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We’ve officially reached the halfway point of the MLB season. Another month is in the books, and it’s time to check in on our Brian Cashman approval poll. The Yankees possess a commanding lead over first place in the division, and have been playing really well. Typically, the Yankees’ record and Cashman’s approval rating mirror each other. Pinstripe Alley readers have been happier with the GM as the season has progressed, with his approval rating topping out at 96% in May.
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June was another great month for the Yankees. They got off to a pretty poor start, but made up for it by winning 13 games from June 15th onward. During that time, they swept the Rays, took three out of four games from the Astros, swept the Blue Jays, and swept the Red Sox in London. Even better, they opened up a seven-game lead over Tampa Bay in the standings.
The trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and although the Yankees have found success using an opener, it’s apparent that they need starting pitching help. Jordan Montgomery recently experienced a setback in his Tommy John rehab, and Luis Severino has been shut down for a few days due to “lingering soreness” in his lat.
On Thursday, Cashman had this to say:
“Clearly we feel we need to fortify the pitching...Some of that will come from within when guys get healthy and come off the IL, but I’d certainly like to add to it if possible.”
Given the unprecedented number of injuries that have occurred this season, waiting for players to come off the IL doesn’t sound like a good plan. We may not even see Monty or Sevy in a Yankees uniform this year. They might regret passing on Dallas Keuchel. Rumors have connected the Bombers to pitchers Matthew Boyd, Madison Bumgarner, and Marcus Stroman. We’ll have to wait and see if Cashman has any tricks up his sleeve.
Is your opinion on Cashman dependent on what he does at the deadline? Do you think the Yankees can make a deep postseason run with their current pitching staff? Vote in the poll below and let us know what you think in the comments section.