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.

LUKE WEAVER REUNION? WHY DID THE YANKEES LET HIM LEAVE?

If the Yankees are seriously looking at bringing Luke Weaver back to the Bronx before the August 3 trade deadline, one question should be front and center:

Why did Brian Cashman let him walk in the first place?

The Yankees are once again shopping for bullpen help, and now one of the names they're being linked to is a pitcher they already had. According to reports from The Athletic, ESPN, and SNY, Weaver has become one of the hottest relief arms on the market, with the Yankees among the clubs showing interest.

That's great... but it's also frustrating.

Cashman has developed a habit of creating problems that eventually force him to spend prospects or payroll trying to fix them. Instead of keeping a pitcher who proved he could handle pressure in New York, the Yankees are now rumored to be considering paying to bring him back.

That's not roster building. That's roster recycling.

Weaver showed he could be a valuable bullpen piece, yet the Yankees moved on. Now, with the bullpen searching for consistency, they're right back where they started—looking at a familiar face to solve a problem that arguably never should have existed.

If the Yankees do reunite with Weaver, it could absolutely help this team make a postseason push. But it also shines another spotlight on Cashman's decision-making. Too often, players leave, succeed elsewhere, and suddenly the Yankees are interested in getting them back.

The Yankees need Luke Weaver. They needed him all year. The bigger issue is they probably never should have needed a reunion in the first place.

Stay tuned. I like this rumor.

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

WEAVER REMINDS THE YANKEES OF WHAT THEY COULD HAVE HAD

“I’m not the biggest guy in the room, but I ain’t scared of nobody.”

--Luke Weaver

Luke Weaver didn’t just expose the Yankees bullpen problem Saturday night — he was the answer they let walk out the door.

This wasn’t some overpriced superstar the Yankees couldn’t afford to keep. This was a guy they helped rebuild. A scrap-heap arm who turned himself into a bulldog in the Bronx. A “point and go” pitcher who took every role imaginable and somehow became one of the most reliable weapons Aaron Boone had when the season was hanging by a thread. Their closer.

And what did the Yankees do?

They handed out money elsewhere, watched Trent Grisham accept a one-year, $22 million qualifying offer, shrugged, and basically told Luke Weaver, “Thanks for the memories.”

Bad move, because Weaver clearly remembered.

The second he signed with the New York Mets, you just knew this matchup was circled on his calendar in permanent marker. Revenge games are real, and Weaver looked like a man who had spent months imagining this exact moment. Bases loaded. No outs. Two-run lead against his former team.

That’s either a nightmare or a movie script. Weaver made it cinema.

He punched out Amed Rosario. Then Grisham. Then he got the always-harmless Anthony Volpe to end the inning, because of course Volpe found a way to make the biggest moment disappear into a routine out. At this point, expecting a clutch hit from Volpe is like expecting New Jersey traffic to magically vanish at rush hour.

Weaver was breathing fire, too. The radar gun touched 97.6 mph — his highest velocity of the season. After one strikeout, he barked for the ball back immediately like a guy operating on pure adrenaline and spite. You could practically see the emotion pouring out of him.

And honestly? Good for him.

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it: Luke Weaver has a legitimate case for being more valuable than David Bednar. Bednar is your classic ninth-inning closer. Fine. But Weaver gives you versatility, swing-and-miss stuff, multiple innings, and better adaptability for today’s game. Managers dream about arms like that in October. The Yankees can't win in October.

Most importantly, Weaver was a teammate. A gamer. The kind of guy Yankee fans naturally gravitate toward because he looked like he genuinely loved wearing the pinstripes.

So no, don’t get it twisted — I’m still a Yankee fan through and through. But if you watched that moment Saturday night and didn’t feel even a little happy for Luke Weaver, you’re lying to yourself.

He wanted revenge, and he absolutely got it. That's what great baseball is.

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

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.

GREAT LEFTY OPTION OUT THERE FOR THE YANKEES PEN!

If the Yankees are serious about pretending 2026 won’t be another season of crossed fingers and press-conference spin, then here’s a wild concept: they might want an actual left-handed reliever in the bullpen. A real one. Not a “we like his underlying metrics” guy. Not a “he can give us multiple innings if the vibes are right” experiment. An actual late-inning, get-lefties-out, make-your-life-miserable southpaw.

Because right now? That cupboard is bare.

Mark Leiter Jr. is gone. Luke Weaver is a free agent. Ryan Yarbrough—bless him—is more of a bulk-innings safety net than a guy you trust when the season is on the line. And Tim Hill and Jayvien Sandridge? That’s not a playoff plan. That’s filler. That’s what you talk yourself into when you’ve done absolutely nothing meaningful to improve a roster and need to convince fans that standing still is actually “being patient.”

Which brings us to a name that’s floating around and, shockingly, makes actual sense: JoJo Romero.

According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals’ left-hander is drawing interest, and yes—this is the rare rumor that doesn’t immediately make you roll your eyes. Romero checks boxes the Yankees desperately need checked. He’s not theoretical. He’s not a reclamation project. He’s a proven reliever with a nasty slider, a heavy sinker, real command, and an annoying habit of producing ground balls instead of heart attacks.

In 2025, Romero was legitimately good—2.07 ERA, 8 saves, and consistent late-inning effectiveness before some injury concerns popped up toward the end of the year. That’s not perfect, but it’s a lot closer to “reliable bullpen piece” than whatever Cashman has been trying to pass off lately.

Financially? Also reasonable. Romero is projected to make around $4.4 million in his final year of arbitration. That’s not a budget-buster. That’s not some luxury-tax nightmare. That’s the cost of doing business if you actually care about winning baseball games. And with St. Louis widely expected to hit the reset button and reshuffle their roster, there’s very little reason for them to cling to a reliever who isn’t part of their next competitive window.

Meanwhile, back in the Bronx, Brian Cashman has done precisely nothing significant to make the 2026 Yankees better. No bold moves. No statement additions. Just the same old waiting, posturing, and hoping fans confuse inactivity with intelligence. The bullpen, once a strength, is now riddled with question marks—and somehow the front office seems comfortable with that.

Adding Romero wouldn’t fix everything. Let’s not pretend one lefty reliever suddenly turns this team into a juggernaut. But it would be a smart, logical move that addresses a very real problem with an actual solution. Which, of course, is why it feels slightly dangerous to get your hopes up.

Still, if Cashman manages to pull this off, it would finally look like the Yankees are trying to improve the roster instead of just explaining why they didn’t.

Low bar? Absolutely. But at this point, we’re just asking for competence. The Yankees front office sucks!

Stay tuned.

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

WHAT SHOULD THE YANKEES DO WITH LUKE WEAVER?

The Yankees are prepping for their formal meetings in Tampa, and they have some decisions to make as they start shaping their 2026 roster. One of their decisions is going to have to involve Luke Weaver and after his 2024 season, I really didn't think he would be taking up such a big part of the Yankees puzzle.....but he is.

The Weaver from 2024 and Weaver this season are complete opposites He was one of the headlines last year because he came out of nowhere and he became one of Aaron Boone's most trusted arms. Hell, after 2024 I thought he had a good argument to be the next closer. But this season, was a big regression.

There's a lot of questions now about Weaver and his confidence. Despite working with Gerrit Cole since mid-summer, he hasn't looked right. He went from being a dominant figure last season to a pitcher that lost some of his mechanics and started tipping his pitches. Even scouts said his delivery was obvious, and he was giving too many clues to what was coming next. He wasn't fooling opposing hitters and they picked up on everything that was coming, read more HERE. His ineffectiveness on the mound is what made him fall out of Boone's trusted circle and replaced with Camilo Doval.

And that's not all. Looking back, now the question of stamina comes to light. Spring training was not a great start for Weaver. His velocity was down, leaving questions if Weaver's increased workload in 2024 had taken a toll on him, and if he was ready for what was to come. By summer, Weaver suffered a hamstring injury. After experiencing discomfort, an MRI confirmed a hamstring injury, and the initial diagnosis was supposed to be an absence of 4 to 6 weeks. Weaver received a plasma injection to help with the recover....but the Yankees reinstated him after only 17 days.

And once Weaver came back, he didn't look the same. The mechanics were off and soon his confidence was gone. Listening to him after ALDS Game 1, I'd be lying if I said I was not concerned. He even said he wasn't 100%, read more HERE.

"I don't really feel like myself. I don't feel like my mind is completely clear to go out there and attack. I do feel physically strong. I do feel mentally strong overall."
I think that is a real concern. The Yankees have some blame here. They rushed Weaver back without letting him heal and obviously he overcompensated in other areas to deal with it and just lost the mechanics he once had and his confidence.

So now the Yankees have to decide what to do here. Can they "fix" Weaver? History doesn't paint a pretty picture there and I just don't trust their medical approaches. Could more rest this offseason help get him back on track? Maybe, but he's also going to get a pay raise this year (he's a Scott Boras client) so maybe the Yankees are better served letting him test free agency and finding a more cost effective arm. The Yankees bullpen was a weakness this season, so I am not sure the Yankees shouldn't just rebuild it around David Bednar. I miss the old Weaver and I'd want him back, but I am concerned.

Would you want Weaver back for the right price? Comment and tell us.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

A DISGRACEFUL SHOWING & A MANAGER THAT IS NOT QUALIFIED TO BE THERE

Sure, you can blame the Yankees for not hitting — and believe me, that’s fair — but what’s truly infuriating over these last two games is how this so-called “dominant repeat” team has looked anything but dominant. Remember the hype? The 2025 Yankees were supposed to bulldoze the league. They were supposed to be the 2024 encore tour — louder, meaner, unstoppable. Instead, we got a front office asleep at the wheel, a manager without a plan, and a dugout full of players being micromanaged like lab experiments. The word MICROMANAGING is the key to all of this, folks.

Aaron Boone — the master of mediocrity — has once again proven he’s not qualified to lead this team. I don’t care how many spreadsheets they hand him, how many analytics reports Cashman’s army of interns print out — this man couldn’t manage a lemonade stand at a Little League game. He’s a “vibes” guy surrounded by people who think spin rate wins championships. The result? A team that looks robotic, joyless, and flat-out lost.

Even Luke Weaver hinted last night that he’s being told things about how he’s performing and needs to adjust — that’s me paraphrasing, but the message was clear: he’s being micromanaged to death, which ultimately has him second guessing and sucking. 

Somewhere in the bowels of Yankee Stadium, a bunch of front-office statisticians are dissecting every breath these guys take and it's destroying this team. How do you expect anyone to play freely like that? It’s baseball, not a coding competition. You can’t play instinctive, winning baseball when every decision — from pitch selection to defensive positioning — has to pass through a corporate algorithm.

And that brings me to today’s disaster. The Yankees, who supposedly can hit anyone, couldn’t even touch Trey Yesavage. His first postseason start. A kid with four regular-season games under his belt. I called it before the game — the Yankees wouldn’t hit him. Why? Because they’ve never hit unfamiliar pitching and there ain't much data for the loser nerds in the back office. It’s tradition at this point. Some rookie shows up, throws strikes, and suddenly the Yankees are swinging like they’ve never seen a baseball. Yesavage didn’t need to be special — he just needed to be unknown.

Max Fried? He wasn’t great. Gave up five runs. But the Yankees didn’t hit either and they probably could win the game if Fried's in longer. But, like clockwork Boone — naturally — made it worse. In comes Will Warren. Now listen, Warren isn’t a bad pitcher. He’s fine. But at this point in the season, he’s the mop-up guy. The “get us through this without embarrassment” guy. And Boone, in his infinite wisdom, decided that was the moment to call his number. Bottom line, Fried had more in the tank to allow the Yankees a shot and Boone didn't allow it. It’s like watching someone pour gasoline on a fire, then complain about the smoke.

And let’s not pretend Game One was any better. We all knew Luis Gil wasn’t going to outduel Kevin Gausman. Everyone did except Aaron Boone. You don’t start the kid against Gausman in Game One of the ALDS — not unless you enjoy digging your own grave. But Boone did it anyway, because his gut told him to. Translation: the analytics team told him to. Gausman is a bona fide ace — filthy stuff, veteran poise — and we treated him like a pop quiz we forgot to study for.

Meanwhile, the rotation depth I’ve been screaming about since April? Nonexistent. Fried and Rodón are your only dependable starters, and “dependable” is a stretch. Rodón is a coin flip every start. I said it all year: the Yankees’ rotation was shallow. I said it at the trade deadline when Cashman decided to collect four closers instead of adding a starter. FOUR. The man stockpiled relievers like he was preparing for an apocalypse. What good is that when your starters can’t get through five innings?

This is not a pitching staff. It’s a house of cards built by a GM who’s lost touch with how to construct a winner. Brian Cashman has spent the last few seasons convincing himself that he’s the smartest man in baseball, when in reality he’s the most stubborn. He can’t admit when he’s wrong, so instead of correcting mistakes, he doubles down on them. Cashman’s been running the Yankees like a tech startup — data-driven, buzzword-heavy, emotionally empty. The man who once built dynasties now builds spreadsheets.

And as bad as that is, let’s talk about Austin Wells. I like the kid’s spirit, but he’s been exposed. Can’t hit. Can’t frame as well as he thinks he can. And the most important part which is obivous at this point, Can’t call a game. Thurman Munson caught through broken bones and World Series pressure. Austin Wells sits more in one season than Munson did in his entire career. And it shows. Our pitchers look lost. There’s no rhythm, no leadership behind the plate. Wells calls games like he’s guessing what pitch Boone’s spreadsheet wants next.

And Anthony Volpe — I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — he’s not the answer right now. We needed him the most today. What did we get? Two strikeouts, zero fight. If you can’t rise up in moments like this, what’s the point? We’ve protected him, pampered him, and excused him all year. Enough. You either produce or you don’t. The Yankees can’t keep giving away at-bats in October because someone might develop in 2027.

This team has no edge. None. They’ve gone soft. The fire that once defined the Yankees — gone. Mike O’Hara, who writes for Bleeding Yankee Blue, texted me tonight and said it best: “Volpe is a disappointment. The team looks lifeless. Cam will pitch 3, 5, and 7 at this rate.” You gotta hand it to Mike — he still believes. But how can any of us, really? This team doesn’t look like they want to win. They look like they’re waiting for someone to tell them how to.

And Boone? He’ll walk into that postgame presser, blow his bubblegum, and mumble the same clichés. “We had good swings.” “We just ran into a better team.” Spare me. You didn’t run into a better team. You got out-managed, out-prepared, and out-hustled. Boone is an excuse machine in a uniform. He manages like a man allergic to accountability.

The Yankees are now down 0–2 in the ALDS, and does anyone feel good about this team? Be honest. You can’t. Because deep down, we all know what the problem is: the front office is complacent, the manager is clueless, and the roster is built for mediocrity. Boone doesn’t inspire players — he babysits them. Cashman doesn’t build winners — he builds “projects.” And the analytics department has turned this proud franchise into a collection of decimal points and theories.

This isn’t a bad week. This is who they are. They played catch-up tonight just like they’ve been playing catch-up all season — because bad decisions have consequences. Remember August? Total collapse. Boone “rested” players, managed scared, and the team fell apart. You don’t rest your way into a World Series. You fight. You grind. You lead. And the Yankees have done none of that.

So yeah, yell at me if you want. Tell me I’m negative. Say I’m repeating myself on Bleeding Yankee Blue. But guess what? I’m right. This team isn’t built for a championship — never was. I said it in January 2025, said it in July, and I’m saying it now: the Yankees need to clean house. READ MY ARCHIVE. From the front office, to Boone, to the coaching staff. Complacency kills, and this team’s been flatlining since the All-Star break.

Boone sucks. Cashman’s vision is outdated. The analytics crew runs the show. The players look like they’re drowning in instructions. And the fans — the real ones — we’re left watching the same movie every October.

If the Yankees want to win again, it starts with this: humility. Fire Boone. Rebuild leadership from the top down. Put baseball people back in charge — not computer people.

Because right now? The New York Yankees are a numbers experiment masquerading as a ballclub — and the results are in. Failure.

#FireBoone
#FireCashman
#WakeUpYankees

BOONE & THE ANALYTICS DEPARTMENT LOST GAME 1 FOR THE YANKEES

It was predictable. Everyone with half a brain knew Garrett Crochet was going to carve the Yankees. He’s that good. The guy’s not just solid—he’s a freak of nature, the type of pitcher who makes professional hitters look like they’re holding pool noodles instead of bats. And the cruel twist? Crochet has the Yankees’ number. He doesn’t just beat them—he humiliates them. So, when I say I expected the loss tonight, I’m not being dramatic. I was just being realistic.

Now, Max Fried. My guy. One of my favorites. He’s as good as advertised—an absolute horse. He’s a four-pitch maestro, he competes, and he wanted the ball. He earned the ball. And yet, somehow, the Yankees’ brain trust—if you can call it that without choking on the irony—decided to pull him. Fried is still better than 90% of the arms in that bullpen. But apparently, the spreadsheet said otherwise. So, in trots Luke Weaver, who, let’s be honest, has about as much variety as a dollar-menu cheeseburger. Two pitches compared to Max's 4. I mean, what did you think was gonna happen? Max Fried called out Boone tonight after the game.  They asked if he had more left in the tank. Fried said, "Yeah, I felt good....I had enough in the tank."  Boone is a fucking idiot.

This is the Yankees’ analytics department in a nutshell: run by numbers nerds who’ve never thrown a ball harder than 45 mph in their lives. They treat pitchers like they’re apps you can just “close out” and “reopen” when the matchup looks prettier on an Excel sheet. Meanwhile, the game is happening in real life. Max Fried isn’t a column of data—he’s a competitor. He wanted the damn ball, and he still had plenty left. But no, Fishman and his crew of Ivy League “geniuses” decided it was time to meddle again. And Aaron Boone? Well, he’s too dumb and too soft to push back. He’s just the smiling puppet nodding along as the front office tugs his strings.

Then there’s Anthony Volpe. When I saw his name in the lineup, my immediate thought was: “This motherfucker didn’t even earn a playoff start. Why the hell is he there?” But sure enough, he runs into a pitch and parks one in the seats. Great. Good job, Anthony. You did your job for once. The problem? Boone acted like he’d just witnessed the Second Coming. He practically splooged all over the microphone when a reporter asked him about it. I mean, calm down—it was a solo shot in a game you lost. Nobody’s building a monument over it.

And don’t get me started on Jazz Chisholm. Why was he riding the bench until the 8th inning? This is a 30-30 player, an everyday sparkplug, a guy who brings swagger and production. But apparently, the analytics department’s Magic 8-Ball said tonight wasn’t his night. By the time Jazz got in, he was steaming, and rightfully so. You don’t waste a talent like that until garbage time. Boone once again looked clueless, fumbling his way through the decision like a substitute teacher who lost the lesson plan.

Let’s not pretend we didn’t all see this coming. Crochet was always going to shove. That part wasn’t shocking. What was shocking—scratch that—what was infuriating was the way the Yankees actively sabotaged themselves tonight. This wasn’t just Crochet’s brilliance. This was organizational malpractice. Boone and the analytics department straight-up handed this game away.

Max Fried pitched his heart out. He had the game in control. And instead of letting your ace ride it out, you piss all over his effort because some formula says “third time through the order” is scary. Newsflash: the other team is scary too, and pulling your ace in favor of Luke Weaver doesn’t suddenly make Crochet throw fewer strikes. You don’t win playoff games with Microsoft Excel—you win them with guts, instincts, and players who actually know what the hell they’re doing. 

But that’s the Yankees’ problem, isn’t it? The front office is obsessed with looking like the smartest guys in the room. They think they’re reinventing baseball when really they’re just burning it to the ground. And Boone? He’s not a leader. He’s a yes-man. A cardboard cutout in a hoodie. A motivational speaker without the motivation. When your manager’s biggest contribution to a loss is gushing over Anthony Volpe’s solo homer, you know you’re screwed.

So, did I expect a win tonight? No. Crochet was always going to dominate. But did Boone and Michael Fishman make sure there was zero chance of stealing one? Absolutely. They stripped the Yankees of their one shot by yanking Fried and screwing with the lineup. That’s not leadership—that’s sabotage.

Tomorrow? Who knows. Depends which Carlos Rodón shows up—the bulldog or the batting-practice machine. But tonight? Tonight was an unmitigated disaster. Proof that a solo homer from Volpe means jack shit when the organization is too stupid to get out of its own way.

The Yankees lost. Nobody should be surprised. This is what happens when you let analytics nerds and a dumbass manager run the show.

#FireBoone