PABLO REYES IS GONZO

Pablo Reyes is officially a free agent again, and the Yankees barely blinked. After getting the ol’ DFA treatment to make room for Giancarlo Stanton’s return, Reyes went unclaimed on waivers and chose to hit the open market — where he’ll now join the long line of players who’ve been chewed up and spit out by a Yankees front office that treats its “expendables” like yesterday’s batting practice balls. Yes, it’s a business. But maybe, just maybe, a little dignity wouldn’t kill anyone.

Reyes wasn’t flashy, but he was serviceable. The guy made the Opening Day roster after a solid spring and stuck around for over two months — despite getting tossed into the lineup like a leftover side dish. He logged just 34 plate appearances, mostly filling in wherever someone needed a breather: second, third, even a cameo in right field. His .194 average? Not great. But how do you expect anyone to stay sharp when they’re being used like a backup umbrella?

Meanwhile, Oswald Peraza — also out of options — was the other choice when the roster crunch came. And while he’s younger and still technically labeled a “prospect,” he’s done little with the bat to earn the benefit of the doubt. Yet, here he is, still hanging on. The Yankees killed his value by never playing him. Stay tuned on what happens to him next.

But let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Anthony Volpe. How is it that Volpe, who has looked completely overmatched at the plate more often than not, gets the full golden boy treatment? Reyes gets the boot, Peraza barely plays, and yet Volpe is untouchable. Why? Because he was hyped up as the next Derek Jeter before he ever took a big-league swing? At some point, the Yankees need to stop treating “potential” like it’s a security clearance. The numbers are the numbers, and Volpe’s bat has been… let’s be generous and call it a “work in progress.”

Reyes isn’t a star. He’s a journeyman trying to hang on. But the way these fringe players get cast aside — with no real shot and even less transparency — says a lot about how this organization operates. Loyalty is a one-way street in the Bronx. Unless your name is Anthony Volpe, apparently.

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 YANKEES HAVE A BIG PROBLEM IN THE INFIELD!

I know everyone is buzzing over the Home Run derby we saw in Saturday's game. I admit, that was a lot of fun to watch. It was nice to see, and a nice reminder that this team can hit but it's not my big takeaway from the weekend. We need to hit but the defense is equally important and that was a huge miss.

It's a reminder for me, honestly. I am having horrible World Series flashbacks. The Yankees big defensive concerns from 2024 were on display again, in the second game of a long season. The Yankees committed 5 errors Saturday leaving a sour reminder for me despite a 20 run offensive onslaught. What a sour note in an otherwise exciting game.

I've had some people tell me "calm down, the Yankees won a baseball game with a football score. Enjoy it." It's hard to enjoy watching when Jazz Chisholm, Max Fried and Anthony Volpe each made an error and then Pablo Reyes made TWO at the hot corner. This is a problem.

Now we see how not having a solid third baseman could be the downfall of this team. I thought we could manage at least for a while, maybe trade deadline even but if this isn't just first time jitters with his new team we are screwed. This is the reminder that not having a solid third baseman could be a big weakness for us and Brian Cashman better be trying to work the phones and look for other guys placed on waivers....because I don't think Reyes is gonna work out.

Cashman has a history of going dumpster diving and looking for that guy who is going to be lightening in the bottle and surprise us all. The problem is, it fails more often then not. We all knew DJ LeMahieu wasn't gonna work out, but instead of reinforcing the roster which meant spending more money....we get Reyes because the Yankees don't wanna spend more right now. 

Looking back at Saturday, it didn't make sense for Aaron Boone to use Reyes here. Fried is a soft contact, groundball pitcher and the Yankees needed their best glove regardless of offensive production, and in no scenario of bench guys would that be Reyes. The Yankees don't have an ideal guy here, we all know this but I wouldn't have chosen Reyes there.

I know it is only one game, and I really hope I am wrong, but I don't think Reyes is the answer at the hot corner.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

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DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE 9 HOMERS. ERRORS WILL KILL A FRANCHISE.

A "ROYCE LEWIS TO THE YANKEES" JUST CAME OUT OF NO WHERE

You gotta leave it to Jim Bowden, he sure does keep us all on our toes. 

The former MLB exec turned analyst never fails to bring the chaos, and honestly, baseball is better for it. His latest masterpiece? A trade proposal that would send Twins third baseman Royce Lewis to the Yankees in exchange for a few guys, including the one and only Oswald Peraza.

Now, let’s just state for the record: this prediction is a bunch of bunk. And that’s totally fine! Bowden’s wild ideas keep the baseball world buzzing, and we all need something to debate besides whether the Yankees should have a beard policy in 2025.

But this trade? It’s just not it.

Look, I like Peraza. I really do. But the writing is on the wall—there’s just no room for him. He’s been leapfrogged on the Yankees’ depth chart by the mighty Pablo Reyes, who, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, is likely to snag the Opening Day roster spot Peraza was hoping for. And Reyes has earned it, slashing .326/.434/.488 this spring while showing versatility all over the field. Meanwhile, Peraza, out of minor-league options, is suddenly the odd man out.

So, sure, trading Peraza makes sense. But for Royce Lewis? Really? If the Yankees are moving a young talent like Peraza, it should be for pitching—something the team desperately needs. Why would they ship him off for a third baseman when Reyes just proved he’s more than capable of handling the hot corner? It’s like buying another car when your house is on fire—probably not the best use of resources.

And that brings us back to Bowden. Jim, you delightful chaos agent, what are we doing here? Do we appreciate your enthusiasm for stirring the pot? Absolutely. But this one’s a hard pass. The Yankees don’t need to make this deal, and unless the Twins are in the business of handing out young stars for pennies on the dollar, they don’t either.

That being said, keep the takes coming, Jim. Baseball wouldn’t be the same without them.

CASHMAN'S ABOUT TO SHIP OUT PERAZA

Oswald Peraza is giving everything he has, and for that, he deserves our respect. Sure, he's stumbled, but he’s a hard-working, dependable player and—dare I say it—a better defensive shortstop than Anthony Volpe. But let’s be real, that doesn’t matter to the Yankees. Peraza doesn’t have the "face," he’s not the marketable golden boy they want, and that’s why his ticket out of town is practically stamped. How do I know? Because Brian Cashman drops breadcrumbs, and they’re the poisonous kind.

Cashman recently said Peraza is having a "good camp" in his eyes and admitted that the former top prospect is still in the mix to make the team. But then, when asked about Pablo Reyes, Cashman called the utility man the "predominant" right-handed bat. Translation: Peraza is already a number 2 guy on the depth chart, which is as good as a pink slip in this organization.

And right on cue, the Yankees trotted out the puppet of puppets, Aaron "No Championships" Boone, to reinforce the message. Boone, doing his best parrot impersonation, said of Peraza: “Struggled a little bit over the last week or two offensively after a good start [to camp] offensively. I think he’s been really good defensively. I’ve loved how he’s looked at third ... but it’s been up and down a little bit offensively."

You know who else is "up and down" offensively? Anthony Volpe. The golden boy batted .208 this spring in 17 games. Peraza? .174 in 19 games. Both are putting up Joey Gallo numbers, so what exactly is Boone’s point? At this stage, it’s a roll of the dice if we were choosing between those 2, but the Yankees have already decided who gets the benefit of the doubt. Spoiler alert: it’s not Peraza. Just like poor Dominic Smith, Peraza is spinning his wheels in a game that’s already been decided. Smith opted out, got the hell out of there... he knew the writing was on the wall. 

So, what happens now between Reyes and Peraza? The Yankees will pretend to let it play out, but the reality is, they’ve picked their guy. And it’s Reyes—I can feel it. If the final decision is between those two, Peraza is in trouble.

Look, I don’t want to prematurely ship Peraza off—he’s my guy. But much like Gleyber Torres before him, the Yankees hold certain players to a standard of perfection while letting others skate by because their minds are already made up. Reyes this Spring is the better player this is true, but Peraza has enormous heart and can get there. 

The truth? Peraza, the player with no options left, is probably gone. And when he succeeds elsewhere, just remember it didn’t have to be this way.

YANKEES SIGN THEIR UTILITY MAN

Pablo Reyes, who recently played for the enemy (both the Red Sox and Mets, no less), is now switching sides to join the Yankees. The 31-year-old utilityman signed a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training, giving him a shot at playing in pinstripes in 2025.

Reyes debuted with the Pirates in 2018 and has since played 233 MLB games, hitting .248 with eight homers and 54 RBI. After a PED suspension in 2020, he bounced back, spending 2023 and 2024 splitting time between Boston, the Mets’ Triple-A squad, and the occasional highlight reel. While his numbers won’t make anyone forget Babe Ruth (.658 OPS in the Bigs, .864 in Triple-A last year), Reyes brings defensive versatility and a chance to add depth to the Yankees' roster.

With the Yankees dealing with injuries and inconsistency in recent years, Reyes might be called on sooner than expected. His ability to play multiple positions could make him a valuable plug-and-play option. And let’s face it—Yankees fans will enjoy reminding Red Sox fans that even their role players can’t resist the allure of the Bronx.