Brian Cashman is currently in California at Major League Baseball’s GM Meetings, and hit on a number of pressing Yankee topics when speaking to reporters on Tuesday.
One of the annual questions for Cashman has been about the team’s budget from ownership, as the organization has clearly put more of an emphasis on staying under the luxury tax, which they were able to reset this past season. Now, after another early playoff exit, many fans want to see the Yankees flex their financial might and behave like the Evil Empire again. Those days are likely over, but Cashman did hint that he will have some more flexibility this offseason.
“Do I have a set budget? No,” Cashman said. “Do I feel I have some direction? Yes. Clearly it was mission accomplished from last year, getting under the CBT.”
The Yankees made some marginal moves last year to stay under the competitive balance tax, trading Adam Ottavino and his salary to the Red Sox and replacing him with veteran relievers Darren O’Day and Justin Wilson, both of whom did not pan out in 2021. But now, with plenty of high-profile talent hitting free agency this winter, Cashman sees more opportunities to spend if the move is right.
“It’s gonna have to be,” Cashman said when asked if his budget for this offseason is higher than it was last winter. “We don’t have a lot of stuff coming off. Obviously, I have some latitude.”
A big point of focus for the Yanks will be at shortstop, which now needs to be filled after Gleyber Torres was moved back to second base, and the team conceded that Torres is likely a second baseman for good. Fortunately, their need aligns with one of the strongest free agent classes at the position in recent memory, highlighted by Carlos Correa, Corey Seager and Trevor Story.
Cashman has had talks with representatives of two available shortstops, but did not specify which.
“I started, yeah,” Cashman said. “Slowly, because we’re dealing with coaching stuff. But I’ve already had two separate conversations with agents that represent shortstops.”
One other notable free agent is Masahiro Tanaka, who signed with the Rakuten Eagles after the 2020 season to return to Japan and pitch for his former team. Tanaka told reporters in January that his initial desire was to return to the Yankees in 2021, but the organization suggested he consider other options. Now, he says he feels he has “unfinished business” in the major leagues, which could include a return to New York, where he put together a very productive seven-year career.
The Yankees, in need of another starting pitcher, could work out a reunion with the two-time All-Star who just turned 33 years old, and Cashman certainly won’t rule anything out.
“I can’t speak specifically to him, because I’m sure he’s still under control there, I would just say that whatever is available in the open market is something we’ll be forced to evaluate and compare it to what we already have, compare it to what our payroll flexibility is,” Cashman said. “That’s the job.
“We’ll look at all opportunities and then kind of press them out and see how it makes a fit. If it’s better than what we have, we’ll see if it can possibly fit or not.”
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