MAYBE CASHMAN SHOULD HAVE SIGNED SEAGER FOUR YEARS AGO

Always dragging his feet.

The sudden offseason “buzz” about Corey Seager possibly landing in the Bronx this winter would be funny if it weren’t so painfully on brand. Because here’s the part everyone conveniently forgets: the Yankees had a clean, wide-open runway to get Seager four years ago. No smoke. No mirrors. No trade gymnastics. Just money, intent, and a front office willing to act. Instead, Brian Cashman did what Brian Cashman always does — absolutely nothing.

That inaction handed us Anthony Volpe as the long-term answer at shortstop, a decision that has aged like unrefrigerated milk. In fact, it now belongs in the Yankees Hall of Infamy right next to trading Jay Buhner for spare parts. Different era, same regret, same front office DNA. Stupid.

Now we’re supposed to believe the Yankees are calling the Rangers to see if Corey Seager might be available? Calling. Not acquiring. Not prying loose. Calling. Is Cashman dumb? Because those appear to be the two remaining options. This is what desperation looks like when it’s four years late and wearing a suit.

Sure, an upgrade over Volpe in 2026 would be a lovely gift. A miracle, even. But Seager isn’t that gift. He’s a locked door the Yankees don’t have the keys to — and never bothered to copy when the locksmith was standing right in front of them.

Yanks Go Yard summed it up perfectly, noting:

“Even if Brian Cashman and Co. were going all-in on Seager right now, it sounds like the Yankees would be running into a rock-solid barrier in the form of Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young. ‘We are not shopping Corey Seager, I want to make that very clear,’ Young said.”

Alrighty then. Message received. Translation: You had your chance. You blew it. Stop calling.

So let’s recap what we know. The Rangers aren’t moving Seager. Cashman is suddenly desperate to upgrade shortstop. He should have signed Seager four years ago. And the Yankees continue to operate with the least aggressive front office imaginable in a sport where aggression is mandatory if you want to win. They never jump when elite players are available — only after those players turn into franchise cornerstones somewhere else. Then comes the regret tour.

But hey, don’t panic — we got Miguel Palma, right?

Here’s the one sliver of actual good news, though, if you’re counting down the days until the Volpe era mercifully ends. According to Randy Miller of NJ.com:

“(Volpe) may only have one more season to keep his job long-term because George Lombard Jr., the organization’s No. 1 prospect, is a shortstop who figures to reach Triple-A at some point next season after playing for High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset in 2025.”

Thank God. Because let’s stop pretending this season was about a sore shoulder. I don’t buy that for a second. What we saw was the collapse of hype meeting reality. Volpe wasn’t injured in my opinion — he was exposed. And now the Yankees are doing what they always do after a catastrophic decision: rewriting the narrative to avoid admitting they screwed it up.

Brian Cashman isn’t unlucky. He’s stale. He’s complacent. And in a league where the Yankees need to be ruthless, fearless, and aggressive to matter again, he’s still operating like it’s 2009 and patience is a strategy. It isn’t. It’s just another excuse — four years too late.

CASHMAN ALREADY USING THE PHRASING "IT'S BEEN TOUGH" THIS OFFSEASON

The New York Yankees, a franchise that once defined toughness, accountability, and championship DNA, are now apparently trying to sell us on the idea that Austin Wells is a real catcher. Not a placeholder. Not a stopgap. A solution. And that alone tells you how far off the rails this organization has gone.

Let’s be clear: Austin Wells is not gritty. He is not intimidating. He is not Thurman Munson. He is not Jorge Posada. Hell, he’s not even a poor man’s version of either. Munson looked like he’d fight you in the parking lot after the game. Posada looked like he’d block the plate with his face if it meant winning in October. Wells looks like he was focus-grouped by the marketing department to sell jerseys and smile for camera day.

And that’s the problem.

Brian Cashman and his army of spreadsheet worshippers keep confusing presentable with competitive. They think clean uniforms, good vibes, and “strong makeup” are substitutes for edge, urgency, and a pulse. They are not. They never have been. And they never will be.

Yet here we are, once again, watching the Yankees admit they “need depth” at catcher while doing absolutely nothing that resembles ambition.

Yes, Wells is penciled in as the starter. That alone should set off alarms. The Yankees could look for a tandem partner. They could look for someone to push him. They could look for an actual upgrade. Instead, they did what Cashman always does when faced with a real roster problem: ducked it.

Enter Miguel Palma.

Palma was signed to a minor-league deal with a spring training invite, which is Yankee-speak for “please don’t expect anything.” He’s described as “well-liked” with “good makeup,” which at this point might as well be printed directly on the back of Cashman’s business card. He’s 5-foot-9, bounced around the Astros’ system last year, and—shockingly—will start out in the minors.

Because of course he will.

This is the same tired song. Another depth piece. Another lottery ticket. Another guy whose main contribution will be organizational filler while the major-league roster remains incomplete and uninspiring.

And Cashman’s excuse? You already know it. The market is thin.

It’s always thin, Brian.

Every offseason starts with bravado: We’re going to get what we need. Then reality hits, and suddenly it’s hard, complicated, challenging. Translation: the Yankees don’t want to pay the price—financially or prospect-wise—to actually improve.

Cashman even gave us his annual word-salad masterpiece, the kind that manages to say absolutely nothing while sounding like it should mean something:

“We’re just staying engaged, trying to match up with some things. But it’s been tough so far. Don’t like the asks coming our way, and I guess the opposing teams don’t like what I’m trying to pull from them.”

That’s it. That’s the plan.

Other teams ask for real value. Cashman tries to pull a fast one. Talks stall. Nothing happens. Rinse. Repeat. Yankee fans are supposed to applaud the effort while the roster holes remain wide open.

Meanwhile, the organization wants us to believe Austin Wells is the guy. That this soft-edged, analytics-approved, aesthetically pleasing catcher represents the future of a franchise built on nastiness and winning.

Sorry. Not buying it.

Championship teams are built on mentality, not marketing. They’re built on players who don’t blink in October, not players who look good in a brochure. Until the Yankees remember that—and until Brian Cashman is no longer in charge of redefining “good enough”—this franchise will continue spinning its wheels.

Same excuses. Same half-measures. Same doomed results.

And yes, let’s just say it plainly: Austin Wells isn’t the answer. He’s part of the problem.