Cashman: No match in 'risky marketplace'

NEW YORK -- The Yankees attempted to scoop up a starting pitcher prior to Monday’s 4 p.m. ET Trade Deadline, investigating possibilities across the spectrum. General manager Brian Cashman checked on the most talked about names and everyone else, but ultimately did not find a match that he felt comfortable presenting to ownership.

In what he termed as a “risky marketplace,” Cashman said that he kept pushing to cross the finish line on something until the end. Ultimately, the Yanks are prepared to push toward the postseason with the cast that is already in-house, banking on the pending returns of stars to restore the roster to full strength.

“I know we have a great team, especially when we're at full capacity,” Cashman said. “I didn't stand down because we're waiting on these guys in the wings -- if we found the proper matches, we would go to ownership and execute. But knowing that we're getting everybody back at some point, that's certainly exciting.”

Around the Majors, it was a more active Trade Deadline than many anticipated, with right-hander Mike Clevinger, outfielder Starling Marte, left-hander Mike Minor, infielder Jonathan Villar, left-hander Robbie Ray and right-hander Taijuan Walker among those on the move.

• Here is every Trade Deadline deal

The Yankees were connected to each of those players on some level, as well as to right-handers Kevin Gausman (Giants) and Lance Lynn (Rangers), who remained with their respective clubs.

“Brian and [his staff] have been grinding away heavily the last several days, but nothing came to fruition,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I look forward to this now being past us and we can get on with it. I think everyone in our clubhouse knows what we're capable of.”

Clevinger was a popular target, landing with the Padres as the centerpiece of a nine-player trade. For the Yankees, the Indians’ asking price for Clevinger was deemed too high, as Cashman balked at surrendering right-handed pitchers Deivi García and Clarke Schmidt.

Though Clint Frazier was mentioned in rumors -- “It wouldn’t be a Trade Deadline unless my name is getting tossed in there,” he quipped -- Cashman said that he foresees the outfielder continuing his career in New York. Boone said that he had been told 24-48 hours prior to the Deadline that a major deal was unlikely.

“The names that were necessary to execute certain things are names that we are going to rely on in the present as well as in the near future,” Cashman said. “That made it more difficult and challenging, because we feel we have a team that can compete for a title this year when we're at full strength, and we feel that we will have a team that can compete as well moving forward in the next year and beyond.”

Left-hander Zack Britton and catcher Kyle Higashioka are believed to be the closest reinforcements to returning from the injured list; both could be activated prior to Tuesday’s game against the Rays. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton could rejoin the active roster within the week.

Looking further ahead, the Yankees expect Gleyber Torres to return sometime in early September, as the shortstop has resumed on-field running. Outfielder Aaron Judge should be activated by the final week of September, and left-hander James Paxton has said that he wants to make one or two starts prior to the postseason.

“That’s a pretty formidable squad in their own right,” Cashman said. “For us to be what we're capable of being, we need those guys to come back anyway, whether I made an addition or not. I can't acquire something at the level of a Gleyber Torres and I can't acquire something at the level of an Aaron Judge.”