TAMPA – The competition for the final rotation spot is on track as the Yankees camps get worse.
Carlos Carrasco and Will Warren weren't in the rotation photo a month ago, but they're pitching as if they wanted to stay in the photo.
Carrasco was strong in 3¹/₃ innings on Friday, allowing him to run with two hits on one walk.
Of the 10 outs he recorded, six came from strikeouts.
Of these six strikeouts, he used four different pitches – a slider, a sweeper, a sinker, and a changeup that he finally feels like he found – sat down the Phillies batsman.
“It was what I was looking for – I got it,” Carrasco said of his changeup. “I've worked in the bullpen and a few games and got it today.”
His latest discovery allowed the veteran three earned runs in 11 innings (2.45 ERA) and created a solid case to break camp with the team within the remaining two weeks until opening day.
“It looked good,” manager Aaron Boone said of Carrasco's after beating the Phillies 6-5 at Stein Brenner Field. “It looked consistently good.”
With the Mets and Guardians over the past two seasons, the veteran pitched to a 6.18 ERA with a 41 start.
However, his four-seam speed is carved in the camp, and the Yankees see the right thing they want to be able to eat the innings with the injury of Jerit Cole and Lewis Gill.
Carrasco's main competition is Warren. Warren begins Saturday and owns 1.54 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 11²/₃ innings this spring.
Carrasco, 37, has opted out of contracts, but prospective Warren has the option to minors.
Boone said the Yankees were “not there yet” in their fifth starter decision.
“I feel like a lot of people at this point. [are] Hopefully we'll force us to make some tough decisions,” Boone said.
The Yankees don't yet have a rough timetable for Giancarlo Stanton to play again or swing again, but the sturdy hitters have signs of progress. He's back on the team.
Stanton is back from New York and receives his third round PRP shot on Monday, with his teammates and trainers.
He got out indefinitely with both elbow injuries that he said were “severe” and prevented him from taking hacking with bats.
Post's John Heyman reported Thursday that Stanton is also fighting calf issues.
“That's a bit minor in comparison,” Boone said. “It's about the elbow. But yeah, he has a little calf that's going on.”
The hope was that the third round of Stanton's elbow injection would speed up healing to the point where he could play, even if the pain was still there.
Although no specific signs of healing are clear, Stanton's presence counted as progress on Friday.
“I think he's moving the needle,” Boone said. “Hopefully there are a few small things he can start introducing over the next few weeks, but we'll see.”
Joe Torre joined the Yankee Camp and received loud applause as he brought out the team's lineup cards.
The one who brought out the Phillies card was manager Rob Thomson, who coached Torre's staff.
Former Yankees, Boone, the Reilly Barclay Holmes, will begin her Mets' first day. “It seems he did a great job there. Honestly, it's not surprising to me. He has a great aptitude, a great professional, a way of working. The biggest challenge is to have a volume and a start of over 30, but for him it's a good thing.”
As Austin Wells first saw the leadoff on February 28th, he was above the lineup of all eight games he played.
Wells was out of the Jazz Chisholm Jr. lineup on Friday. I slid to No. 1. Boone says he's still “bullying” there and he still can try another option against the opposing left-handed pitcher.
Oswald Cabrera, who was sick on Thursday, felt better back on the team.
