Yankees GM Brian Cashman:
‘There are better days ahead’
BY JOE PANTORNO
If New York Yankees general
manager Brian Cashman
likens a team’s season to a ship
out at sea, then his club’s start
to the 2021 campaign was immediately
steered into a maelstrom.
The preseason American
League favorites currently
have the worst record in the
junior circuit, with the general
manager opting to go straight
into the storm by addressing
the New York media on Monday
afternoon.
“The purpose of me being
on this call is it’s an off day.
I don’t want to run and hide
from it,” Cashman said. “I
want to acknowledge our disappointing
play but also reinforce
that we’re not going to
have 15 games make us adjust
course. We’re going to fi re our
way out of that start and hopefully
by the end of the month,
you’ll see a more refl ective record
to get us back on line.”
Of the numerous shortcomings
plaguing the Yankees,
their offense has been the most
egregious misfi ring aspect.
“Our offense is a prime target
of what ails us because it’s
something that’s a strength
of ours,” Cashman said. “It
will be a strength of ours but
it’s currently not a strength of
ours… It’s magnifying those
defi ciencies when we’re not
scoring like we’re capable.”
It doesn’t help that pitching
has been slacking, as Gerrit
Cole and Jordan Montgomery
are currently the only two
arms providing serviceable
starts. But after an offseason
of signing recovering arms
in Corey Kluber and Jameson
Taillon, Cashman doesn’t
have any regrets about how he
handled the offseason.
He also understands that
this is the time for the rest of
the league to meet the Yankees.
“We would be a team that
an opponent would want to
play because we’re not fi ring
on all cylinders,” he said. “Our
strengths are not showing
themselves right now, so if you
had a chance to catch us right
now, you’re catching us at the
right time.”
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, A 24 PR. 23-29, 2021 BTR
That doesn’t mean that
the hot seat beneath manager
Aaron Boone is warming. In
fact, Cashman gave the skipper
a decent vote of confi dence
considering the Yankees are
off to their worst start in 24
years.
“I think we’re all in the
same boat with performance,”
Cashman said. “Our record is
refl ective of our organization,
obviously Aaron is a piece of
that, as am I. Otherwise, he’s
doing everything he needs to
do. Whether it’s lineup-related,
how you deploy the troops from
a defensive standpoint… He’s
doing everything he needs to
do and most importantly, supporting
these guys.”
Instead, Cashman is looking
at the slow start as though
it was any other ebb and fl ow
of a normal MLB season —
even if it’s not befi tting of the
Yankees brand over the last
three decades.
“These are different segments
that you get into,” he
said. “Our patch is happening
right on the front end. That’s
not to dismiss it, but We are
disappointed clearly of where
we currently stand but know
there are better days ahead.”
Apr 18, 2021; Bronx, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pinch runner Brett
Phillips (35) checks to make sure New York Yankees second baseman
Rougned Odor (18) is ok after colliding with him at second base in the
eighth inning at Yankee Stadium. Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports