Yankees’ status quo under Brian Cashman resulted in ‘disaster’ season, and a fresh perspective is needed

Numerous missteps have led the Yankees to where they are today and GM Brian Cashman, who has been at the helm since 1998, is under more heat now than at any other point in his tenure. We know this because, on July 9, the Yankees fired hitting coach Dillon Lawson. It was the first time they fired a coach during the season since 1995. It was a clear act of desperation.

“It has been well documented that I have been reluctant in the past to make changes to our coaching staff in the middle of a season,” Cashman said in a statement after Lawson was let go. “I am a big believer that successes and failures are collective efforts. However, I ultimately felt that a change was needed and that a new voice overseeing our hitting operations would give us the best chance to perform closer to our capabilities as we move forward into the second half of our season.”

At the end of the day, this is Cashman’s roster and Cashman’s coaching staff, and the mistakes over the last 26 months or so have piled up and meaningfully subtract from New York’s World Series chances. Consider:

The Joey Gallo and Frankie Montas trades were complete busts. At best zero impact, more realistically negative impact.
Josh Donaldson (in decline) and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (not an everyday shortstop) were misevaluated, and that’s putting it kindly.
The Jordan Montgomery for Harrison Bader trade is another loss, and Bader was dumped on waivers this year after not being traded.
Carlos Rodón’s first season in pinstripes has featured a 5.90 ERA in 12 starts around multiple injuries.

We should also include the failure address left field last offseason. The left field hole is going on three years now and it was a clear need last winter, yet the position went unaddressed. There have been wins along the way—in separate trades the Yankees stole relievers Clay Holmes and Wandy Peralta, and catcher Jose Trevino—but the bad outweighs the good, and it’s not close either.