ANTHONY RIZZO HAS A BACKBONE. YET THE YANKEES STILL DON'T HAVE ONE

Back in February 2025, I suggested that Anthony Rizzo could return to the Yankees in a player-coach role. The idea was simple: keep a respected veteran in the clubhouse, use his experience to teach younger players, call out bad attitudes and preserve something this organization too often treats as expendable—leadership. Read: COULD RIZZO EVOLVE INTO A PLAYER-COACH ROLE WITH THE YANKEES?

Newsweek picked up our article, as we documented at Bleeding Yankee Blue. Why did it deserve attention? My answer remains the same: because it made baseball sense. Rizzo’s value extended beyond whatever production remained in his bat. There was knowledge there. Credibility. An understanding of what winning requires and what wearing that uniform demands. Oh yea, and his presence provides leadership.

Now, after another miserable October ending, that argument looks pretty damn relevant.

The Rays swept the Yankees out of the ALDS, finishing them with a 4–3 loss. Another season ended with the other team celebrating and Yankee fans wondering when the people running this operation will stop confusing expectations with accomplishments.

Then came Jazz Chisholm’s confusion about getting booed. Apparently, amid the disappointment of a playoff elimination, we needed to stop everything and discuss whether the paying customers had been sufficiently encouraging. Jazz, read the room. Preferably before explaining it to everybody else.

On Ross and Rizzo, Anthony Rizzo slammed Jazz. He questioned how Chisholm could be surprised by boos after seeing established Yankees stars receive the same treatment. Rizzo described him as looking like “a player that’s lost.” He also challenged the organization’s annual championship declarations: the Yankees cannot keep announcing the highest standard without producing results that justify the talk.

"Jazz Chisholm's comments after the game just looks like a player who is lost,"

"He says after the game about being booed, 'I don't understand, I was confused why I was being booed.' It surprises you that you were booed? What do you mean?"

"You've played there for three-plus years now, you've seen [Anthony] Volpe get run out of town. You've seen Judgey get booed. You've seen Stanton get booed.

"It surprises you that you got booed? That's just not the right way to answer questions...You just have to be smarter there… it shows a little bit of immaturity there."

That is accountability.

No soothing soundtrack. No lengthy explanation of why disappointment is secretly encouraging. A former teammate heard something that needed challenging and challenged it.

That is the voice I wanted inside the Yankees’ clubhouse in February 2025. But more importantly its the voice I wanted there since Girardi left. Boone's a pushover. He's a fanboy. He wants to be friends with all his players. He is a poor leader. 

You can debate whether booing helps a player. Fine. Have that conversation. But the first response after failure should concern the failure. What went wrong? What needs to improve? What responsibility do you bear?

Fans did not strike out for you. They did not throw the ball away. They did not assemble the roster or write the lineup. They bought the tickets.

The Yankees seem awfully comfortable accepting championship prices while asking their customers to practice developmental patience. And that brings us to Aaron Boone. My problem with Boone is that his public leadership too often sounds like an effort to cushion every uncomfortable landing. There is always another explanation, another encouraging interpretation, another reason to believe the breakthrough is approaching.

At some point, the breakthrough needs to show up wearing a uniform. A manager should support his players. Absolutely. But support must include correction. When protection becomes the default response to repeated failure, you risk teaching players that the explanation matters more than the improvement.

From where I sit, Boone babies this team. His public posture too often shows no backbone when the moment calls for a firm standard. He can defend a player’s dignity and still say the player’s performance was unacceptable. These are professional athletes. They can survive a sentence without a pillow under it.

I want a manager who can say: we prepared poorly, we executed poorly, and we are going to fix it.

BUT THEN THEY ACTUALLY FIX IT.  

Rizzo’s history gives me reason to believe he understands that responsibility.

Consider October 2024. With fractured fingers keeping him out of the Division Series, Rizzo helped Jon Berti and Oswaldo Cabrera with positioning at first base. He remained useful while somebody else occupied his position. That is a concrete example of a veteran transferring knowledge under postseason pressure.

Think about what that tells you.

His contribution did not end when he came off the lineup card. He recognized what teammates needed and helped them prepare. Teaching the details of a position is coaching work, whether the organization prints the title next to your name or not. That was the foundation of my player-coach argument back then and it's what I would expect from a leader in the Yankees clubhouse now. I was proposing that the Yankees give structure to something Rizzo was already demonstrating.

He subsequently returned for the 2024 ALCS, starting at first base just 16 days after fracturing two fingers. He spoke about the opportunity to compete for a pennant and the importance of appreciating it while it was there. That matters because opportunities expire. A talented roster does not come with a reservation for next October.

Rizzo had already helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series, ending their 108-year championship drought. He experienced the pressure of playing for a franchise whose history could feel like an extra opponent. He was part of a team that finally delivered. That experience gives weight to his criticism of empty championship language. And his leadership record extends beyond baseball. A cancer survivor, Rizzo established his family foundation in 2012; he received the Roberto Clemente Award in 2017.

In 2018, he returned to Parkland after the school shooting and spoke at a vigil for the victims.

Those actions show someone willing to accept responsibility when there is no easy thing to say. Someone who shows up for other people.

That quality matters in a clubhouse. Players need to believe that a leader cares about them before criticism carries its full weight. Rizzo’s case is compelling because compassion and directness can coexist in the same person.

You can care about a teammate and tell him his answer was lousy. You can believe in a young player and tell him his preparation needs work. You can build confidence while demanding competence.

The Yankees need considerably more of that.

Instead, this organization keeps inviting questions about whether its development process produces improvement or simply produces more reasons to wait.

Anthony Volpe is the obvious example.

Through his first three seasons, Volpe had a .662 OPS and an 84 OPS+, below league average. By the end of his fourth year, I want answers from the people who scouted him, projected him, promoted him and were responsible for developing him. This kid sucks.

What did you believe his offensive ceiling would be? Which weaknesses did you identify? What was the plan to address them? And how long does the organization get to keep selling potential before somebody evaluates the return?

Calling the results a dud isn't harsh. The Yankees helped create the expectations, and they should have to answer for the gap between the projection and the product. Volpe’s effort does not absolve the organization. Neither does his prospect pedigree.

Scouting is supposed to identify ability. Development is supposed to help turn that ability into reliable major league performance. If the results disappoint year after year, examine both. A framed scouting report cannot take an at-bat. And a manager repeating his belief in a player cannot substitute for a coaching plan that works.  Boone is in love with Volpe still looking for a moment. Rizzo would have benched this dude in June.

This is why the Yankees’ training and preparation deserve scrutiny. What are they emphasizing? How are they measuring progress? What happens when an approach keeps failing? Where are the consequences for poor execution?

I am tired of the franchise treating those questions as an attack. Show us the improvement and the questions become easier to answer.

Complacency is comfortable. You can keep the same voices, repeat the same reassurances and tell yourself continuity is a virtue.

But continuity without correction is how you preserve a problem.

Would Rizzo make a terrific manager? I believe he has the qualities to become one. On paper, he's better than Boone already.

His case starts with credibility earned as a player, experience under championship pressure, demonstrated willingness to teach and the ability to deliver an uncomfortable message. Those are substantial foundations for managing people. Boone hit a homerun against the Red Sox that really doesn't matter because the Yankees lost in the World Series anyway.

Sure, Rizzo would still have to prove his ability to run a pitching staff, construct lineups, manage workloads and make decisions over 162 games. Being a respected player does not automatically qualify someone for every responsibility in the dugout.

But the Yankees should take his leadership potential seriously because clearly they don't.  Someone like Rizzo would challenge people and not roll over.  My February 2025 proposal was about recognizing an asset before it disappeared from the room.

Now Rizzo is speaking into a microphone in a new role, delivering the kind of blunt assessment I know he would deliver if he were the Yankees manager, and that should bother the Yankees. You know, the fact that there are better managerial options out there rather than the one they have.

This is now a former teammate publicly reminding them that accountability belongs at the center of a winning organization, while fans are left wondering who delivers that message inside the building.

Rizzo would not magically fix every flaw. But I believe he could help steer the ship because he understands that leadership includes telling people when they are heading in the wrong direction.

The Yankees need that. They need alot, but they definitely need leadership.

They need better teaching, firmer standards and an honest review of the people responsible for the results. They need to stop protecting their preferred narrative and start correcting the baseball.

I saw the value in Rizzo in February 2025. After this October, the Yankees should be asking why that voice is outside their clubhouse.

CABRERA NEVER STOOD A CHANCE

Oswaldo Cabrera didn’t make the cut with the Yankees—not because he failed, but because he wasn’t one of their chosen ones. That's the truth and that’s the ugly part.

Cabrera did everything the organization asked. He played all over the field, accepted every role, worked his way back from a devastating injury and hit .288 at Triple-A. He was a terrific teammate and exactly the kind of versatile bench player a contending team should value.

But none of it mattered. Cabrera didn’t receive the organizational protection afforded to Anthony Volpe.

The Yankees have bent over backward to defend Volpe, excuse his failures and manufacture opportunities for him. Cabrera received no such patience. When a roster spot was needed, he was the expendable one.

Then Aaron Boone foolishly hoped Cabrera might clear waivers.

Why would he?

Other organizations aren’t obligated to participate in the Yankees’ favoritism. Cincinnati saw a capable, versatile player with a minor-league option remaining and immediately claimed him. The Reds recognized Cabrera’s value while the Yankees were too busy protecting their preferred players. Boone's a fool.

Bottom line, the wrong infielder went to Cincinnati.

Anthony Volpe should be playing second base for the Reds right now. Instead, Cincinnati landed Cabrera—a player who earned his opportunities but never received the same endless chances.

Cabrera didn’t lose a fair competition. He lost a rigged numbers game.

He simply wasn’t a Yankees favorite—and with this organization, that matters more than performance.

I mean Christ, do the Yankees realize many fans just don't like these Yankee players? It's ridiculous already.

THE YANKEES FAILED OSWALDO CABRERA

There are Yankee moves that make you scratch your head. Then there are Yankee moves that make you wonder if anybody in that front office actually remembers what building a baseball team is supposed to look like.

Designating Oswaldo Cabrera for assignment falls into the second category.

The Yankees DFA’d Cabrera Wednesday to clear a 40-man roster spot for Clarke Schmidt. Technically, that’s the transaction.

But this is bigger than a roster spot.

This is about how the Yankees continue to treat certain players like disposable parts while seemingly giving others every opportunity imaginable to prove they belong.

And Cabrera deserved better.

This is a guy who did whatever the Yankees asked him to do.

Third base? Sure. Second? No problem. Shortstop? He’d do it. Outfield? Give him a glove. Sit on the bench for a week and then suddenly get thrown into the lineup somewhere he hadn’t played in a month?

Oswaldo Cabrera would smile and say, “Let’s go.” Was he a superstar? Of course not. That’s not the point.

Cabrera was exactly the kind of player championship teams need — a versatile, energetic utility player who understood his role, never complained and was willing to do just about anything to help the New York Yankees win.

And after battling back from that horrific ankle injury, Cabrera went to Triple-A and hit .288 with a .790 OPS this season.

His reward? DFA. Beautiful.

Meanwhile, we continue to hear about Anthony Volpe. 

CC Sabathia recently talked about Volpe’s “perseverance and determination,” and look, I understand CC’s point. Volpe didn't quit when the Yankees finally sent him to Triple-A. He worked. He made adjustments. He learned second base even though he didn't want to. He hit the baseball down there.

Good for him. Seriously. But perseverance cannot become another excuse for pretending the previous four years didn't happen. Volpe entered this latest opportunity with an 85 wRC+ across parts of four major-league seasons. This year, before his demotion, he was hitting .240/.325/.322 with one home run in 56 games.

At some point, Major League Baseball has to be about major-league production. And let's also stop rewriting the reason Volpe came back.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. hurt his thumb and went on the injured list. The Yankees suddenly needed another second baseman. José Caballero had already stepped in at second, but Caballero's value to this roster is his ability to move around the diamond.

So Volpe got the call. That's roster necessity. That's different from the Yankees suddenly deciding Anthony Volpe had conquered Triple-A and earned his triumphant return to the Bronx.

Maybe Volpe has figured something out. Who knows. I really don't care anymore.

The Yankees' fascination with making Anthony Volpe happen has gone on long enough that fans have every right to question why the standards appear different depending on whose name is on the back of the uniform.

Because that's what bothers me about Cabrera. Oswaldo Cabrera earned the right to be useful to this team. He accepted every role. He played everywhere. He came back from a devastating injury. He produced in Scranton. And the Yankees still decided he was expendable.

The Yankees decided preserving their pitching depth and keeping their other roster possibilities open was more important than keeping Cabrera on the 40-man roster.

That's their right. But fans have the right to call it what it looks like, too. Another good Yankee gets squeezed while the organization continues bending over backward to find roles and opportunities for players it has decided are part of the plan.

That's the problem. It's not that Anthony Volpe shouldn't have been recalled when Jazz went down. The roster situation made the move understandable.

It's that Oswaldo Cabrera seemingly never received the same runway.

One player gets patience. Another gets DFA'd. One gets talked about in terms of determination and development. The other does everything asked of him, fights his way back from a gruesome injury, hits .288 in Triple-A and gets shown the door.

Oswaldo Cabrera wasn't Aaron Judge. Nobody ever claimed he was. He was something every good baseball team needs. A good Yankee. A useful Yankee. A selfless Yankee.

And once again, the Yankees somehow found a way to make that guy the expendable one. Maybe another organization claims Cabrera and actually appreciates what he brings to a roster.

I hope they do. Because Oswaldo Cabrera earned his opportunity. The Yankees just decided someone else deserved it more. And we've seen that movie before.

BOONE'S OBSESSION IS ALARMING

What drives me insane isn’t even Anthony Volpe anymore — it’s Aaron Boone’s bizarre obsession with him. At this point, Boone doesn’t manage Volpe like a ballplayer. He manages him like a fragile family heirloom that belongs in a glass case. Every slump gets explained away. Every mistake gets defended like it’s a Supreme Court case. Every decent week gets treated like Volpe just carried the Yankees on his back through October. It's May.

Meanwhile, every other young player in the organization has to survive a firing squad just to get one consistent opportunity.

Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa absolutely nailed it when she wrote about Boone pretending he’s “unsure” whether Jose Caballero should get the shortstop job back when he returns. HERE. Boone’s little “we’ll see” act is insulting at this point. We all know what that means: “I’m gonna do everything possible to keep my favorite in the lineup.”

Because with Boone, Volpe never actually has to lose his job. Everybody else does.

Caballero earned the role. Period. This isn’t complicated. The guy is better than Volpe, brought more energy, made more things happen offensively, and looked like an actual sparkplug instead of a project the Yankees marketing department keeps trying to convince us is a superstar.

But Volpe has one nice stretch and suddenly Boone starts sounding like a proud parent at a middle school awards ceremony.  And that’s the problem. Boone babies Volpe.

Volpe finally plays decent baseball for a week and Boone reacts like he just watched Mickey Mantle reincarnate. No, Aaron — he’s doing what a Major League shortstop is supposed to do. That's meeting expectations, bub. That’s not greatness. That’s competence. There’s a difference.

Consistency is expected in the majors. It’s not some magical achievement worthy of nonstop praise. Caballero runs more aggressively, impacts games more consistently, strikes out less, and frankly looks hungrier. But Volpe gets infinite patience because Boone is emotionally attached to the idea of him.

And Boone’s constant defending of Volpe is exhausting. The stolen base challenge last night was the perfect example.

Volpe was caught stealing to end the fourth, and the call was confirmed after the Yankees challenged

Aaron Boone did not agree pic.twitter.com/JENCL36F09

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 20, 2026

 Volpe was called out. They challenged it, still out, sometimes that's baseball. Sometimes you don't get the call. Sometimes you don't get what you want in life. Are you listening Boone? Volpe? Sometimes you have to earn stuff and sometimes you get bad breaks. That's life.  move on. But Boone's a crybaby when it comes to Volpe. He immediately jumped into lawyer mode because heaven forbid Volpe ever simply loses a play. Boone does this all the time with him. Every failure comes with an excuse attached. Every criticism gets treated like an attack on the family name.

Which honestly explains a lot about Boone himself.  Aaron Boone grew up wrapped in baseball privilege. The Boone name carried weight long before Aaron ever proved anything on a field. His grandfather, father, and brother all had stronger baseball legacies than he did, yet Boone still got years of opportunity because that last name opened doors. This is my opinion and trust me I'm not far off. Outside of one famous homer against Tim Wakefield — a moment Yankees fans romanticize even though the team would go on and lose the World Series anyway — Boone was never some legendary player.

But he was protected. He was coddled. He was given runway other players never get. And now he’s repeating the cycle with Volpe. It's learned behavior.

Boone sees himself in him: the overprotected golden boy who gets chance after chance because the organization is too invested in the image to admit reality. It’s favoritism disguised as “development.”

Meanwhile, players who actually earned opportunities got buried.

Oswald Peraza barely got a fair shake under Boone. Every mistake Peraza made felt career-ending while Volpe could boot balls into the outfield and still get a public pep talk afterward. Now Peraza’s with the Angels hitting over .260 with power because — shockingly — talented young players tend to improve when their manager isn’t sabotaging their confidence every five minutes.

And Oswaldo Cabrera? Another guy Boone jerks around endlessly despite his versatility and steady glove. The Yankees always seem to have room for Volpe’s growing pains, but everybody else gets treated like disposable depth. Cabrera is stuck in the minors.

This whole thing feels manufactured.

Volpe is marketable. He’s the local kid. The clean-cut Yankees shortstop they can slap on billboards and jersey racks. Caballero doesn’t fit the corporate fairy tale, so Boone keeps trying to force-feed fans the idea that Volpe is already a cornerstone superstar instead of what he actually is right now: a young player still trying to prove he belongs.

And the most frustrating part? Boone acts like acknowledging reality is some kind of betrayal.

No, Aaron. Saying Volpe is finally doing his job isn’t “hate.” It’s honesty. A good week doesn’t erase years of inconsistency. It doesn’t mean he’s untouchable. It doesn’t mean other players should lose opportunities they actually earned.

When Friday comes, Caballero should start at shortstop. Not because Volpe is hopeless — but because merit is supposed to matter. Caballero earned the spot with real production: .259 average, .320 OBP, .400 slugging, a .720 OPS, four homers, 13 RBIs, and 13 steals in 41 games.

That should make the decision easy.

But Boone’s judgment around Volpe stopped being objective a long time ago. It’s emotional now. It's creepy. It's weird. It's alarming. That’s what makes this whole thing so forced, and honestly, so unfair.

And deep down, every Yankees fan already knows what’s coming next. Boone will protect his favorite.

Again.

And the same thing will happen. it's a vicious cycle and Boone is stuck in it. And sadly? We all have to suffer.

GRICHUK IN. OSWALDO OUT.

 Grichuk’s in. Cabrera’s out. And yeah… it stings.

You can’t help but get a little déjà vu here—Oswaldo Cabrera starting to feel like Oswald Peraza 2.0: talented, versatile, and somehow always on the outside looking in whenever the Yankees start playing roster Tetris. At some point you wonder if it’s about performance… or just preference.

Anyway, the Yankees are busy putting the final touches on their Opening Day roster, and according to the New York Post, Randal Grichuk has punched his ticket. The numbers this spring? Let’s just say they won’t be framed and hung in Cooperstown—two hits in 16 at-bats isn’t exactly screaming “must-have.” But that’s not really why he’s here. Grichuk is the classic depth piece: a veteran bat, right-handed, with a reputation for punishing lefties and holding down a corner outfield spot without turning it into a circus.

Still, the ripple effects are hard to ignore.

Jasson Domínguez, who lit up spring like it owed him money, gets shipped to Triple-A. And now Cabrera joins him.

That’s the part that really hurts.

Because Cabrera didn’t just have a quiet spring—he had a brutal road to even get to spring. After that ugly injury in May 2025, he spent months stuck in a boot, rolling around on a scooter, watching his teammates from the sidelines and probably grinding his teeth down to dust. By the time 2026 camp rolled around, he was finally cleared, slowly working his way back, trying to rediscover timing that had been on pause for nearly a year.

And just when it looked like he was ready to re-enter the picture—boom. Ticket to Scranton.

Officially, it’s about getting him more at-bats. Unofficially? We’ve heard that one before.

So now Cabrera heads to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, tasked with proving—again—that he belongs. Maybe he forces their hand. Maybe he gets the call when the inevitable injury bug hits. Or maybe he becomes the latest name on the “what could’ve been” list.

Meanwhile, Grichuk settles into his role: veteran insurance policy, lefty-masher, bench piece with occasional pop. There’s value there, no doubt. The Yankees clearly see it.

But whether this move pays off—or just becomes another head-scratcher in a long line of Bronx decisions—is something we’re all about to find out.

PAUL DEJONG COULD PROVE TO BE A SOLID SIGNING

I’ve always had a soft spot for Paul DeJong, and even though I wasn’t expecting fireworks from him this spring, having a guy like that waiting on the bench is exactly the kind of quiet insurance a team loves. He’s been around the block, understands the flow of the game, and feels like the type of veteran who could slide into the New York Yankees clubhouse without missing a beat.

Despite signing DeJong to a minor-league deal, Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com has floated the idea that the former All-Star could sneak onto the Opening Day roster. That possibility becomes even more realistic if Oswaldo Cabrera isn’t fully ready after losing most of last season to an ankle fracture.

If that happens, DeJong suddenly becomes a very useful piece. With starting shortstop Anthony Volpe expected to miss time while recovering from shoulder surgery, the Yankees could use someone who brings both experience and flexibility to the infield. DeJong’s deal reportedly comes with a $1 million payday if he makes the big-league roster, and what he offers is pretty straightforward: steady defense across all four infield spots and a bat that still has some pop in it.

With Volpe likely out until at least May following labrum surgery, DeJong is basically competing to help hold the line early in the season. Jose Caballero is expected to handle most of the fill-in duties, but DeJong gives the Yankees a veteran option who’s been in big moments before.

And honestly, let’s be real for a second—if Volpe weren’t in the picture at all, the Yankees probably wouldn’t skip much of a beat running with Caballero and DeJong. Between the two of them, there’s enough defense, experience, and occasional power to keep things steady.

That’s why bringing DeJong in this offseason might end up looking like a sneaky smart move. It’s not flashy, but sometimes the best roster decisions are the ones you only notice when you suddenly need them. 

PAUL DEJONG IS THE YANKEES NEWEST BAND-AID SIGNING!

Okay, seriously what the HELL are we doing? The Blue Jays are out signing shiny new toys to their roster and we get the crappy insurance or depth piece scrubs that no one wants. This is what Brian Cashman can deliver with Hal Steinbrenner's penny budget.

Welcome to our new reality. While our division rivals get stronger, we just sit on our hands because Hal doesn't want to open his piggy bank. The latest proof is Paul DeJong as a freaking New York Yankee, yippee! You can read more HERE.

Again, Yippee! While we have dreamt of getting rid of Anthony Volpe, and would love to see it happen Cashman and company gives us another freaking scrub to the party. Hal said having a $300 million dollar payroll was "not sustainable" and that it would be ideal for payroll to go down, but that did NOT mean that was guaranteed to happen. The Yankees were still going to be in on big names....right.

We've all been gaslit. At this point, Tatsuya Imai signed with the cheating Houston ASSTROS, Cody Bellinger is still out there because the Yankees are playing hardball. We still need another starter and oh yeah....our bullpen is absolute crap! This season is going to be UGLY if the offseason continues like this.

Look, I know DeJong is just depth, especially while Volpe is out for the beginning of the season. DeJong is just a minor league signing with an invite to Spring Training that likely won't make the opening day roster but I am sick and tired of these lackluster depth pieces that are utter crap. I'm not saying depth isn't good....but the Yankees need to go out there and chase after the difference makers also and we aren't!

We aren't acting like the New York Yankees. This is not the picture of a hungry team trying to get back to a championship after 16 years! Now let's just add a bunch of crap depth pieces and make that bench even more crowded as we search for lightning in a bottle in hopes to complete with real powerhouse teams. It's STUPID! Two of the Yankees four bench spots are theoretically filled with Amed Rosario and J.C. Escarra so that leaves DeJong to compete with Oswaldo Cabrera, Jorbit Vivas, and Braden Shewmake for those last two spots. What a joke.

I'm beyond frustrated. I'm sick of the Yankees operating like the Athletics right now. If you want to win you have to make those big moves, also. I'm not saying make ALL of them, make strategic ones. The Yankees aren't making any and I am tired of biting my tongue!

This isn't a competitive team....this is bottom feeder all thanks to clowns Cashman and Hal!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THEY SAY BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO....BUT THE YANKEES NEED TO DO IT!

But sometimes it is REALLY a lot easier than we make it out to be. The Yankees are in that very spot right now. They have multiple infielders to choose from and while the rest of us can see that one of them simply isn't a good fit it's lost on the Yankees. Are the Yankees in denial or are they just brainless? They have to make a choice.....

They have to commit to one of them, but they have an inability to make the right choice. The Yankees have a massive problem at shortstop and I want to bang my head against a wall every time I see Anthony Volpe in the lineup. He's had three seasons and 486 regular season games to prove himself, but it just hasn't happened. 

There have been some flashes of brilliance, but a major league shortstop needs to have more than just moments. To be a shortstop for the New York Yankees you better have more than just potential. The Yankees love his pop and he can run but he's all or nothing at the plate and in the field he's his own worst enemy. We've watched three seasons riddled with errors. His first season he finished second for number of errors committed, second season he finished fourth and this season he was number one. Not a stat to be proud of.

Volpe has had more than enough time to show that he belongs. He's not the next great shortstop. He's no Derek Jeter. The Yankees must open up a shortstop competition this Spring to fill the position. I'd say look at Free Agency also but, the Yankees are not looking to invest in an expensive shortstop. They will look to throw their dollars elsewhere instead.

Lucky for the Yankees, they have another option. Not just another option actually, a GOOD option. The Yankees need to give Jose Caballero a real look as an everyday shortstop. Caballero is a better player in all areas of the game besides power. He has grit, and the Yankees have enough guys that are all swinging for the fences. He more than came through when the Yankees needed to bench Volpe, and it was refreshing to not watch VolpE6 as I like to call him.

The Yankees have Oswaldo Cabrera returning and George Lombard Jr also working his way up. Virtually anyone besides Volpe is worth a shot. The Yankees need a complete overhaul if they want to actually get back to a feared and formidable team. That means everyone from the front office to guys on the field. 

The Yankees have a lot of breaking up to do this winter. Volpe is just one of many. He had his chance.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

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.

CASHMAN'S LATEST MOVE IS A HEAD SCRATCHER & A LOG JAM ALL-IN-ONE!

If the Yankees didn't pick up any A's players for the next decade or so I really wouldn't mind. They haven't had a lot of luck dipping into the A's pool, and the latest move of picking up CJ Alexander on a waiver claim is pretty bizarre.

I'm all about depth, and that's exactly what this move is. But two weeks ago we said BRIAN CASHMAN IS LOOKING FOR A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK TO UPGRADE THE YANKEE ROSTER because his mission was for a right-handed infielder. A right-handed infielder doesn't sound hard but, this year it is. So I guess that is why we have a lefty....to stash down in Triple-A.

But for whatever reason, the Yankees feel it is necessary to use a 40-man roster spot on Alexander. He's only had four hits in his 25 plate appearances. The Yankees have had some bad luck in the infield this year with the habitual missed time from DJ LeMahieu, but also Jazz Chisholm and most recently losing Oswaldo Cabrera due to an ankle fracture. It never hurts to have some backup but is this a log jam in the making?

Right now Pablo Reyes and Oswald Peraza are ahead of Alexander on the big-league depth chart in terms of backup infielders, so how is Alexander supposed to crack the roster? It feels like a huge task to achieve unless the Yankees are getting ready to DFA one of the other guys? 

It feels like another log jam right now. Even if there is a solution coming to all of this, it is just another classic example of Cashman going dumpster diving in hopes of capturing lightning in a bottle. The Yankees have needed upgrades for a while, we've known it, and Cashman has told us what he's looking for.... but this just doesn't add up.

There are 50 days until the MLB trade deadline - this isn't the move that upgrades the Yankees. 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

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.

CABRERA IS DONE, BUT HIS WORDS TO JUDGE SHOWS YANKEE PRIDE!

Let’s just get this out of the way: Oswaldo Cabrera is now my guy. The slide was routine, but in a freak accident, the man appeared to be shot down at home plate like a hero in a war film—face in the dirt, heart in his chest, and pain written all over his twisted left ankle. It was dramatic and expected for a freak slide like that. I feel terrible for him.

For any of you that didn't see it, Cabrera was trying to score, giving it every ounce of hustle he had, tagging up on a fly ball from Aaron Judge with the bases loaded and one out. The moment he pivoted awkwardly to dodge Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh’s tag, his ankle said “no thanks,” and down he went.

And we all felt it. The air went out of all of us. This wasn’t one of those “he’ll walk it off” moments. He pounded the dirt three times with his fist—once for the pain, once for the frustration, and once because sometimes baseball just isn’t fair. He didn't just need help standing—he needed the full cart treatment, the kind you never want to see unless it's delivering bubble gum and sunflower seeds.

Yankees head trainer Tim Lentych was right there, comforting him as Cabrera covered his eyes. Probably trying to block out the pain, maybe the crowd, maybe the thought that the rest of his season just disappeared in a cloud of bad luck.

Meanwhile, over at MSG, Jayson Tatum of the Celtics managed to hurt himself without even being touched. Tripped on a ghost. Slipped on a vibe. Whatever it was, it left him crumpled on the hardwood with less than three minutes to go. Celtics center Al Horford said he was “concerned about Jayson,” and sure, that’s valid. But let’s be real—Tatum’s going to get a wheelchair fit for royalty and a recovery timeline sponsored by three orthopedic surgeons and a Netflix docuseries. It was a weird night for ankles.

Back to Cabrera: he doesn’t get the red carpet. He gets grit. He’s always gotten grit.

And that’s what makes this such a gut punch. Cabrera isn’t just some warm body off the bench. He’s the Swiss Army knife of the Yankees roster—the guy who will play anywhere, do anything, and smile while doing it. He was never supposed to be the star, but tell that to Yankee fans who’ve watched him turn bloopers into doubles, bad hops into outs, and quiet at-bats into clutch RBIs.

Every team dreams of having a guy like Oswaldo Cabrera. The Yankees had him—and now, thanks to a bad twist at home plate, they might not for a long time. He’s almost certainly done for the season. And no, these kinds of injuries aren’t easy to bounce back from. You don’t just ice it, slap some pine tar on it, and jog back out to third base.

And the saddest irony of all? While I'm praying daily for Oswald Peraza to finally get playing time, nobody wanted it to come like this. Not even close. Cabrera didn’t deserve this—he deserved more chances, more at-bats, more appreciation.

Because if you ask anyone in that clubhouse who bleeds pinstripes, Cabrera’s name is at the top of the list. He loves being a Yankee. And if you needed any proof of that, here’s a quote that deserves to be carved in Monument Park:

According to the G.O.A.T. Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record, when Aaron Judge knelt beside Cabrera as he lay in pain, Cabrera didn’t ask for help. He didn’t complain. What did he say?

“Judgie, did I score?”

Wrap that quote in pinstripes and hang it in the dugout. That’s who Oswaldo Cabrera is—a competitor, through and through. He wasn’t worried about his ankle, his season, or his MRI. He wanted to know if he got the run in.

Judge said it best: “Kind of shows you what type of guy he is. He loves being a Yankee, he wears his jersey with pride.”

So yeah, the Yankees won the game. And yeah, the Knicks now lead the Celtics 3–1. But nothing feels like a win when your heart-and-hustle guy gets carted off the field.

Here’s to Oswaldo Cabrera—Yankee glue guy, hustle king, and the kind of player every fan should root for. Heal up fast, Cabby. Bronx baseball isn’t the same without you.

THE WORLD OF BAD BOONE DECISIONS COMING TO A HEAD ONCE AGAIN

The Yankees have officially bumped DJ LeMahieu’s rehab assignment from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre — a clear sign that he is being fast-tracked back to the Bronx. And if manager Aaron Boone has his way, LeMahieu could be activated as soon as this weekend when the Yankees begin a West Coast trip in Sacramento against the A’s.

This all might seem like just another step in a rehab stint — if it weren’t for the painfully predictable context. The Yankees are once again solving a short-term problem with a long-term mistake.

Let’s go straight to Fansided, who nailed it with this blisteringly accurate take:

"Yankees shouldn't factor DJ LeMahieu into their second-base plans. It’s not surprising that Boone is eager to bring back LeMahieu this early in the season — especially with Jazz Chisholm Jr. out for the next four to six weeks at least with an oblique injury. While utility man Oswaldo Cabrera can shift to second and has made high-level plays there in the past, Boone hasn’t been impressed with his production so far."

Exactly. Couldn’t have said it better. And yet, here we are — watching Aaron Boone, the king of bad timing and worse decisions, line up a 35-year-old coming off a calf injury for a return to one of the most physically demanding spots on the diamond. All because Jazz Chisholm Jr. went down and Boone doesn’t trust Cabrera, who, for all his inconsistencies at the plate, is at least healthy and defensively competent.

The irony? This is the same DJ LeMahieu the Yankees already moved off second base two years ago. Why? Age. Wear. Reduced mobility. You name it. It was obvious then, and it’s even more obvious now. Yet Boone seems to think the calendar reads 2019 and DJ still has spring in his step.

Boone criticizing Cabrera’s production is rich, considering his own managerial résumé is built on wasted potential and mind-numbing in-game decisions. But if Boone has a talent for anything, it’s putting players in the worst possible positions and acting surprised when it backfires.

Let’s be real: DJ LeMahieu still has a role on this team. It’s just not at second base. At this point, forcing him back there isn't about strategy — it's about panic. And panic, more than anything, has been the defining trait of Boone’s tenure.

So yes, Fansided is spot on. Rushing DJ back and sticking him at second is just another page in Boone’s ever-expanding book of managerial misfires. It’s not solving a problem — it’s begging for another one.

BIG DOUBLE HEADER WIN & MORE BRENDAN DONOVAN CHATTER

Fresh off a doubleheader sweep and a monster day for the Yankees on Sunday, why are we even stressing about finding a new third baseman? The offense finally looks like it remembered what bats are for. If anything, maybe we should be shopping for some arms, not gloves. But hey, duty calls — and I can’t ignore this Brendan Donovan chatter that's bubbling up again.

We’ve kicked this around before here at BYB, but now Dylan Sanders over at Yankees on SI is stirring the pot again. He’s pitching Cardinals Swiss Army knife Brendan Donovan — team-controlled through 2027 — as the guy to patch up the Yankees’ infield woes.

Sanders writes: “The Cardinals are knee-deep in a rebuild and this could be their golden ticket to move Donovan. He’s been outstanding this season and his trade value is through the roof.” Hard to argue: Donovan's hitting a sizzling .367 with three homers and 15 RBI, leading the entire National League in batting average. Not bad for a guy who brings a Gold Glove and a do-it-all résumé to the table.

Of course, Donovan’s been a white whale for the Yankees the last couple of off seasons now, with St. Louis clutching him tighter than a toddler with a teddy bear. So, what we’ve got here is a classic game of "hurry up and wait" — lots of buzz, little movement.

In the meantime, can we take a second to appreciate that Oswaldo Cabrera is holding his own just fine? Third base drama will always be a Yankee tradition, but for now, let’s enjoy the wins — and maybe, just maybe, save the trade talk for when the bats cool off.

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