New York Yankees fans have been so ready to turn the page on the 2024 season, in every manner possible. A horrific World Series showing followed by Juan Soto's departure was enough pain for an entire year, let alone a six-week span.
Apparently, the Yankees themselves aren't ready, because we're still talking about last year. Why are we doing this? We don't know, but somebody better ask Brian Cashman, who appeared on the YES Network "Yankees Hot Stove" show Thursday night.
Cashman, blurred background on the Zoom and all, responded to various questions from Bob Lorenz and Michael Kay, and opened up some old wounds about the infield situation after the 2024 trade deadline.
Remember that? When the Yankees acquired Jazz Chisholm, with everybody believing he would play second base or center field? Instead, he ended up at third base because Gleyber Torres didn't want to move off of second base. Also, it's unclear why Aaron Boone refused to work Jazz into the outfield mix, but again, this is the past. We're trying to be done with it.
Cashman, however, made it a point to remind everybody that he acquired Chisholm to play second base but Torres' preference nixed that plan, putting it in Boone's hands. What did Boone do? He, of course, deferred and didn't lay down the law, which led to the Yankees moving forward with their overall subpar defense, something that ultimately did them in.
Brian Cashman on the @YESNetwork tonight:
— Brendan Kuty 🧟♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) February 7, 2025
""When I acquired Jazz, I acquired Jazz to be our second baseman and move Gleyber to third the rest of last year. Boonie wanted to do it the other way. He moved Jazz to third after we got him and Gleyber to second because Gleyber didn't…
Yankees' Brian Cashman inadvertently causes social media spat with Gleyber Torres
Apparently, during this moment on Thursday night, Torres was watching YES Network? Or ferociously refreshing his social media feed? Because less than an hour later he appeared to have sub-tweeted Cashman and the rest of the Yankees fans who once again took exception to everything that transpired last year.
Then again, we can't blame Torres for responding. Somehow, with the countless players who have deserved to be disciplined in a public manner over the last five years, Torres ended up being the only victim during his time in pinstripes.
Still ? 😴😂 just turn 🗒️
— Gleyber Torres (@TorresGleyber) February 7, 2025
Well, Gleyber, when you consider the fact that this infield alignment ultimately cost the Yankees Game 1 of the World Series, yes, the topic will inevitably come up and people will reignite their anger. In that game, Torres bobbled a throw from Juan Soto, allowing a run to score, which ended up being the difference. Then, in Game 5, Chisholm couldn't corral a low throw from Volpe, which, well, you know how that one ended.
Torres is now with the Tigers. The Yankees are now sporting a new-look roster with a clean slate heading into 2025. It's all water under the bridge right now. But the Yankees should know that this is their fault. They kept Torres for as long as they did when they didn't have to. They affected his play with the leaked trade rumors for years. They gave him the power to turn down a position switch. There's no sense in bringing that up anymore. The correct response here would've simply been, "we're moving Jazz back to second base because that's where he's most comfortable."
Yankees PR fails yet again, but at least we got some fun out of it.