“I don’t have an answer to that question,” Cashman said on the field before Friday night’s game. “I know roster-wise we are better, but not as good now as we were because we lost a couple of the pieces we added at the deadline to injuries.”

ST. LOUIS — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has rarely made road trips for years, so it was a surprise seeing him standing outside the Busch Stadium visiting dugout Friday while his sputtering-for-two-months ballclub took batting practice ahead of this weekend’s series opener against the Cardinals.