Does Brian Cashman really believe Yankees could beat Dodgers in 2026 World Series?

New York Yankees senior vice president and general manager Brian Cashman recently offered a passionate defense of his offseason moves that have left fans believing the Yankees are no better than they were when they fell to the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series this past fall. 

On Thursday, Bob Klapisch of NJ Advance Media reached out to Cashman and asked a question that's on the minds of many baseball fans in the New York area this winter: Does Cashman really believe the Yankees could win a World Series matchup versus the Los Angeles Dodgers this coming October? 

Brian Cashman's answer likely won't fill Yankees fans with much confidence

"The goal is to find a way," Cashman responded. "First, we have to win the East. Then we have to win the pennant, neither of which happened last year. That’s our only focus."

A Yankees side that featured star slugger Juan Soto won only a single game versus the Dodgers during the 2024 World Series. Soto then relocated to Queens and to the New York Mets, but the Dodgers ultimately repeated as world champions. 

Throughout January, the Yankees have been accused of "running it back" with a roster that couldn't make it to last year's AL Championship Series. Meanwhile, the Dodgers added star closer Edwin Diaz and outfielder Kyle Tucker via big-money deals that allegedly left unnamed league owners "raging" over how much money baseball's new "Evil Empire" is able to spend compared to small-market clubs. 

Brian Cashman addresses Dodgers' ability to acquire just about any player they want

"They’re playing by the rules," Cashman said about complaints related to the Dodgers' spending. "So we just have to find a way to beat them on the field."

As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Dodgers as the betting favorites at +230 odds to win the 2026 World Series. The Yankees were second on the list at +950 odds.

Such information won't bolster the confidence of a passionate Yankees fan base that continues to demand better of an organization that hasn't won a World Series since the fall of 2009.