NEW YORK — Brian Cashman stood before reporters Wednesday and pushed back hard. The Yankees general manager insisted his club is not simply “running it back” with the same roster from 2025. He dared critics to challenge that view.
One day later, the team’s own longtime broadcaster exposed a hole in that argument. And Michael Kay did not mince words.
The YES Network voice took to his ESPN New York radio show Thursday and called out the Yankees’ messaging strategy. His frustration was not with the roster itself. It was with how the front office has described its offseason approach.
Kay calls out the ‘semantics’ game
“You are running it back,” Kay said bluntly. “So rather than fight the words, you are running it back. The answer should be we’re bringing back the same team because we think that team is great. We think that that team under the right circumstances would be able to beat anybody and get to the World Series. That’s the answer.”
Kay pointed to the Opening Day roster as proof. When manager Aaron Boone writes out his lineup on March 25 in San Francisco, it will look nearly identical to the group that finished last season. The only difference will be Oswaldo Cabrera filling in for the injured Anthony Volpe at shortstop.
“And there’s no shame in that,” Kay added. “I don’t think there’s a shame in that.”
The broadcaster’s sharpest criticism targeted Cashman’s defense strategy. The GM has pointed to Gerrit Cole’s return from Tommy John surgery as a key addition. Cole should rejoin the rotation sometime in May or June.
“It becomes a game of semantics,” Kay said. “The way to answer the question is, ‘It’s essentially the same team, and we’re adding a Cy Young Award winner in June, and we love this team. We think this team is good enough to win it all.’ That’s the answer. Not, ‘We’re not running it back.’ You are.”
Cashman’s defiant stance
Cashman has spent weeks pushing back against the running-it-back narrative. He spoke to reporters Wednesday with a defiant tone.
“First, it’s a collection of really talented players,” Cashman said. “It’s not the same roster. I would differ there. We have some players at some point returning from the IL that are important players, Gerrit Cole being obviously one of them.”
The GM highlighted the trade deadline acquisitions from last summer. Ryan McMahon, Jose Caballero, David Bednar, Camilo Doval and Amed Rosario all came aboard during the 2025 stretch run. They are now part of the core group.
“I disagree that it’s the same team, running it back,” Cashman said. “It’s going to be some differences, and the competition is going to be different, too. In some cases, some teams got better. In other cases, some teams, you could argue, maybe got a little worse. Our division is the best in baseball.”
He also dared anyone to question the roster’s championship potential.
“I’ve been openly willing to challenge anybody that says we don’t have a championship-caliber roster and team,” Cashman said.
Projections paint a grim picture
The confidence from Cashman and Boone stands in contrast to the projections. FanGraphs’ ZiPS system sees the Yankees dropping to 87-75 in 2026. That would place them fourth in the AL East.
The Blue Jays and Red Sox are projected at 90 wins each. The Orioles sit at 88. All three teams made significant offseason additions while the Yankees largely stood pat.
Toronto added Dylan Cease and depth pieces after winning the 2025 AL pennant. Boston signed Alex Bregman and bolstered its pitching staff. Baltimore landed Pete Alonso. The Yankees re-signed Cody Bellinger and traded for Ryan Weathers.
The World Series drought now enters its 17th year. Fans expected a bigger response after the Blue Jays outscored the Yankees 34-19 in the ALDS. They got familiar faces instead.
Kay offers the front office a path forward
The veteran broadcaster was not arguing that the roster is bad. He believes the Yankees can still compete. His issue is with the messaging.
Kay thinks the organization should own what it is doing rather than fight against the label. Admit the roster is similar. Express confidence in that group. Stop playing word games with frustrated fans.
“It doesn’t matter what we say,” Cashman said. “It matters what we do.”
The Yankees will open the season March 25 against the Giants in San Francisco. The roster will speak for itself. But until then, the debate over semantics will continue to swirl around a franchise that has not lifted a trophy in 16 years.
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