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. 

WE'RE THE MARLINS... WITH BETTER BRANDING

The Yankees keep telling us this is a plan. A strategy. A carefully calculated offseason chess match. But from the cheap seats, it looks a lot more like a staring contest where they refuse to blink while the rest of the league is actively improving.

Here we are, deep into the 2026 offseason, and the New York Yankees are still stockpiling “depth” like it’s toilet paper in March 2020, all while pretending they’re calmly waiting on their one and only white whale: Cody Bellinger. One target. One guy. Months of awkward silence. No leverage. No urgency. Just vibes.

And isn’t that the saddest part? This entire offseason has been reduced to a single, drawn-out charade. The Yankees want us to believe they’re fine waiting Bellinger out, that he’ll eventually realize how lucky he’d be to wear the pinstripes. But reality keeps tapping them on the shoulder and saying, “Hey guys… he doesn’t need you. We need him.”

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: the Yankees need to improve. Period. Not later. Not hypothetically. Now. Bellinger isn’t some luxury item you haggle over at a flea market. He can field. He can hit. He’s already proven he can help this team, just like he did in 2025. The problem isn’t Cody Bellinger. The problem is Yankee ego.

The organization seems convinced Bellinger would be foolish to walk away from their offer. Meanwhile, Bellinger is sitting comfortably, unmoved, watching the Yankees slowly negotiate against themselves. Because Bellinger doesn’t need the Yankees. The Yankees need Bellinger. That’s the bottom line.

And you know how we know the front office knows it too? Because the desperation leaks out in the fine print. Enter Seth Brown. Outfielder. First baseman. Minor league deal. Triple-A “insurance.” Translation: “We’re bracing for the fact that this probably isn’t going our way.”

That’s not aggression. That’s not competitiveness. That’s a franchise backing into the offseason with its hands up, hoping no one notices the white flag tucked into the back pocket. Signing Seth Brown as insurance isn’t a plan, it’s an admission. They know they might lose Bellinger, and instead of pivoting boldly, they’re padding the couch cushions and hoping something shakes loose.

This is a defensive organization now. Reactive. Hesitant. Clueless about how to actually close deals in the modern MLB marketplace.

And let’s stop pretending the Yankee brand is what it used to be. This isn’t the 1970s. This isn’t the 1990s. The mystique is gone. Today’s Yankees aren’t about relentlessly improving the roster, they’re about making sure the revenue streams stay warm and cozy. Merchandise still sells. The stadium still fills. The logo still prints money.

The team could finish in last place and, as long as fans keep buying jerseys and beers, the machine keeps humming. Winning championships has become optional. Profit is not.

As they continue trying to re-sign Bellinger as the centerpiece of their entire offseason, the Yankees have “supplemented” the roster with a grab bag of minor league signings: Seth Brown, Paul DeJong, Zack Short. Behold, the reinforcements. Hardly a band of heroes. 

If it works, great. If it doesn’t, who cares? You’ll still go to the games. You’ll still buy the merch. And that’s exactly the problem.

Nothing changes because nothing has to.

Attendance tells the story. The Yankees peaked in 2008 at the old Stadium with over 4.29 million fans, then again in 2010 at the new place with more than 3.76 million. After that? A steady decline, bottoming out around 3.06 million in 2016. Recently, attendance has stabilized and even grown, with over 3.39 million fans showing up in 2025, third-best in baseball.  But let’s be honest about why. The World Series run in 2024 helped, sure. But the real draw has been Aaron Judge. Watching him chase history. Watching greatness in real time. That’s been refreshing. That’s been special.

But players age. Windows close. Judge is getting older, and there’s still no championship to show for it. Hope exists, sure, but hope without action is just marketing.

The Yankees aren’t winning championships anymore. They’re just… playing. Expensively. Loudly. Mediocre.

Fans have been crystal clear about their frustrations: unrealistic expectations used as excuses, a lack of accountability, flawed team-building philosophies, and a front office that somehow manages to underperform despite having every financial advantage imaginable. The Yankees are no longer the gold standard. They’re just another big-budget team spinning its wheels while rivals pass them by.

Call me negative if you want. But this isn’t the Yankee team I fell in love with. Brian Cashman and his front office philosophy have drained the soul out of it. Aaron Boone is a mouthpiece, not a leader. I still love the players. I still root for them. They’re stuck in baseball purgatory, and that’s not their fault.

Ownership can scream about performance all they want, but if you don’t give players the tools, what do you expect? Look at the Dodgers. That’s what commitment looks like. That’s what actually trying to win feels like.

The Yankees aren’t top-tier anymore. They’re not dominant. They’re not feared.

The Yankees? We’re the Marlins now, just with better branding.

Get used to it.

THE END OF WHAT MY NEW YORK YANKEES USED TO REPRESENT

Call it dramatic if you want, but this Yankees franchise is no longer living large. The New York Yankees, the supposed gold standard of professional sports, are operating in something that looks a whole lot like survival mode. And I say that as someone who has bled Yankee blue for decades. I have lived through bad teams, weird teams, transition teams, and aging-dynasty teams. What I have never lived through is an offseason quite like this one: timid, directionless, and drenched in alligator arms.

This isn’t patience, gang. This isn’t strategy. This isn’t some grand chess match where Brian Cashman is secretly five moves ahead of the rest of baseball. This is an organization sitting on its hands, congratulating itself for not spending money, while the rest of the league treats urgency like oxygen.

And yet, somehow, we the fans are supposed to be scolded for being angry.

Enter Michael Kay, stage left, wagging his finger at the fanbase like a disappointed substitute teacher. Kay can whine, lecture, and condescend all he wants, but the reality is painfully obvious: his commentary has drifted so far from the lived reality of Yankees fans that it’s become unrecognizable. Let’s not play dumb here. Michael Kay is paid handsomely through the YES Network, the Yankees’ own broadcast arm. That paycheck clears because the organization signs it, not because fans clap politely when the team sleepwalks through an offseason. When Kay lashes out at us fans, it’s not analysis. It’s insulation. His wallet is doing the talking.

And here’s the thing he seems to have forgotten the moment he handed in his fan card: fans are allowed to be mad. In fact, being mad is often the most honest form of fandom. We invest time, money, emotion, and generational loyalty. Anger isn’t betrayal. Apathy is.

The Yankees lost last year. Not “just short.” Not “one bounce away.” They lost. Which means the assignment this offseason was painfully clear: improve the team in a meaningful way. Add impact. Add stars. Add players who scare opposing teams in October.

Instead, here’s the receipt:

Ryan Weathers, acquired for four prospects to “bolster depth.”

Kaleb Ort, claimed off waivers.

Paul DeJong, minor league deal.

Sebastian Pinto, minor league deal.

Trent Grisham, qualifying offer accepted.

Amed Rosario, one-year versatility play.

Paul Blackburn, re-signed.

Ryan Yarbrough, re-signed.

Nick Torres, minor league deal.

Tim Hill, re-signed.

That’s not a championship plan. That’s a clearance rack with pinstripes on it.

Not one All-Star caliber stud. Not one needle-mover. Not one player who walks into a postseason series and forces the other dugout to change its strategy. This is a collection of depth pieces being sold as vision.

Meanwhile, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón won’t be ready for Opening Day. The shortstop we’re told is “elite” won’t even sniff the field until summer. The catcher who was hyped as the next great stopper hasn’t stopped much of anything and only batting .214. 

And hovering over all of it is Aaron Judge, a generational superstar wasting prime years on a roster that refuses to meet him halfway. Every season that passes without serious reinforcement is another year of malpractice. Judge will retire one day never seeing a championship if this front office continues to lead blind.

The front office’s greatest blind spot remains the same: baseball is played by humans, not spreadsheets. Chemistry matters. Urgency matters. Accountability matters. You can’t model heart, confidence, or fearlessness in a back-office algorithm, no matter how pretty the Excel file looks.

And where is ownership in all of this? Where is Hal Steinbrenner? Where is Randy Levine? Once upon a time, the people at the top didn’t hide when the Yankees underachieved. Now they’re silent, distant, and seemingly detached from the product on the field. Cashman tells us long-term contracts limit flexibility. Steinbrenner promises aggression without recklessness. Fine words. Empty results again.

The Yankees print money. Roughly $700 million a year in revenue. That’s not a small-market excuse. That’s a financial juggernaut choosing restraint while fans are told to be grateful for prudence. There is zero justification for this level of inactivity. None.

Fans have every right to be furious. We pay for season tickets, parking, concessions, jerseys, streaming packages, and cable networks. We show up 162 times a year emotionally, even when the team doesn’t. Wanting a championship isn’t entitlement. It’s the standard this franchise taught us to expect.

And if nothing changes by spring, if Aaron Boone is still wandering the dugout without consequence, if 2026 is once again sold as “trust the process,” then yes, fans should consider drastic responses. Boycotts. Walkaways. Silence where noise used to be. Because loyalty without accountability is just being taken advantage of.

For the first time in my life, I’ve even questioned my own fandom. I’ve thought about walking away for a season. I’ve thought about shutting down Bleeding Yankee Blue, a blog that’s been alive since 2010, because the frustration has curdled into something worse: sadness. This front office doesn’t seem to understand what fans want, or worse, doesn’t care.

It has been a championship drought since 2009 despite sky-high payrolls. Analysts and former players alike have called out unbalanced rosters, outdated thinking, and a fixation on bargain-bin signings. Too many DH-types. No first-base stability. A power-or-nothing approach that collapses under pressure. No urgency. No consequences. No fear of failure.

That’s on Brian Cashman. That’s on Aaron Boone, who would rather be liked than respected. And it’s on voices like Michael Kay, who should be holding this organization’s feet to the fire instead of blaming fans for noticing the smoke. You're pathetic Kay. Shame on you.

Don’t tell us how to root. Don’t insult our intelligence. And don’t pretend this is fine.

This used to be the New York Yankees. Now it feels like a brand slowly being run into the ground by people who confuse comfort with competence. At this point, why not bring Frankie Montas back and call it a day?

Sad.

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

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER IDEA FOR THE YANKEE INFIELD

In true YankeeLand fashion, the conversation once again shifts to potential infield solutions for the New York Yankees. The latest name to enter the rumor mill? Former All-Star Paul DeJong, as noted by Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

With Jazz Chisholm offering versatility at both second and third base, the Yankees have the luxury of exploring various options as you have seen in many of our infield posts on Bleeding Yankee Blue.

DeJong began the 2024 season playing shortstop for the Chicago White Sox before finishing the final 37 games with the Kansas City Royals, manning third base. At 31, DeJong has predominantly played for the St. Louis Cardinals, the team that drafted him in the fourth round of the 2015 draft. He quickly climbed through the minor league ranks, making his MLB debut in 2017.

A 2019 All-Star and the 2017 Rookie of the Year runner-up, DeJong posted a .227 batting average, 24 home runs, and 56 RBIs last season. His solid defensive skills could make him a fitting addition to the Yankees' infield.

That said, a move for an infielder might not be necessary. Jazz Chisholm Jr. seems poised to become a regular at second base, which would leave third base to a rotation of DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Oswald Peraza. 

Whether or not DeJong joins the mix, it's safe to say the Yankees have plenty of intriguing options.

IS PAUL DEJONG A GOOD FIT IN THE BRONX?

 A nice nugget here from Yanks go Yard and worth reporting here on BYB.  Paul DeJong, a solid St. Louis Cardinal... and the idea of him being traded to the Yankees. Is this possible? Yup? Will it happen? Unsure... but check this out:

"Should the Yankees give the St. Louis Cardinals a call about Paul DeJong?

He certainly struggled in 2021, but his worst-case scenario is a solid utility guy — and, oh, well, one problem: he’s under control for a very long time. Could be a good thing! But, at first blush, seems bad.

DeJong is currently signed through 2023, in the midst of a below-market six-year, $26 million deal signed prior to the 2018 season. Still just 28 years old, he also comes with a pair of team options for 2024 ad 2025, options the Cardinals presumably assumed they’d use instead of transferring the shortstop position to Edmundo Sosa for a good portion of 2021 (DeJong played 107 games at short)...

...In that case, what’s the match here? If it’s Deivi Garcia, who also struggled mightily last year, sure (though how the mighty have fallen). If the Cardinals require power and pedigree and insist on Austin Wells, maybe not so much.

A stopgap in wolf’s clothing is still a stopgap, and we have no overtures that DeJong will suddenly turn back into 2019 DJ LeMahieu the second he gets out of comfortable St. Louis."

The bottom line for me is DeJong is a solid alternative and could cost a hell of a lot less than Carlos Correa.  And if that's the case, maybe we could seriously consider Freddie Freeman at first base for the Yankees long term.  It's clear the Yankees are not interested in Anthony Rizzo. If they were, it would have happened before the lockout.

Nice piece by Yanks go Yard and something to seriously consider.