Brian Cashman had a sobering response for New York Yankees fans when he said that the team isn't likely to land highly coveted free agent right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer this offseason.
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After the Bronx Bombers stood idly by while the Jon Lester sweepstakes were going on before he signed a six-year pact with the Chicago Cubs, a lot of expectations arose that the Yankees were lying in the weeds to sign Scherzer.
Cashman all but snuffed out that thought process Monday in an appearance on NBC's Sports Final.
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"I don't think Yankee fans will be looking at Max Scherzer," the Yankees GM told the program, according to NJ.com.
The Yankees rotation is something of a question mark next season with Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda all health risks and Ivan Nova not expected to be ready to pitch until sometime in May as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.
Scherzer is reportedly looking for a contract worth in the $200 million range which Cashman said is a "higher level than we'd like to play in right now,"
Scherzer, 30, finished tied for the AL lead with 18 wins in 2014 for the Detroit Tigers while dropping just five contests in 33 starts and amassing a 3.15 ERA and 1.175 WHIP.
The right-hander also finished third in the AL with 252 strikeouts and fifth with 220.1 innings pitched while he led the AL in winning percentage (.783) and placed second in strikeouts per nine innings (10.29).
Detroit has said that it doesn't plan on entering the Scherzer sweepstakes, despite the fact that he had a solid campaign for the Tigers in 2014 and has been a part of the franchise for the majority of his career.
Scott Boras said at the winter meetings in San Diego last week that the Yankees would be a perfect fit for Scherzer.
"The idea of them having a No. 1 pitcher certainly would add protection to where their current pitchers are, to take innings off them, give them a little bit an umbrella, somebody to be the No. 1," Boras told the media last week. "It certainly ... I can't predict what the Yankees are going to do, but a guy like Max fits in with their starting rotation to develop a World Series-caliber set, similar to what they've had in the past."
Cashman was aware of the comments and responded to them Monday morning.
"That means he likes our other four guys," he said.
Scherzer is a two-time All-Star and won the AL Cy Young Award in 2013. The right-hander helped the Tigers to a 90-72 record in 2014 as Detroit won the AL Central for the fourth straight year before being eliminated by the Baltimore Orioles in a three-game sweep in the ALDS.
Scherzer is 91-50 in his seven-year career with a 3.58 ERA, 1.219 WHIP and 1,321 strikeouts.
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