Cashman not ruling out more moves before camp
On the day the Yankees introduced Marcus Stroman, Brian Cashman didn’t shut the door on making more upgrades. The Yankees have already added Stroman, Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, Trent Grisham and others this offseason, but that doesn’t mean the general manager is done. Of course, with the Yankees’ luxury tax payroll already projected to exceed $300 million, it doesn’t mean more splashes are coming, either.
“We have a very strong team in my opinion, but we always try to look to improve upon it where we can and when we can,” Cashman said Thursday when specifically asked if his rotation is set.
Free agents Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery were still available when Cashman spoke over Zoom, but they will be costly. Trade targets like Corbin Burnes and Dylan Cease could be, too.
Guardians ace Shane Bieber is an interesting name given his relationship with Matt Blake and Cleveland’s uncertain financials amid TV rights issues, but it’s unclear if he will be traded this offseason.
Cashman was also asked if the bullpen is now his priority, but he wouldn’t say. The Yankees have been linked to a handful of free agent relievers, including Hector Neris, Robert Stephenson, Wandy Peralta and Keynan Middleton. The last two pitched for the Yanks in 2023.
“We’re going to be open-minded every step of the way between now and pencils down on July 31,” Cashman said, referring to the trade deadline while speaking in general terms about his roster.
Cashman also said that the Yankees have internal candidates for a super-utility role, namely Oswaldo Cabrera. However, Cashman didn’t rule out upgrading in that aspect, either.
The Yankees are coming off a fourth-place finish in 2023, something that Cashman and company are determined to avoid repeating. Whether that means making more significant moves, however, remains to be seen.
“We’re better than that,” Cashman said. “Our fans deserve better than that, and we’re intending on running a 2024 season in a much better light.”
STANTON LOOKING GOOD
After calling out Giancarlo Stanton’s injury history earlier this offseason, Cashman had nothing but positive things to say about the slugger on Thursday.
A recently-circulated picture of Stanton showed off a much leaner physique, something Aaron Boone said to expect during the Winter Meetings. The image caught the attention of Yankee fans, as well as Cashman.
“He’s in a really good place between his diet, between his offseason conditioning,” Cashman said. “The picture that you saw represents the effort he’s got behind it. And it’s not that he hasn’t provided effort in the past. I’ll let him articulate when he gets to camp what his program and his regimen have been this winter, but I think the picture represents a different tact of how he’s trying to go about it to find higher ground. “That picture obviously showed a lot.” Cashman added that Stanton has been staying in touch with the team’s trainers and performance science staff. The Yankees are hoping he can be an occasional — and quality — option in the outfield in 2024.
FIFTH ROTATION SPOT SETTLED?
Stroman is joining a projected rotation that includes Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Nestor Cortes and Clarke Schmidt. Schmidt has the least experience of the bunch. After being a full-time big league starter for the first time in 2023, he recorded a 4.64 ERA. However, he had stretches where he was far better than that, particularly in the middle of the season after a terrible start.
Asked if the fifth spot in the rotation is Schmidt’s to lose — barring injuries and/or additions — Cashman seemed to endorse that idea.
“I was really proud of the season he had last year,” Cashman said. “Looking forward to running him back out there in 2024. He’s earned the right, and hopefully, he continues to take even further steps forward. I think he’s got a high ceiling.
“We’re counting on him to be a fixture in that rotation.”
In addition to potential additions and injuries impacting things, Cashman noted that younger pitchers will be pushing for opportunities. Will Warren and Clayton Beeter are among the prospective candidates. Still, it sounds like Schmidt has a clear edge with the way the roster currently stands.
VOLUNTEER EFFORTS
When asked about Rodón, Cashman said that the lefty is already in Tampa, as he reported early voluntarily.
“Looks really good,” Cashman said of Rodón, who endured a disastrous, injury-riddled debut season in the Bronx last year. “Getting after it.”
Cashman added that Rodón is in more of a “collaborative state” with the organization than he was this time last year, as his free agency prevented him from enjoying a full offseason with the Yankees and their staff. Blake said something similar earlier this offseason.
Cashman is optimistic that Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and 2022, can return to form this coming season. The same applies to Cortes, another early arrival in Tampa. Cashman said that reports on Cortes’ health and work have remained encouraging after he battled shoulder issues in 2023.
RIZZO AND DOMINGUEZ
Cashman said that Anthony Rizzo still “feels great” and that “the doctors have told us he’s 100 percent clear [and] that the type of concussion he had, once he’s passed it, will not return.”
“We’re certainly hopeful that that’s the case and optimistic that that’s the case,” Cashman continued. “If you didn’t bring it up, I wasn’t even thinking about it anymore.”
However, Cashman added that he’s not an expert in that field and that brain injuries are always “tricky.” The Yankees and Rizzo know this firsthand, as his concussion symptoms went undetected for two months last season despite him suffering through the worst slump of his career.
Finally, Cashman said that the “summertime” is still the target for Jasson Domínguez’s return from UCL surgery. Back in December, Boone said that he hoped the outfielder would be back “sooner rather than later” when asked about a return between June and August.