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Derek Jeter defends Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner amid growing fan criticism of team's title drought
By Ryan Morik
Published January 26, 2026
The New York Yankees are running it back, and not many fans are happy about it.
Sure, it doesn't seem like a bad idea to keep a large majority of a 94-win team that only lost the division due to a head-to-head tiebreaker.
However, the Yankees' title drought reached 16 seasons after getting embarrassed by the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series, and calls for change were louder than ever.
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Derek Jeter holds his plaque with Hal Steinbrenner during the retirement ceremony of his No. 2 jersey at Yankee Stadium on May 14, 2017, in New York City. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Those changes, though, did not come.
The Yankees added just one person to their 40-man roster in left-handed pitcher Ryan Weathers, while relievers Devin Williams and Luke Weaver went to their crosstown rival, the New York Mets. Everything else is all the same.
For Yankees legend Derek Jeter, though, it's all about getting hot at the right time.
"It’s a long season. I used to say it when I played – and people got tired of me saying it – the best teams make it to the postseason, and the hottest team wins. Teams that get there, whoever’s hottest can win a World Series," Jeter said to Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "They had a successful regular season, didn’t end up how they wanted to, but I’m sure things change. Trade deadline, injuries, a lot of things happen. So they obviously like the position they’re in, and we’ll see what happens."
Does he like the position they're in?
New York Yankees' Derek Jeter jumps after hitting the game-winning single against the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning of a baseball game in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)
DEREK JETER TAKES ON CAPTAIN ROLE FOR PADEL TEAM AT MIAMI’S RESERVE CUP
"It all comes down to the trade deadline, man. Teams change dramatically at the trade deadline," Jeter added.
With the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers breaking payroll records and adding Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker, Hal Steinbrenner has been public enemy No. 1 in the Bronx, but Jeter came to his defense, as he did some years ago when Steinbrenner was booed by the Yankee fan base, and Jeter urged them to cheer.
"Yankee fans, they have high expectations. They’ve always had high expectations. For them, if you don’t win the World Series, it’s a failure. In that sense, I have the same mindset. So I get the frustration," Jeter said. "But I'm sure Hal is frustrated as well. Hal’s been willing to go out and get players and put the Yankees in a position to win. But ultimately, you have to go out on the field and perform."
Ironically enough, the Yankees went 32-12 in their final 44 games, including winning each of their last eight. So being the hottest team did not work out for the Yankees.
Derek Jeter looks on prior to the 93rd MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at T-Mobile Park on July 11, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
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In any case, it would be a surprise to see the Yankees not play October baseball — but it has not been surprising to see failures that month.
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https://www.foxnews.com/sports/derek-jeter-defends-yankees-owner-hal-steinbrenner-amid-growing-fan-criticism-teams-title-drought