Yankees general manager Brian Cashman made World Series-caliber acquisitions this offseason, and the unraveling of those events certainly feels as though he’s putting it all out on the table.
Cashman has failed to construct a roster good enough and healthy enough to reach a World Series in the past decade, and with one of the top payrolls in baseball on a yearly basis, ownership can’t be happy.
Yankees’ Strategic Moves and High Stakes
After all, Cashman greenlighted the acquisitions of Josh Donaldson and many other busts, but adding a player like Juan Soto should do wonders for a Yankee offense that ranked at the bottom of the league in 2023.
Soto brings a Hall of Fame-level bat at just 25 years old, playing in all 162 games last season. He hit .275/.410/.519, including 35 home runs and 109 RBIs. This may be the move that defines Cashman’s career, sending multiple prospects in exchange for one year of Soto in the hopes of extending him in the future.
Cashman may be running out of time to construct a roster capable of winning a World Series, which makes 2024 even more important. According to one MLB insider, some believe this could be his last deal as the Yankees’ GM.
Cashman’s Future and Legacy
SNY’s Andy Martino stated, “Cashman is beginning the second season of a four-year contract. There are close colleagues who speculate, without knowing for sure, that it will be Cashman’s last deal as GM of the Yankees.”
If the Yankees secure a championship in the upcoming season, there’s no doubt that Cashman will likely get an extension if he wants it.
Overcoming Challenges for Championship Dreams
However, a lot of work has to go in for that to become a reality, and a little luck needs to go the Yankees’ way. Health has been a major issue over the past few seasons, if not longer, and the team is already relying on several starting pitchers to bounce back from poor seasons last year.
With the Los Angeles Dodgers spending over $1 billion in free agency to acquire some of the best players in the game, the Yankees certainly have their work cut out for them, but all it takes is to get hot at the right time, and we’ve seen the Bombers go on impressive winning streaks, notably in 2022. Last year seemed to be an anomaly, and manager Aaron Boone is confident they will turn things around in 2024.
“We’re hell-bent on being a champion. We understand very well that last year was not anything that anyone in this organization wants, demands, or expects.”
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