Yankees' new addition says exactly what fans want to hear about joining franchise

After an offseason that began with Juan Soto kicking off the Winter Meetings by spurning $760 million of the Yankees' money to join their crosstown rivals instead, the Yankees have recovered nicely.

Grouse all you want about their self-imposed spending cap that's preventing them from rounding out the lineup with a third baseman (you know we will), but Max Fried, Devin Williams, Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, and a cavalcade of bullpen options is an A- offseason in any other context, and no worse than a B in this particular universe. The issue most fans have is the "fine"-ness of it all rather than the greatness. Even the angriest among us would admit the Yankees kept their heads above water, though.

But, no matter how much talent they collected, the worrisome stink of Soto actively saying, "Mets, yes. Yankees, no. The money is similar and this is what I want" has lingered. Have the Yankees lost their mystique after 15 title-free years? Has the "27 rings"-fueled franchise history that everyone hates when we tout, but still insists we tout anyway, melted away? Forget how fans view us; how do players see the Yankees organization? Was Soto a one-off, or the exclamation point on a trend?

Leave it to minor-league signee Carlos Carrasco to deliver a little bit of hope upon arrival at camp in Tampa, though. Carrasco, 38 years old in March and potentially at the final stop of his distinguished career, spoke to the media about what it means to join the Yankees.

"Everyone in baseball wants to play with the Yankees at least one time," he noted with emotion. As long as that remains true, the Yankees will always be competitive, at the very least.

Carlos Carrasco joins Yankees, admits every player wants to do it, too

Carrasco is coming to the Yankees on a whim. If everything breaks right for him, he'll serve in a depth role, make a few fill-in starts, and become a Corey Kluber-style mentor for the rest of the staff. If his arm is depleted the way his 2024 suggested it was, then he gave it his level best, wearing the iconic logo that he (and his teammates, and his friends, and his rivals) have always dreamed of sporting. These next few weeks may be his last chance to wear the interlocking N-Y before it becomes a Scranton R. He's going to enjoy it.

Spring training games begin on Friday, Feb. 21, a contest that will be aired on YES Network to help ignite the passion for Yankees baseball that's been lying dormant since the final out of Game 5 (or, generously, the Bellinger/Williams deals back in December).

Until the Yankees win a title, their brand will be slightly diminished, but it will never be extinguished. Appreciate the reminder from Carrasco that this all does still mean something.