Former New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada owns four championship rings, 275 home runs and a retired No. 20, yet the longtime backstop says he skips spring training because the pinstriped clubhouse no longer feels like home.
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In a segment shared by New York Post Sports, radio host Adam Schein reacted to Posada’s claim that he is unwelcome at spring training with “That makes no sense. That is hot garbage.”
Per Schein, when a legend like Posada doesn’t feel welcome in Spring Training, the issue goes beyond the manager, the owner, or the general manager.
Schein shifted the blame to the clubhouse, telling viewers, “I think this officially is a player issue,” and adding that Yankees captain Aaron Judge “needs to take control of his own clubhouse.”
In an appearance on The Show podcast with New York Post columnists Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, Posada admitted, “I don’t feel welcome when I go there,” pointing to spring training specifically as a place he avoids.
Although Posada didn’t identify a specific cause, he indicated that 2011 marked the year he lost his role as starting catcher and concluded a 17-year career. He stated that concerns involving general manager Brian Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner were left unaddressed.
That distance feels jarring given the résumé. Posada accumulated 1,664 hits, 1,065 RBIs, and five Silver Slugger awards over 1,829 games wearing pinstripes, and he was the catcher for the 2009 champions, the franchise’s latest title winners.
The timing makes more sense for Schein’s frustration. Judge missed 84 games; right-hander Gerrit Cole and left-hander Carlos Rodón were limited early. The Yankees won 93 games and swept the Boston Red Sox in the wild card round, then the Tampa Bay Rays swept them 3-0 in the ALDS and held the lineup to five runs.
Posada’s frustration has limits, though, since he backed Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman to lead a turnaround while urging tougher accountability and a few outside coaches to reshape the clubhouse culture.
Schein shared that faith in the skipper, calling Boone a baseball lifer whose father Bob caught 19 seasons and whose grandfather Ray earned two All-Star nods. Boone returns in 2027 for his 10th season.
Schein still wanted answers from the players, asking where slugger Giancarlo Stanton fits as a veteran voice and why catcher Austin Wells and infielder Anthony Volpe are not leaning on legends like Posada and Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter.
Schein linked the clubhouse talk to on-field execution, citing extra innings and big spots against the Rays.
The ALDS fits that frame, with losses of 1-0 and 5-2 at Tropicana Field and a 4-3 loss at home in Game 3.
That frame extends beyond one series.
The Yankees have gone 17 seasons without a title despite 13 playoff trips, with a 2024 World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers and ALDS exits in each of the last two years.
Looking ahead, Steinbrenner has backed Boone for the final year of his contract, but a luxury tax payroll near $348.4 million (according to Spotrac), led by Judge, Cole, and outfielder Cody Bellinger, leaves little margin while the bullpen and infield need repairs.
There is talent to build on. Right-hander Cam Schlittler posted a 1.95 ERA with 239 strikeouts, and first baseman Ben Rice launched 41 homers with 97 RBIs, giving the Yankees a core that needs veteran guidance more than raw production.
Whether Judge embraces the leadership role Schein described remains to be seen, but a legend with 17 years in pinstripes saying he stays away makes for an awkward storyline as Boone enters his final contract year.