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Cashman: Yankees 'In A Position To Do Some Transitioning'

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- It was a stunning reversal for the New York Yankees as the organization became sellers at the trade deadline.

The team unloaded Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova for several top prospects, catapulting the Yankees farm system to one of the best in the game today.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told Mike Francesa the decision to sell came after the sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays.

"We went into Tampa Bay, and if you are a true playoff contender, you need to take care of business, under these circumstances, in a pennant race with the trade deadline fast approaching, and instead we got swept," Cashman explained. "A playoff contender doesn't do that, but a playoff pretender does."

Cashman said that the Yankees are "in a position to do some transitioning" and have prospects other teams will covet.

"We're going to see and test some of these things and evaluate it and it will give us a better idea of what we have going into 2017," Cashman told Francesa. "And with all the moves and the additions to go with what we have, we are definitely armed for opportunities to trade and acquire other people's assets that may be are becoming more expensive or too expensive to carry or approaching free agency.

"I feel like we match with anybody if players become available."

Cashman also touched on the struggles of Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, stating that the organization has not talked about releasing either player before the end of the season.

"We have decisions we can always make and right now those aren't being discussed," Cashman man, adding, "It's hard to predict the future as we move forward."

The 41-year-old Rodriguez, largely limited to designated hitter since 2015, lost that job last month and has just six at-bats since July 22, striking out in his past five. He is batting .205.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi says "in maybe the near the future, do I see him getting a ton of at-bats? No. I probably don't."

Rodriguez has a $20 million salary this year and is owed $20 million in 2017, the final season of his $325 million, 10-year deal.

Speaking before Tuesday's game at the Mets, A-Rod says "Whatever they do, I'm at peace" and "I hope I can stay here for the remainder of my contract."

Click on the audio player for Cashman's full interview.

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