Red Sox chasing perfect targets while Yankees sit still

How bizarre is it that the Red Sox always seem to know exactly which free agents best fit their culture and ethos, while the Yankees are somehow always left patching random, expensive pieces together?

When the Red Sox sign a free agent, from Kiké Hernández to John Lackey, we usually find ourselves saying, “Damn. Another one. Another infuriating man who we can instantly picture succeeding in that uniform.” Meanwhile, every time the Yankees sign someone off the open market, we’re typically left thinking, “Oh, cool, we’ve made someone else rich just before their high-profile failure!”

It’s a bad feeling. We don’t like feeling it. And yet …

This offseason, we were promised a bonanza from Brian Cashman, a reality we’ve definitely yet to see materialize. Matt Olson? Hope so! Corey Seager? Yeah, maybe! As of now, there’s been no deal for the A’s star, and the Daily News thinks we’re playing in the shallow end of the shortstop pool.

The Red Sox, meanwhile? They’re just biding their time after missing out on Justin Verlander, watching themselves get connected to only the most ideal free agents.

Javier Baéz? Yeah, baby. Can’t you see it?

Chris Taylor? Of course. Of course. Dammit.

The Yankees need to find the identity the Red Sox have.

Hmm. Maybe finding an identity for your franchise is important? Maybe the Yankees shouldn’t always be filling holes on the fly, plan-less and reversing course at the drop of a hat?

“We don’t need lefties to balance the lineup … oh, wait, we do! Yes! Oops! Let’s get two!”

Baéz feels like a swing-and-miss for the Yankees, but would be a dream Red Sox. Can’t you just see him spitting fire at second base, bat flipping with reckless abandon? The Alex Cora-Baéz connection feels too perfect not to happen, especially after Javy sharpened his anti-Yankee spikes with the Mets this past summer.

And Taylor, who can play any position from center to second? Tell me he wouldn’t be ideal in any lineup, especially one like Boston that values versatility in their new regime.

Oh, and the Sox are still trying to reel Kyle Schwarber back. Remember when he was someone Brian Cashman coveted? Yeah, not so much anymore.

The Yankees? They’re just … hanging out. They’ve got a lot on their plate. A lot of stuff on the to-do list. Gotta … get that stuff done.

Eventually.

Regrettably, the Yankees might actually have an identity, and that identity is built around lethargy and misleading the fan base.

Yankees: 3 free agent mistakes NYY cannot make this offseason

Brian Cashman and the New York Yankees HAVE to avoid these three free agent mistakes this offseason. Simply can't happen.