TAMPA — After a flurry of activity following the MLB lockout, the Yankees have a clearer picture of where their roster stands and, despite some criticism, general manager Brian Cashman stood by the Yankees’ decision-making process that led them to Isiah Kiner-Falefa at shortstop, with Carlos Correa in Minnesota and Trevor Story in Boston.
“We stayed in touch and evaluated all the market availabilities: trade [and] free agency and then placed our bets,’’ Cashman said at Steinbrenner Field following the Yankees’ 5-2 win over the Phillies. “We were able to attack what was available to us and once we pulled those down, it closed doors on other things. We had a certain amount of money to spend and once you fill those needs, you keep moving.”
Cashman said he spoke with both Correa’s and Story’s camps.
“That’s the job: you engage everybody in the process and see if there’s a fit and if it makes any sense or not,’’ Cashman said.
The Yankees could add some starting pitching, but their roster seems pretty set — including at short, where Kiner-Falefa has looked solid in camp.
“I think he’s got a chance to be a good player for us,” Cashman said. “He’ll get a chance to be that everyday guy [at short] and run with it. He doesn’t lack confidence and he brings athleticism on defense.”
And Cashman stood by where the Yankees are now, both on the field and when it comes to their payroll.
“I’m hopeful [Kiner-Falefa] and everyone else we have is gonna do what we hope they can and we’ll see where it takes us,’’ the GM said. “We feel like we’ve got a good team. And we’re running out the highest payroll we’ve ever had in our history.’’
Cashman declined to comment on whether any additional players have received the COVID vaccine.
Nestor Cortes Jr. entered to start the third inning and retired all six batters he faced. With a shortened spring training, Aaron Boone said he could see some starters being used that way, since they won’t be built up as much as usual.
“We’ll have to get creative, for sure, in the first two or three weeks of the season and first few times [through] the rotation,’’ Boone said. “Right now, we feel we have the depth to do that.”
Cortes, coming off a season in which he pitched 108 innings — 93 in the majors — said he didn’t pitch winter ball during the offseason for the first time in four years in order to take care of his arm.
Ben Rortvedt remains sidelined by an oblique injury and Cashman is unsure if the catcher will be ready by Opening Day. Rortvedt, acquired in the trade that brought Kiner-Falefa and Josh Donaldson from Minnesota in exchange for Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela, suffered the injury before the deal and the Yankees were aware of it when they got him.
“He didn’t reinjure it,” Cashman said, adding if Rortvedt isn’t healthy enough to be on the Opening Day roster, it’s undecided who will take his place.
“We don’t have to make that decision yet,’’ Cashman said.
