Brian Cashman, the face of the New York Yankees leadership, has been on a rampage since the 2023 MLB season concluded. As the longest-tenured general manager of a $7 billion franchise, Cashman’s demeanour has been unruly per se. His choice of words further added fuel to fans’ never-ending resentment.
If poking the fans’ wasn’t enough, Brian Cashman ticked off a wrong bone by passing unnecessary comments on Yankees star slugger Giancarlo Stanton. He took a stern dig at Stanton’s injury history, which didn’t sit well with the latter’s agent, who hit back. After receiving serious backlash, Cashman clarified his statements and said it was taken out of context.
Brian Cashman Pleads Innocence! Says Injury Remarks On Giancarlo Stanton Got “Twisted”
A couple of days after the testy press conference, the New York Yankees general manager made waves with another interview with the New York Daily News. He was asked about Giancarlo Stanton’s underwhelming season in 2023, wherein the latter recorded his career-worst .191 batting average. The GM said that Stanton struggled to stay healthy, which played a big role in his downfall. What came out of his mouth next caused a big stir. When asked about the slugger’s future, Cashman said he does not expect Stanton to stay healthy next season as getting injured has become a part of his game. It sounded like a subtle dig for which Cashman received backlash. Moreover, Joel Wolfe, the slugger’s agent, hit back at Cashman with a word of caution.
Wolfe said Brian Cashman’s recent remarks should serve as a reminder for aspiring domestic and international free agents to stay wary of joining the Yankees. He says one must develop a thick skin to survive in Bronx as they do not even let a player lower their guard during the off-season. After Wolfe’s statement, Cashman issued clarification. During a social awareness campaign, the GM said he had a word with Stanton and his agent. They remain on good terms. The Yankee GM further added that his statement was taken out of context. He didn’t mean to poke fun at anybody. He just responded to a question thrown at him and perhaps was caught off-guard. Cashman further salvaged the situation, explaining how much he values Stanton’s presence and contribution. “I value Giancarlo Stanton as a player, without a doubt. He’s one of the big drivers of when we win,” said Cashman.
Brian Cashman Not Worried About Yankees’ Yamamoto Pursuit Despite Visible Threat!
The main concern with Brian Cashman’s questionable injury remarks is he picked the wrong fight with the wrong person. While hitting out at Giancarlo Stanton, Cashman irked the slugger’s agent, Joel Wolfe, who also happens to be the agent of Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Now, Yamamoto happens to be the Yankees’ top free-agency target for 2024.
Thus, Cashman’s remarks couldn’t have come at a worse time. However, the GM isn’t bothered. When asked if he thinks the Yankees’ Yamamoto pursuit is in jeopardy, the general manager bluntly said no. Only time would tell how much damage Cashman words will cause to the Yanks’ dream free agency pursuit.