J.C. Escarra can’t believe his ‘surreal’ Yankees moment could soon be here
Clearwater, FL – JC Eskara can't lie. As much as he is trying to do, he can't help but think about what next week has for him. A few days of the 29-year-old's powerful camp have mostly locked in the work of a backup catcher, even if the decision hasn't been official yet. “I'm trying […]
Clarke Schmidt questionable for Yankees’ Opening Day roster after shoulder fatigue scare
TAMPA — Clark Schmidt bouncing off Monday's bullpen session, but he may not be ready to start the season on time. The Yankees plan on Tuesday is to throw a live batting practice on Thursday with Schmidt, who was injured from the scheduled start due to shoulder fatigue on Monday. Even if that worked, he […]
Mets’ Pete Alonso pulling for former teammate Dom Smith in Yankees roster battle
Port St. Lucy – It's been a while since Dom Smith and Pete Alonso, who have hit the league since leaving the Mets in 2022, have played. But now, Smith is about to win a roster with the Crosstown Yankees, with some coming out indefinitely with Giancarlo Stanton injured both elbows, so Smith could be […]
Yankees’ lefty-heavy lineup presents potentially odd problems
Tampa – Can the Yankees be left-handed too? Aaron Judge and Austin Wells both said “a great question,” and suggested yes, especially since Aaron Boone was thinking of a late game match. That's one reason why Dominique Smith has a difficult lane against his first day's roster spot despite the strong spring. Coach James Rousson […]
Max Fried says he had ‘gut feeling’ Yankees were right choice for him
TAMPA – In another world, Max Fried could have been on the mound at Stein Brenner Field as the Red Sox on Tuesday, pitching with the Yankees multiple times over the next seven years. The reality is that the left-hander wore pinstripes and mowed the Red Sox on his penultimate spring outing. Freed had seen […]
Ben Rice’s bat showing ‘real juice’ as impressive Yankees spring continues
DUNEDEN, Fla. — Whenever the ball touches Ben Rice's bat this spring, it burns. Grapefruitreug statistics are often misleading, but exit speeds can be a better sign of what is coming, and rice is better on both. The main contender, who won the majority of Yankees DH at-bats to start the season, scored his fourth […]
Yankees facing another injury worry as Paul Goldschmidt exits early
DUNEDEN, Fla. — The Yankees may want to break camp a week earlier and wrap players in bubble wraps until opening day. Paul Goldschmidt finished Monday's game with the Blue Jays due to the back pain he's been dealing with for days after two at-bats and 2½ innings. The 37-year-old first baseman said he had […]
Yankees starter takes encouraging step
TAMPA – Clark Schmidt completed his bullpen session Monday morning and although the Yankees were able to exhale slightly, they may not have left the woods yet. It was only a few days after Schmidt had thrown that he had trouble. So, right-handers of the Yankees have to go through them to prove that shoulder […]
Austin Wells likely to lead off for Yankees on Opening Day
TAMPA – Aaron Boone wrote Austin Wells' name in the leadoff spot on February 28th. No catchers have gone anywhere since. With each game, it appears that Wells will be leading the way whenever the Yankees host the brewer on the first day of March 27th, and at least whenever they start the season with […]
Clarke Schmidt scratched from start in latest Yankees worry
Tampa – Add Clark Schmidt to the Yankees injury worry list. Already considered to be part of a pair of bodies blowing, Schmidt was scratched from the scheduled start on Monday as he “stings a bit” in his recovery, Aaron Boone said on Sunday. “It's not bouncing as much as he wanted,” Boone told Steinbrenner […]