S.T. Game 33. Yanks lose to Washington, 3-0.

The last spring training game took place against the Nationals at Nationals’ Park in Washington, D.C. The regular season starts at Yankee Stadium Thursday afternoon against the Giants.

Good four innings for Nasty Nestor Cortes in his final tune-up before the regular season starts. 4 IP, 1 R (a solo HR). But that one mistake was enough. The Yanks (13-18-2 in spring training) finished spring training with a 3-0 loss.

Anthony Volpe was 1 for 2 with a couple of nice defensive plays. The Yanks only had 3 hits in the game.

Greg Weissert and Ian Hamilton were sent down to AAA. Estevan Florial and Rafael Ortega are headed to NY but it’s not sure yet who if any between the two of them would make the team.

Cortes (L) 4 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 W, 0 K gave up 1 HR.
Mauricio 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Cordero 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Abreu 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Danish 1/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. Awful spring for him (ERA 28.50)
Hamilton 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Deivi Garcia 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1 HBP

UPDATE: Florial (was out of options) made team as 4th OF. Calhoun sent down. Ortega asked for and was given his release.

S.T. Game 32. Yanks beat Rays 8-4.

Clarke Schmidt pitched 4 good innings before giving up a pair of runs in the fifth, good work from some bullpen guys and a HR from someone hoping to make the roster as the Yanks (13-17-2) beat Tampa Bay 8-4 today.

The Yanks now head to Washington, D.C. for an exhibition game tomorrow (Tuesday) against the Nationals. Wednesday is an off day but a workout day at Yankee Stadium before the season begins Thursday afternoon against the Giants.

Today’s highlights, a lot by minor leaguers.

Max Burt 1 for 2, RBI
Eric Wagaman 2 for 2, 3 RBI. 2-run HR.
Willie Calhoun 1 for 2, scored 2 runs. In running for last OF spot.
Donaldson 2 for 2
Rafael Ortega 1 for 2, solo HR. Walk. Competing with Calhoun and Florial for last OF spot.
Cabrera 1 for 2, RBI. Has had great spring.
Higashioka 1 for 3, RBI.
Hicks 1 for 1, RBI. Walk.
Florial 0 for 2. Out of options. If he doesn’t beat out Ortega and Calhoun for last OF spot could be DFA’d, waived, or traded.

Schmidt 4 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 7 K. 1 WP.
Peralta 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 Balk.
Loiasiga 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Holmes (Winner) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Marinaccio (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 3 K.
Ramirez (H) 1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Diaz 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 1 K.

24 of the 26 roster spots have been settled.

Trevino, Higashioka
Rizzo, Stanton, LeMahieu, Volpe, IKF, Torres, Donaldson
Cabrera, Hicks, Judge

One more OF position. Ortega? Calhoun? Florial? Is there a trade or pickup coming?

Cole, Cortes, Schmidt, German, Brito
Holmes, Loaisiga, Marinaccio, Peralta, Cordero, King, Abreu

Greg Weissert could be the last BP piece. Ramirez has already been sent down, as was Krook. Once again, is there a trade or pickup coming?

So 2 spots undecided yet.

Oswald Peraza has been sent to AAA to start the season.

S.T. Game 31. Brito perfect as he auditons for #5 starter role. Yanks win 6-2.

Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo hit back-to-back HR, but the story was Jhony Brito (#27 prospect) in the Yankees’ (12-17-2) 6-2 win over Toronto on Sunday.

With Rodon, Severino and Montas all on the IL, the Yanks will have to reach to fill out their rotation. Brito was pitching to secure the #5 spot in the rotation until the injured come back, and things couldn’t have gone more perfect for him.

Brito retired the Blue Jays 16 up and 16 down.

LeMahieu 1 for 3, 2 RBI.
Judge 2 for 2 with a walk. 2-run HR
Rizzo 2 for 3, solo HR.
Cabrera 2 for 4
Hicks 1 for 1, 2 walks.
Peraza 0 for 3 was HBP. But .190 this spring and Volpe has outhit him.

Brito (Winner) 5 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.
King (H) 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Weissert (H) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Krook 1 IP, 1 R, 0 H, 2 W, 1 K. 1 balk.

It was annonced that Tyler Danish and James Norwood were sent down. Albert Abreu and Jimmy Cordero have made the bullpen,

S.T. Game 30. 3 hr and Volpe’s 3 hits in Yanks 8-3 win over Phillies.

Barring a last-minute injury or some other freak occurrence, I see no reason why #1 prospect Anthony Volpe (.314 in spring training with 3 HR) should not be the Yankees (11-17-2 in spring training) shortstop this Thursday on opening day.

Volpe had 3 hits yesterday, coming a HR short of the cycle, in the Yanks’ 8-3 win over the Phillies. Even more impressive, the double and triple were off of Phillies’ ace Aaron Nola.

The Yanks hit 3 hr in the game.

Volpe 3 for 4. HR shy of the cycle.
Judge 2 for 3, walk, RBI.
Torres 2 for 4, 4 RBI. 3-run HR.
Donaldson 1 for 3, 2 RBI 2-run HR.
Willie Calhoun 2 for 4. Does he (.298 in spring training) make the team?
Kiner-Falefa 2 for 4. Played LF.
Trevino 1 for 2, walk.
Andres Chaparro 1 for 4, solo HR. Has had a great spring. 5 HR.

The Yanks sent Wilmer Difo and Rodolfo Duran to minor league camp after the game.

Randy Vasquez (Winner) 4 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 2 W, 4 K. #14 prospect.
Norwood 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Danish 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Bowman 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Mauricio 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.

Montas, Rodon, now Sevy to the IL

When the Yankees signed Carlos Rodon, they were supposed to have one of the strongest rotations in baseball with Cole, Rodon, Severino, Cortes and Montas.

Montas will miss at least half the season. Rodon will miss the first 4-5 weeks.

Now it was announced today that Severino will start the season on the injured list with a strained lat. For Sevy, concerns about his health in this, his walk year, will surely affect his free agency status at the end of the year.

Cole, Cortes, … now German and Schmidt. Schmidt will now start the second game of the season after Cole goes on opening day.

Jhony Brito, the Yanks’ #27 prospect (RHP, 25, 11-4, 2.96 between AA/AAA last year) could open the season as the #5 starter.

Of course, should the Yanks decide to go with Volpe at 2B and Peraza at SS, Gleyber could be dealt for a pitcher. Just saying.

As a former Yankees manager was prone to say, “It’s not what you want.”

S.T. Game 29. Up 6-0, squad of mostly B players loses 7-6.

The Yanks split their squad yesterday, and in the away game played at night, a squad of mostly bench and B level (minor league) players (especially the pitchers) coughed up a 6-0 lead and the Yanks (10-17-2 in spring training) wound up losing to Baltimore 7-6.

The Yanks got a 3-run HR in the first from Oswaldo Cabrera and a 3-run HR in the second from Kyle Higashioka.

Thank goodness it’s only spring training. If the Yanks started the regular season 10-17, well …

To me, Cabrera should start in LF ahead of Hicks. He has had a great spring. But I think the Yanks want to move him all over to give guys days off.

LeMahieu 2 for 4
Peraza 2 for 4 as he tries to win SS job. Be interesting to see if him (#3 prospect) or Volpe (#1 prospect).
Cabrera 2 for 4, 3 RBI. 3-run HR.
Higashioka 2 for 3, 3 RBI 3-run HR.
Kiner-Falefa 1 for 3
Ortega 0 for 4. Looks like he lost out on a spot. .143 this spring. I could be wrong, but…

Yoendrys Gomez 3 2/3 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 0 W, 3 K. #11 prospect
Neely (H) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Hamilton 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Snelton 1 1/3 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 2 W, 1 K.
Loseke (BS) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Wilson (L) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 W, 1 K.

S.T. Game 28. Afternoon (home) game of split squad. Volpe homers, Cole sharp, Abreu not. Yanks lose, 6-4.

The Yanks had split squad games, one at home in the afternoon and one on the road at night.

This is the afternoon game. Anthony Volpe (more on him in a bit) homered, and Gerrit Cole was in midseason form, but Albert Abreu blew a Yankees lead late and the Yanks (10-16-2 in spring training) lost to the Twins, 6-4.

Meanwhile it was reported that Carlos Rodon should be ready in early May. He will miss the first month of the season.

The race for the SS job may come down to the last day, but as far as I’m concerned, I’d go with Volpe. A few tidbits, most if not all by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

Volpe, if he is the opening day starter, would be the youngest opening day starter since Derek Jeter in 1996.

He would be making his MLB debut. Since 1951, the only Yankees to make their MLB debut on opening day have been Mickey Mantle in 1951, Jerry Lumpe in 1956 and Hideki Matsui in 2003.

The last Yankee players who had rookie qualification to be in the Opening Day lineup were Aaron Judge in 2017 and Brett Gardner in 2009.

Aaron Judge was in LF and threw out a runner at second today. I don’t think CF or LF would be a problem for him.

Volpe 1 for 4, HR, 2 RBI #1 prospect. Will be interesting to see if he is opening day SS. I think he should be.
Willie Calhoun 1 for 4. Will be interesting to see if he makes the team.
Jose Trevino 2 for 3.
Estevan Florial 1 for 2, 2 RBI.

Those are all five of the Yankees’ hits. They were 1 for 10 w/RISP.

Cole 5 2/3 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 0 W, 3 K.
Cordero (H) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. Will he make the bullpen?
Abreu (BS, L) 1 1/3 IP, 5 R, 4 H, 1 W, 0 K. Gave up 2 HR.
M. Gomez 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.

S.T. Game 27. Nestor is Nasty in Yanks 1-1 tie with Cards.

Opening Day is one week away.

Nestor Cortes. because of a hamstring strain, is a little behind the other pitchers and as a result, today was only his second start of spring training.

But Nasty Nestor was in midseason form, tossing four scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in what turned out to be a 1-1 tie game with the Cardinals.

The Yanks are 10-15-2 in spring training.

Both teams only got three hits apiece, and the Yankees run was on a HR by Oswaldo Cabrera.

Notes:

Volpe 0 for 4 #1 prospect.
Stanton 1 for 3
Cabrera 1 for 3, the HR
Peraza 0 for 3, #3 prospect. So neither Volpe or Peraza was outdoing the other today in the SS competition battle.
Trevino 1 for 3.

Cortes 4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 7 K.
Weissert 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1 HBP.
Marinaccio 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K.
Ramirez 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K.

S.T. Game 26. Yanks lose to Washington, 5-2.

Clarke Schmidt was so-so and the Yanks bats were a bit quiet as the Yanks (10-15-1 in spring training) lost to Washington Wednesday, 5-2.

Notes

Peraza 0 for 4. #3 prospect. .188 in spring training, as for me, Volpe should be starting SS.
Stanton 1 for 3, scored a run.
Cabrera 2 for 3. SB
Elijah Dunham 1 for 1, RBI. #18 prospect.
Rafael Ortega 0 for 2, RBI. .161 in spring training. Does he make team? I’d go with Calhoun.
Willie Calhoun 0 for 1. Not as versatile in OF as Ortega, but .306 this spring training
Estevan Florial 0 for 3, 2 strikeouts. .167 in spring training, and out of options. Could be DFA’d soon.

Schmidt (L) 3 2/3 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 2 W, 1 K.
King 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Krook 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. Has good chance of making team as 2nd lefty in bullpen.
Danish 1 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR. No chance of making team with a 33.23 spring training ERA.

S.T. Game 25. Donaldson homers twice in Yanks’ 6-3 win.

Josh Donaldson homered twice and drove in four runs in the Yanks (10-14-1 in spring training) 6-3 win over Detroit on Tuesday.

Now is the time to start seeing results, with Opening Day 9 days away. You want to hit the ground running.

Luis Severino has not had a good spring before today, even though everyone says he is healthy. The day didn’t start out well, as he gave up a HR to the leadoff hitter and 2 runs in the first inning, but he settled in after that. His performance this spring has been concerning so far.

Torres 1 for 3, RBI.
Donaldson 2 for 3, 2 HR 4 RBI
Volpe 1 for 2. Double, walk, SB. #1 prospect. I think he should be starting SS.
Kiner-Falefa 1 for 3, was in LF
Alexander Vargas 1 for 1 double
Mickey Gasper 1 for 1
Ortega 1 for 3, SB

Severino 4 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 W, 9 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Holmes 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K
Loaisiga (Winner) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.
Peralta 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Norwood 2 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 W, 3 K. 1 WP