third base, which just so happens to be a sore spot in the Yankees' lineup. Sure, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is on the mend and brings some swagger and versatility—but asking him to shoulder the entire load down the stretch is a gamble, not a game plan.

The beauty of Yankees rumors is that they never die—they evolve, swirl, and grow louder with every passing week. And while some are smoke and mirrors, Moncada to the Bronx has the rare scent of something real: low-risk, high-upside, perfectly timed.

After all, what’s a trade deadline without a Yankees twist?

THE THIRD BASE HOLE IS JUST A MINOR SETBACK, NOT DEFCON 1

Normally, when we toss around trade ideas, there’s at least a whiff of logic involved—something that benefits both teams. But this latest proposal? This might be the most absurd, caffeine-fueled fever dream in the history of trade speculation.

Let’s unpack the madness.

ClutchPoints floated the idea that the Yankees should send George Lombard Jr, Spencer Jones, and Ben Hess to the Blue Jays for… Bo Bichette. Yes, the same Bichette who is a solid athlete, a two-time All-Star, and currently slashing a respectable .288/.335/.420—but who’s also on an expiring deal and would need to change positions to even fit on the Yankees' roster.

This is less a trade proposal and more of a cry for help.

Lombard is the future of the Yankees infield. Jones is a potential star outfielder. And Hess? Another live arm with serious upside. Giving all that up for a rental shortstop with declining power and a soon-to-be-monstrous price tag is like trading your Apple stock for a handful of magic beans.

Yes, the Yankees have a hole at third base. No, it’s not the end of the world. Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas can hold the fort while Oswaldo Cabrera recovers. It’s not ideal, but it’s also not DEFCON 1. Let’s stop pretending the Bronx is burning. Also, by the way, with DJ LeMahieu playing well, by the time Jazz Chisholm comes back, DJ will just move to third. Easy Peasy.

And can we cool it with the clickbait? Back in the day, trade rumors had a whiff of credibility. Now? Half the suggestions online feel like they're made up. Like someone skimmed a depth chart.

Bo Bichette is a good player. No disrespect. But trading the entire farm system for him on a rental by the trade deadline? That’s not team-building—that’s fantasy baseball after three beers and a dare.

To ClutchPoints: we’re calling BS. Love you guys, but let’s aim higher. Or at least, let’s aim for realism. That's called journalism.

JORBIT VIVAS CALLED UP

The Yankees have brought up infielder Jorbit Vivas, giving him another chance to make his long-awaited major league debut. He steps in for outfielder Trent Grisham, who was placed on the paternity list. Vivas has been off to a strong start at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, batting .343 through his first 20 games.

This isn’t Vivas’ first time with the big-league club. He was previously called up in July of last year when J.D. Davis went on the injured list, but he didn’t get into a game before being sent back down just three days later. That means he's still looking to appear in his first MLB game—something he’ll be hoping to achieve this time around. I'm excited for him.

The 24-year-old spent the offseason playing in the Venezuelan Winter League and joined the Yankees in December 2023 as part of a trade with the Dodgers. In that deal, the Yankees acquired Vivas and left-hander Victor Gonzalez in exchange for former first-round pick Trey Sweeney.

Big moment!

COULD DYLAN CEASE REALLY BE IN THE MIX?

Once again, the Yankees find themselves at the center of a tantalizing offseason rumor: Could they land Dylan Cease in a trade with the Padres? While it might feel like this idea came out of left field, it’s worth remembering the last time we seriously discussed this potential pairing. 

Back in February 2024, the buzz was loud—so loud, in fact, that we speculated whether the Yankees might be willing to part with top prospect Spencer Jones to make it happen. Then, Cease landed in San Diego, and the entire conversation vanished into thin air.

But now, that chatter is bubbling back up—and credit where it’s due: this storyline has been a brainchild of FanSided. Their coverage of the Yankees’ offseason has been great, and I tip my cap to them for reviving this intriguing concept. It’s a brilliant idea, especially when you consider how quiet the Yankees have been and how often their name has been tied to Padres players like Jurickson Profar, Ha-Seong Kim, and even Luis Arráez. Imagine pulling off moves for one or more of those guys in addition to Cease. Sure, it might be wishful thinking to land them all, but working out a deal for Cease or perhaps adding Kim—a player we at Bleeding Yankee Blue love, especially with his upcoming free-agent status—isn’t out of the question.

Cease is the kind of pitcher every contending team covets. He’s a top-tier arm who’s ready to deliver in the postseason, and since he’s set to hit free agency after 2025, he’s unlikely to sign an extension beforehand. For the Padres, who are weighed down by long-term contracts and ownership turmoil, moving Cease now makes sense. For the Yankees, acquiring him wouldn’t require a massive prospect haul, and his contract would give the team financial flexibility heading into next offseason.

Sure, the Yankees don’t have an overflowing treasure chest of assets. But neither do the Minnesota Twins, who have also been linked to Cease. If Minnesota’s thin farm system and limited major-league trade chips don’t scare off San Diego, why should New York feel like they’re out of the race?

A package centered around Clarke Schmidt, Everson Pereira, and Jorbit Vivas could get the Padres' attention. Schmidt offers an MLB-ready arm to replace Cease, while Pereira and Vivas add value to San Diego’s farm system, filling voids left by players like Ha-Seong Kim and Jurickson Profar. And if the Yankees are feeling especially bold, they could revisit Spencer Jones’s name to sweeten the deal.

Look, San Diego might hold onto Cease until the trade deadline, when demand for starting pitchers peaks, but why wait? By acting now, the Yankees could lock in a frontline starter to pair with Gerrit Cole, Max Fried and Carlos Rodón while avoiding a potential bidding war in July.

Imagine this rotation in 2025. That’s a staff built to not only dominate the AL East but also to go toe-to-toe with powerhouse teams like the Dodgers for the World Series rematch we Yankee fans are longing for.

Bringing Dylan Cease to the Bronx might feel like a pipe dream, but it’s far from unattainable. With the Yankees connected to Padres players throughout the offseason and the Padres facing their own financial constraints, the groundwork is there for a deal. 

So, hats off to FanSided for sparking a great story.

POSITIVE VIBES ONLY AS THE YANKEES STRIKE FIRST IN 2024!

Spring training games are officially under way and just like that the 2024 MLB baseball season begins. The Yankees took on Detroit at Joker Merchant Stadium and blew away the Tigers in a 22-10 victory. I know it is only one game and it is only spring training, but the win was exciting because the lineup was filled with newbies and hungry athletes looking for a chance to battle in the big leagues this year.

According to SNY,  "The Bombers' offense came out flying during their first game of the spring, as they struck for nine runs on eight hits and six walks over the first five innings. Trent Grisham, the secondary piece acquired in the Juan Soto trade, got his Yankee career off to a loud start with a 421-foot three-run home run in the top of the second." 

The offense was absolutely explosive as Spencer Jones pinch-hitting for Grisham in the top of the fifth, smashed a towering 470-foot homer. The 22-year-old center fielder is 6-foot-6 and expected to start the season with the Double A Somerset Patriots. He was the Yankees first round pick in 2022 from Vanderbilt University. 

Source: NY Daily News

“Looking forward to him being in big league camp,” Boone said before Saturday’s game. “It’s part of his development, part of that growth process to be around guys he’s going to get to be around here. Hopefully getting in big league spring action and getting [at-bats] and stuff like that. It’s an important part of the development,” wrote the New York Post.

Other members of the lineup who contributed to the Yankee offense included outfielder Oscar Gonzalez, who was picked up on waivers from the Cleveland Guardians, Luis Torrens went 2-for-3 with a home run and 22-year-old infielder Jorbit Vivas also hit a dinger.

The Yankees saw strong pitching from 25-year-olds Luis Gil and Clayton Beeter. Both had good first innings but later gave up a couple of home runs. Recall that Gil missed a majority of 2022 and 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2022. He rehabbed at Single-A Tampa at the end of last season. "In a report from Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that the team wants to "find out about [Gil] as a starter" but didn't rule out using him in the bullpen. The current book on Gil is that he has excellent strikeout stuff, but still needs to improve his command; according to Boone, Gil is focusing on exactly that during the spring." 

Beeter will likely start the season where he ended last season with Triple A Scranton. "According to MLB.com scouts, he has an effective slider, a potentially dominant fastball and an emerging plus curveball. With three pitches, that could make him an effective starter or long reliever at the MLB level."

Day one is a success. And as fans, we all know this is going to be a slow roll and a long season. But with hope like this, we have to remain positive. There is a lot of negativities out there and certainly some of it has come from me. But right now, I feel optimistic—until the Yankees and their brass show me otherwise. For now, it is positive vibes only. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

BOOM! THE YANKEES JUST PICKED UP A SOLID LEFTY RELIEVER!

We are making more moves.  The Yankees just traded someone away to pick up a decent lefty reliever.  Things are happening folks. Let's hope the dude makes things happen once he dons pinstripes!

MLB Trade Rumors writes:

"The Yankees are acquiring left-handed reliever Victor Gonzalez and minor league infield prospect Jorbit Vivas from the Dodgers in exchange for minor league infielder Trey Sweeney...

He’s capable of stepping directly into manager Aaron Boone’s bullpen and will likely be viewed as a favorite to do so. He has far more big league experience than fellow southpaw Matt Krook. making Gonzalez an option to join Nick Ramirez as a second southpaw option for Boone."

I'm a Krook guy, but whatever works to get this team kick started again!

Anyway, Welcome Victor, let's get after it!