NEW YORK — Jorge Posada has never been one to mince words, and on Saturday, the former Yankees catcher sent a pointed message to the struggling 2025 club.
Speaking before the Old-Timers’ Day game at Yankee Stadium, Posada said the Yankees’ recent slide isn’t just about execution. In his view, it’s about edge.
“It’s more of an attitude than anything,” Posada told SNY. “They just gotta get a little angry, hopefully a fight or something that happens… they need to have that chip on their shoulder. You’ve gotta play like that. You can’t be friends with everybody.”
The five-time All-Star and four-time World Series champion didn’t soften his critique. With the Yankees now third in the AL East, 6.5 games behind first-place Toronto and three back of Boston, Posada’s words landed like a warning.
“They make way too many mistakes… you can’t get away with making that number of mistakes against great teams,” said Posada’s longtime teammate Derek Jeter in a separate appearance, echoing the call for urgency.
Old-Timers’ Day backdrop
Jorge Posada returned to the Bronx as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the 2000 World Series championship team. He was part of the “Core Four” alongside Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte — players remembered for delivering in big moments.
That 2000 club stumbled into October after losing 15 of its final 18 games, but found a way to win it all. Posada believes that mindset, not just talent, was the difference.
“Once we got in, we knew what it took,” he said. “It’s got to come from within. Once you get in and everybody’s 0-0, we knew we had enough to win.”
A call for Yankees fire and grit
The Yankees have been in freefall since mid-June, posting one of the worst records in baseball over the past two months. Their once seven-game division lead has evaporated, and while they still hold a wild card spot, their margin is slim.
Posada’s comments were less about mechanics and more about mentality. He urged the team to shed what he sees as an overly friendly approach and embrace the combative edge that defined Yankees championship teams.
Willie Randolph, another Yankees great in attendance Saturday, echoed the sentiment.
“Teams are not afraid of us anymore,” he said. “We need to get that mojo back where they come to Yankee Stadium and they know they’re gonna be in for a big fight.”
Players respond with a win
Hours after the Old-Timers’ Day ceremonies, the Yankees battled to a 5-4 win over the Houston Astros. Trent Grisham’s go-ahead home run in the eighth inning and David Bednar’s five-out save helped secure a much-needed victory.
The win came less than 24 hours after one of their worst losses of the year, an extra-inning defeat that had further fueled fan frustration. Saturday’s effort — grinding out runs and holding on late — looked more like the type of baseball Posada had called for earlier in the day.
Lessons from 2000
During the anniversary celebration, members of the 2000 championship team recalled their own late-season struggles and how they managed to turn it around.
Andy Pettitte, now serving as a Yankees pitching advisor, pointed to the importance of momentum and execution in key moments.
“It all comes down to making big pitches and big plays in big moments. And you know the momentum can swing like that,” he said, snapping his fingers.
Mike Stanton, a key reliever from that era, said the postseason represented a fresh start. “We’re good. This is where we’re supposed to be. Now let’s get to work,” Stanton recalled thinking.
Posada hopes the 2025 Yankees can find that same shift in mentality before it’s too late.
Urgency over comfort
While Posada did not mention Aaron Boone by name, his remarks about needing more urgency stand in contrast to the manager’s reputation for maintaining a comfortable clubhouse. Boone has defended his players while acknowledging that criticism is warranted when losses come from preventable mistakes.
“At the end of the day, we have all the pieces to be a really good team,” Boone said recently. “That’s on me and all of us to get the most out of that.”
The challenge, Posada argues, is not just about roster talent. It’s about playing with desperation and accountability — qualities he believes the current Yankees must embrace if they want to avoid watching October baseball from home.
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