New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has been a busy executive this offseason, helping add pieces like Giancarlo Stanton and Brandon Drury to a team that was just one win shy of reaching the World Series last season, but he had an interesting way of looking at things when asked to compare his club to the division-rival Boston Red Sox on Wednesday.

"We're the Little Engine that Could," Cashman said on "The Michael Kay Show," according to ESPN's Coley Harvey.

Apparently Cashman's statement was followed by on-air laughter.

Cashman's odd comparison comes on the brink of the Red Sox - who won the American League East in 2017 - reportedly signing slugger J.D. Martinez to a five-year contract on Monday, giving them a powerful piece their offense was missing last season when they still won 93 games.

"I look at them as the defending American League East champions. We have to find a way to close the gap on them," Cashman added. "They just added another piece to improve on what they already had. So we already know who they are and what they are. And our job is to find a way to figure out to somehow get past them, and at the same time keep Toronto and Baltimore and Tampa behind us."

The rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox is long-lasting, but hasn't been as front-and-center as it has in years past. But, with the additions by both clubs, the two teams are expected to re-ignite some old flames amid a battle for the division's top spot - a prospect that already has players fired up.

"You guys want it. Let's do it," Red Sox pitcher David Price said during media availability, according to Harvey. "We hate the Yankees. We hate the Yankees. Hate 'em!"