Forget any creative names for where the Yankees currently stand, especially not after getting swept by the surging Miami Marlins. Aaron Boone’s club now occupies third place in the AL East and barely holds the AL’s second Wild Card spot; the Seattle Mariners are half a game behind the free-falling Yankees.

The New York Yankees were unwilling to move on from top prospect Spencer Jones at the trade deadline. General manager Brian Cashman has an explanation.

Cashman did not directly address a question regarding his interest in adding Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara, but before the deadline passed, multiple sources told The Athletic that the Yankees held substantive conversations centered on trading for the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner.