Yankees: 6 big whiffs from Brian Cashman before lockout

4. Jacob Stallings

Now this one depends on how you feel about paying Gary Sanchez $8 million to be your starting catcher in 2022. Are you still optimistic about his offensive upside? You’re welcome to be, but how much longer are going to wait for it to pan out better than we’re expecting?

So if he’s not mashing 30+ homers and sitting around 90-100 RBI … he better be playing good defense. Only problem? He doesn’t! He constantly fumbles routine plays, and the team’s ace doesn’t prefer to use him when he pitches. That says … something. In fact, it says a lot!

If your “starting” catcher isn’t on the field for a number of the team’s most important games, then should he be your starting catcher?

That’s why when Jacob Stallings was traded to the Marlins for a relatively reasonable package, many questioned the Yankees’ motives, since they were also linked to the Pirates’ backstop. The Red Sox nearly made a move here had Miami not sweetened the pot, too. Again, it feels like a classic case of the Yankees shaking in their boots in fear of one of their players going elsewhere and “making them pay” somehow. They could’ve just non-tendered Sanchez, saved $8 million, traded from your farm system depth, and brought in Stallings, a defensive stalwart and mediocre hitter, for $2.6 million.

We thought this team wanted to save money and upgrade in certain capacities? This was the move to do so.