The trade deadline passes, and the Yankees do nothing

New York Yankees, Yankees, Brian Cashman

There was a lot of chatter over the past week on what the New York Yankees would do at the trade deadline. The team has been decimated by injuries thus far and is performing below expectations. The Yankees are currently 3.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays.

There were rumors that the Yankees were making calls on starting pitchers, relievers, and outfielders to bolster their chances for a 28th World Series. Well, today’s trade deadline has come and passed, and for the second straight year, Brian Cashman didn’t make a move.

Pressure on Yankees GM Brian Cashman

Last year, the Yankees made no moves at the deadline. Despite being engaged in talks on multiple fronts, the team did nothing. The lack of a move ended up being one of their downfalls in the ALCS.

The Yankees had an exhausted bullpen and it showed. The lack of a move even prompted Zack Britton to point out that the Yankees were depleted in that series against the Astros last year.

Cashman with the Steinbrenner’s money went out and signed Gerrit Cole to a record deal in the offseason. Cole has been as advertised, but he’s not a miracle worker. The team still has massive holes this year due to injuries.

The Yankees bullpen has been shaky, their starting rotation has been shaky, and their offense has struggled massively over the past couple of weeks. This team desperately needed something to get them energized.

Deadline Moves

The Yankees were said to have had conversations regarding: Mike Clevinger, Taijuan Walker, Archie Bradley, Robbie Ray, Mychal Givens, Starling Marte, and Jonathan Villar. All of those players were dealt prior to the deadline, but the Yankees didn’t get anyone.

I’m sure Cashman will come out and state that the prices were just too high. Outside of the Clevinger deal, the Yankees could have acquired any of those players without hurting their farm system significantly.

Cashman has developed a reputation over the past few years as a severe prospect hugger. Deadlines like the last couple haven’t helped that reputation. Remember Cashman wouldn’t trade for Gerrit Cole a couple of years ago because the Pirates wanted Andujar and Chance Adams.

The pressure has to be turned way up on Brian Cashman and the Yankees. Cashman has had the Yankees financial resources and the team has made one World Series since the beginning of the 2004 season. That’s astonishingly bad.

At some point, the finger has to be pointed at the guy behind the controls. I don’t believe that Brian Cashman is a bad GM, but at some point he needs to be held accountable for the lack of success from the Yankees.

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