NEW YORK — Brian Cashman said Thursday night that the Yankees are already deep in talks with agents and teams. He said the front office is working to rebuild a roster that fell short in 2025. Cashman confirmed that the Yankees have spoken with the camps for Kyle Tucker and Michael King. He said the team is also working the trade market for what he called roster-fixing moves.
Speaking at the Covenant House Sleep Out at the Javits Center, Cashman made one point clear. Trent Grisham’s $22.025 million qualifying offer will not stop the Yankees from pursuing Cody Bellinger or any other top target.
Cashman Insists Grisham Deal Will Not Block Big Swings
The Yankees general manager reinforced his position about financial flexibility two days after Grisham accepted his qualifying offer. Despite the team’s payroll approaching ownership’s established limits, Cashman stressed the organization remains committed to pursuing top-tier free agents this winter.
“Like anything else, there are certain salary levels that we’ll tag out at,” Cashman explained at the charity event he has supported for 14 years to combat youth homelessness. “That’s yet to be determined. But we’ve driven hard to get things done at times. We’ve driven hard and still not gotten things done because the markets — whether it was the Yamamoto one or the Soto one — they go on and on and on and places you never expected. So you just don’t know how free agency’s going to work. So that’s why it’s so important for me to do what I’m always doing — what all GMs are doing — which is engaging your fellow GMs and the agents.”
The Yankees’ projected luxury tax payroll for 2026 now stands at approximately $281 million based on Cot’s Contracts calculations. Some industry estimates place the figure closer to $282 million when accounting for additional roster moves. While owner Hal Steinbrenner has previously described payrolls exceeding $300 million as “unsustainable,” Cashman maintains the team possesses sufficient financial resources for significant roster upgrades.
“I’m not going to tip our hands on going hard for anybody, [but] Bellinger is an obvious one,” Cashman stated. “We can play a little bit and not be silly about not saying that. But other than that, I’m not going to say who we will lean more in on or not. But certainly engaging all these players in the marketplace and trying to find out what the cost of acquisition is and see how it would fit for us.”
Yankees GM Details Calls on Tucker and King
The general manager provided specifics about recent conversations with prominent agents. Thursday’s discussions included talks with Casey Close regarding Kyle Tucker, considered the premier outfielder available following consecutive All-Star selections and a recent Silver Slugger Award. Close also represents Kyle Schwarber, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and right-handed pitcher Michael King, who has excelled as a starter since San Diego acquired him from the Yankees.
Wednesday brought conversations with agent Scott Boras about Cody Bellinger and Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai. “We’d love to have Bellinger come back,” Cashman informed reporters. The executive characterized these ongoing dialogues with Close and Boras as “the nature of the beast in the winter” while noting he conducted “several conversations with teams today, try to find a way to make a trade or add a free agent and keep going and going and going.”
The Yankees’ interest in both Tucker and King demonstrates their comprehensive approach to roster construction. Tucker would provide another left-handed power threat alongside Aaron Judge and potentially Bellinger in the lineup. King offers rotation depth after successfully transitioning to a full-time starting role following his departure from New York. The general manager’s transparency about these specific targets indicates genuine interest rather than preliminary exploration.
Payroll Questions Do Not Slow Yankees’ Approach
Despite Grisham’s qualifying offer acceptance pushing the Yankees near luxury tax thresholds, Cashman projects confidence about the team’s financial position. The executive acknowledges navigating between Steinbrenner’s fiscal concerns and championship expectations requires careful balance.
“I think we’re in a good spot,” Cashman stated before the Sleep Out commenced. “The job right now is to find out what’s available, and those all have different price points.”
When pressed about keeping the payroll under $300 million, Cashman avoided definitive commitments. “I think it could go both ways,” he responded. “It just depends on how things shake out and what opportunities present themselves.”
The general manager revealed Steinbrenner has “not necessarily” imposed strict budget restrictions. While acknowledging certain “parameters” exist, Cashman noted the owner remains receptive to discussions about significant acquisitions, including a potential Bellinger reunion that could push payroll beyond $300 million independently. “I’m good at spending money,” Cashman remarked with humor.
Trade Route Remains Open and Active
Friday’s 8 p.m. non-tender deadline presents immediate roster decisions. The Yankees must determine arbitration-eligible relievers Mark Leiter Jr., Ian Hamilton, Jake Cousins and Scott Effross among others. Options include tendering contracts, negotiating agreements, exploring trades or releasing players to free agency.
“We know what we intend to do,” Cashman confirmed. “We’re having conversations at the same time with clubs. We may be doing some business before the tender. Whether we cut deals, we may be making trades. And yeah, we’ll have non-tenders as well.”
The executive mentioned a scheduled 9 a.m. Friday conference call with an agent representing a non-tender candidate. This appointment was arranged despite his commitment to sleeping outdoors on concrete for charity. The Yankees could leverage the deadline to reconstruct their bullpen after losing contributors through free agency and injuries.
Grisham Deal and Online “Meme” Frame the Stakes
Cashman acknowledged fan frustration expressed through social media regarding Grisham’s signing and the deliberate offseason pace. Yankees supporters have criticized him for being “asleep on the job” in online forums. Thursday night, surrounded by sleeping bags at the charity event, Cashman embraced the criticism humorously.
“You know this is a meme about how Brian Cashman’s asleep on the job and not doing his job, ’cause I’ve seen that all over social media,” he said, laughing while mispronouncing “meme.”
He quickly refocused on the event’s purpose. Cashman expressed that he would “not wish” homelessness on any child, noting his outdoor experience would conclude with amenities unavailable to those genuinely struggling. For homeless youth, he emphasized, such basic comforts remain uncertain.
Baseball responsibilities persisted even during charitable activities. Cashman acknowledged his front office has “a lot more work to do and the whole winter to do it.” The Yankees must replace departed free agents while improving upon a roster that appeared “really good on paper” but “fell short of our ultimate goal.”
Current efforts include substantive negotiations for Tucker and King, active pursuit of Bellinger, and widespread trade discussions. While the Yankees haven’t executed their signature offseason move, Cashman confirmed ongoing communication channels suggest significant roster changes ahead. The organization remains focused on returning to World Series contention after missing that goal since 2009.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
