Michael Kay says fans calling for a rebuild are overreacting to a midseason slump.
Yankees broadcaster fires back at fans calling for rebuild after rough stretch originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Michael Kay’s had enough of the doom-mongering. On his ESPN radio show Monday, the veteran voice of the YES Network ripped into fans calling for a full rebuild after a rough stretch. He refused to hear any more talk of firing Aaron Boone or trading everyone—including Aaron Judge.
“What are you trading? What are you rebuilding for? You’re three games out of first place,” Kay fired back at fans. He reminded listeners that the Yankees reached the World Series last year and didn’t fall apart—”So you think that’s what happened over the last week is indicative of how they’re going to be for the rest of the year? I don’t see that. I don’t see it”
Kay noted that Brian Cashman has made smart, timely moves before—like last year’s addition of Jazz Chisholm Jr., which helped spark their postseason push.
Yes, the Yankees have lost 16 of their past 23 games. Sure, they dropped two of three to the Mets over the Fourth of July weekend. Plus they were swept by Toronto, leaving them three games back in the division.
But Kay said this little slump doesn’t turn them into a rebuilding franchise overnight.
“And I love, by the way, Yankees fans that say, ‘They should rebuild.’ ‘They should reload.’ Really? You couldn’t take losing in the World Series,” Kay added.“You went to the World Series last year, and now you’ve had a bad three‑week stretch, and you want the manager and GM fired? … You can’t handle losing in the World Series!”
Kay believes the Yankees should stay aggressive at the July 31 trade deadline, not hit the panic button. On Sunday’s pregame broadcast, Kay admitted the Yankees have a lot of needs to address at the deadline. He said the Yankees need a starter now that Clarke Schmidt is out for the season. They also need a reliever or two and a right-handed hitting third baseman.
This came a day after Kay shot back at Toronto broadcasters mocking him and the Yankees after they were swept in Toronto.
Related: Another Iconic Yankees Voice May Be Calling Fewer Games Soon
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball
