About Spring Training: Is A Puzzlement
- Tim Kabel
- Mar 20
- 3 min read
About Spring Training: Is A Puzzlement
By Tim Kabel
March 20, 2026
***
One of my favorite movie lines is, “is a puzzlement” from The King and I. I have used it many times over the years. It seems to fit with a lot of the things the Yankees do. It is certainly appropriate for what has been going on so far in Spring Training.
Ryan Weathers was acquired by the Yankees in a trade with the Marlins accompanied by great fanfare. Although he had not accomplished very much in his Major League career, he seemed to have a lot of promise. He was one of those “big arms” that Brian Cashman spoke of so glowingly. Yesterday, the Yankees played split squad games. One was against the Orioles and the other one was against the Blue Jays. As I was writing this, both games seemed to be for the birds. Weathers was pitching the game against the Blue Jays. He only lasted 3.0 innings which was split because Tony Rossi replaced Weathers in the bottom of the third to strike out Alejandro Kirk. In total, Weathers gave up eight hits and seven runs. On the bright side, he struck out five batters. Still, giving up seven runs and only lasting 3.0 innings is not the way to make the starting rotation. His ERA for the spring is 11.68 and his WHIP is 2.11. He certainly seems like he was worth four prospects, doesn't he? Yet, all indications are that Weathers will be in the starting rotation to begin the season. Why? Is a puzzlement.
Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn have both pitched better than Weathers. Either of them could fill the slot in the rotation until either Carlos Rodon, Gerrit Cole, or someone else is ready to take that spot. That someone else could conceivably even be Weathers who could work out his issues in the bullpen or in the minor leagues at the beginning of the season. Why does that appear unlikely to happen? Is a puzzlement.
On Wednesday, Gerrit Cole pitched one inning in a Spring Training game. He did very well. Still, it will take him a long time to return to the Major League starting rotation. The best projections are that he will rejoin the rotation in late May or early June. However, Carlos Rodon, who had a much less severe injury and surgery than Cole, has been consistently reported to be on a faster recovery pace than Cole. Aaron Boone and others have repeatedly said that Rodon will be able to return before Cole. However, Rodon still reportedly has some trouble buttoning his shirt and has not pitched a single inning in Spring Training and there appears to be no plan for him to do so. If he is supposed to be back before Cole, why does his rehab seem to be at a slower pace and behind Cole’s? Is a puzzlement.
There was some recent chatter that Cade Winquest may have improved sufficiently to earn a roster spot for Opening Day. Well, he pitched one inning against the Blue Jays yesterday, allowing three hits and two earned runs. Winquest’s ERA for the spring is 6.48 and his WHIP is 1.68. Why would he be on the Opening Day roster as opposed to being returned to the Cardinals? Is a puzzlement.
Randall Grichuk started in leftfield against the Blue Jays and at this writing is batting .133 for the spring. Trent Grisham, who will be the starting center fielder, is batting .171. Jasson Dominguez is batting.333. Dominguez will not be starting for the Yankees and will most likely not even be on the roster on Opening Day. He will be playing in Scranton. Grisham will be starting for the Yankees and Grichuk will be the fourth outfielder. Why? Is a puzzlement.
Ryan McMahon is batting .105 for the spring with zero home runs and two, count them, two RBI. Both of those came in a game on February 23rd against the Pirates. Ryan McMahon will not only be the starting third baseman, but he will also be used as a backup at shortstop. That means the Yankees will couple his sub-par offense with weaker defense at shortstop at some point during the season. Why would they do this? Is a puzzlement.
I believe that there will be a lot of head scratching among Yankees fans this season as they watch what I anticipate could be a confusing mess unfold before their eyes. I will be one of those people. Why will I continue to watch this day in and day out? Is a puzzlement.
If I were Jasson Dominguez I'd ask to be traded. Looks like Boone and Cashman are repeating mistakes from the past on young players and wrecking their careers.
One puzzlement is why McMahon is getting time at SS. I'm scratching my head on this one. There's no reason he should be playing SS at all. He's you're gold glove 3rd baseman period.
most certainly, this is a ball of confusion.
the Yankees have more outfielders than they can fit into the outfield
why would they go and trade two other outfielders as well as two other guys
for ONE pitcher, especially a pitcher who has not been successful to date.
that's as messy as tearing down four houses in order to clear space for a hotel
Spring Training: What's real and what's real for the regular season. A few years ago Kyle Higashioka hit 10 Hrs in the Spring, and if my memory serves me correctly he was the last guy on the Yankees to hit a regular season HR; then there's last year when Ben Rice whose exit velocity jumped last Spring, but it carried over to the season.
I don't believe in how the Yankees coach hitting at all, so whoever hits what, doesn't surprise me, good or bad. Remember, Anthony Volpe hit something like .415 in the 2023 Soring Training, what has he hit since in the Majors? That Spring, allowed Volpe to essentially skip AAA. That same Spring, Jasson Dominguez had even…
It's still just spring training, so judging anyone on these games is unfair. However, I get trying to find a diamond in the rough. Every GM seemingly does it almost every offseason. What is puzzling to me is how did Cashman think trading 4 prospects, OF Dillon Lewis, OF Brendan Jones, INF Dylan Jasso, and INF Juan Matheus for 1 reclamation project best served his team?