NY Yankees GM Brian Cashman fires back at legends Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez after postseason criticism

The tension between former New York Yankees legends and the team’s front office has reignited, as general manager Brian Cashman directly addressed harsh comments from Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez following the club’s ALDS elimination against the Toronto Blue Jays. The two former stars, now analysts for Fox Sports, were vocal in their disapproval of the Yankees’ roster construction and managerial structure during postgame coverage.

Rodriguez, never one to shy away from strong opinions, labeled the 2025 Yankees “one of the worst constructions of a roster I’ve ever seen,” despite the team’s 94-win season and postseason appearance.

Jeter, meanwhile, questioned manager Aaron Boone‘s autonomy, suggesting that much of the in-game strategy comes from above. “I’m pretty sure Aaron’s not the one that’s calling every move that they make throughout the game,” Jeter said on air.

Those remarks did not go unnoticed. Cashman appeared on WFAN, the Yankees’ flagship radio station, to respond to the criticism and defend both Boone and the organization’s approach.

The longtime GM revealed he had reached out to Jeter personally, saying, “Clearly, they don’t know. I know DJ said that, I don’t know what he meant by it, he did say he doesn’t have inside knowledge when he said it, but he did say it, for whatever reason. And I think that’s the bugaboo that people get to throw out there when they got nothing else to throw.”

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Cashman pushes back on “analytics” label

Cashman also took aim at the widespread perception that the Yankees are overly reliant on analytics, a narrative that has followed the organization since Boone replaced Joe Girardi in 2018. “Analytics, analytics, analytics — none of that is accurate,” he said, emphasizing that the front office uses data as one tool among many, not as a replacement for traditional baseball judgment.

Jeter and A-Rod: Old ties, new friction

The exchange adds another chapter to Cashman’s complex history with both players. Jeter, who retired in 2014 and later served as Miami Marlins president, has remained loosely connected to the Yankees but occasionally critical from afar. Rodriguez, whom Cashman re-signed to a $275 million extension in 2008, had his later years overshadowed by performance-enhancing drug scandals and off-field controversies that strained his relationship with the franchise.

Now, both Jeter and A-Rod sit on national television dissecting the organization they once led to glory. Their recent critiques highlight a broader debate about the Yankees’ direction, leadership, and reliance on front-office influence — a conversation that’s unlikely to quiet down anytime soon.