There was a time when Brian Cashman could pick up the phone and get a deal done. Those days feel like they're long gone.
The latest example? The Padres reportedly rejected the Yankees' offer of Will Warren for left-handed reliever Adrián Morejón. Not a blockbuster. Not a bidding war. Just a flat-out "no."
That's a bad look for Cashman.
Morejón is exactly the type of reliever the Yankees need—a power lefty who can dominate late innings and stabilize a bullpen that's been asked to do too much. If Cashman identified him as a priority and still couldn't get a deal across the finish line, it raises an uncomfortable question: Has the rest of baseball stopped buying what Brian Cashman is selling?
For years, Cashman has coasted on the reputation of being one of the game's elite executives. But reputations eventually expire if the results don't keep coming. Lately, the Yankees seem to be involved in every rumor and finish with nothing but another missed opportunity.
And now Cashman has created another problem—one of his own making. What else is new. Will Warren now knows the Yankees were willing to ship him out.
Whether that's part of the business or not, it's awkward. Every pitcher will tell you they understand trades happen, but understanding it and living it are two different things. Warren now has to walk back into that clubhouse, take the ball every fifth day, and pretend he didn't just find out the organization tried to send him packing.
That's not exactly a confidence builder. Cashman didn't improve the bullpen. He didn't land Morejón. Instead, he publicly exposed one of his own young starters as trade bait and walked away with absolutely nothing to show for it.
That's the real embarrassment. No new reliever. No upgraded roster. Just an uncomfortable situation for Will Warren and another reminder that Brian Cashman isn't the feared dealmaker he once was.
In the end, everyone loses for now. Who knows what happens next however. The Yankees still need bullpen help.
Brian Cashman once again looks like a general manager whose reputation has become much bigger than his results.
What has happened to my Yankees?
