The New York Yankees are 5-4 against the Boston Red Sox this season and currently sit 5 1/2 games back of their rival in the American League East standings. But Yankees general manager Brian Cashman wonders how good the best team in baseball would be if they didn’t have to play his ballclub.
Yes, you read that right.
Cashman was discussing the moves the Yankees made at the Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline Tuesday, and was asked about the red-hot Sox. New York’s GM gave credit to Boston before noting the Yankees are supposedly the only team that can give the Red Sox issues.
“You wonder what their record would be if they weren’t playing us,” Cashman said, via MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “Because when we go head to head, we do some damage against them and it doesn’t seem like anybody else is capable.”
Interesting way of saying barely above .500.
The Yankees are one of three teams that currently have an above .500 record against the Red Sox, with the Oakland Athletics (4-2) and Chicago White Sox (2-1) being the others. The Houston Astros are 2-2 on the season against Boston.
As for the “damage” part of the comment, New York has outscored the Red Sox 52-50 in nine games this season so it’s not like they’ve been terrorizing their rivals.
With the Red Sox and Yankees about to start a four-game series Thursday at Fenway Park, perhaps Cashman is hoping he can speak it into existence since his team has been sliding of late.
New York was hammered by the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium with right-hander Sonny Gray being booed off the mound, and the Yankees are a meager 6-5 since the MLB All-Star break.
