This isn’t the first time Brian Cashman has struck a blockbuster trade with the intention of bolstering an area of strength, rather than amending one glaring deficiency. He’s implemented that strategy into practice twice since last December, and both deals have increased the Yankees’ odds of reaching and winning the World Series in 2018.
When Cashman learned that his pursuit and sales pitch to Shohei Ohtani was all for naught in the offseason — the Japanese phenom ultimately expressed no interest in playing on the East Coast — he opted to pivot, and instead of obtaining a coveted starting pitcher, he exploited the low market value for Giancarlo Stanton, which shocked baseball executives during the winter meetings.