For the first time in 15 years, the New York Yankees are back in the World Series, facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the Fall Classic this Friday in Los Angeles.
However, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is making it clear that the team’s title drought isn’t as straightforward as it seems, pointing to the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal as a key factor in that 15-year stretch.
“I hate the 15-year thing because it completely forgets and discounts that some other organization cheated us when we were all the way in the end,” Cashman said on MLB Network’s High Heat. “If you knew what was going on, I don’t think they would be advancing, I think we would’ve been advancing.
“I hate that 15-year thing because I don’t think it accurately reflects history. But regardless, we’re proud to be where we are now.”
Cashman was referencing the controversial 2017 American League Championship Series, in which the Yankees lost to the Astros in seven games.
Houston won all their home games in that series, two of which were decided by just one run.
Later, Major League Baseball revealed that the Astros had used technology to illegally steal signs throughout the 2017 season and playoffs, which helped them gain an unfair advantage.
While there’s no way to definitively know how the series might have unfolded had the Astros not been cheating, Cashman believes the Yankees were robbed of a chance to advance to the World Series.
This frustration over the unresolved impact of the scandal has only grown, especially given how quickly the baseball world moved on from the incident.
Alex Cora, Houston’s bench coach during the scandal and a key figure in the sign-stealing operation, is now managing the Boston Red Sox again.
AJ Hinch, who managed the Astros during their 2017 championship run, is leading the Detroit Tigers and being praised for his leadership, with few acknowledging the reasons behind his prior suspension.
While it’s understandable why many in the league wanted to move past the scandal, given the damage it caused to the sport’s reputation, Cashman remains frustrated that the Yankees’ extended World Series drought is often mentioned without that crucial context.
What are your thoughts on Cashman’s comments?
More importantly, do you think this is the year the Yankees finally break their World Series title drought???
