LAKELAND, Fla. – The competition isn't over, but JC Eskara has a very strong bid for the Yankees backup catcher job.
The 29-year-old stepped into veteran Alex Jackson to camp as Eskara had already fallen below the 40-man roster. I walked into Ben Rice, who probably had no reputation behind the plates Eskara has. (Rice was also able to find his way into the roster as a DH Bat and a backup first bass man.)
Eskara did nothing to lose the place with two home runs, .971 OPS and a report of encouragement from the pitcher during camp where he is 28 (.357).
If Eskara makes his major league debut, he will complete his journey adjacent to the cinema.
Five minor league seasons with the Orioles won a catcher before releasing him in 2022, playing him on 1 base.
From the related ball, Eskara became an Uber driver to play and interact with several teams in the independent league.
The Yankees found him, signed him, and now put him on the Major League roster, and could be Austin Wells' backup and perhaps a DH candidate.
“There's a lot in the grit you develop through your journey. Manager Aaron Boone said, before you made an 8-6 victory over the Tigers at Joker Merchant Stadium, you had to survive a lot of slapsed doors.” “We have the 29-year-old catcher on the roster of 40 and we're talking a lot about his perseverance and the quality of the players he's changed because he wasn't playing in the big leagues.”
Max Fried allowed one hit and one run in an efficient four innings, pitching 57 pitches.
He then jogged into the bullpen and threw a few more to over 60.
Freed was pleased with his stuff and was pleased to work with Wells for the first time in the game.
“It's obviously very talented and very smart,” Freed said of Wells. “I'm a guy who likes to have lots of conversations with the guys I work with. I'm more familiar with it just trying to understand what he's looking at.”
Boone is hoping to name the opening day starting pitcher on Friday.
Oswald Cabrera was hurt from the starting lineup due to a disease that has progressed around the clubhouse. Oswald Peraza has started.
Everson Pereira played the final four innings on left field.
This week, the correct batting outfielder/DH was given an option from Major League Camp.
Gerrit Cole's UCL reconstructive surgery on Tuesday included internal orthosis, Boone announced.
Boone didn't believe that the new style of surgery had an impact on Cole's return timetable.
Clark Schmidt, whose spring debut was delayed by back pain, has felt better after he began on Tuesday.
Schmidt plans to start the sixth game of the season and allow a little more time for the right-hander to build his arms.
Boone said he didn't know when Giancarlo Stanton, who received a third-round PRP injection at his elbow on Monday, would be rejoining the team.
