Yankees Podcast: Where was Brian Cashman in the Aaron Judge free agency chase?

How close were the New York Yankees to getting outfoxed this offseason in the Aaron Judge chase? An article published in The Athletic this week detailed the wild final hours of his free agency, when guards were put in charge of his dog Penny as he toured the San Diego Padres' facilities under cover of darkness.

In the end, though, he left the building without a contract, giving Yankees head honcho Hal Steinbrenner one last chance to make an impassioned 3 AM Italian plea, and that sealed the deal.

Judge ... Steinbrenner ... the Padres ... Aaron Boone getting itchy and nudging Judge late in the process ... Judge calling Steinbrenner ... after the early part of the offseason where Brian Cashman urged Steinbrenner to get more involved, what role did the GM actually play in this process?

Adam Weinrib and Thomas Carannante begged this question and more on this Thursday's episode of the Yanks Go Yard Podcast.

Yankees co-ace Carlos Rodón's injury, Aaron Judge and the Padres on the Yanks Go Yard Podcast

Of course, the whole podcast's structure was upended slightly by Carlos Rodón's back-of-the-forearm strain, which could keep him out through mid-April, if all goes well. Anybody betting on all going well?

Rodón believes he could pitch through the current issue, but forcefully noted that his goal is to make it through October in dominant fashion, rather than through May in weakened form. He also claims to have pitched through similar issues last spring, which led to his worst month of the regular season.

Hopefully, he knows his own body, so that future episodes of this podcast can continue to discuss only a dominant, fire-breathing version of Rodón rather than a laid-up edition of the left-hander.

The Yanks Go Yard Podcast streams live on YouTube every Monday and Thursday at 2:00 PM EST, and is available on all podcast platforms in the wake of its initial release.