DYLAN CEASE JUST MADE THE BLUE JAYS EVEN BETTER

Us Yankee fans? We should be calling the Yankee complaint line on speed dial! 

The Yankees are once again standing around like they’re waiting for a bus that isn’t coming. I’ve been screaming—SCREAMING—for them to upgrade their pitching, because Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón aren’t walking through that door anytime soon unless it’s for an MRI. That leaves poor Max Fried abandoned on a desert island with nothing but a volleyball named Will Warren and Luis Gil as a sidekick.

That’s not a rotation. That’s a cry for help.

And don’t tell me this franchise is “competitive” or “serious.” Competitive teams actually try. Serious teams actually look at the players who can help them win. Meanwhile, Brian Cashman is out here running the Yankees like he’s blindfolded, spinning in circles, and pointing at names on a dartboard.

Because right there — RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM — was Dylan Cease.
A gift. A layup. A flashing, Vegas-sized billboard screaming, “HEY BRIAN, THIS IS A STARTING PITCHER YOU COULD SIGN.”

And what did Cashman do?
Absolutely nothing.
Didn’t even pretend to care.

You know who did open their eyes?
The Toronto Blue Jays — a team that apparently remembers how winning works. They handed Cease a seven-year, $210 million deal, per Jon Heyman, because they actually want to improve. They looked at their already-loaded rotation of Gausman, Berríos, Bieber, and Yesavage and said, “You know what? Let’s make this unfair.”

Cease has a fire, a competitive pulse, an actual starter’s mentality — all the things the Yankees desperately need and Cashman can’t seem to identify unless the guy is 36 years old and coming off Tommy John surgery.

But don’t worry: while Toronto is assembling a pitching Voltron, Cashman is showing off his big offseason move…

Yerry Rodríguez.
Stop the presses.

It’s embarrassing. It’s incompetent. It’s Cashman being Cashman — the GM who manages to walk past every obvious upgrade like he’s shopping with a grocery list he dropped down a sewer grate.

What a joke.

WE'RE WATCHING THE AL EAST SLIP AWAY

 The Blue Jays will not go quietly.

Benching Anthony Volpe? Absolutely the right call. Starting José Caballero at short? Also the right call. The Yankees winning? Well… that should be the easy part, but somehow, they still find ways to fumble it.

At this point, I can’t even bring myself to blame the players anymore. This isn’t just about slumps or injuries — it’s about a franchise drowning in its own mismanagement all season. We were backed into a corner. The obsession with analytics, projections, and "modeling outcomes" has sucked the life out of this team. Aaron Boone? Half the time he looks like he’s solving a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded in the dugout.

And don’t even get me started on that whole Astros series sideshow — the Yankees whining about an "anti-Yankee" umpire conspiracy,  the Ryan McMahon “did he or didn’t he” catch fiasco… Grow up.

Brian Walsh ruled that Ryan McMahon didn’t catch this ball and after some dialogue the call stood pic.twitter.com/WcPI0n6Nc5

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 5, 2025

We clearly got squeezed in the Astros series.  There is NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. This team sounds like a toddler blaming the teacher for losing recess privileges. Umpires aren’t our problem, boys. I didn't even write about it on BYB, because the whole thing was stupid.

Here’s the reality check: the Yankees are backed into a corner, clawing at excuses like they’re clinging to a life raft. Complaining about bad calls isn’t going to save this season. Winning games against the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Tigers might. But, sure, keep crying about the ump while Toronto casually slaps you around.

Last night was another lesson in humility. Kevin Gausman completely dismantled the Yankees’ bats — seven innings, three hits, five strikeouts, and the only damage was Stanton’s solo homer. That’s it. That’s the game. Cam Schlittler? He was due for a rough outing, and Toronto made sure it arrived on schedule.

Bo Bichette, meanwhile, continues to make Yankee pitching look like batting practice. Broken-bat RBI double. Sacrifice fly. Crushing souls on repeat. The Blue Jays have now beaten the Yankees eight times in 11 meetings this year and flipped the division race on its head. Back in May, Toronto was eight games behind. Now? They’re not.

Forget conspiracy theories. Forget bad umps. Forget the excuses. The Yankees have a Blue Jays problem, a Boone problem, and — let’s be real — a reality problem.

Right now, they’re four games back. Four games, a manager on autopilot, and a fan base clinging to umpire drama like it’s gospel. 

It’s pathetic.

GARDY MAY GO YARDY IN TORONTO

Source: ClutchPoints

The rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays just got more fierce. Word on the street is that the Jays are eyeing up the Yankees currently most tenured player who they failed to sign. Brett Gardner could fly the coop right over the Canadian border and it is not sitting well with me.

Source: Associated Press

The Yankees have said that they have other more viable options in the outfield, choosing to bypass Gardner despite his deep commitment to the only major league team he has called home. "The Blue Jays have a heavily righty hitting lineup. They would like to add a spare lefty-hitting outfielder with plate patience — an asset of Gardner’s throughout his career. If Gardner is interested in playing somewhere besides the Yankees, multiple executives told The Post they believe he could get a major league contract somewhere because he can still run, defend and is viewed as a hard-working clubhouse leader," reported the New York Post.

I'll tell you what, that quote could not be more true—hard-working clubhouse leader who can run, defend and adds dimension to any lineup. The Blue Jays have already stacked their team with winners including their newest first baseman Matt Chapman. 

Source: New York Times

According to the New York Times, "Among the reinforcements brought in for 2022: starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (whose breakout 2021 season with the San Francisco Giants, with a 2.81 E.R.A., earned him an All-Star spot and a five-year, $115 million deal) and starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (who had a 4.41 E.R.A. last year as the Mariners’ lone All-Star). And, of course, there is Chapman, who arrived on Thursday from the Athletics’ spring training site in Arizona and was in the Blue Jays’ clubhouse at 5:55 a.m. on Friday." And could Brett Gardner be the next piece the contending team adds to their arsenal that includes Bo Bichette, George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and starting pitcher and Cy Young winner Robbie Ray?

Source: Sports Illustrated

According to the Post, "Gardner’s representatives has said the veteran intends to play a 15th season. But clubs that could be interested wonder if Gardner, 38, is so aligned with the Yankees that if he cannot latch on with them he just retires." The Blue Jays have engaged Gardner's representatives just in case he just decides to play out his career on a new team, in a different country but in the same division as his beloved Yankees.

So, we have not seen the last of Gardner. And I believe he is more than ready to contend, more so than his younger peers. I wish it was in New York, but I have to say, if he goes to Toronto, he may very well have an exciting final year, which could see a Jays-Mets World Series. And his Yankees go home empty-handed again.

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

YANKEE TARGETS? WHO WILL THEY CHOOSE?

There's a ton of talk about what the Yankees will do to try to upgrade their pitching, especially now that we have some injury and now that of course... it's a shortened season and we should really make a move.  The Yanks want support big time, and there are big time names that keep on popping up.

Check out these names:

Mike Clevinger: 

The New York Post writes the following:

"The Indians righty was optioned to the minors along with Zack Plesac for violating team COVID-19 protocols then not being forthright with teammates about it. Clevinger cannot be a free agent until after the 2022 season — 2023 if this current option lasts 20 days, which it would not if he were traded and brought to the majors by the acquiring team by Aug. 31. Over the last four years — since joining the rotation full-time — Clevinger has a 2.97 ERA and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings. However, his walk numbers were noticeable in three starts this year, plus would a new clubhouse look at him problematically, as his current one now does?"

Trevor Bauer: 

Empire State Media writes:

"Bauer is off to an incredible start this year at 3-0 with a 0.68 ERA and a WHIP of 0.570. Those are just silly numbers through his first four starts. Imagine if the Yankees were to go out right now and make a deal with the Reds for Bauer?

I know many people are going to point to the past issues with Gerrit Cole and his temperament, but I think at the end of the day, Bauer wants to compete for championships."

Kevin Gausman:

CBS Sports writes:

"As for Gausman, the Yankees know him well from his time in the AL East with the Orioles, and San Francisco has helped him post a career best strikeout rate in the early going thanks to an improved pitch mix (fewer sliders and more splitters). Gausman is a rental and has experience pitching out of the bullpen, so if Paxton returns before October, there's still a way for Gausman to contribute significantly."

Jon Gray:

The New York Post writes:

"The Rockies’ righty falls into the currently struggling talented guy who might need a change of scenery along with the Diamondbacks’ Robbie Ray, the Tigers’ Michael Fulmer and maybe even the Mets’ Steven Matz. The expectation with financial uncertainty is for there to be more non-tenders this coming offseason than ever before and that could impact players such as Gray, Fulmer and Matz, so perhaps better to get something for them now rather than nothing in the offseason."

Look, it's the rumor season.  No one actually knows until it happens. That comes from the Jon Heyman toolbox, but one thing I do know is that the Yankees are looking to make a move.  

Time will tell... we shall see.

"WHAT DO YA WANT FROM ME?"

Don't look at me.  I told ya so, and I've been telling you all season...

If I was managing the New York Yankees, Adam Warren wouldn't be utilized in a pressure situation.  That's it. Look, I understand the concept of winning but I have forever hated the idea of putting in my closer or even setup guy in a tied or scoreless game. Doing that can only hurt you down the road in an extra inning situation.  Today was a perfect example of being burned because of it.  You put Adam Warren in with the Yanks up 1-0 and he walks 2 and hits a batter.  I really would have loved to have seen Joe Girardi's face right then.  I really hope Tony Pena whispered in his ear, "Stupid choice, Joe."

Adam Warren could one day be a great relief pitcher.  Maybe he could even be a truly successful starter.  But I am of the belief that he won't be it in New York. I'm rotten, I know, but let's be honest, you come off an energized walk off win last night with hero Chris Young last night. Then today, once again, Young pulls off a clutch a homer when we needed him in the 11th. Then what? We hand the ball to a less than perfect pitcher in the bottom of the 11th. It's like rolling the dice... you most likely don't get snake eyes on your first toss.  Let me suggest something Mr. Girardi... if these games are must win... THEY'RE MUST WIN GAMES.
Adam Warren is a "sometimes win" pitcher.  Nothing wrong with that, but that's what he is.

Today in the first game against the Orioles, both Brandon McCarthy and Kevin Gausman both pitched great, really giving their teams a chance to win.  It was electric in Camden Yards.  Then, like I mentioned, Chris Young game up in the 11th and put one in the seats. 

As someone tweeted, "Calling Chris Young clutch is an understatement." That's true... he's been the heart the Yankees have been looking for.

But then... Adam Warren came in.  What do you want from me? Warren blew the game for New York.  As I said to a friend of mine as the score became 2-1 for the Orioles Walk-off win... "This should not surprise you."  

Look, no one feels more terrible than Adam Warren today.  He screwed Brandon McCarthy's great performance, the pens and he erased the Young celebration. He also squashed any hopes of the Yankees winning this thing.  All I'm saying is... In the 11th, in a must win game... Adam Warren is not your guy.  Joe Girardi need to plan that pen smarter than he did today.  He didn't, and he got burned because of it.  We all got burned.


So, as they said in Goodfellas, "One dog goes one way, the other dog goes the other way... and this guy's saying 'What do you want from me?'"  Well, I'm "this guy" in that scenario.  You put in Warren in that situation... What do you want from me? I told you so... and I've been telling you so all season.

Final, Game 1: Orioles 2 - Yankees 1

Oh, and you want to really feel the burn? Jimmy Paredes knocked in the winning runs for the O's... a former youngster from the Yankee farm system.

Unbelievable. It's amazing what can happen when kids are given the opportunity. They shine! 

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!

JEFF SAMARDZIJA IS BEING CHECKED OUT

Remember when Suzie Pinstripe wrote SAMARDZIJA: WASTED TALENT IN THE WINDY CITY? In it, she wrote that she basically coveted Jeff Samardzija and wanted him in the Bronx writing:

" The Yankees lead the list of 10 possible suitors.  They would have to give up a slew of prospects that could include Manny Banuelos and Ian Clarkin, but it may be just worth it with two-three guys out of the rotation. I like his youth and I like what he could bring to the team."

I agreed with that and then on the Illinois Center for Broadcasting's Fahey and Chivari show, I was asked about if I thought the Yanks were interested in Jeff.  I said this:

"I think he's someone that they are very interested in but I don't know how in depth it is...Now, as we saw the guy perform, he's obviously talented, he probably needs some more runs support and if he comes to New York, he probably gets that run support most likely. Yeah it would be a great idea..."

(In Photo: Chase Whitley)

Look, it still is a good idea.  I'm not too big on David Phelps, I hate the idea of Vidal Nuno starting these days, and who knows how long the Chase Whitley run will last. In other words, we could use him.

Now though, it's being reported that the Orioles may be in the "lead" for Jeff Samardzija. According to Bruce Levine as CBS Local, "...Orioles appear to be the leading team of interest in the sweepstakes for Cubs right-hander Jeff Samardzija, as sources confirmed the two teams are mutually interested...The Orioles have premium young pitching that the Cubs will insist on if they are going to move their ace. Right-handed pitchers Dylan Bundy, Kevin Gausman, Hunter Harvey and left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez top the list of young arms the Cubs are scouting."

I wonder what will happen. I'm putting the money on the Yanks... because Suzie was all over it early. We shall see... stay tuned...

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!