TAMPA, Fla. -- The potential for trades crossing New York City borough lines has fueled many a spirited barstool conversation over the decades. That tradition continued on Tuesday, when a newspaper report suggested that the Yankees have expressed interest in the Mets' Steven Matz -- a report that general manager Brian Cashman swiftly doused in cold water.

"We have not talked to anybody," Cashman said. "We have not reached out to one club looking for anything. We have not engaged with any team about, 'What've you got available? What are you trying to do?' It's pretty early and we might very well have all the answers in camp -- doesn't mean we will, but we're still trying to determine what we have and what we don't have in terms of the alternatives. And we like what we see."

Citing industry sources, the New York Post reported that the Mets and Yankees had discussed Matz in the wake of Luis Severino's season-ending right elbow injury.

With Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ and Jordan Montgomery figuring to open the season in the rotation, the Yankees are monitoring a fifth-starter competition that includes Deivi Garcia, Jonathan Loaisiga, Michael King and Clarke Schmidt.

"We've got a lot of exciting players that we think can impact us in a positive way," Cashman said.

Cashman said that if any trade talks were to materialize, those discussions would probably transpire in about two weeks. Last year, the Yankees acquired outfielder Mike Tauchman from the Rockies on March 23, five days prior to the season opener.

"I'm always open to doing whatever if it makes sense," Cashman said. "From our industry standpoint, there's a lot of things that aren't going to make sense early. Usually the way the segments of a season go, once you hit Spring Training, that next window of opportunity doesn't usually present itself until after the Draft, unless somebody's dumping money.

"We're prepared and looking at what we have here, and not counting on anything presenting itself outside this franchise now. That's the way it usually works. I understand I've got a job to do and I'm sure I will start running into conversations from our scouts more down the line."

The last Subway Swap was completed in 2018, when the Yanks acquired Minor League outfielder L.J. Mazzilli for Minor League outfielder Kendall Coleman. Trade talks between the clubs involving outfielder Jay Bruce fizzled in July 2017, with the Mets instead dealing Bruce to the Indians that August.

Not complaining

After Masahiro Tanaka retired the side in order during the first inning of Tuesday's 9-1 victory over the Red Sox, the right-hander had to endure a lengthy wait as the Yankees batted around for six runs on five hits, including a run-scoring hit by Gary Sánchez and a two-run single off DJ LeMahieu's bat.

Eleven Yankees came to the plate in that half-inning against Martín Pérez and Hunter Haworth. Unfazed by the lengthy frame, Tanaka set down all three men he faced in the second inning, then pitched around a Gio Urshela throwing error in a scoreless third.

"Those things tend to happen during the season, so with that in mind, I think it was good to go through something like that," Tanaka said through an interpreter. "Obviously you want your team to score a lot of runs."

Tanaka struck out five without a walk in the 40-pitch effort, his second of the spring, throwing 28 strikes. Tanaka's next outing is set for Sunday against the Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

"Masa seemed really dialed in with everything," manager Aaron Boone said. "There was life on his fastball, command of it. He mixed in the cutter effectively. I thought he threw some good splits and spun the breaking ball, so three really, really strong innings where I'm assuming he's pretty pleased with it."

Arms race

Jonathan Loaisiga and Clarke Schmidt continued to impress in their respective bids to secure a roster spot. Schmidt recovered from being ambushed for a first-pitch Rafael Devers homer to strike out three over two innings of one-run ball, while Loaisiga struck out four of the six batters he faced.

Boone said that Schmidt has showed "a special curveball" and flashed an impressive changeup on Tuesday to strike out Andrew Benintendi. Boone added that Loaisiga is "coming in on the attack right now" and indicated the right-hander could assist the Yanks as a multi-inning reliever if he isn't selected as the fifth starter.

Sick day

Feeling better one day after reporting an illness to the Yankees' medical staff, Gerrit Cole reported to Steinbrenner Field and watched most of Tuesday's game from the dugout.

"Our typical protocol on that is they stay at home and come in to see the doc after everybody is out on the field in the dugout to get evaluated," Cashman said on WFAN. "You want everybody just to report whatever they're feeling so you can try to adjust and deal with it."

Cole is scheduled to make his third Grapefruit League start on Thursday against the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla.

Prime time

The Yankees, Amazon Prime Video and the YES Network have announced plans to live-stream 21 Yankees games this season at no additional cost to Amazon Prime subscribers. The first Yankees game on Prime Video is scheduled for April 17 against the Reds, and it will be available to members within New York state, Connecticut, northeast Pennsylvania and north/central New Jersey.

Up next

The Yankees will be under the lights on Wednesday at Steinbrenner Field, hosting Joe Girardi and the Phillies for a 6:35 p.m. ET contest. Happ is scheduled to start for the Yanks, with closer Aroldis Chapman expected to make his spring debut later in the contest. Right-hander Nick Pivetta will start for Philadelphia.