NEW YORK — Brian Cashman and Dave Dombrowski walked side-by-side down the long staircase. Cashman gestured about with his hands, looking up at the taller Dombrowski, who sipped a glass of ice water through a straw, listening intently.
Over the years, Cashman, the Yankees' general manager, and Dombrowski, his Red Sox counterpart, chatted mostly via phone. And, in fact, they talked quite often. During Dombrowski's 14-year tenure as the Tigers' GM, which ended when Detroit released him in August, Cashman and Boston's new leader made five impactful trades, including the one the landed Didi Gregorius in the Bronx last season.