Brian Cashman confirmed what many had already believed: Sonny Gray’s time with the Yankees should be over.
“It hasn’t worked out thus far,’’ Cashman said at a press conference at Yankee Stadium. “I think he’s extremely talented. We’ll enter the winter, unfortunately, open-minded to a relocation. To maximize his abilities, it would be more likely best [for him to be] somewhere else.”
Gray has been a colossal disappointment since coming from the Athletics at the 2017 trade deadline in exchange for three of the Yankees’ top prospects: James Kaprielian, Jorge Mateo and Dustin Fowler.
None of the trio of minor leaguers has worked out for Oakland, but Gray has been a bust in The Bronx.
After struggling down the stretch in 2017, the right-hander was even worse this season and he pitched especially poorly at the Stadium.
In 15 games (11 starts) this season in The Bronx, Gray had a 6.98 ERA as opposed to a 3.17 ERA in 15 appearances away from home.
Gray was bumped from the rotation in August, didn’t fit well in the bullpen and wasn’t on the ALDS roster. Since he is under team control, Cashman will look for a trade partner this offseason — although he insisted he won’t give away the 28-year-old.
“If I do find a match, you’re gonna see what we had hoped to see here,’’ Cashman said. “It doesn’t work out sometimes. … Someone, if they trade for him, is gonna get the player we wanted. I fully expect that.”
Despite Giancarlo Stanton’s horrific showing in the ALDS, Cashman said he had no second thoughts about trading for the slugger last December.
“He’s one of the better players in the game, period, regardless of how he played during this divisional series,” Cashman said. “We got one of the better players in the game from an offensive standpoint, period. I have no regrets on that.”
Miguel Andujar sat on the bench in Game 4 of the ALDS because of his defense, but Boone said he’s hopeful the rookie becomes a more dependable fielder.
“He made big strides this season,’’ Boone said. “He has the athleticism, he has the hands and the arm-strength. Preparation for the pitch and footwork are gonna determine if he becomes that frontline defender at third base. I do believe it is in there.”
Cashman confirmed he doesn’t intend to make any changes to Boone’s coaching staff.