COULD JUDGE PASS ICHIRO?

It almost feels sacrilegious to say it—but here we are, putting Aaron Judge’s name in the same breath as Ichiro Suzuki. Ichiro! The man was a walking poem of precision, the artist who painted doubles down the line like Monet dabbed lilies on canvas. And yet, somehow, we’re watching Judge, the Yankees' skyscraper of a slugger, chip away at a record we thought belonged forever in Ichiro’s museum wing.

Let’s be clear: Aaron Judge isn’t just mashing baseballs into orbit this year—he’s doing something more cerebral, more surgical. We are witnessing history. He’s picking pitches like a sommelier picks wine. He’s turning at-bats into chess matches. And he’s racking up hits like he’s getting paid by the stitch on the baseball seams.

Sure, Judge’s swing has all the subtlety of a wrecking ball, but it’s the precision this season that’s got people buzzing. He’s not just crushing. He’s collecting. Singles, doubles, and everything in between—he’s finding the holes, beating the shift, and refusing to give pitchers a single breath of hope.

Now, here’s the part that’ll make your baseball brain do a double-take: Judge is flirting with the kind of hit pace that lands you in Ichiro territory. As in, 262-hits-in-one-season territory.  Judge has 97 hits and it's only June 11th! And while there’s still a summer’s worth of baseball to go, it’s impossible to ignore what’s unfolding—history, right in front of our faces.

It’s worth noting that Ichiro set that record without the luxury of a Murderers' Row around him. Judge? He’s got a batting order behind him that could start a small war. But it doesn’t make what he’s doing any less jaw-dropping. If Ichiro was a scalpel, Judge is a sledgehammer—but they’re both doing the same thing: rewriting what greatness looks like in the batter’s box.

So yes, it’s wild to compare the stoic magician from Japan to the towering titan from California. But this version of Aaron Judge is more than just a home run machine. He’s something else now—something rarer. He’s Ichiro with power. He’s contact and chaos. He’s making history, and we’re lucky enough to watch him do it in real time.

ROC RIGGIO IS THE REAL THING!

Let’s take a minute to talk about a guy who’s turning heads, lighting up the stat sheet, and making Yankees brass look smarter than they probably are: Roc Riggio. Yes, that Roc Riggio — the same guy I told you about the second the Yankees drafted him in the 4th round back in July 2023. I said then, and I quote:

"If you don't know him, know this… you will love him. He’s about as hardnosed as it gets."
I stand by that. Hell, I double down on it now.

Riggio is currently torching minor league pitching like it personally insulted him. The lefty-swinging second baseman — ranked 24th in the Yankees system — isn’t just improving this season. He’s going scorched-earth. In just 27 games in 2025, he’s already got 11 home runs, including four bombs in five games at Double-A. Pitchers are looking confused. Scouts are buzzing. And Yankee fans? We might finally have something cooking in the farm system.

It’s not just the power, either. Roc’s approach is sharper. He’s laying off junk. Seeing the ball better. Hitting the ball harder. His OPS has skyrocketed, and he's making more consistent, violent contact — the kind that makes you glance at the radar gun just to see if the ball left a vapor trail.

Now, yes — the glove needs a little work. He’s a second baseman who’s still finding his rhythm defensively, and we’re not about to crown him Roberto Alomar. But with the Yankees desperately trying to patch holes from within, Riggio’s bat might be too loud to ignore. A September call-up? Maybe. Trade bait? Possibly. Either way, he’s getting harder and harder to stash.

What makes Riggio such a gem isn’t just the talent — it’s the edge. He’s got that fiery, come-at-me attitude that old-school fans worship and the modern game tries to sanitize. He taunts. He grinds. He plays with a chip on both shoulders. In an era when players are afraid to even raise their voice, Roc is out here playing like it's a bar fight in the bottom of the 9th. I love it. We need it.

I said it when he was just a college sophomore: this dude is built different. I just hope — pray — the Yankees don’t ruin him. Don’t mess with his mojo. Don’t over-coach him. Just let the kid be himself. Because if they do? If they let him grow and give him a shot?

Roc Riggio won’t just be a name you remember.
He’ll be the name you chant in October...one day for sure.

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.

STANTON ON TRACK, BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO RICE?

Giancarlo Stanton is almost ready to rise from the injured list like a phoenix with sore elbows. The Yankees slugger, sidelined by a delightful double dose of elbow tendonitis, is set to begin a rehab stint with the Double-A Somerset Patriots, per Bryan Hoch. 

For Yankee fans, this is mostly good news—Stanton's power is undeniable, and his return adds another thumper to the lineup. But for manager Aaron Boone? Well... let’s just say decision-making hasn’t always been his strong suit.

In theory, Stanton could be back in pinstripes within two weeks, depending on how well he looks during his minor league tune-up. But his return brings a looming question—what happens to Ben Rice?

Rice has been a revelation: a breath of fresh air in a dugout full of stale million-dollar contracts. He’s been producing, energizing, and making the case for himself to stay. And yet, we all know how the Yankees operate. If you’ve got a massive contract and a name-brand bat—broken elbows or not—you’re getting penciled in. That's just how this franchise rolls: talent be damned, the money plays.

To be fair, Stanton has been a fan favorite when he’s healthy and mashing. But replacing a red-hot Rice with a guy fresh off the IL and likely wearing more kinesiology tape than a CrossFit tournament feels...wrong. Still, the Yankees have a history of letting big contracts dictate the lineup card, no matter how rickety the bodies attached to them become.

So yes, Stanton’s return is technically a good thing. The man can still send baseballs into low orbit. But the real drama will unfold in how the Yankees juggle Rice and Stanton. Boone’s got a puzzle on his hands. Let’s just hope he doesn’t try to solve it with a hammer.

Stay tuned—this is either a comeback story or the beginning of another awkward roster shuffle. Classic Yankees.

YANKEE FANS WANT CHANGE WHEN IT COMES TO CLUELESS BOONE

So let me get this straight. Now Yankee fans are mad at Aaron Boone? Now that the Red Sox handed us a fresh plate of embarrassment? Where were you all when the rest of us were hoarse from screaming about this guy’s managerial brain fog for years? Welcome to the rage parade—nice of you to show up—but honestly, we could’ve used your pitchforks a few seasons ago.

Let’s stop pretending that Aaron Boone’s winning record means anything. Yeah, he's got some regular season numbers. Whoopee. You know who else had a winning record? Every substitute teacher who rolled the ball out in gym class and called it a day. Boone’s record is the equivalent of passing with a C-minus because the test was open book and graded on a curve. If you don’t win in October, it’s all just mediocre window dressing.

This team hasn’t won a championship under Boone. And this isn't the little-engine-that-could Oakland A’s. This is the New York Yankees. Championships are the standard. Mediocrity shouldn’t be tolerated, much less rewarded. And Boone? Mediocrity might as well be his middle name. Aaron "That’ll Do" Boone. It fits.

Let’s talk decision-making. Or lack thereof.

Luke Weaver? Boone squeezed every drop out of him like a used tube of toothpaste. Surprise! Now Weaver’s hamstring is toast. Then there's Ryan Yarbrough—Boone trots him out like he's Pedro Martinez in 2003, and surprise again, the guy gets torched.

The bullpen moves? Don’t even get me started. Ian Hamilton got the call the other night when several better options were sipping Gatorade and blinking in confusion. It was like watching someone grab a fork to unclog a garbage disposal—dangerous, dumb, and entirely preventable.

But the pièce de résistance? The Carlos Rodón debacle. Yankees were up 3-2 in the fifth after a rare DJ LeMahieu home run. Boone, trying to get just one more inning out of Rodón—because apparently learning from mistakes is optional—left him in. Walk. Hit by pitch. Boom. Three-run homer by former Yankee Carlos Narváez. Just like that, the lead was gone and so was any shred of logic in Boone’s brain.

And here’s the thing: as Yanks Go Yard put it, nobody’s buying Boone’s postgame excuse. Rodón had already shown he was teetering—he's the kind of pitcher who goes from dominant to dumpster fire with the grace of a falling piano. So why was he still in the game? Because Boone refuses to trust his gut. Or worse… maybe there’s nothing in the gut to trust.

This is what happens when your entire philosophy is built around spreadsheets. Boone is glued to the analytics fed to him by Michael Fishman—who, let’s face it, should probably be using his data wizardry to simulate wins in The Show instead of meddling with real ones.

Look, I hate to be that guy, but maybe Boone’s just not wired for this job. Something’s off. The game moves too fast for him. Strategy flies over his head like a missed cutoff throw. The Yankees need a manager, not a lab tech with a dugout pass.

This can’t wait until the end of the season. Fire him now. Not after a seven-game losing streak. Not after another playoff disaster. Now. Before we waste yet another year.

Boone’s time is up. The fans know it. The players probably know it. The wins may be there on paper, but on the field? It's mediocrity in motion.

And we’re done watching the same rerun.

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

WHY DID THE YANKEES MAKE THIS MOVE?

In a move that left most of us blinking at our phones like we just read a typo, the New York Yankees used one of their open 40-man roster spots on Sunday to claim CJ Alexander off waivers from…the Oakland Athletics. Yes, those A's. Yes, CJ Alexander. Yes, we’re also Googling him.

This all started when the A’s needed to clear space for right-hander Michael Kelly, who was returning from MLB’s “You Gambled on What?!” list. Kelly had been exiled to the restricted list after a suspension for some small-time betting activity—think more parlay slips than Pete Rose. As Kelly returned, Alexander hit the waiver wire like a barely-used couch on the sidewalk—and the Yankees, apparently redecorating, scooped him up.

So, who is CJ Alexander? He's got a smooth lefty swing that occasionally shows signs of life in Triple-A. “Occasionally” being the operative word. The guy looks the part—tall, athletic, hits from the left side—but hasn’t exactly forced his way into the big leagues. He’s 27 and still trying to figure it out in the minors. But hey, he’s a third baseman and the Yankees love a good lottery ticket.

Maybe this was about depth. Maybe it’s about needing another bat for Scranton while waiting for the next minor-league savior to arrive. Maybe there’s a hidden analytical gem here. Or maybe… just maybe, the Yankees saw a guy the A’s didn’t want and thought, “Sure. Why not?”

But here’s the real question: Why did we do this?

Of all the options out there, of all the needs this roster has, this is the move that burns a 40-man spot?

We get it—depth matters. But this is like using your one phone call from jail to order takeout. Feels…misplaced.

The Yankees will now see if Alexander can channel that swing into something productive. Until then, he’s a name on a list and a bat in a RailRiders uniform. Maybe he clicks. Maybe he’s just a placeholder. Either way, CJ, welcome aboard. We’ll be over here wondering what just happened.

ANOTHER AARON BOONE DECISION LOSES GAME FOR YANKS

Here we go again. Another game, another avoidable Yankees loss, and — spoiler alert — another chapter in Aaron Boone’s How Not to Manage a Bullpen masterclass.

The Yankees coughed up a lost to the Sox. A 10-7 win, Yanks lose. Painful? Sure. Predictable? If you’ve watched this team under Boone, absolutely.

Now, let’s be fair: when a pitcher gets the ball, he’s supposed to do his job. If he doesn’t, that’s on him. But let’s zoom out. Because the question isn’t just who blew the game — it’s why was that guy in the game at all?

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ian Hamilton. Your ninth-inning guy....against the Red Sox. Yes, that was the decision Aaron Boone made. And no, it doesn’t make sense.

Hamilton hadn’t pitched in a week. He’s been shaky. Yet Boone tapped him to hold the line in the ninth, and it predictably exploded in his face. Or rather, our faces. Because Yankee fans are the ones paying the price for this recurring nonsense.

FanSided said it best in a scathing and accurate breakdown:

“Hamilton pitched the ninth inning and immediately allowed four straight Red Sox hitters to reach base. Two of those runners scored, turning what was a one-run deficit into a three-run deficit. Hamilton was once an important piece in the Yankees' bullpen, and he hadn't pitched in a week, but using him in that game in that spot is just the latest Aaron Boone blunder.”

Boom. Right there. That’s the story. And that’s the problem.

This isn’t Hamilton hate. The guy has had moments. But managing isn’t just about pulling names from a hat — it’s about context. It’s about feel. It’s about not being completely clueless in high-leverage situations. And yet here we are.

Once again, the Yankees hand Boone a lead, and he returns it gift-wrapped to the opponent like a confused mall Santa in July.

We’ve been down this road before. We screamed about it last October when Boone trotted Nestor Cortes out to face Freddie Freeman with runners on and no bullets left. That wasn’t Year 1 Boone. That was Year 6 Boone. And it was still a total disaster.

So fast forward to last night. With the bullpen available, why was Ian Hamilton the choice? Jonathan Loáisiga likely wasn’t an option after back-to-back outings. Fine. But Devin Williams? He threw 14 pitches the night before. Fernando Cruz? Just 9 pitches.

And you’re telling me they were both down? In a one-run game? Against Boston?

Give me a break.

There’s no guarantee they would’ve shut the door, but the odds were infinitely better than running a rusty Hamilton out there cold. This wasn’t complicated. This wasn’t 4D chess. This was “Who’s my best arm tonight?” and Boone somehow forgot the entire board.

And here’s the part that blows my mind: where is the outrage?

Where are the other Yankees blogs? The analysts? The media members? Why aren’t more people calling this out?

The man is bad at this. Full stop. And every loss like this one is a reminder that a different manager might have this team in first place instead of floating in mediocrity. The margins matter. And Boone is consistently on the wrong side of them.

And don’t even get me started on the postgame pressers. You want professionalism from your manager? Boone was literally picking his teeth while talking to reporters after the game.

 

We’re not making this up. The Yankees are bleeding and this dude’s flossing on camera.

It’s embarrassing.

At some point, the Yankees’ front office has to recognize what’s painfully obvious to the rest of us: this team will never win a championship with Aaron Boone as the manager.

You want to beat Boston? Win a division? Hoist a trophy in October?

You don’t do it with a guy who thinks “rested and rusty” is a bullpen strategy.

Tonight is a must-win as far as I'm concerned. The series is still within reach. But if Boone keeps rolling out the wrong guy at the wrong time, this team will keep losing games it should win.

And when that happens — again — don’t blame the bullpen.

Blame the guy picking his teeth in the dugout while the season goes down the drain.

That’s the bottom line.

BELLINGER AIN'T HALF-BAKED. HE'S LOCKED IN!

Not every player barrels into a new team like a wrecking ball through drywall. Sometimes it takes a minute — or a month — to find your swing, your rhythm, and your favorite deli order. Baseball isn’t plug-and-play. It’s chess with cleats and curveballs, and when a guy changes teams, there’s more going on than just a new jersey. You’ve got new teammates, new coaches, new expectations, new pressure… and let’s not pretend New York’s weather doesn't throw a wrinkle into things either. This isn’t San Diego sunshine. It’s Gotham. And some dudes just weren’t built for it.

Case in point: Juan Soto. Don’t get me wrong — Soto was a stud. But watching him this season, you can’t help but think he’s standing in the Bronx with pinstripes on in his daydreams. The poor guy looks like he accidentally swiped left on the Yankees in the offseason and now he’s stuck in the wrong uniform, wondering where it all went wrong.

Meanwhile, in the corner of the Yankees' clubhouse where humility and hustle live, Cody Bellinger is thriving. Sure, the intro wasn’t perfect. He came out of the gate like a guy trying to remember if he left the stove on — hitting just .196 with three homers in his first 29 games. But guess what? Baseball’s a game of adjustments. It’s about making the tweaks, finding the groove, and ignoring the noise.

And Bellinger? He’s locked in now.

Since May 3, Belli has been dialed up to MVP mode again — rocking a .957 OPS and reminding everyone why the Yankees were right to bring him in. He’s dropped the hammer at the plate, hitting .317 with six home runs over his last 29 games. That includes a 15-game hitting streak where he mashed five bombs and looked every bit the guy who used to break pitchers’ spirits in Los Angeles.

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Need more proof? Look no further than Thursday's series-clinching win over Cleveland. Bellinger, alongside Max Fried’s gem on the mound, was a key piece of the victory puzzle. And even in games like last night’s 9-6 win over the Red Sox — where he only managed one hit — it’s clear: the man is hot. His swing is loud. His glove is smooth. And the confidence? It's contagious.

There’s no drama with Belli. No ego war, no tabloid fodder. Just a guy playing ball, fitting in, and quietly becoming the missing piece behind Aaron Judge — the sun around which this Yankees lineup orbits. And look, I know how crazy this might’ve sounded back in April, but here we are in June, and I’ll say it: I’m happier having Cody Bellinger than I would’ve been with Juan Soto.

Soto's talent is undeniable. But there’s something to be said about fit — and Bellinger fits!

WEAVER'S HURT & IT'S BOONE'S FAULT? FOR SURE

Turns out I’m not alone in thinking Aaron Boone manages the Yankees like a guy trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the manual — just winging it and hoping the thing doesn’t collapse. This time, the voice of reason comes from Stacey Gotsulias, host of Locked On Yankees, and the focus is on Boone’s newest toy he’s already broken: Luke Weaver. You know, the guy who accidentally became the closer because Devin Williams forgot how to throw a baseball in the ninth inning without triggering a collective fan anxiety attack.

Now, to be fair, I didn’t immediately panic when Weaver started showing up like a punch card employee—clocking in night after night. My thought was, “Eh, he’s young, he can take it.” But then pop goes the hamstring and suddenly the Yankees’ bullpen plan is looking like a Jenga tower missing half its pieces.

Gotsulias made a solid point this week, saying:

“This is a blessing in disguise. You don’t want Luke Weaver to be hurt, but… I would much rather have a fresher Luke Weaver in the playoffs than what could possibly happen if he plays all the way through. You’re already seeing Boone overusing him, and it’s early June…”

Exactly. It’s June. JUNE. And Boone’s already grinding guys into dust like it’s October 28th with Game 7 on the line.

Let’s be real: Aaron Boone’s postseason strategy can best be described as “panic and pray.” He treats every close game like he’s playing MLB The Show on rookie mode — and still somehow loses. He overthinks, overmanages, and overwrites his own disaster scripts. Come crunch time, he’s the guy you don’t want holding the bullpen phone.

So yes, overusing Weaver is a red flag. A big, flaming red flag being waved at high speed from a speeding train called October Collapse. And if the Yankees make it to the postseason, this kind of misuse is exactly what we’ll be talking about when they’re bounced early. Again.

Essentially Sports pointed out just how ridiculous it’s been:

“Weaver’s heavy workload was there for all to see. In just five weeks, he pitched in 20 of the team’s 37 games… He was used in three straight games in mid-May and threw multiple innings four times in a single 10-day stretch. For a reliever who wasn’t groomed to be a closer and had a history of injuries, that kind of usage was asking for trouble.”

And trouble RSVP’d right on time. Now Weaver’s hamstring is on vacation until mid-July, the bullpen is in shambles, and we’re right back to “Hey, maybe Williams won’t melt down this time!” as our best option.

Boone should’ve known better. This isn’t some plug-and-play robot — it’s Luke Weaver, not Mariano Rivera. You don’t just drop a guy into the ninth inning night after night like he’s been doing it since Little League. Even Mariano had a transition period. It’s called “building a closer,” Boone — not burning him out like a Yankee Candle.

The Yankees are now scrambling like a bad improv troupe, hoping someone — anyone — can hold the ninth inning together. And let’s not sugarcoat it: This is on Boone. All of it. The injury, the overuse, the lack of foresight — it’s the Boone blueprint in action. He’s the kind of manager who pours gasoline on a campfire and then looks surprised when it explodes.

And here’s the terrifying part: If Weaver goes down, and Judge goes down? This team is cooked. Charred. Done. Boone’s complete lack of balance and long-term thinking is already costing us, and it’s only going to get worse.

So yeah, Luke Weaver’s hamstring might’ve snapped — but the real problem? Aaron Boone’s still intact.

CARLOS RODON IS MAKING IT RIGHT

When Carlos Rodón signed with the Yankees, I was practically high-fiving strangers in the street. The guy was a bulldog — a fire-breathing lefty with wipeout stuff and an edge sharp enough to cut through subway steel. Sure, he was coming off an injury, but hey, this is New York — we like our stars a little bruised, a little battle-tested. I thought we were getting instant returns. A perfect fit. A guy built for the Bronx.

Then the season actually started.

And Rodón? Man, the guy looked like he’d never seen a mound before. Lost. Flat. Out of sync. He wasn’t just struggling — he looked like a tourist who got off at the wrong stop and couldn’t find his way back to Yankee Stadium. I was confused. Embarrassed for him. Honestly? I thought we’d made a $162 million mistake. I couldn’t believe what I was watching. The fire wasn’t there. The rhythm was gone. And when you start doing math on that contract while watching your “ace” give up batting practice in real time — yeah, it gets dark fast.

I knew he had it in him — we all did — but he was buried under layers of mechanical issues, pressure, and whatever else was rattling around in his head.

And now? Different story. The dude’s dealing.

With Gerrit Cole still healing up and Max Fried leading the staff like a Viking war chief, Rodón has stepped up like a true No. 2. He's 7-3 with a 2.60 ERA, and I’m here for every second of it. He’s pounding the zone, mixing pitches like a mad scientist, and — dare I say — looking like the guy we thought we were getting in the first place.

Jon Heyman caught up with Rodón recently and asked him about that bumpy ride in 2023. The answer? Surprisingly raw and real.

“That first year was rough,” Rodón admitted. “We had our son, Silo — a blessing — and honestly, he made it easier. I’d come home, forget baseball, just focus on being a dad. But those drives home were long, man. A lot of time in my own head. Just asking, ‘Why can’t I fix this?’ I wish I was better back then. I wasn’t. I had to evolve.”

And evolve he did.

Rodón explained that without the struggles, he never would've added new pitches to his arsenal. “If it was easy, I’d still just be tossing fastball-slider 50/50. Now, I’m more complete.”

That’s the beauty of the battle, right? Adversity isn’t just a test — it’s a blueprint. And Rodón studied the hell out of his.

Look, watching a player you believe in flail around on the mound is like watching your favorite band forget the lyrics. You want to cover your eyes, but you can’t look away. As a fan, I was mad — furious, even. But Rodón didn’t pack it in. He leveled up. He fixed it. And he’s paying it off — for himself, his family, and yeah, for us too.

So here’s to the comeback. Here’s to growth. And here’s to No. 55, finally looking like the Bronx Bomber we signed up for.

Let’s ride, Carlos.

ANOTHER FORMER CUB PROSPECT TOUTED AS YANKEES FUTURE...

Once upon a trade deadline in 2016, the Yankees got the better end of a rental deal with the Cubs. You remember the swap—Aroldis Chapman goes to Chicago to help them break a 108-year curse, and the Yankees get a sweet little return package headlined by Gleyber Torres, who was MLB Pipeline’s No. 24 prospect and the toast of the Cubs' farm system.

Torres came in hot, shined like a diamond, and even made a couple of All-Star Games. Then the Yankees did what they often do with young talent: they micromanaged, underappreciated, and slowly but surely grew tired of him. Fast forward to now? Torres is gone, thriving elsewhere, and the Yankees are once again kicking the tires on another former Cub. Meet Brennen Davis—please don't mess this one up.

Let’s talk about Davis. Once billed as the future face of the Cubs' outfield, Davis was a second-round pick in 2018 who cashed in a $1.1 million bonus instead of going to the University of Miami. By 2021, he looked like a franchise-altering talent—slugging .494 across three levels, knocking 19 dingers, and taking home MVP honors at the All-Star Futures Game. Every major outlet had him as a top-30 prospect going into 2022.

Then came the injury parade: a knee contusion, followed by back surgery. Davis’s bat cooled, his star dimmed, and the Cubs—ever so patient—DFA’d him this past November. The Yankees, never ones to resist a high-upside reclamation project (especially if it once wore Cubbie blue), scooped him up on a minor league deal in December.

And guess what? Davis is hitting again.

After an impressive showing in Double-A Somerset—two homers in eight games, .890 OPS—the Yankees just promoted him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. This isn’t just a guy filling a roster spot. This is someone who, if healthy, still has major-league tools and upside.

Let’s spell it out: Davis is a right-handed outfielder, he's still just 24, and while he’s been derailed by injuries, he hasn’t lost that spark scouts once drooled over. The Yankees clearly see something. So do I. But we’ve all read this story before.

It’s the Gleyber Effect. The Yankees hype you up, tease you with potential, then toss you aside when you don’t turn into Derek Jeter overnight. Meanwhile, they’re still writing love songs about Anthony Volpe, who’s built more of a reputation on marketing and moisturizer than onfield consistency.

Here’s the concern: Davis puts it together, gets a cup of coffee in the Bronx, and the minute he hits a cold streak or tweaks a hamstring, the Yankees send him down, bury him on the bench, or flip him for a bullpen arm and a bag of Double Bubble. The cycle continues.

But this time, maybe they get it right. Maybe Davis finds his groove, stays on the field, and reminds everyone why he was once the best-kept secret in baseball. Maybe the Yankees stop treating prospects like TikTok trends and actually commit to letting this one develop.

So yeah, I’m cautiously optimistic. I’m rooting for Brennen Davis—not just because he deserves a fair shot, but because it’d be nice to see the Yankees learn from their own mistakes. They had something special in Gleyber once, and they let that flame die.

Here’s to hoping they don’t ghost Brennen Davis, too.