MLB

Cashman responds to Hal’s chilly take on job status

TAMPA — Brian Cashman wasn’t flustered by Hal Steinbrenner not committing to bringing the longtime Yankees GM back after his contract expires this year.

“That’s the process,’’ Cashman said Thursday. “There isn’t much to say at this point. That’s for another day.’’

Asked about Cashman’s future Wednesday at the owner’s meetings in Baltimore, Steinbrenner preferred to focus on the plight of his underachieving team, which takes a four-game losing streak into Friday night’s game against the Rays at Tropicana Field and is a season-high eight lengths back of the AL East-leading Orioles.

“We are so busy right now trying to figure who is going to be playing in any given game, much less that,’’ Steinbrenner said of Cashman’s future. “We will be talking about that soon enough. But you know me, we have enough things to worry about during the season. That’s where our focus needs to be.’’

Cashman has been the Yankees’ GM since replacing Bob Watson in 1998.


Masahiro Tanaka could throw from a bullpen mound as early as Saturday. After throwing on flat ground in Baltimore on Wednesday, when Tanaka increased his velocity and felt no pain in the right elbow, pitching coach Larry Rothschild said Tanaka was off Thursday and wouldn’t throw off a mound Friday.

“It will be in the next few days if he continues to progress,’’ Rothschild said.

The 12-game winner hasn’t pitched since July 8 due to a small tear in the right ulnar collateral ligament and is trying a rehab program that is designed to avoid Tommy John surgery.


Rusney Castillo at his July 26 showcaseLarry Marano

Cashman refused to discuss the Yankees’ level of interest in free agent Rusney Castillo.

Other clubs believe the Yankees will be among the teams bidding for the Cuban refugee, who worked out for the Yankees at the minor league complex on Aug. 8.

Castillo wants teams’ bids by the end of this week so he can sort through them, decide and start playing minor league games with the thought of appearing in the big leagues at some point this season.

The Yankees like the 5-foot-9, 205-pounder as a second baseman. Other teams believe he is an outfielder.

He held a private workout for the Tigers on Monday and was scheduled to work out for the Mariners at some point this week. He previously worked out for the Red Sox, Phillies and Cubs.

Money remains a mystery, but industry estimates are Castillo could command $40 to $60 million.


The Yankees’ bullpen had been battered in the past five games and some of the key names bruised. In that five-game stretch, the bullpen worked 16 1/3 innings and gave up 24 hits while producing a 9.92 ERA.

On Wednesday night in Baltimore, Dellin Betances and Shawn Kelley, key cogs in the pen, combined to blow a save (Betances) and take a loss (Kelley) when they gave up four runs and four hits (two homers) in the final three innings.

On Monday night, Adam Warren, another important part of the team’s strength for most of the season, gave up three runs and three hits (one homer) in an inning.

“We got to be better even if we are sore and tired, which I don’t think any of us are,’’ Kelley said after giving up a three-run, game-winning homer to Adam Jones Wednesday night. “We are dominant and we will continue to be.’’


Brian McCann is eligible to come off the seven-day concussion list Saturday. Becasuse he passed an impact test and has been hitting, there is a chance he will be activated.