Jorge Posada says he does not feel welcome around the Yankees, and that he has stopped going to games and spring training because of it. The 56-year-old former catcher said on the latest episode of The Show that he believes the team does not want him there, a blunt remark that reopened a strain that has lingered long after his playing days ended.
Posada, who spent 17 years in The Bronx from 1995-2011 and won five titles as part of the Core Four, was asked whether he could help the Yankees if needed. His answer was plain: he could, but he does not think they want him there. He said he feels unwelcome even in spring training and avoids showing up when that is the case, turning a once-obvious reunion into something he now steers clear of.
The comments landed Tuesday afternoon, when the episode premiered and put fresh attention on a relationship that has never fully smoothed over. The Yankees retired his No. 20 in 2015, but the honor has not translated into comfort. Posada was pressed about whether the club needs someone alongside Aaron Boone who cares about the brand and can call out unacceptable play, and his response suggested he still sees a role for himself — just not one the Yankees are eager to offer.
He would not point to a single incident that changed how he feels. Instead, he said he would rather move forward, even as he connected the distance to a difficult final season. In 2011, public disagreements over his playing time and a shift to designated hitter made return visits complicated, and Posada said the hardest part was never getting a chance to fight for his job. He believed the front office made the call, not Joe Girardi, and said he spoke with Girardi but not Brian Cashman or Hal Steinbrenner.
That history is what gives the latest remarks their edge. Posada said he does not have a problem with Girardi, and Cashman has said there are rough patches that have to be worked through. But Posada’s point was not about smoothing things over. It was about absence: if he does not feel wanted, he stays away. Until that changes, the Yankees will keep one of their most recognizable former players at a distance of his own making.
