Mark Teixeira: What Yankees need instead of Bryce Harper

by Felix Pantaleón

Retired Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira explains why general manager Brian Cashman needs to find pitching and why the Houston Astros are his AL favorites.

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The Yankees don’t need another big bat.

An arm? That’s a different story.

Retired Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira said general manager Brian Cashman should soon start targeting ways to trade for starting pitching Thursday.

“I start uncovering every single rock, starting in June, for the July trade deadline, and then look for next offseason to really make sure that my starting rotation can match up with the best in baseball,” Teixeira said while on The Michael Kay Show on ESPN New York radio.

“When this team ends the season, it’s going to look differently than it does today. I don’t think it’s going to look that much differently to the point where you need a Bryce Harper or even a Manny Machado, for that standpoint.”

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Teixiera was asked if the Yankees are the team to beat.

“I still think the Astros are a better team at full strength,” he said. “And when the Astros hitters finally get hot and settle in, that starting pitching really scares me.”

Teixiera made waves when he said he wasn’t surprised by former Yankees star Robinson Cano’s suspension for using a banned substance.

Teixeira and Cano played together from 2009 to 2013.

“Robbie Cano’s assistant was on the list for Biogenesis,” Teixeira said. “Of course he had his assistant buy stuff for him. Alex Rodriguez got popped by Biogenesis and Melky got popped. They’re his best friends. When someone gets lumped into that group, it’s because there’s evidence, there’s a paper trail, there’s a smoke trail.”

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.

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