Brian Cashman traveling to Japan with his club in races for the AL East and one of two wild-card tickets shows the level of interest the Yankees have in Shohei Otani, a two-way player for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
Cashman was on hand Thursday night in Sapporo to watch the 23-year-old right-hander, who has been troubled by ankle problems, make his second start of the season.
According to one of several scouts in attendance, Otani suffered from a serious lack of command and was dealing with with a right ankle/foot problem that has limited his pitching.