TAMPA, Fla. — General Manager Brian Cashman from time to time relays a sobering message to his players: His job is to find players better than they are.
If that message had begun to ring hollow in recent years, as the Yankees mortgaged the present for a brighter, not-too-distant future and an escape from luxury-tax jail, it may have regained some relevance on Monday, as the Yankees signed the free-agent second baseman Neil Walker. He agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract with incentives based on plate appearances that are worth up to $500,000.
So, whereas Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery were given the chance to flourish or flop last season when expectations were modest, such an opportunity seems less likely for two promising prospects — Gleyber Torres and Tyler Wade.