Cashman: Clint Frazier's bat speed is 'already legendary'

NEW YORK - Watching a second straight loss to last-place Tampa Bay convinced the New York Yankees it was time to shift more fully into sell mode. So late Saturday night, owner Hal Steinbrenner gave the go-ahead.

Six days after trading closer Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs for four prospects, New York dealt reliever Andrew Miller to Cleveland for four more.

''We're trying to get back to a situation where we can build an uber team and a sustainable one,'' general manager Brian Cashman said. ''So we'll see where it takes us, but that's the effort that we've got going on here, and I think fans should be excited by that.''

New York's 5-3 defeat Sunday completed a weekend sweep that left the Yankees seven games behind AL East-leading Baltimore and 5 1/2 games back for the AL's second wild card, with three other teams to overcome.

Convinced they are unlikely to reach the playoffs this year, the Yankees are pivoting to the future. New York hopes to get under the luxury tax threshold by no later than 2018, which would put the team in prime position to spend again after that season. Bryce Harper, Jose Fernandez, Manny Machado and Clayton Kershaw are among the stars who could be on the market that fall.

''There's no doubt that they're trying to add good players to the organization for the future,'' Carlos Beltran said. ''Maybe they're really serious about rebuilding.''

Shortstop Jorge Mateo, catcher Gary Sanchez, outfielder Aaron Judge and pitcher Luis Severino were thought to be the best of their minor league system before the addition of shortstop Gleyber Torres from the Cubs and outfielder Clint Frazier from the Indians. New York views Frazier, the fifth overall pick in the 2013 amateur draft, as a Mike Trout-type player.

''An electric bat. His bat speed is already legendary,'' Cashman said. ''A very exciting high-energy guy that shows up for the national anthem in a dirty uniform.''