The Yankees have their own share of struggles this season, despite leading the AL East. Names like Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ryan McMahon are struggling with .216 and .177 averages, respectively. Still, manager Aaron Boone continues playing them, albeit with enough roster depth.

There are a few names the Yankees signed this offseason who are yet to make their MLB debut with pinstripes. Names like Seth Brown and Zack Short were signed to minor league deals and are yet to make their MLB debut with the Bombers. However, not everyone in the minors is staying quiet. A signee from the Nationals chose to put the Yankees on notice.

“Paul DeJong gave the Yankees notice he’s planning to opt out at the end of the month if not promoted,” MLB insider Jon Heyman shared.

32-year-old DeJong was an MLB regular till last year. He played 57 games with the Nationals in 2025, hitting 6 HRs at .228. He made his MLB debut in 2017 and, since then, played with the Cardinals, Blue Jays, Giants, White Sox, and Royals. DeJong was selected for the 2019 All-Star team and is currently standing with a career .229 average.

Still, the Yankees signed DeJong to a minor league deal in the offseason and chose to keep him there since then. He was rumored to make it to the opening day roster, but couldn’t. So now, after a month in the Minors, DeJong chose to share an ultimatum about this promotion.

He is currently hitting .213 with 6 homers and 13 RBIs in 78 at-bats in the minors, but is no more willing to stay there. So, if the Yankees don’t promote him to MLB by the end of the month, their roster depth would be affected.

However, with Anthony Volpe getting closer to a return, it does seem unlikely the team will promote DeJong.

Volpe is reportedly joining the Yankees “between Wednesday and Thursday,” Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com said. And he is looking good so far in the minors, hitting .308. So, Volpe is set for his staple shortstop job, replacing Jose Caballero.

Despite that, the Yankees have Chisholm struggling at second base and McMahon struggling at third. In contrast, DeJong is a utility infielder, primarily playing shortstop throughout his career, while also seeing significant time at third base and second base. For instance, in 2015, he played 27 games at second base and 20 at third base. Then again, in 2017, he played 4 games at second base and 3 games at third.

So, the Yankees could have tried DeJong in place of Chisholm or McMahon. But his current stats in the minors might not be enough convincing for Boone. But that could risk the team’s roster depth.

The Yankees’ roster depth will not help DeJong

The Yankees recently DFAed Cade Winquest without playing him a single game. He was signed from the Cardinals and was the Yankees’ first Rule 5 Draft selection since 2011. Still, he couldn’t make it to the active roster before eventually getting released.

Now, if DeJong opts out, the Yankees’ offense would take the hit, and that might be at their worst time. Giancarlo Stanton is dealing with an injury, and chances are high that he will be on the IL. So, the Yankees optioned right-hander Luis Gil and promoted outfielder Jasson Dominguez to the active roster. So, with Dominguez on the MLB roster and Volpe’s return nearing, the Yankees’ depth chart in the minors will shrink further.

However, despite that, chances are low to see DeJong donning pinstripes in MLB because names like George Lombard Jr.

This season, Lombard is hitting .324/.414/.595 with four HR and 10 RBI through 19 games. He is also a shortstop. So, even if the Yankees need to replace Volpe in the later stage, they have a 20-year-old Lombard over a 32-year-old DeJong. In that case, we wonder if DeJong opting out and checking for his major league scope in other teams is a better option.