Yankees pathetically let Red Sox outfox and outbid them in Adley Rutschman trade

It's hard to find a more direct one-to-one parallel with which to compare the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox as franchises. Both teams approached the trade deadline needing a catcher. Arguably, the Yankees' need was more glaring; for all the good Austin Wells has done with the pitching staff, he's been good for a 51 OPS+. Connor Wong has been league-average in a backup role for Boston (102 OPS+), something the Yankees haven't been able to find at any point from the position this season.

And yet, with the wildly unlikely possibility of the Baltimore Orioles trading Adley Rutschman in-division hanging in the air, the Yankees batted the ball around overnight and directly into Boston's hands.

After hours of (reportedly) haggling over medical concerns, the Red Sox finally decided to pay the in-division tax after the Yankees purportedly balked. The last time the Yankees balked over such things, Jack Flaherty went to the Los Angeles Dodgers and helped defeat them in a five-game World Series.

Yankees' trade deadline hangs in balance after Red Sox's Adley Rutschman trade

This trade deadline will be judged entirely on Cashman's ability to fill holes (many of which he left for himself in the offseason) and outmuscle his team's key rivals in an American League that's ripe for the taking. It's hard — no, sorry, it's impossible — to defend his efforts to do so when he stared down the O's as they dangled a top-tier solution at a position of need, blinked, and let the Sox take it to the house instead.

And the worst part is? He's probably happy he didn't have to "overpay". He's probably thrilled the Red Sox took that "burden" off his hands. Cashman didn't have to give up the oft-discussed Elmer Rodriguez, so what happens from here is of no consequence to him. The Red Sox surrendered three of their top five prospects, including prize pitchers Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon. It hurts 'em, but ... congratulations, Brian, on staying rational. Keep that same energy when the banner's being raised.

Can the Yankees pivot to Tyler Stephenson? If not, they may end up empty-handed on the catching market, an all-time crazy consequence of a deadline that broke in the opposite direction. Of course, Rutschman was available and did break their way. They simply turned around and ignored it.

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