Another strong regular season, sure. But these Yankees again did not complete the final group project – win the World Series. What does that mean for their 2026 SNY report card?
Remember: Players are graded against their own standards and expectations, not against each other.
Here are my grades for the 2026 Yankees.
BRIAN CASHMAN
The Bronx Bombers will not win the World Series in 2026, so the general manager’s final grade gets dinged. “Running it back” was good enough to get to the playoffs and win a round, but the Yanks ended with the same ALDS exit as last season. Cashman tried to help at the deadline, but his biggest deal, for Luis García, will have its real evaluation in 2027. The addition of Heliot Ramos didn’t really help. But Cashman also resisted an overpay trade for Adley Rutschman, leaving him chips to potentially use this winter, which will be a big one for a Yankee team trying to end a World Series title drought dating back to 2009. It may be frustrating that they haven’t won it all since then, but Cashman’s teams get to the postseason – 2026 was his 29th year at the helm, and his squad has missed out on October baseball just five times in that span.
GRADE: B
AARON BOONE
Just like Cashman, the Yanks’ manager gets points off his final grade for failing to win the World Series. Still, he had a strong year as the Yankees went 93-68 and beat the Red Sox in the Wild Card. Aaron Judge missed significant time during the regular season and was down for the playoffs. Giancarlo Stanton and Max Fried (among others) missed time, too. Boone helped create an effective bullpen after key pieces fizzled. In Game 2 in Tampa Bay, the Yanks experienced a repeat of the defensive disaster in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. While Boone doesn’t wear a glove, that redux calls into question the club’s culture under his management. Could he have shaken up a snoozing October lineup sooner? Maybe. His job status is an annual debate this time of year, but at least two key Yanks – Judge and Cam Schlittler – offered strong public support for Boone following the final loss.
GRADE: B
Oct 5, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone looks on during the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game two of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
BEN RICE
With Judge on the shelf for so long, Rice was the biggest threat in the Yankee lineup and continued his ascension as a hitter. He was third in the AL in OPS (.897) and fourth in homers (41) and RBI (97) and then went 8-for-19 (.421) with four homers in five postseason games.
GRADE: A
CODY BELLINGER
Bellinger’s numbers dipped compared to last season (SLG down from .480 to .429) and he batted just .190 in the playoffs. However, he still led Yankee position players in bWAR, thanks to his all-around game.
GRADE: B
AARON JUDGE
Limited to just 66 games due to injuries, which kept him out of the playoffs entirely, Judge’s numbers weren’t up to his usual lofty standards when he did play, with his .871 OPS being 273 points below his full season production in ’25.
GRADE: C
JAZZ CHISHOLM
High-ceiling talent didn’t produce equivalent results for Jazz, though he was third in the AL in steals (41). He slugged 19 homers, but his OPS fell 102 points to .711 and he batted just .182 in the playoffs. Jazz also played a key role in the ALDS Game 2 defensive debacle, and was left out of the starting lineup by Boone against a righty (Nick Martinez) in a playoff elimination game.
GRADE: C-
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda (8) hits a single and slides to the base during the first inning against the New York Yankees in game two of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT
The ageless wonder performed perfectly in his platoon role, recording a .967 OPS and 11 home runs against left-handed pitchers. Only eight MLB players hit more longballs against lefties than Goldy. He also added seven home runs against righties, too.
GRADE: A
RYAN MCMAHON
McMahon hit 11 homers in 124 games and had an uninspiring .635 OPS. His error in ALDS Game 2 error and some ordinary defensive metrics sap his grade, given his reputation and past performance as a top-tier defensive third baseman.
GRADE: D+
GEORGE LOMBARD JR.
The promising 21-year-old shortstop could have a big future after notching a .699 OPS and seven homers in 42 games. Lombard showed the competitive makeup to handle rookie growing pains, including a fielding slump in which he made an error in six straight games. Like the rest of the Yankees infield, had a rough Game 2 against Tampa Bay.
GRADE: C+
SPENCER JONES
Yes, Jones strikes out too much (36.3 strikeout percentage in 2026, 14 points higher than MLB average), but he’s crazy athletic and powerful and could bloom into something special. 11 homers, 10 steals and a .742 OPS in 86 games is very encouraging.
GRADE: B
TRENT GRISHAM
Grisham regressed in all facets from his 2025 season, finishing with 18 homers, a .211 average and .703 OPS. He also went 0-for-11 against the Rays in the Division Series.
GRADE: C-
New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (12) reacts after striking out during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
AUSTIN WELLS
Wells had an odd season. He was dreadful offensively for so long that the Yanks were trying to trade for a catcher at the deadline, but he repaid Cashman’s faith in him an .800 OPS over his final 48 games. He was also the Yanks’ second-best hitter in the playoffs (.333, four RBI), but inexplicable gambled on the basepaths trying to leg out a triple in Game 1 against Tampa Bay. As usual, he was very good defensively, including with ABS challenges.
GRADE: C+
LUIS GARCIA JR.
Garcia would have been the perfect deadline acquisition if he were a right-handed hitter. Still, he brought a power threat to a lineup that sorely needed it, even if the numbers weren’t overwhelming after he arrived (seven homers, .736 OPS in 43 games).
GRADE: C
JOSE CABALLERO
Caballero annoys opponents (trust us, that’s a compliment) and offers elite speed (34 steals) and versatility. He played six different positions on the field and hit a career-best 14 homers. I think he should’ve gotten more playing time in the playoffs; he might have really vexed his old team, the Rays.
GRADE: B
ANTHONY VOLPE
Volpe deserves kudos for his response to getting sent down – he returned with the ability to play second base, and ended up being a late-season contributor at the plate. In fact, he was one of the few Yankees who showed up against the Rays (3-for-7, nearly left the yard in Game 3). He’s not the shortstop of the future anymore, but he might be the starting second baseman should the Yanks let Jazz walk this offseason.
GRADE: B-
HELIOT RAMOS
The Yanks needed a righty outfield bat at the deadline, but Ramos didn’t add much over 38 games, batting a paltry .198 with four homers and a .688 OPS. He was also a nonfactor during the playoffs, although Boone probably should’ve inserted him as a pinch runner for Paul Goldschmidt in the eighth inning of Game 3 against the Rays.
GRADE: D
Aug 4, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Heliot Ramos (34) runs off the field after the top of the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
CAM SCHLITTLER
Schlittler’s 1.95 ERA was the third-lowest single-season figure in Yankee history, and he became the 11th pinstriped starting pitcher to win the ERA title. Simply put, Schlittler authored one of the great pitching seasons in team history en route to a presumptive AL Cy Young award, and proved the Yankees have a new ace.
GRADE: A+
GERRIT COLE
The 36-year-old Cole returned from Tommy John surgery and the results were mostly pretty good, from a 3.61 ERA in 22 regular season starts to a five-inning, one-run postseason start. There’s more in the tank here, and that’s great news for everyone involved.
GRADE: B
MAX FRIED
He pitched very well when healthy (2.80 ERA in 20 starts), though his left elbow could be an ongoing concern. After allowing one run in six innings in the Wild Card Series, the Yanks needed that again in the ALDS, but Fried did not deliver, allowing four runs in 5.2 frames against the Rays, which dings his grade.
GRADE: B+
CARLOS RODON
Rodon was incredibly hard to hit all season, recording just 5.4 hits allowed per nine innings. With a 2.67 ERA in 16 starts, he was probably the Yanks best pitcher late in the season excluding Schlittler, which makes it all the more weird that he did not pitch in the playoffs.
GRADE: A-
New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) hands the ball to manager Aaron Boone during a pitching change in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field / Benny Sieu – Imagn Images
WILL WARREN
Warren is a capable back-end arm who might have more upside, evidenced by his 11-6 record and 3.92 ERA in 2026.
GRADE: B-
RYAN WEATHERS
Weathers was tremendous over his final six starts (1.29 ERA) before getting hurt. He returned to make two scoreless relief appearances in the playoffs, showcasing his versatility.
GRADE: B
DAVID BEDNAR
The Yankees couldn’t ask for more from their closer. Bednar is dependable, difficult to hit (6.8 hits-per-nine) and suppresses home runs (0.5 HR/9). He saved 35 games in 39 chances and had a streak of 29 appearances without a blown save that lasted nearly three months. He also pitched two scoreless innings of relief in Game 3 against the Rays.
GRADE: A
BRENT HEADRICK
Headrick was the lefty relief revelation of 2026 in the Bronx. He was nigh-unhittable entering August (1.30 ERA), but regressed as his workload mounted, recording a 4.30 ERA over the final two months. Regardless, his final numbers in a strong setup season: 2.18 ERA, 81 appearances. Young by reliever standards (28 years old).
GRADE: A-
PAUL BLACKBURN
The former back-end starter was transitioned by the Yankees into an elite setup or multi-inning bullpen weapon in 2026. Blackburn notched more than three outs in a single appearance a whopping 32 times in 69 games, notched a 1.69 ERA, and was clearly the most-trusted October reliever (six shutout innings in four appearances). A career-changing year for the 32-year-old righty.
GRADE: A