"I'm not allowed to talk about free agents" - Brian Cashman refuses to talk about Yankees' stance on Blake Snell amid rotation concerns

During a recent interview, the topic of free agency came up and the New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was asked about Blake Snell, who is currently a free agent. However, Cashman stated he is not "allowed" to discuss free agents.

"I keep reading that, too! I'm not allowed to talk about free agents. I actually don't read it. I hear it." Cashman said (via Chris Kirschner of The Athletic).

Here, Cashman drew attention to the MLB rule that restricts teams from speaking about players who still haven’t fully joined a team. This rule was made to guard against manipulation and ensure impartiality among players.

Snell is a gifted young left-handed pitcher with two Cy Young Awards. He has also been an All-Star in 2018. The Yankees' pitching staff may benefit greatly from having a talent like him. Nevertheless, several other teams will be vying for his services.

In January, Snell declined a six-year, $150 million contract offered by the Yankees, and according to MLB insider Bob Nightengale, he asked for a $270 million contract for nine years.

Blake Snell garnering interest from the Houston Astros

According to The Athletic's Jim Bowden, Blake Snell is heavily pursued by the Houston Astros.

“The #Astros interest in Snell is a shorter team deal with high AAV with the same type blueprint as the Boras Corporation did with Bellinger. #Giants #Angels #Yankees have also been linked to him at different times this offseason. They are not interested in a Nola-type contract,” Bowden tweeted.

The All-Star player is getting ready for the season. According to Jon Heyman, he threw 60 pitches on Friday to gear up.

Adding a top pitcher like Snell could strengthen the Astros as they compete for the World Series this year.