​Rewriting only: In St. Petersburg, Florida, Brian Cashman assessed the Yankees’ deteriorating arc, saying, “the storm is upon us now, and we’ve got to find a way” toward clearer skies. With his team in second place and having dropped 14 of 18 games before Thursday’s series finale at Tampa Bay, the Yankees’ general manager noted that “some of the injuries don’t help,” pointing to the absence of key contributors Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton as part of a sputtering lineup. “But having slumps collectively during that timeframe makes it more difficult,” Cashman acknowledged, recognizing the added pressure on his hitters. “We’re certainly fighting it and fighting ourselves right now to find that good stride.” Speaking for nearly half an hour Thursday morning at Tropicana Field, Cashman noted that Judge (rib fracture) would undergo re-imaging next week and touched on several other pressing topics for the Yankees.
With 25 shopping days left until MLB’s trade deadline, Cashman said the Yankees are open for business, stating, “We’ll evaluate what’s available and try to push in on anything that makes sense that we could acquire that could make us better, whether it’s pitching or offense.” He did not specify exact needs, but suggested the bullpen and catching could be areas to upgrade before Aug. 3. Yet, given the American League’s overall mediocrity—six teams were within five games of the third wild-card spot entering Thursday—many clubs remained in a buyer or seller mode as they evaluated options. Cashman anticipated that “more of the heavier” trade talk would heat up after this weekend’s amateur draft.
Earlier, as spring training unfolded, top Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr. had been pushing himself toward the Bronx before finger sprains sidelined him for a time. Cashman said the right-handed-hitting shortstop might begin rehab games “somewhere around the All-Star break,” and hinted Lombard “might be a choice” for the Yankees in 2026. “He was definitely thriving and conquering the final level when he got hurt,” Cashman said of a “really talented player.” Offensively, Lombard showed significant progress and was closing the gap despite his age, while defensively, he appeared ready for the big leagues.
In a separate note from spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Lagrange pitched against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning, while the organization continued to balance prospects and proven performers as it navigated injuries and the chase for postseason positioning.