Brian Cashman, general manager of the New York Yankees, talks on the phone prior to a Grapefruit League spring training game against the Washington Nationals at FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., March 12, 2020 /CFP
Having lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 at home on Sunday, the New York Yankees have fallen to the bottom of the American League East Division. Despite the difficult situation, the team's general manager Brian Cashman has no interest in questioning his players and the coaching crew.
The Yankees' current record is 5-10. It's the eighth time in their 120-year history that they've lost 10 out of the season's first 15 games. They haven't started a season in such a disappointing way since 1997.
A major part of the team's slump comes from their struggling offense. With sluggers like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on their squad, the Yankees are batting .210 as a team. Their slugging percentage is .346, the worst of the major league. Hitting just 16 home runs is nothing but unacceptable.
Outfielder Aaron Judge (R) of the New York Yankees in action in the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium in New York City, New York, U.S., April 17, 2021. /CFP
"We trust our players and their abilities, and we trust over the course of time that it will, as it normally does, correct itself with a lot more games under the belt," said Cashman. "When you have a really talented roster, you just want them to be who they are and what they're capable of, plug and play and let them go. And so I've got full confidence in our staff because I've seen them work a lot of magic along the way, impact a lot of players along the way."
Compared with the front office, fans are often more impatient, hence there are some voices about changing manager Aaron Boone, hitting coach Marcus Thames and other members of the coaching staff.
Cashman chose to support the coaching crew. "I've got a lot of trust in the people we have. I've seen them work a lot of magic along the way. ... We're not reactive. I don't see us reacting to not believing in the staff we have, and the players we have, either."
Aaron Boone, manager of the New York Yankees, walks back to the dugout in the third inning of the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida, U.S., April 9, 2021. /CFP
Back in 1997, when the Yankees also started with a 5-10 record, they finished with 96 wins and their manager was Joe Torre. Since Cashman became the team's GM in 1998, the Yankees have never fired a manager in the middle of a season.
"Change doesn't happen without a great deal of thought and effort and reason behind it, and we're not reactive," Cashman said. "And so I don't see us reacting to how to shake the roster up too quickly, and I don't see us reacting to not believing in the staff that we have and the players that we have, either. That's the message to our players: 'Hey, man, we do believe in you. We know what you're capable of. This is a bad stretch; we're going to get through this together.'"
The Yankees are hosting the Atlanta Braves at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.