When will Yankees make moves, and will they target Tarik Skubal?

Thu, Jun 25, 2026

On this edition of Yankees Mailbag, SNY's Niki Lattarulo is joined by SNY MLB Insider Chelsea Janes to take on fan questions about the moves the Yankees could make to put them over the top, the possibility of Tarik Skubal being a trade target, the rehab progress of Aaron Judge, and when GM Brian Cashman might start taking action ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline.

Video Transcript

I think no news is good news there.

you know, if you haven't, heard anything has changed, that probably means they're just letting it heal, so, just in the waiting game.

What's up, guys?

Welcome to the latest episode of Yankees Mailbag, the show where we answer your questions.

I'm your host, Nikki LaTerulo, and today I am joined by SNY MLB insider, Chelsea Janes.

Chelsea, thank you so much for joining us on the show.

Yeah, thanks for having me.

I love your trophies.

My brother's childhood room, if anyone's wondering.

Very Yankee-heavy in this room.

just a reminder before we get started, you can go to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, look for a post from SNY asking you to submit your questions to the show.

And if you're watching here on YouTube, you can also drop your questions in the comments below.

So, let's talk some Yankees.

They open a series in Boston tonight.

Cam Schlitter on the mound against, of course, his hometown team, Yankees.

Three games up on the Rays in the AL East, while the Red Sox are 15 and a half games behind the Yankees, so pretty hefty lead there for New York.

So let's get right into things.

Our first question is from Ed Helinski on X, and he said, "What pieces are missing to push the Yankees over the top?"

Not many.

I mean honestly.

But yeah, I think bullpen, right, obviously.

I think they need a real closer, with no disrespect to Bednar, but I think if you're trying to get through October, you probably need someone who can, you know, light it up a little bit more on the radar gun.

Probably need a few more, you know, than just the closer, too.

I think in an ideal world, probably three, you know, high-leverage guys, one of whom could be Carlos LaGrande, who is working in that role now in Triple A, so maybe that fills one hole.

I think they, they do need the right-handed catcher everyone's talking about.

I think they just need a, a catcher who can hit.

I think that will get done.

You know, everyone's talking about Ryan Jeffers.

often when someone's name comes up that much, it's because it'll probably happen, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's the guy.

but there are options if it's not.

And then I think you, you could use another bat in there.

I don't know if that's third base.

you know, I do love McMahon's defense, but I You can repla- you can put him in there at the end of a game if you get somebody who can hit a little better.

So maybe that's the move.

But I think bullpen, bullpen, bullpen, and, but I also think we'll probably talk about whether they should pursue a certain starter, which wouldn't hurt either.

Yeah.

The rotat- everything is, like, pretty solid.

It can only really just, like, help them because this team is so strong.

But come the postseason, I mean, the regular season seems to be a little bit easy for them, so come the postseason- is when they're really gonna get tested, I feel like, for the first time.

This is a funny one, but also kind of controversial.

Joey Lynn Diskey on X said, "Will the Yankees hold a Chisholm Pop day the same way they held a Reggie Bar once upon a time?"

So if you know, everyone, Jazz Chisholm was seen in the infield with a green Blow Pop in his mouth, which I don't think we've ever seen before.

Maybe you have.

I've never seen that.

No.

It was insane.

insane.

I don't hate it as much as some people, but it was insane.

Yeah, I looked up the Reggie Bar thing, which is kind of funny.

It's funny 'cause, you know, they're very different, but Reggie and Jazz both were kinda like, "Look at me" people on a team that doesn't really love that, which is interesting.

but yeah, I think, they will not celebrate this one quite the same way.

you know, obviously Boone said he's pissed off about it or whatever, but they don't seem that pissed off.

You know, like, they were playing Lollipop in the clubhouse.

You know, Jazz held the thing up to the camera with the Blow Pop.

So, like, I think, I- I'm, I'm surprised at how f- much run this has gotten.

Like, it has not been like, "Jazz, that's terrible.

Never do it again," which is kinda what I thought it would be.

Boone was like, "Yeah, I'm pissed, but, you know, ha ha.

you know, he's hitting."

So, interesting one for sure, but that's Jazz being Jazz and, and I think the more you let Jazz be Jazz, the better he plays.

Yeah.

So they should probably continue to try to let him be himself as much as possible.

That's what I was gonna say.

I was gonna say, if this was anyone else, I don't know if they'd get away with it, but because it's him, he's the one wearing someone else's pants, using someone else's bat.

Having a lollipop in the infield.

It's just like he- they need his personality to kind of be itself, like you said, in order for him- Yeah to play his best.

All right.

The next question comes from Richard Caraballo-Ricky, R-K-A-E-I, whatever that is pronounced, on YouTube.

"Why do the Yankees believe in Ryan Weathers as a starter?"

Yeah.

So he's obviously been good his last couple times out.

He pitched well against Scubal the other night, but in general he's been pretty inconsistent, given up a lot of homers.

you know, I don't think ultimately his most important innings for this team will come as a starter anyway, so whether they believe in him like that or not, you know.

If, if he's still on this team down the stretch, he's probably in the bullpen, you know, pitching a couple innings as a lefty who throws really hard and can get guys out.

So, you know, I think they believe in him as a starter just because, you know, they've made him better certainly, and he's young, and he can still evolve, and he really, you know, he thinks about pitching, a lot.

I think he's learned a lot from being around the Yankees, so there's growth to be had there.

But I think ultimately when they get down the stretch and, and into October, you know, they're gonna believe in his fastball, from the left side and hope it works in late innings.

So, that to me is kind of the big goal there, unless they trade him, which I also think is possible, so And then it's someone else's turn to believe in him as a starter.

but he's been all right lately.

He's been all right.

Up and down, but, but all right.

He definitely turned it around.

His last two starts, you wouldn't mind him in the rotation, but his other couple starts, you're like, "I don't want him anywhere near the first five innings of this game."

you mentioned that he pitched well against Tarik Skubal, so that's our next question.

Bronxboys999 on X said, "Will the Yankees go all in on trying to trade for Skubal?"

So I don't, I don't necessarily know what all in means in this case.

Like, I'm not, I'm not trying to quibble with the question, but, like, I think they'll try.

I don't think, for, you know, the number of months that you'd be getting him that it's Like, it's gonna be a big haul, but it's not gonna be, like, a painfully huge haul.

you know, so I think yeah, I think they're gonna try.

I don't think they're gonna give him George Lombard, you know, somebody like that.

Would they give up LaGrandehay for Tarik Skubal?

I think that'd be a close call, you know, c- if you don't know that you're gonna sign Skubal long term.

But yeah, I think they'll put together a good package.

They've You know, I, like, if the Tigers want Jasson Domnguez, like, I think you probably do that.

so I think they're gonna be pretty open if they think they've got a chance, but I don't think, you know, for a few months you're gonna be willing to give up anything.

but all you gotta do is give up more than everyone else, and they've got, you know, they've got a good system, and their reputation for churning out pitchers, is such that, I, I would think the Tigers would, would certainly wanna hear what they have to say.

Yeah.

I would not want them to trade any big prospects just 'cause it's not worth it if they don't think that he's gonna be there for years to come.

Right.

We saw what happened with Juan Soto, was one and done.

You don't wanna have another situation like that.

All right.

Ryan Endofan19 on X said, "Have to ask for an Aaron Judge update.

Is there any?"

My understanding is he's just healing.

you know, that bone is healing.

I think it's a fairly straightforward deal here, where, like, they're gonna let that bone heal, and when it does, you know, x-ray it, make sure it's good, and then start baseball activities again.

So we're still in that, in that period between the injury and the, you know, the repeat imaging that's coming.

But I think no news is good news there.

you know, if you haven't, heard anything has changed, that probably means they're just letting it heal.

So, just in the waiting game, but I have not heard any reason to believe that there's anything worse happening than we originally thought, which is good.

Yeah.

We cross our fingers for the repeat imaging, and then hopefully smooth sailing.

No reason to rus- rush him back, especially, with it- Right still being the first half, half of the season.

Okay.

One final question from TBC2148 on X, "Will Brian Cashman act early to make trades or wait right up until the deadline to make any moves?"

I bet he makes some of the earliest trades we see, actually.

I wouldn't I w- I don't see any reason for him to wait.

like, you have to wait for the market to materialize a little bit, but I think you're starting to get there now.

So yeah, I mean, I think if he sees the catcher and, and the deal is right, I think they'll do it.

you know, I just th- I just don't think that he feels any obligation to wait.

We saw him jump early last year, if I remember correctly, on some relievers.

So you know, I think, I think any day now is fair game.

Probably more likely, you know, All-Star break-ish, right?

Like late July.

But I don't see You know, I don't think he's Maybe more than any other team, like, he knows what he needs.

He probably knows what he wants.

and you know, I would assume that as soon as it becomes available, he's gonna go get it.

All right.

Excited to see what moves the Yankees make.

Again, they just took two out of three from Detroit.

They open a series in Boston tonight.

Cam Schlitter facing Connolly early.

Thank you guys so much for watching this episode of Yankees Mailbag.

You can submit your questions for next episode on our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or again, drop them in the YouTube comments below this episode.

So for Chelsea Janes, I'm Nikki LaTerza.

Thanks for watching, and we will see you back here next time.