ST. LOUIS — Brian Cashman often refers to Aaron Boone having to deal with “slings and arrows” thrown at him. On Friday, the Yankees GM tossed some flowers his manager’s way, at least for how he has handled the heat during the club’s latest tailspin.

“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.”

New York's GM believes that in such a high-pressure market, there's no reason for a manager to pile on when players are struggling.