Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s agent warns free agents about playing for Yankees

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman went on an impassioned rant, as he defended the state of his team during last week’s GM meetings. And in doing so, one of his remarks — whether it was intended to be a shot or not — was not well received.

Here were Cashman’s controversial comments about Giancarlo Stanton via the New York Daily News:

“We try to limit the time he’s down,” Cashman said. “But I’m not gonna tell you he’s gonna play every game next year because he’s not. He’s going to wind up getting hurt again more likely than not because it seems to be part of his game.”

In a sharp rebuke, Stanton’s agent took aim at Cashman while issuing a cautionary tale to free agents contemplating a move to the Bronx. Cashman’s recent comments to the New York Daily News, in which he bluntly labeled Stanton as injury-prone, drew a swift and stern response from the slugger’s representative.

“I read the context of the entire interview,” Joel Wolfe, Stanton’s agent, told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal in a statement. “I think it’s a good reminder for all free agents considering signing in New York both foreign and domestic that to play for that team you’ve got to be made of Teflon, both mentally and physically because you can never let your guard down even in the offseason.”

This is quite notable when considering that Wolfe is also the agent for Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Yamamoto has been a beast in Japan, winning three straight Sawamura Awards, Japan’s equivalent to the Cy Young Award. The 25-year-old pitcher has put up video-game-like numbers during that span, highlighted by a 1.44 ERA.

The Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher is expected to be among the most prized free agents this offseason, with the Yankees possibly as a suitor. That may be out the window now, though, thanks to Cashman.

[ESPN]