It was around midday on Tuesday when Brian Cashman repeated to another major league executive an oft-stated goal about the Yankees' drive to the postseason.
"We're not just looking to get to the 163rd game," Cashman said, referring to the wild-card shootout. "We want to keep playing beyond that."
The message hardly needed further translation: The Yankees had decided to go for it. Less than 12 hours later, Cashman pulled off a major trade with the White Sox that represents a sweeping success for the Yankees and may indeed catapult them deep into October.
By adding David Robertson, Todd Frazier and Tommy Kahnle from the White Sox, Cashman deftly added heft to both the Bombers' lineup and bullpen without radically diminishing the minor league system. The swap sent Blake Rutherford, New York's first-round pick in 2016, along with left-handed Ian Clarkin and outfielder Tito Polo. All three were considered fine prospects but were not front-line blue chip talents like Clint Frazier, Gleyber Torres or Justus Sheffield.
Cashman also managed to unload the increasingly unreliable Tyler Clippard, whose spot will be assumed by Robertson. The Yankees now have their best late-inning alignment since Andrew Miller was dealt to the Indians last summer, and should provide cover for a rotation that's admittedly still thin.
We'll see whether Cashman accelerates his interest in the A's Sonny Gray, whom the Yankees have been monitoring for the last month. There's no question the loss of Michael Pineda was a setback that was at least partly responsible for Tuesday's mega-trade with Chicago.
Now, if nothing else, the Yankees can reasonably assume their late-inning leads will be safe. Prior to the trade they were leading the majors with 18 blown saves. Yankees fans are of course familiar with Robertson, who served briefly and capably (39 saves) as the closer after Mariano Rivera's retirement in 2013. The right-hander will ostensibly lock down the seventh inning now that he's back in pinstripes, acting as the bridge to Dellin Betances in the eighth. But he'll be able to spell Aroldis Chapman when he needs a night off, too.
The dark horse in the deal might just be Kahnle, a former member of the Yankees organization who was left off the 40-man roster after the 2013 season because of concerns about his control. Kahnle has since evolved, however, and was averaging 15 strikeouts per nine innings with the White Sox.
When, then, about Frazier? For now, he's just a rental, poised to test free agency after this season. Still, it'll be a telling audition at either third or first base where the Yankees will consider the merits of a) Frazier's .207 average and b) his 16 home runs. Frazier could very well end up at first base, given the Yankees lack of productivity at the position � worst in the majors _ and loss of Greg Bird to ankle surgery.
Cashman has made a point of saying Bird remains the club's first baseman of the future. He's projected to return in time for spring training and will be given a head start to reclaim the job. That would indicate Frazier's time in New York is short-lived, unless the Yankees decide to part ways with Matt Holliday, whose contributions have fallen off and further hamstrings the roster with his inability to play the field. Could Frazier be the next Holliday, their 2018 designated hitter who can fill in at third and first? It depends on what Cashman sees in the next two-plus months.
This much is certain: the Yankees believe the division is very much up for grabs. Even though the Rays have been a surprise, Yankees officials still consider the Red Sox their primary target. Keeping Frazier away from Fenway was a secondary triumph for Cashman on Tuesday.
The GM has given Joe Girardi the tools to score runs, preserve leads and otherwise remain competitive with just about everyone except the Astros, who currently the majors' best team after the Dodgers. But the relatively homogenous American League allowed the Yankees to shift gears on their original game plan for 2017, deciding it would be more than just a showcase for the kids. They've stuck around long enough to believe anything is possible in the second half.
But Cashman was careful not to treat the trade as a zero-sum equation _ fattening the Yankees' chances at a playoff run at the expense of continued growth in 2018-19. It took some finesse, but it appears the GM succeeded. The Yankees are a considerably better team than they were 24 hours ago, but without inflicting major damage on the farm system.
The last piece of the puzzle is the extra starter and the overall state of the rotation. It's hard to believe the Yankees go into the stretch run with Bryan Mitchell or Luis Cessa taking the ball every fifth day. For now, though, the Yankees just picked up speed in pursuit of the postseason. Plenty of it.
