3 reasons Yankees fans owe Brian Cashman an apology after fast April start

2. IKF and Donaldson Were Enough (and Better Than We Thought!)

The trade that brought Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Josh Donaldson to the Bronx was arguably the most underwhelming deal deemed a “blockbuster” (at the time) possibly … ever? The Yankees rid themselves of Gary Sánchez and shipped off Gio Urshela in the deal, but fans weren’t exactly convinced IKF and Donaldson would move the needle.

And when we eventually learned why this trade was made, it was all the more infuriating. But Cashman did the absolute best he could with the organization’s financial restraints and created one of the best infields in the league. Who needed Carlos Correa or Corey Seager or Trevor Story (all of whom, by the way, are performing very poorly at the moment)?!

Kiner-Falefa has been the contact bat the bottom of the lineup has desperately needed in addition to the sure-handed glove many were pining for while Gleyber Torres fumbled routine grounder after routine grounder.

As for Donaldson, though his numbers in a vacuum look downright terrible (.197 average and 23 strikeouts), he’s almost single-handedly responsible for three wins this month (walk-off vs the Red Sox and go-ahead homers vs the Orioles and Guardians). He’s also been the jolt of energy this roster has needed. Over the last two years, the lifelessness that was evident both during and after games took a toll on everybody. Now, Donaldson (and Rizzo) are certainly playing the wily veteran role to galvanize the troops each and every day.

This could go down as one of the most shrewd dealings of the offseason if the production and good vibes persist.

1. Anthony Rizzo Was “The One”

Yup, we did it too. Biggest offenders by far. We joined the chorus demanding the Yankees to trade for Matt Olson or sign Freddie Freeman solely because we knew they weren’t going to bring in a high-profile shortstop or center fielder. The upgrade had to come somewhere, didn’t it?

Though we never ruled out Rizzo and, in fact, constantly reiterated he’d be a valuable addition should the Yankees re-sign him, it was evident the slugger, on paper, was Plan C.

Uh, not anymore, though.

Rizzo leads MLB with eight home runs and is hitting .290 with a 1.098 OPS and unthinkable 222 OPS+. Those numbers will not continue on this trajectory, but the spark he’s provided from the left side of the plate while very much taking advantage of the short porch (how long have fans been waiting for that?!) is the exact reason the Yankees are 13-6. He’s also stolen two bases and leads the league with four hit by pitches! What?

He’s also on a one-year deal worth $16 million with an option for 2023, so there’s no long-term investment holding the Yankees back from, say, making more additions at the trade deadline or making eventual offseason adjustments when countless names hit the open market.

Nobody here is saying Rizzo will out-perform Freeman and/or Olson, but the production, even when it regresses to the mean, will likely be exactly what the Yankees need for a fraction of the price. We don’t usually endorse that kind of thing, but we’re left with no choice at the moment.

Top of Yankees lineup should be static until proven otherwise

The New York Yankees have the obvious top of their lineup set ... as long as manager Aaron Boone doesn't continue to mess with it.