Brian Cashman Pushes Back on Criticism: “This Isn’t the Same Yankees Team”
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman isn’t buying the narrative that New York is simply running it back in 2026. With questions swirling around the team’s relatively quiet offseason, Cashman made it clear on Wednesday: this roster isn’t the same, and the Yankees are far from standing still.
“First, we have good players,” Cashman said, addressing the skepticism. “It’s a collection of really talented players.
It’s not the same roster (as 2025), I would differ there.” And he’s not just talking about new names on the transaction wire-he’s pointing to the return of some major pieces from the injured list, including ace Gerrit Cole, as key to the team’s evolution.
The comments come on the heels of a significant move: New York locking in Cody Bellinger on a five-year, $162.5 million deal. That’s not a minor shuffle-that’s a franchise-level commitment to a player they believe can be a cornerstone.
Let’s not forget, the Yankees still won 94 games last season despite Cole missing time. They made the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years under manager Aaron Boone. But finishing second in the AL East and getting bounced in the ALDS by the Blue Jays left a sour taste-and raised questions about whether this team had done enough to take the next step.
Cashman’s answer? Focus on the rotation.
The Yankees’ biggest swing this winter came when they traded four prospects to Miami for right-hander Ryan Weathers. It’s a calculated move, one aimed at fortifying a rotation that couldn’t quite carry the load last October.
They also added righty Cade Winquest in the Rule 5 Draft and traded for reliever Angel Chivilli, adding depth and upside to the pitching staff.
Beyond that, the Yankees have mostly stayed in-house. They re-signed Bellinger and brought back utility man Amed Rosario.
Center fielder Trent Grisham returned after accepting the qualifying offer. It’s not flashy, but it’s consistent-and there may be more on the way.
According to YES Network’s Jack Curry, the Yankees are still in talks with veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. If that reunion happens, expect a platoon with Ben Rice and a much-needed right-handed presence in a lineup that leaned too heavily to the left last year-a flaw Cashman himself acknowledged back in December.
Cashman also stressed that the roster we see now isn’t necessarily the one we’ll see in October. He pointed to the flurry of moves made at last year’s trade deadline and the development of younger players who got their first taste of the Bronx spotlight in the second half of 2025.
“We’ve had some additions from the second half that got their feet wet with the Yankees,” Cashman said. “Some with success, some with failures or success. But they’ll now be in a position to join us with their feet on the ground… with a manager, too, learning how to utilize these guys, where they slot, and everything else.”
Translation: this team is still growing, still learning, and still building toward something bigger.
Cashman also acknowledged the reality of the AL East-arguably the toughest division in baseball right now. “Some (other) teams got better,” he said.
“In other cases, some teams… got a little worse. Our division’s the best in baseball.”
But he was firm in his belief that one playoff series loss doesn’t define the Yankees’ potential.
“So I disagree (that) it’s the same team running it back,” he said. “It’s gonna be some differences. And the competition’s gonna be different, too… One series (loss) is not gonna define what we think our capabilities are.”
In other words, don’t mistake a quiet winter for complacency. The Yankees believe they’ve made the right moves-not just for April, but for October. And with Cole, Rodón, and Volpe expected to return healthy, plus a few more cards potentially left to play, the 2026 Yankees could look a lot different than the version that walked off the field last fall.