Yankees finally clear wasted roster spot after activating Giancarlo Stanton from IL

For the first time in 2024, the New York Yankees may have a full 26-man roster in which no spots seem wasteful or misused. This is no offense to anybody who's been let go by the Bombers, but with a $300+ million payroll, Brian Cashman and the front office need to do better at the margins.

It all started when JD Davis was designated for assignment on Sunday to make room for Jazz Chisholm. It continued on Monday when Jahmai Jones met that same fate after Giancarlo Stanton was activated from the injured list.

Jones has been with the Yankees since Opening Day, but somehow only logged 47 plate appearances. Why was he here? Why do the Yankees treat their bench spots like fun coupons? You cannot employ somebody without meaningful intent on the big-league roster.

That's mostly been the complaint with Jones, because when he actually found playing time, it was confounding. Leading off in the Subway Series against the Mets? DHing on random days when the Yankees could be better exercising that flexibility?

We'll never know Jones' ceiling because he didn't get the opportunity to showcase his abilities on a consistent basis ... but it was always evident that New York was not the place for that.

Yankees finally clear wasted roster spot after activating Giancarlo Stanton from IL

Congrats to the Yankees, they finally made the correct roster move after four months. Had Aaron Boone picked a lane for Jones, maybe we would've felt differently. But having him hang out at the end of the bench while this organization has treated top prospects like dirt just didn't feel right.

This all but officially telegraphs the Yankees' trade deadline plans. More has to come because only adding Chisholm will not solve this team's offensive woes. And don't forget, as excited as we are to have Stanton back, don't expect him to make any sort of impact until about three weeks from now. The customary 15-game slump that follows his lengthy injured list stint will begin on Monday against the Phillies.

That leaves a number of other players' futures in question. What will happen with Ben Rice, Gleyber Torres, Alex Verdugo and/or DJ LeMahieu? The Yankees need to upgrade from at least two of those players, and they have just barely over 24 hours to do so.