Brian Cashman appreciates that World Series titles are expected from the New York Yankees, not just hoped for.

New York hasn’t even reached the World Series since its 27th championship in 2009, the second-longest drought in franchise history. The only longer one came in the Yankees’ first 18 years, from 1903 to 1920.

“We have a great shot, but we only have a great shot if we play our best baseball,” the general manager said Thursday ahead of an AL Division Series against Kansas City. “I know that we have the capabilities, but at the same time I caution that we’ve had capabilities many times before and you have to match those capabilities with, obviously, great defense, great baserunning, tremendous offensive at-bats against extremely tough pitching and, obviously, the most important aspect is pitching to the best of your abilities.”

After missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2016, the Yankees rebounded following the December acquisition of Juan Soto from San Diego. They led the AL in runs with 815 after finishing 25th in 2023 and topped the major leagues in home runs with 237.

“I do honestly believe that anybody that’s currently in the tournament has a legitimate chance to raise that trophy,” Cashman said. “I think we have the pieces that are here and we have the will to make it happen, and now we just got to go up against an opponent that’s very worthy.”

Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole (8-5) starts Saturday night’s opener for New York after recovering from elbow nerve irritation and edema that sidelined him from spring training until June 19.

Michael Wacha (13-8) starts for Royals. He has held Yankees star Aaron Judge to 1 for 18 with three walks and no homers in his career.

“I’m chalking this up to small sample and I’ll take Aaron Judge against just about anyone on any day,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “but we know Wacha is a tough customer. He’s always pitched us tough and we know we got our work cut out for us.”

New York beat Kansas City in the 1977 and ’78 AL Championship Series en route to World Series titles, and the Royals swept the Yankees in 1980 — leading George Steinbrenner to force out manager Dick Howser. The following summer, Howser took over as Royals manager and led Kansas City to its first World Series title in 1985.

New York won three of four at Kansas City in June, losing the series finale on Maikel Garcia‘s two-run double against Clay Holmes. The Yankees took two of three in the Bronx last month, losing the middle game when Seth Lugo and two relievers combined on a three-hit shutout for the Royals.

Kansas City swept Baltimore in a two-game Wild Card Series while the Yankees won the AL East and earned a first-round bye and a five-day layoff. The Royals are led by Bobby Witt Jr., likely to finish second to Judge in AL MVP voting, nine-time All-Star catcher Salvador Perez and a rotation that includes Wacha, Lugo and Game 2 starter Cole Ragans.

Reliever Lucas Erceg was acquired from Oakland at the July 30 trade deadline, and the 29-year-old right-hander had 11 saves in 13 chances for the Royals, striking out 31 and walking three in 25 innings. His fastball averages 98.6 mph.

“From early in the season ’til now, their bullpen has improved,” Boone said. “They’ve had a couple guys emerge down there and then obviously bringing in Erceg to anchor them has taken their bullpen to another level.”

Cashman said the Yankees are still deciding on their final roster moves heading into the ALDS, with right-hander Marcus Stroman’s status still up in the air.

“We haven’t made that final call yet,” he said. “Marcus threw in the sim [simulation] game yesterday, he threw two innings, so we’re trying to keep him with some volume and stretched out. I don’t expect him to be a starter in this series. As for what role we haven’t made that call yet.”

Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo remains doubtful for the Division Series after fracturing the fourth and fifth fingers of his right hand when he was hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh’s Ryan Borucki on Saturday.

“He’s full-bore treatment mode right now,” Cashman said, “A very tight window of healing to take place. … A lot less pain than you would expect and more strength to the squeeze than you would expect given what he’s gone through but he has not been doing baseball activity as of yet.”

Ben Rice and Oswaldo Cabrera are the primary alternatives at first.

DJ LeMahieu, who also plays first, has been sidelined since Sept. 3 because of a right hip impingement.

“He’s started to do things, Cashman said. “The time frame for him a little bit difficult.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce was slapped with an eight-year show-cause order because of violations that occurred when he was an assistant coach at Arizona State, the NCAA announced Thursday.

Most of the violations were related to what the NCAA referred to as a “scheme” orchestrated by Pierce to circumvent restrictions in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pierce facilitated impermissible recruiting contact with 35 prospects, including “tryouts, football facility tours and entertainment.” It was also determined he directed an assistant to engage in tampering with a player enrolled at another school and traveled out of state to observe and meet with prospects during a recruiting dead period.

“In arriving at an eight-year show-cause order for Pierce, the panel emphasized his role as the ringleader in orchestrating the recruiting violations,” according to the report from the NCAA.

In the event Pierce is hired by a NCAA school during the show-cause order — which runs until Oct. 2, 2032 — he would be suspended for the first football season and would be allowed no contact with any of the program’s coaches or players during that period.

During the investigation, Pierce provided “false or misleading information” and was unwilling to provide his financial records, according to the report. One ASU staff member told the NCAA that Pierce “did not fear the potential consequences for NCAA violations due to the financial security provided by his self-proclaimed wealth.”

“Pierce used his position of authority to pressure staff members into engaging in violations, often by instilling fear that they would lose their jobs if they did not follow his orders,” the report says.

The NCAA also issued a five-year show-cause order for former ASU football analyst Anthony Garnett, who participated in the violations. Garnett would face a one-season suspension if hired during the next five years.

In the 67-page report, there are several mentions of former booster Regina Jackson, the mother of former ASU and current Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who assisted with setting up impermissible campus visits and other violations. Daniels transferred from ASU to LSU after the 2021 season, won the Heisman Trophy in 2023 and was selected No. 2 in the 2024 NFL draft by the Commanders.

In April, the NCAA punished ASU with four years of probation, an undisclosed fine, vacated games in which ineligible players competed, reduced scholarships and recruiting restrictions.

Pierce was hired by ASU head coach Herm Edwards in December 2017 and was promoted to associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator in February 2020. Edwards, who now works for ESPN, was fired after the Sun Devils went 1-2 to start the 2022 season. He was found to have committed a “responsibility violation,” the NCAA announced in April.

Pierce resigned from ASU in 2022 and was hired as the Raiders linebackers coach. He was named the Raiders interim coach in October 2023 and was hired for the job permanently in January.

The Raiders declined comment Thursday.

ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez contributed to this report.

Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos will return for the Eagles (4-1) and start this week at Virginia (3-1), sources told ESPN.

Castellanos missed BC’s game at Western Kentucky last week with an undisclosed injury that he had suffered in the win over Michigan State the prior week.

Castellanos has practiced this week and looked solid, which puts him in line to return his starting job. FIU transfer Grayson James led Boston College to a comeback win against WKU, as BC trailed 20-7 in the fourth quarter.

Castellanos is amid a breakout season for the Eagles, as he sparkled in the opening win at Florida State and has been one of the most improved players in the ACC. He’s No. 6 nationally in passing efficiency and has 10 touchdown passes and two interceptions.

Last year, Castellanos had 15 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. He has completed 64.3% of his passes this season, an increase from 57.3% last year.

Boston College is scoring 29.8 points per game, up from 24.8 last season. It is No. 29 nationally in third-down conversion percentage.