The Yankees really outdid themselves this offseason, adding slugger Giancarlo Stanton to their already powerful batting order.
Bringing Stanton to New York is a pretty horrifying prospect for anyone in the AL East. Especially considering the Bronx Bombers already have Aaron Judge, Greg Bird, Gary Sanchez, and Didi Gregorius.
- MORE RED SOX: Waiting, not worrying
Most MLB fans are already leaning toward crowning the Yankees AL East champions.
But Brian Cashman says not so fast.
The Yankees GM believes that there's still work to do in order to top the Red Sox, and rightfully so. His team is still in the early portions of spring training.
“They’re the AL East champs, so we’re not on equal footing,” Cashman said to media on Wednesday. “We were the Wild Card. They had the title within the division last year. I don’t know if they’re putting a flag up for it or not, but they are the AL East champs, we are not. So we are not on equal footing until we take that away from them, while at the same time preventing anybody that finished behind us from surpassing us and joining the fray.
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Cashman even goes on to compliment the roster moves the O's and Blue Jays have executed this offseason.
“Toronto’s done a lot of work on its roster. Baltimore is starting to make some signs. So, no, we’re not on the same ground because they are the AL East champions, and until someone takes that away from them, you’ve got to pay homage.”
- MORE RED SOX: 'A great dude, a really good acquisition'
Does anyone actually buy the Yanks are underdogs to the Sox? Probably not.
But Cashman wants to make sure he is respectful and wouldn't want to provide any extra motivation for Boston to feed off.