Yankees cut ties with history-making pitcher who broke 1973 drought

The New York Yankees made a decision Thursday that shocked many, cutting ties with a pitcher who made history earlier this season. Cade Winquest, the Rule 5 Draft pick who earned a spot on the Yankees’ Opening Day roster, is no longer part of the team. For the first time since 1973, the Yankees had a player selected in the Rule 5 Draft break camp with the club, but Winquest will never throw a pitch for the Yankees, leaving fans and analysts alike with plenty to process.

A history-making moment turned sour

Winquest’s inclusion on the Yankees’ Opening Day roster was historic. After years of sitting out the Rule 5 Draft, the Yankees finally selected a player, marking the first time since 1973 they had done so. Rule 5 Draft picks must remain on the MLB roster for the entire season, or they are offered back to the team that originally drafted them. For the Yankees, Winquest’s selection was a bold move — an attempt to introduce new blood into their pitching rotation.

But despite the hype surrounding his inclusion, Winquest’s time with the Yankees was short-lived. On Thursday, the Yankees designated him for assignment, meaning that Winquest will now likely be returned to the St. Louis Cardinals, the team from which he was selected. This move marks a disappointing end to a brief and unremarkable stint in New York, but it’s hardly a surprise given the nature of Winquest’s performance during spring training.

From a promising start to an underwhelming spring

Standing at 6 feet 2 inches, Winquest was expected to bring a fresh face to the Yankees’ bullpen. He had spent the previous year with the Cardinals’ Double-A affiliate, the Springfield Cardinals, where he posted a solid 3.19 ERA over eight starts. While not eye-popping, his numbers in Double-A were respectable enough to make the Yankees take a chance on him. However, his performance in spring training raised serious doubts about his ability to help the Yankees in the long run.

In his limited action this spring, Winquest struggled mightily. In 8.1 innings of work, he posted an unsightly 6.48 ERA. He gave up 11 hits and six earned runs, while striking out seven batters. Though spring training statistics aren’t always the most reliable, Winquest’s struggles were hard to ignore. The Yankees had clearly hoped for a better showing, but his inability to make an impact on the mound led to the inevitable decision to move on.

The Yankees’ unusual gamble

It’s rare for a team like the Yankees to make such a bold move with a Rule 5 Draft pick. In fact, they hadn’t selected a player in the Rule 5 Draft since 2011, making this decision even more noteworthy. The Rule 5 Draft is risky business — if a team selects a player but doesn’t keep them on the roster for the entire season, they must return the player to their original team. In this case, the Yankees stuck with Winquest long enough to make it to Opening Day, but it was clear they weren’t ready to keep him around long-term.

What makes the situation even more curious is that the Yankees didn’t even give Winquest a chance to pitch in a game. Despite warming him up multiple times, the Yankees never gave him the opportunity to step onto the mound. It’s a bit baffling, especially considering the team’s need for pitching depth and Winquest’s potential. Many fans and pundits were left wondering if the Yankees should have at least given him one chance to see what he could do in a game situation.

The aftermath: What’s next for Winquest?

Now that Winquest has been designated for assignment, the Yankees will offer him back to the Cardinals, as is required by the Rule 5 Draft rules. If the Cardinals choose to take him back, Winquest will be sent back to their minor league system. The possibility of returning to the majors remains uncertain, and his career timeline will certainly have a strange footnote: making the Yankees’ Opening Day roster in 2026, yet never pitching in a game for the team.

For Winquest, this represents a tough break in his career. He was given a chance at the big league level, but his inability to make an impact left the Yankees with no choice but to move on. While he may get another shot with the Cardinals, there are no guarantees about when or if he will make it back to the majors.

A cautionary tale of expectations and reality

Winquest’s brief and disappointing tenure with the Yankees serves as a reminder of the fine line between potential and performance. In baseball, there are no guarantees — even when a player has shown promise in the minors. The Yankees took a chance on Winquest, hoping his potential would translate into major league success, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

For the Yankees, this decision marks the end of a chapter they likely hoped would turn out differently. The team will now move forward, continuing to search for the pitching depth they so desperately need. For Winquest, this may just be a bump in the road of his career, but the next steps in his journey are uncertain. As for the Yankees, they will have to regroup and look to other options to bolster their bullpen. With the 2026 season in full swing, the team has little time to dwell on past decisions — the focus now is on what comes next.