Clint Frazier urges the Yankees to stop depending on the comeback player.

Clint Frazier Urges Yankees to Reconsider Strategy

Clint Frazier, a former Yankees outfielder, has a clear message for his old team: it’s time to stop banking on players having bounce-back seasons. He believes the Yankees should consider real upgrades instead of hoping for players to recover their form.

Frazier, who spent his first five MLB seasons with the Yankees, expressed his concerns in a recent podcast episode of “Life After the Show.” He stated, “I think we can go in a better direction if we spend money on players who have the potential to fill the positions of players who we expect to bounce back, instead of just relying on that.”

His remarks come after a rather inactive winter meeting for the Yankees, while other teams, like the Orioles and Blue Jays, made notable signings. “I don’t know what the Yankees are planning this winter. They keep saying, let’s see how it goes. But it feels like other teams are making moves,” Frazier noted.

Even though the Yankees did add a few players, like Ryan Yarbrough and Trent Grisham, Frazier questioned whether the roster had substantially changed. “It feels like they’re keeping much of what they had in 2025 and are just hoping for better results in 2026,” he remarked.

The 31-year-old hasn’t played in the majors since 2023 but has been critical of the franchise since he was waived in 2021. He previously described the decision-making around the team as overly complicated, saying the Yankees won’t win the 2025 World Series because “they do stupid things.” This drew some backlash from former teammate CC Sabathia, a newly inducted Hall of Famer.

Frazier pointed out that the Yankees haven’t invested enough in proven players among several seasons of underwhelming performance. He recalled a time when he was with the team, mentioning, “When we struggled back then, all I heard was, what if George did it? If he were still around, things would be different.” He emphasized, “The Yankees need to be like the Yankees again.”

Frazier joined the Yankees in 2016 as part of a trade for Andrew Miller. Despite having impressive skills, injuries and instability led to his release from the team. Reflecting on his experience, he suggested the Yankees move on from certain current players rather than count on them for improvement.

“Some of these guys have shown enough to justify moving on,” he said, naming Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells as examples. He further expressed, “There are other players out there that can catch, attack, and ultimately improve the Yankees.”

Volpe had a rough 2025 and will miss the upcoming season’s start after shoulder surgery, while Wells had a career-high in home runs. Frazier also mentioned potential trade targets, like Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams and ace Mackenzie Gore, as ideal fits for the Yankees, alluding to the necessity of offloading underperforming young talent.