The Yankees have seen their fair share of baseball miracles, and Wednesday’s 11-inning rollercoaster win over the Rays was no exception. A three-inning comeback situation that defied all odds had fans celebrating the “never-say-die” energy flowing through the team. It was so majestic that opponents like Ryan McMahon are also tipping their Yankees caps, calling the team “dangerous no matter what the scoreboard says.” However, under all that adrenaline and walk-off euphoria lies a reality that is far less magical—a truth that’s beginning to wear thin on critics and former insiders alike.

That truth? The Yankees’ management tandem of Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman is peddling hope while ignoring glaring concerns, and former MLB executive David Samson is not stopping from pointing fingers. In a brutally honest rant, he took a jab at the team’s refusal to acknowledge how deep the Yankees’ defensive issues go. “They act like everything’s fine,” Samson said. “But it’s not.” He didn’t stop there, calling out Anthony Volpe’s error-laced performances and Boone’s excuses like, “He’s good out there,” as willful denial. “No, he’s not,” the insider shot back. “You know that.” The gloves are off, and the liability is long overdue.

While Aaron Boone continues to wave away issues related to Volpe’s fielding with bland optimism, Samson dug deeper, highlighting how short-arming, poor mechanics, and continuous indecision are sinking the infield. His critique of the so-called “error savers” at first base highlighted how much Volpe’s throws are hurting the Yankees. “That’s not indecision. That’s just an error,” Samson saidnand it is not just errors—baseball IQ blunders like, Austin Wells forgetting the data of outs are also fueling frustration.

Yet, instead of addressing those fundamental gaps, Cashman appears reluctant to add reinforcements. As per David Samson, the attitude from the team is, “You’re lucky if I get you Slater.” In other words, Boone and Cashman are asking the fans to believe in a team full of flaws and disguising it with a few late-game heroics. However, as Samson says, that is not strategy—that is just spin.

While criticism rains down on the Yankees’ management, the tension does not stop there. A whole distinctive storm is brewing in the background—one that has fans nervously watching the outfield.

Yankees fans panic as rivals circle Steven Kwan in deadline shockwaves.

As the Yankees wade through a frustrating 22-28 slump, the trade rumor mill is spinning at full speed—and the current whispers are not comforting. As per insider Ken Rosenthal, the AL East-leading Jays are “believed” to be in the mix for the Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan, arguably the top position player available this deadline. This is right—while the Yankees scramble to fix the team’s base, their division rivals could just snag a game-changer with elite contact skills and a league-best strikeout discipline.

Kwan is slashing .286 with nine home runs, 38 RBIs, and 20 doubles this season—all while playing near-flawless defense in left field. The star’s 8.4 percent strikeout rate ranks among the best in MLB, and Kwan’s 3.1 bWAR highlights his all-around value. For a Yankees team currently clinging to a Wild Card position and dealing with volatile outfield play, watching a rival like the Jays potentially land Kwan looks like salt in an open wound.

It does not help that while the Yankees made some modest additions—trading for Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario—the management has not exactly signaled an aggressive push. Fans, already rattled by inconsistent play and an error-prone defense, now fear they are watching their postseason hopes slowly slip away while contenders around them go all-in.

In short, the Yankees could be treading water; however, the rest of the AL East is swimming laps, and if Steven Kwan ends up in a rival uniform, that water is going to get a lot deeper.

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