Yankees complain to MLB about the dumbest possible problem

Leave it to the Yankees for an Opening Day humble brag. Per Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, New York has too many retired numbers.

Opening Day provides hope to all 30 teams, but very few expect success as frequently as the New York Yankees. For over a century, the Yankees have been a symbol of consistency and success in all forms, and while they haven’t won a World Series since the 2009 season, they do have 27 to the organization’s name.

So, what’s the problem? Evidently the Yankees have been too good for too long. Yes, it’s a problem, and something needs to be done.

No, disbanding the franchise isn’t an option, as much as some Red Sox fans would prefer it. New York is running out of numbers for their new, up-and-coming stars, as evidenced by Anthony Volpe’s decision to wear No. 77.

New York Yankees retired numbers: What’s the problem?

The Yanks have retired 22 numbers, leaving 78 remaining, assuming we’re not going into the triple digits. New York submitted a proposal to the league office suggesting that coaches no longer have uniform numbers, hoping to provide more to their player base, both present and future.

The situation is so dire that the team’s director of clubhouse operations Lou Cucuzza believes triple digits must be on the table if coaching numbers aren’t removed.

“It’s going to get to a point where, if the coaches are going to keep their numbers, we may get to triple digits one day,” Cucuzza said, per The Athletic. “We threw it out there to see if it would stick.”

Cucuzza and the Yankees didn’t submit this proposal out of nowhere. Managers like Buck Showalter, A.J. Hinch and more fail to wear their uniform tops on a daily basis. Why not remove the condition altogether?

It’s something baseball must consider, but it feels like a Yankee-centric problem for now.