Yankees Hot Stove update was perfect dose of reality for fans who got too excited

Over the weekend, a few New York Yankees nuggets dropped that suggested the offseason was "finally starting" and that Brian Cashman had finally awoken from his slumber after operating in the shadows for months.

Naturally, that would spur some excitement. The Yankees about to make a flurry of moves?! That involve big names?! After watching them do absolutely nothing of substance to upgrade over their 2025 roster?! Inject it into my veins!

Except ... those closely watching for the last two months weren't exactly sold on anything. Why? Because the Yankees all of a sudden entering the Bo Bichette market made little sense. It's an imperfect fit and it doesn't exactly align with anything the Yankees are trying to do, unless they are on the verge of making another move (like trading Ryan McMahon or Jazz Chisholm).

Why else? Because exploring trade talks with the Marlins for Edward Cabrera isn't exactly anything "new". Cabrera has been mentioned in trade rumors for months, most recently at the Winter Meetings where the Baltimore Orioles were apparently closing in on a deal. But it's been nothing but crickets since then. On top of that, do you think the Yankees are going to pay a price similar to what the O's and Astros did for Shane Baz and Mike Burrows? No shot.

And then there's the Cody Bellinger "second offer." Many interpreted that as significant progress to retain the former MVP, but those who know how the Yankees negotiate were certain it wasn't. It was merely a formality for a Scott Boras client as the agent relentlessly shops around offers to try and get the most money (or most favorable deal) possible.

So close your eyes if you were hoping for a transaction soon ... because all of those unfortunate truths were essentially confirmed by YES Network's Jack Curry on Monday night's episode of Yankees Hot Stove.

Yankees Free Agency Update: Cody Bellinger, Bo Bichette deals 'not close'

There are layers to all of these situations, so to think there's something imminent after one positive update is shortsighted, especially with how slow this offseason has moved. Outside of a few notable transactions at the Winter Meetings, there's been little traction and few surprises overall.

Aside from that, the Yankees rarely burst onto the scene with a bombardment of moves, and rarely do they pull off shockers. In the unlikely event they do, they certainly don't pull of multiple in succession. It's not an insult to their process, it's just the way they operate (though most fans would agree change is needed).

There's no doubt Yankees fans collectively want to be ecstatic about what's next for their team. Nothing would be cooler than Cashman going nuclear like the Dodgers have over the past few years or how the Blue Jays are right now.

It's just not their formula, and it's important to remember that with each passing update, no matter how optimistic it may feel.