The New York Yankees are operating on the ‘World Series or nothing’ philosophy this season. To see this through, they are not shying away from tough calls and roster shuffles if needed. By now, they have made their message clear: no underperformance. While fans believe this ‘tough love’ ideology is new in the clubhouse, GM Brian Cashman has pushed back on the narrative.
“We’re not all of a sudden acting more desperate now or with more urgency,” Cashman told The Athletic. “The urgency has always been there. In this current window, we have a lot of the younger players really surging.”
The younger players in the Yankees’ farm system are indeed surging. Six weeks into the new season, they have already called up two top prospects. In the window between Luis Gil’s optioning and Carlos Rodon’s return from the IL, Elmer Rodriguez made his MLB debut, making two starts against the Texas Rangers. The Yankees have also called up Spencer Jones to the big leagues, following Jasson Dominguez’s injury. Over the weekend, Jones recorded his first MLB hit, a single against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, going 1-for-9.
The Yankees have the freedom to make all these moves because they have the depth to back it up this season. When Cashman denied the ‘running it back’ notion in the offseason, he was perhaps referring to the roster depth the Yankees have this year.
“We are acting the same way as we did in years gone by,” Cashman noted, per The Athletic. “We just have more legitimate alternative choices to turn to, if they present themselves. I don’t feel like there’s anything different right now.”
And Cashman is right. This season, the Yankees are not hurting in depth pieces. As Chris Kirschner of The Athletic highlighted, Marcus Stroman (6.23 ERA) and Carlos Carrasco (5.91 ERA) started 15 games because of a lack of options. However, the rotation scenario in 2026 is different.
They have more than enough options to start pitchers. So much so that once Gerrit Cole returns, Ryan Weathers might have to move to the bullpen. With their renewed depth, the Yankees are also not tolerating underperformance. Following a poor start, the Yankees demoted Luis Gil (6.05 ERA and 1.34 WHIP) to Triple-A. At present, the 2024 Rookie of the Year is on the injured list with a shoulder issue.
Last season, owing to a lack of options, the Yankees did not option Anthony Volpe despite his poor performance. Volpe, struggling from a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder, slashed .212/.272/.391, with 19 homers, 72 RBI, and .663 OPS. His performance was among the worst on the team.
However, as soon as Jose Caballero smoothly transitioned into the shortstop role for the organization, the Yankees optioned Volpe. In 147 plate appearances, Caballero is batting .259 with 11 extra-base hits, including 4 homers and a .720 OPS. A recovered Volpe now has to win his spot back on the active roster.
The Yankees have also benched Ryan McMahon for Amed Rosario at third base, alongside designating Randal Grichuk for assignment. Grichuk’s DFA allowed the Yankees to call up Dominguez for everyday at-bats. However, with Dominguez on the IL, Jones will get his chance.
Compared to last season, the Yankees have a more compact roster, with fewer gaps. Perhaps the bullpen is the only part where they could use a boost. The Yankees’ bullpen’s ineffectiveness in the last two games against the Brewers was one of the key reasons for the series loss. In both Saturday and Sunday’s games, the bullpen failed to record a save in one-run games (4-3 each).
In 2025, the Yankees faced mid-season trouble with an inconsistent bullpen. Cashman had to rush during the trade deadline for an additional boost and ended up signing closer Devin Williams. However, Williams’ stint with the Yankees did not produce the desired results. He went 4-6, logging a 4.79 ERA across 62 innings. Opponents recorded a .197 average as Williams blew 4 saves out of the 22 opportunities he got. To avoid a similar situation, Cashman must address the remaining bullpen problems early this year.
Meanwhile, the Yankees captain, Aaron Judge, stands at the edge of an MLB record.
Aaron Judge eyes another home run record
The Yankees captain, Aaron Judge, has a stellar record in hitting home runs. The back-to-back MVP has already recorded 16 home runs this season, tying Kyle Schwarber.
Judge’s latest home run came against the Brewers on Sunday. During their 4-3 loss, the first-inning homer had provided an early 1-0 lead.
According to Just Baseball on X, Judge and Kyle Schwarber are the only MLB sluggers to have hit 16 or more homers within the first 41 games in the last five seasons. During that time frame, Judge has achieved the feat twice—in 2022 and 2026.
In the upcoming series against the Baltimore Orioles, the multiple-time MVP could rise on the all-time home run list. Judge needs just one more homer to equal Dwight Evans’ 385-homer record, ranking 68th.
If Judge continues to maintain this pace, he is reportedly on track for achieving his personal best, a 63-homer season. Previously, he had a 62-homer season in 2022.
