Brian Cashman laments that Yankees’ poor defense is ‘inherent to certain players’

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman agreed that this year’s team “wasn’t the best defensive team we’ve had” and conceded that it made “some baserunning mistakes,” but suggested the bigger issue in the World Series was that they just didn’t play their best. 

“The Dodgers won the World Series, and I congratulate them. I wish we gave everyone our best shot. But you only have a small window to do that,” said Cashman, addressing what was their undoing in the five-game Fall Classic defeat for the first time here at the GM meetings. 

“We earned our right to get there, but we didn’t play our best baseball while there, and we got sent home,” Cashman said. 

The Yankees roster is extremely talented, especially at the top.

But Cashman admitted defense wasn’t a major strength. 

“I think some of it’s inherent to certain players we have,” Cashman said.