Brian Cashman began the “heavy lifting” he’s referred to frequently since the Yankees season ended in October when he traded for Seattle lefty James Paxton on Monday night.
But even after acquiring the 30-year-old, who figures to be among the Yankees’ top three starters along with Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka, the general manager acknowledged he still had significant work to do to catch up to the Red Sox and keep pace with the Astros.
Despite having surrendered the organization’s top pitching prospect in Justus Sheffield in the deal for Paxton, Cashman has not ruled out making another trade for a starter, but most people in the industry expect the Yankees to turn their attention even more to the free-agent market, where they have targeted Patrick Corbin and J.