Yankees April 2017 approval poll: GM Brian Cashman

The first month of the season is officially in the books and it is time for another Brian Cashman approval poll. I started this year’s poll back in January around the halfway point in the offseason. At that time, 79% of PSA readers approved of the job that Cashman was doing. The Yankees didn’t do much in the second half of the offseason other than sign Chris Carter, so the poll skipped February and March.

After failing to pursue any free agents during the 2015-2016 offseason, the Yankees took a different approach this offseason. In December, they signed both Matt Holliday and Aroldis Chapman. They later added Carter as bench depth. Unlike previous years, the Yankees only made one substantial trade (Brian McCann to the Astros). Cashman found ways to improve the bullpen and the lineup, but was unable to strengthen the rotation. Granted, there were limited options available. As always, it is important to remember that Cashman doesn’t control the purse strings.

The rotation was supposed to be the team’s weakness, but starting pitching has not been an issue so far either. The Yankee starters finished April with the eighth best ERA in the majors, and the rotation has collectively been worth 2.1 fWAR. Sure, CC Sabathia has had a rocky outing or two, but that was to be expected. Plus, the offense has been playing so well that there hasn’t been any real reason to worry about the pitching. So far, the team’s decision not to bring in outside starting pitching help has worked out fine.

Few expected the Yankees to be competitive in 2017, yet they’ve finished the month tied for first place in the division with a 15-8 record. April 2017 was the polar opposite of April 2016, when the Yankees ended the month on a four-game losing streak with an 8-16 record. The Yankees scored 128 runs in April 2017, compared to just 74 in April 2016. Perhaps the most notable thing about the Yankees’ terrific April is that they have been winning despite injuries to Gary Sanchez and Didi Gregorius. Throw in the fact that Greg Bird has struggled early, and it seems like the offense could be even better in May.

There’s no way to know how long the Yankees will be able to keep up this level of play, but we might as well enjoy it while it lasts. At this time last year, some readers were prepared to blame Cashman for the Yankees’ poor April. So, is it fair to give him credit for the Yankees’ strong start to the season? Vote in the poll below and let us know what you think in the comment section.