Former Yankee Clint Frazier is sounding the alarm, urging his old team to ditch their reliance on struggling players like Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells. It's time to stop hoping for miracles and start making bold moves, he declares. Frazier, who knows firsthand the highs and lows of playing in the Bronx, is calling out the Yankees for their strategy of banking on rebound seasons instead of investing in proven talent.
In a recent episode of his podcast, Life After The Show, Frazier didn’t hold back. “Stop relying on the bounceback player,” he stated bluntly. “If you’re just crossing your fingers that players will magically turn things around, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Be proactive—go out and spend on players who can make an immediate impact.”
But here's where it gets controversial: Frazier isn’t just criticizing the approach; he’s naming names. He points to players like Volpe, who’s coming off a rough 2025 and will miss the start of next season due to shoulder surgery, and Wells, whose offensive numbers (aside from a career-high 21 home runs) have taken a nosedive. Frazier argues that instead of waiting for these players to rebound, the Yankees should cut their losses and target proven talent like Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams or left-handed ace MacKenzie Gore.
Frazier’s comments come at a critical time for the Yankees, who’ve been unusually quiet during the Winter Meetings. While rivals like the Orioles (signing Pete Alonso) and the Blue Jays (acquiring Dylan Cease) are making headlines, the Yankees have only re-signed Ryan Yarbrough, kept Tim Hill, and brought in Trent Grisham. And this is the part most people miss: Frazier believes the team is clinging too tightly to the past, hoping 2026 will somehow mirror 2025, rather than embracing the change needed to compete.
Frazier, who last played in the majors with the White Sox in 2023, has been a vocal critic of the Yankees since his release in 2021. He’s previously called out the organization for having “too many rocket scientists” influencing decisions and even predicted they wouldn’t win the 2025 World Series because of their “dumbass” moves. His latest critique focuses on the team’s reluctance to spend big on established players, instead relying on unproven or struggling talent.
“Back in the day, everyone said if George Steinbrenner were still around, things would be different,” Frazier recalled. “The Yankees need to start spending like the Yankees again.”
Frazier’s own journey with the team adds weight to his words. Acquired as the centerpiece of the 2016 Andrew Miller trade, he showed flashes of brilliance with his “legendary” bat speed but was ultimately derailed by injuries and inconsistency. Now, he’s using his experience to advocate for a bolder, more proactive approach.
Here’s the question that’ll spark debate: Are the Yankees better off sticking with their current roster and hoping for the best, or should they take Frazier’s advice and make some tough cuts to bring in fresh talent? Let us know what you think in the comments—is Frazier onto something, or is he overstepping? One thing’s for sure: the Yankees’ offseason moves (or lack thereof) will be under the microscope like never before.
