After going through a bit of a rough patch, the Yankees are showing flashes of their offensive firepower again, largely fueled by their captain, Aaron Judge. With a 46-34 record, the team is on track for another postseason run this year. Something they have been doing consistently, having missed out only once since 2017.

But World Series? Well, New York is yet to see a Yankees parade since 2009. And for the Yankees’ fans, it’s never just about making the playoffs, but winning the championships. Consider WFAN host Keith McPherson as one of those Yankees loyalists who don’t care about the number of playoffs the team has played.

In a recent episode of WFAN Sports Radio, McPherson went no-holds-barred, ridiculing the Yankees’ inability to get the ring.

“The culture that they have developed with these Yankees is soft, where these guys aren’t fighting. I just think that they foster this mentality of we’re the Yankees, we’re good, and they’re not…. Their whole brand is built on winning the World Series. We’re in a drought in this city from having a parade… They are gonna smoke another season of Aaron Judge in his prime, another season of Giancarlo Stanton that can hit bombs in the postseason, and a bunch of other good players… Because the culture is soft as hell,” McPherson said.

For a team like the Yankees, good isn’t always good enough, you see! But when was the last time you heard such a rant against the Yankees?

Anyway, McPherson is talking about the famed winning culture of the Yanks. Historically, that winning culture has been all about doing whatever it takes to win. But fast forward to now, that ruthless edge seems to have gone. Instead of being the big and bad Bombers, the team is now trying to get on with the flow. Or at least, that’s how it seems. At times!

Remember the 2020 playoffs? The Yanks took a leaf out of the Rays’ playbook and used an opener, but eventually lost the game. Softness?

That’s something not typical of the Yankees. They were never the followers but the trendsetters. In the words of then Red Sox president Larry Luchino, the Yanks were the evil empire. Clearly, they aren’t anymore.

Despite having one of the greatest hitters in MLB, Aaron Judge, and talents like Stanton, Goldschmidt, and Dominguez, the team hasn’t won a ring since 2009. If this story continues, we might be in for another MVP-esque season of Aaron Judge without a ring. No Yankees fan would want that.

Aaron Judge’s brilliance is not enough for the Yankees

Aaron Judge is putting together one of the most dominant seasons of his career in 2025. He currently leads the AL with a stellar .361 BA. Moreover, with 28 home runs and 63 RBIs, he is once again showing why he’s the face of the Yankees and one of baseball’s generational talents.

But again, the story comes down to how the team is centering around their cornerstone. While Judge is leading the roster with 28 HRs, the second-best from the Yankees is Trent Grisham with 15 homers. That’s the difference between Judge and the rest of the roster.

In addition, pitching is another area that is letting the Yankees down. Apart from the injuries to elite performers like Gerrit Cole, the existing lineup has failed to live up to expectations. One of the more surprising developments has been how the Yankees have transformed from a power-pitching team into one with the slowest average fastball velocity in the majors. Yes, they are currently sitting with an average of just 92.5 mph!

Another example of the Yankees going soft? Well, that’s maybe far-fetched. But hey, no denying that the Yanks need to be more ruthless going forward.