SAN ANTONIO — Brian Cashman, the general manager of the New York Yankees, has taken note of the sharp criticisms directed at his team, including derogatory remarks from Joe Kelly, a reliever for the Los Angeles Dodgers. While he acknowledges that the Yankees didn’t perform well in the World Series, he firmly rejects the idea that they’re a total failure due to defensive miscues, baserunning errors, and mental lapses.

Despite some major flaws, the Yankees achieved notable successes this season: winning the American League pennant, clinching the AL East title, and finishing with 94 victories.

Of course, those mistakes were magnified on baseball’s grandest stage, resulting in a disappointing finale.

The Dodgers, after defeating the San Diego Padres in the NL Division Series, were confident about their championship potential. However, Joe Kelly took it up a notch by labeling the Yankees as lazy and among the worst postseason teams.

“We noticed it in every single game,” Kelly commented on his “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast, “just letting them throw the ball to the infield. They consistently struggled defensively. Right from the start, it was apparent that they weren’t up to the mark. If you were to rank playoff teams, they might barely make it into the top ten. You’d have teams like the Padres, Phillies, Mets, and Braves ahead of them. Sure, the Guardians didn’t perform well, but they still played better baseball overall.”

“It was entirely one-sided. All we had to do was play our standard Dodger baseball; there was no need for anything extraordinary, and we would come out on top—it’s a fact. Just look at the talent on both teams.”

“Our team is meticulous. We analyze each aspect closely. While we boast star players, they are committed, hardworking individuals—not lazy. That’s what sets us apart.”

The Yankees’ World Series campaign ended after five games, during which they famously squandered a 5-0 lead in the last match, resulting in a 7-6 defeat due to a combination of two errors and a lapse in judgment when pitcher Gerrit Cole neglected to cover first base.

“I’m aware of those comments, and I have connections with individuals in the Dodgers organization,” Cashman stated. “Most of their commentary seems directed at specific players rather than the entire team.”

“As for Joe, it feels a bit personal the way he’s discussing it. I can’t draw many conclusions from that. He’s certainly saying a lot now that they’ve won.”

However, Cashman doesn’t intend to dismiss his team or blame manager Aaron Boone for the World Series outcome. He hasn’t yet discussed a contract extension or the activation of Boone’s 2025 club option but has clearly expressed his desire to keep him on board.

“I really respect Aaron Boone,” Cashman proclaimed. “He’s an exceptional manager, and we’ve been fortunate to have him.”

Cashman won’t let a disappointing week in October overshadow the accomplishments of the preceding six months.

“Firstly,” Boone acknowledged, “we recognize we didn’t play well in the World Series. We all admit that. Unfortunately, we weren’t at our best when it really mattered.  We lagged across various key areas, particularly in the World Series.”

Cashman believes the gap between the Dodgers and Yankees isn’t as vast as perceived and insists that New York simply faltered at the wrong moment.

“The Dodgers deserve all the accolades as champions,” Cashman stated, “but it’s fair to point out that we underperformed throughout that series more than suggesting we shouldn’t have even made it to the World Series.”

“We had a strong team, but unfortunately, we couldn’t showcase our best when it mattered and played against a capable opponent.”

The Yankees are now shifting their focus to the upcoming free agency and trade period, specifically targeting outfielder Juan Soto. Although they are unsure about retaining Soto, they know his agent, Scott Boras, is looking for a deal around $700 million. If securing Soto proves elusive, they might redirect their funds towards free agents like third baseman Alex Bregman and first baseman Christian Walker.

Nevertheless, Soto remains their primary target, and Cashman has communicated with Boras, indicating their readiness to engage in talks whenever the opportunity arises.

“We are very open to meeting as frequently as needed,” Cashman shared. “However, I think Scott Boras will first discuss with Juan to gauge his interests and keep us updated. All I can assure you is we will make every effort to secure him. He knows that. However, the direction of negotiations is uncertain since he controls the situation, and we will adapt accordingly.”

“I anticipate that signing him will be a significant challenge as he is truly a once-in-a-generation talent.”

The Yankees have previously engaged in comparable high-stakes negotiations with Aaron Judge’s situation two years ago led the Yankees to swiftly increase their contract offer to nine years and $360 million to retain him, instead of allowing him to join the San Francisco Giants. Presently, the New York Mets, owned by billionaire Steve Cohen, alongside the Toronto Blue Jays—who still hold onto the $700 million they didn’t spend on Shohei Ohtani last season—are both in play. It remains uncertain if other teams will join the fray.

“Each situation has its own dynamics,” said Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins. “But our experience with Shohei showed us that Toronto is a desirable location. It’s a fantastic city, a wonderful country, and a solid market. The stadium continues to improve, and we have a strong team.”

It’s unclear how long Juan Soto’s free agency deliberations will take, but Yankees GM Brian Cashman has not specified how long they are willing to wait. Regardless of Soto’s final decision, Cashman expressed no regrets about the seven-player trade with the San Diego Padres to acquire him, even if it only lasted a single season.

“It was a thrilling experience” Cashman reflected. “I feel proud that we made the move to bring him in and go for it in 2024.”

“We fully committed to winning the World Series. We reached the World Series. We may not have won it, but I have no regrets about the decision.”