Insiders blame Cashman’s strategy and rotation gaps for the Yankees’ late-inning collapse.
As the New York Yankees teeter at the top of the American League East with a 19-16 record through May 6, industry sources are sounding warning bells. The narrative has shifted from simple bullpen exhaustion to a more serious indictment: fundamentally flawed pitching staff architecture and a top-heavy rotation compromised by health concerns and performance inconsistencies.
Critics have begun targeting general manager Brian Cashman, whose offseason strategy now faces intense scrutiny for leaving the team’s crucial starting rotation both shallow and vulnerable.
Structural weaknesses emerging
Despite possessing one of baseball’s most talented relief corps, the Yankees have stumbled through three of their last four series, including key matchups against divisional rivals Baltimore and Tampa Bay. What began as minor fissures in April have expanded into substantial fractures in May, exposing an overtaxed bullpen stretched thin by a rotation struggling to consistently complete six innings. KHMER55
“The Yankees don’t have enough starting pitching,” said veteran MLB insider Joel Sherman on The Pinstripe Post. “If Rodón, Fried, and Schmidt aren’t healthy and consistent, they’re going to spiral.”
This anxiety has intensified with Gerrit Cole still sidelined and Marcus Stroman facing uncertainty following a setback. Luis Gil, anticipated to return mid-season, remains an unknown quantity. Meanwhile, the Yankees continue a precarious rotation juggling act.
Rotation patchwork raises red flags
Clark Schmidt, initially removed from a weekend start, now slots between Carlos Rodón and Max Fried for the San Diego series. Ryan Yarborough, typically deployed as a swingman, received a spot start, while veteran Carlos Carrasco has been relegated to low-leverage relief duty.
“They’re just trying to keep as much pitching around as possible because they know they have a problem,” Sherman explained. “And that problem is going to chip away at the bullpen—maybe the one area where they have depth and strength.”
With Cole’s return timeline uncertain and Stroman’s reliability questionable, the Yankees depend on unconventional arms to shoulder the workload. This makeshift approach appears unsustainable over a 162-game marathon.
Bullpen burnout no longer a footnote — It’s the headline
The result? Overexposure of key relievers.
Manager Aaron Boone has heavily utilized single-inning relievers like Ian Hamilton, Luke Weaver, and Mark Leiter Jr., who have thrived when deployed judiciously. However, with starters frequently departing before the sixth inning, this bullpen depth is already showing signs of erosion.
This was clearly visible on Monday’s defeat to the Rays. The Yankees bullpen faltered, giving away a 3-0 lead to take home a 3-4 loss.
“This team has to be careful not to chip away at its biggest strength,” Sherman warned. “If you begin exhausting your pen because two of every five starts are noncompetitive, you lose your margin for error.”
“They scored five runs Sunday. You usually win when that happens,” MLB insider Joel Sherman noted on The Pinstripe Post. “But the Yankees lost because Will Warren is not a major league starter right now.”
The bullpen has paid the price. With Clarke Schmidt scratched recently and Carlos Carrasco now relegated to mop-up duty, the Yankees have relied on openers and patchwork assignments. Ryan Yarbrough, typically a swingman, has been forced into emergency starts. The bullpen, designed for leverage situations, is being asked to cover too many innings — and it’s breaking down.
Compounding matters, the Yankees lack pitchers with minor-league options to shuttle between Triple-A and the majors. Hamilton, for example, must clear waivers to be sent down, effectively constraining Boone and amplifying pressure on limited relief arms.
Cashman’s strategy backfiring?
Brian Cashman’s offseason moves are under new scrutiny. The club passed on bolstering starting depth beyond Fried, opting instead for value deals like Carrasco and Yarborough. The Yankees are now up to their seventh starting pitcher just six weeks into the season — a troubling sign for any club with October aspirations.
Last season’s durability among the rotation masked this flaw. Six starters handled 153 of 162 games, an anomaly that allowed the Yankees to limit exposure to fringe arms like Warren and Petit. That magic hasn’t returned in 2025.
Now, insiders say the Yankees are simply “placeholding” until the returns of Luis Gil and Marcus Stroman — if they return at all.
Boone’s miscalculation or Cashman’s failures?
While Boone faces criticism for his lineup construction and bullpen management, some analysts argue he’s operating with significant constraints.
“This is a Cashman problem,” said analyst Ryan Samson during The Pinstripe Post. “The depth isn’t there. The rotation wasn’t fortified. And now Boone is left to juggle fire every time out.”
Fan frustration peaked when Boone benched hot-hitting rookie Ben Rice against a right-handed pitcher, favoring platoon advantages instead.
“He’s been one of your best hitters all season long against right-handed pitching,” Samson questioned about Rice’s absence.
Boone’s tactics, likely born from necessity, have alienated supporters and fueled perceptions that the team is surrendering winnable games—unacceptable in New York’s demanding environment.
Injuries highlight roster deficiencies
Injury Jazz Chisholm has further tested infield depth. Oswaldo Cabrera, Pablo Reyes, and Anthony Volpe have delivered adequate but unspectacular performances, while Oswald Peraza continues struggling with limited opportunities.
“Peraza’s ship may have sailed,” Sherman added. “He’s no longer a player with trade value—and barely one you can count on.”
DJ LeMahieu’s potential return offers modest optimism. If healthy, he could stabilize third base and allow Cabrera to assume a utility role better suited to his abilities. Nevertheless, durability concerns persist.
Around the league, trouble brews — but expectations matter
The Yankees aren’t alone in their pitching troubles—Baltimore’s staff carries a 6.00 ERA and Boston recently lost ace Walker Buehler. However, the Yankees’ championship mandate makes their shortcomings particularly glaring.
Some insiders suggest the 2024 World Series appearance concealed underlying weaknesses. The Yankees defeated two flawed AL Central opponents en route to the Fall Classic, potentially masking their true competitive position.
“The American League isn’t that good,” Sherman noted. “The National League has the Mets, Cubs, Braves, Phillies, and three teams in the West who might all be better.”
While Cashman still has the opportunity to correct course, available time is diminishing rapidly.
Fried holds the line — for now
If one bright spot exists in the rotation, it’s Max Fried.
Since signing his extension after the Yankees lost Juan Soto to the Mets, Fried has delivered consistently. He tops the league in ERA and innings pitched, with the Yankees undefeated when he starts.
His performance allowed Yarborough to start Saturday because, as Sherman explained, “Fried gave them seven strong on Friday.”
Indeed, Fried’s contribution may currently exceed even Aaron Judge’s offensive surge, purely through his ability to preserve bullpen arms and establish momentum.
Clock ticking on unsustainable framework
The Yankees haven’t reached crisis—yet. But warning signs are unmistakable.
Should Stroman falter, Schmidt regress, or Rodón decline, the rotation could undermine the entire roster. Eventually, overtaxed relievers will deteriorate, and even baseball’s most potent offense—currently driven by Judge, Grisham, and Volpe—cannot indefinitely mask these fundamental flaws.
Brian Cashman assembled this roster. The trade deadline gives him until July 31 to reinforce it.
Because if the rotation collapses and the bullpen breaks, the Yankees might watch October baseball from home—with accountability resting squarely on their organizational decisions.
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