AAA: SWB (34-15) lost 4-3. 1 for 12 w/RISP. Adam Warren (remember him?) 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, 2.96. CF Estevan Florial 2 hits, 2 RBI, a 2-run HR. C Max McDowell 2 hits. Derek Dietrich opted out of his contract. He was just hitting .215 at AAA.
AA: Somerset (34-18) won 10-0. Glenn Otto (5-3, 3.49) 7 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 12 K, 1 WP, 1 HBP. Somerset hit 5 HR. SS Diego Castillo 2 hits, solo HR (.327-10-28). DH Oswald Peraza 2 hits, solo HR. 2B Oswaldo Cabrera 2 hits, 4 RBI, a 3-run HR. C Donny Sands 2 hits, solo HR. CF Michael Beltre solo HR.
High A: Hudson Valley (33-19) split a DH, both 7-inning games.
Game 1: got only 4 hits in a 2-0 loss. 2B Ezequiel Duran 2 hits.
Game 2: Won 2-0. Only got 4 hits again, Duran a solo HR.
AAA: SWB (32-13) absolutely destroyed Lehigh Valley, 19-1. They got 10 runs in the third inning, bashed out 23 hits, and only gave up 2 hits. SWB used eight pitchers. Pitching highlights were the rehab guys. Darren O’Day 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. Justin Wilson 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. Adam Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Now for the hitting highlights. This could take a while.
Florial CF 3 hits, 2 RBI Park SS 4 hits, solo HR. 2 RBI. Hitting .360 at AAA. Wish he would replace Odor. (Park also plays 2B) Gittens 1B 4 hits, 8 RBI. 2 HR, double. Solo shot and a grand slam. Amburgey LF 3 hits, all doubles. 2 RBI. Hitting .356. Wish he’d be replacing Frazier. LaMarre RF 2 hits, 3 RBI, 2-run HR. Allen CF 4 hits, RBI McDowell C 2 hits, RBI
AA: Somerset (31-16) lost 5-1. CF Tom Milone 2 hits
High A: Hudson Valley (30-17) lost 14-8. SS Josh Smith 4 hits. 2B Ezequiel Duran 2 hits. C Saul Torres 2 hits. LF Pablo Olivares 2 hits. 3B Chad Bell 3-run HR. 1B Kyle MacDonald 2 hits, 2 RBI. CF Isaiah Pasteur 3 hits, RBI.
Low A: Tampa (32-15) won in a rout, 15-2.
SS Anthony Volpe 2 hits, RBI 2B Trevor Hauver 2 hits, 3 RBI RF Jake Sanford 3 hits, 2 RBI 3B Andres Chaparro 2 hits, 4 RBI, a 2-run HR C Carlos Narvaez 3 hits 1B Eric Wagaman 2 hits, 4 RBI, a 3-run HR CF Pat DeMarco 3 hits, RBI. Solo HR.
AAA: SWB won the completion of Wednesday’s suspended game, 4-2. They were losing 2-0 when it was suspended because of rain. SS Hoy Jung Park, 2-run HR. 2B/LF Andrew Velazquez 2 RBI. Adam Warren 3 scoreless IP, 3 K for the win. Braden Bristo 2 IP, 0 R, 3 K.
SWB (15-6) then won the regularly scheduled game, shortened to 7 innings because of the completion of the suspended game, 3-2, on a one-hitter. SWB only got three hits themselves, two by CF Tom Milone. RF Socrates Brito a 3-run HR.
AA: Somerset (15-6) split a DH.
Game 1: Lost 10-8 in 11 innings. SS Oswaldo Cabrera 2-run HR, 1B Dermis Garcia 2-run HR, CF Michael Beltre solo HR.
Game 2: Won 2-1 (7 inning game). Luis Gil 6 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 W, 8 K. 2B Oliver Dunn 2 hits, RBI.
High A: Hudson Valley (11-10) won 11-8. SS Oswald Peraza 5 hits, 3 RBI (3 doubles; .310 with 12 SB). 2B Eduardo Torrealba 2 hits. LF Frederick Cuevas 2 hits, RBI. 1B Kyle MacDonald 3 RBI. C Alex Guerrero 2 RBI.
Low A: Tampa (16-6) won 10-7. SS Josh Smith 2 RBI. SS Jesus Bastidas solo HR. 1B Andres Chaparro 2 hits, 3 RBI, 2-run HR.
AAA: SWB (8-2) beat Lehigh Valley 6-4. 3B Armando Alvarez 2-run HR. SS Andrew Velazquez 2 RBI. Adam Warren 2 1/3 scoreless relief innings, one of five pitchers.
AA: Somerset (6-4) lost 7-3. 1B Dermis Garcia solo HR, 2 RBI.
High A: Hudson Valley (5-5) won 9-4. 2B/LF Oliver Dunn 2 hits, 2-run HR, 3 RBI. SS Oswald Peraza (someone to keep an eye on) 2 homers, both 2-run shots, 4 RBI. LF/RF Frederick Cuevas 2 hits.
Low A: Tampa (7-3) won 7-4. SS Anthony Volpe 2 RBI. C Austin Wells 2 hits, 3 RBI. 3B/2B Max Burt 2 hits.
Estevan Florial was moved up from AA to AAA, I presume to replace Greg Allen on the AAA roster. I believe Allen is or will be called up to the majors to fill in for Aaron Hicks, what with Hicks’ injury. Allen is a switch-hitter, has played in 221 MLB games, all but one for Cleveland. .239 hitter, OPS+ only 70, not much pop (8 HR) but did steal 21 bases for the Indians in 2018.
AAA: SWB won 7-5. 1B Luke Voit 2 hits, 2-run HR. Miguel Andujar (playing LF) 2 hits, 2 RBI, solo HR (Voit and Andujar HRs back-to-back). OF Trey Amburgey solo HR. Brody Koerner started, 4 IP, 0 R, 1 H. Adam Warren 1 1/3 scoreless IP, 3 K. Trevor Lane 2 scoreless IP, 3 K.
I wonder if Frazier and Gardner keep hitting under .200 and Andujar proves he can play LF, if a change will be made. As for Voit, the Yanks really miss the HR leader of last season. Bruce (now retired) and Ford haven’t filled Voit’s void.
AA: Somerset won 3-1. 4 pitchers, combined two-hitter. Shawn Semple 4 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 5 K. C Donny Sands solo HR. 3B Diego Castillo 3 hits.
High A: Hudson Valley won 8-0 on a two-hitter. 2B Ezequiel Duran 2 hits. CF Brandon Lockridge 4 hits, RBI. 1B Steven Sensley 2 hits, 2 RBI
Low A: Tampa, after winning 11-7 Tuesday night, won 19-9 Wednesday night. After two innings, they were losing 7-0.
DH Austin Wells 2 hits, 2 RBI 2B Trevor Hauver 2 hits, 3 RBI, a 2-run HR, walked 3x RF Jake Sanford 2 hits, 2 RBI 1B Andres Chaparro 4 hits, 2 RBI 3B Chad Bell 2 hits, RBI CF Pat DeMarco 2 hits, both HR, 5 RBI
Clint Frazier went 3 for 3 with 2 RBI, including a HR, Mike Tauchman hit a 2-run HR, and Gio Urshela—playing SS—went 2 for 2 with an RBI as the Yankees (11-4-1 in Spring Training) beat Detroit 7-4 Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Rob Brantly caught Gerrit Cole. Kyle Higashioka has some pain in his side. Hopefully it isn’t serious because with Robinson Chirinos out with a broken wrist, the Yankees’ catching depth would be thinned out and Brantly then becomes the backup catcher.
Also, Adam Warren was shut down because of shoulder issues.
Cole struggled in the second inning, giving up 2 solo HR.
Cole 3 2/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 5 K. Gave up 2 solo HR. 1 HBP Loaisiga (H) 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 2 K. Cessa 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 solo HR. Lyons (H) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. Barraclough 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.
So far, I like what I see in spring training, especially from the starting pitchers and relievers like Loaisiga and Nelson. Not to mention Luetge.
With the fractured wrist of Robinson Chirinos, Rob Brantly probably becomes the Yankees 3rd string catcher, sent to SWB (if he has options, which I don’t know about; I also don’t know if he has an opt-out clause) to lie in wait should anything happen to Gary Sanchez or Kyle Higashioka.
Today he hit his second spring training HR, a 2-run shot, as the Yankees (7-4-1) beat the Tigers 4-2.
From the NY Post: The Yankees made a series of minor league roster moves: OF Estevan Florial was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. RHP Luis Gil was optioned to Double-A Somerset. RHP Luis Medina and Alexander Vizcaino and SS Oswald Peraza were optioned to High-A Hudson Valley. RHP Yoendrys Gomez was optioned to Low-A Tampa. The team also assigned several to minor league camp, including C Austin Wells and RHP Adam Warren, as well as Josh Breaux, Kevin Deglan, Chris Gittens, Hoy Jun Park, Tom Milone, Michael Beltre, Trey Amburgey, Trevor Lane, Glenn Otto … I might have missed a couple and hope i got some names right.
Jameson Taillon had struggles, but gave up no runs. He hasn’t allowed a run in spring training.
Manager Aaron Boone returned to the Yankees after his pacemaker surgery, but the Yankees (3-3-1 in spring training) fell to Pittsburgh, 3-2, today.
The Yanks got their runs on solo HR by Jay Bruce and Clint Frazier. It was a 7-inning game, delayed at the start by rain.
Jameson Taillon pitched two scoreless innings, getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the second, and struck out four.
Jhoulys Chacin struggled again in trying to get that #5 starter spot.
Taillon 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 4 K. Chacin (L; BS) 1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K Lane 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. Otto 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. Cessa 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up a solo HR. Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
For someone coming off injury and who may need to get more time in extended spring training or in the minors to get back up to speed, Adam Warren, in his third go-around with the Yankees, has done well this spring.
Before I get to the game, the biggest story of the day was that Yankee Manager Aaron Boone will be out of commission for a few days. Boone, who had heart surgery in 2009, needs a pacemaker. The operation was done today, went as expected and he is expected to return in a few days. Meanwhile, bench coach Carlos Mendoza will be running the show.
The Yankees (3-1 in spring training) won their third straight spring training game, 4-1. Actually, 3-1, but since someone on the Blue Jays needed some work, they played the bottom of the seventh of the 7-inning game even though the Yanks had already won.
It’s like the other day when because of pitch count, an inning was ended early, before three outs were made in order to save the pitcher from possibly overextending himself too early and getting hurt. The inning came to an end, the pitcher got some rest, then went out again the next inning. It is Spring TRAINING, after all.
Corey Kluber, the 2x former Cy Young Award winner who the Yanks signed but who has pitched only one inning over the last two years, started and looked fantastic. Six up, six down. If he can get back to what he was, wow.
Gary Sanchez, who disappointed, hitting just .147 last year, seems to be on a mission to redeem himself. He hit his second HR of the spring. He also threw out a runner trying to steal second.
After Sanchez homered, Jay Bruce doubled, and Derek Dietrich hit a 2-run HR. This all in the bottom of the fifth after Toronto scored its only run in the top half of the fifth.
In that bottom of the seventh that didn’t have to be played, Robinson Chirinos homered for the Yankees.
Bruce was 2 for 2.
Kluber 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. Goody 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. Cessa 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. Loaisiga (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. Barraclough (S) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K.
Finally, a minor league update.
AAA: Stays in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (SWB) AA: Now in Somerset, NJ (last year in Trenton) High A: Moves from Tampa to Hudson Valley (Wappingers Falls, NY) Low A: Tampa drops from High A to Low A. Last year Low A was Charleston.
This because of MLB’s reconfiguration of the minors.
It’s always nice to watch that first S.T. game, especially when, where you live, there is still snow on the ground and the temperature is still in the low 40s.
The Yanks lost their first spring training game to Toronto today, 6-4, in a 7-inning game. Because of COVID, S.T. games may be shortened for health reasons, as long as everyone gets their work in.
The only pitcher who seems to have a shot of making the Yankees’ team was the starter today, Michael King, who is trying to win the #5 rotation spot. It didn’t go well for him.
Rob Brantly, looking for a backup C spot (odds are he is #3 or #4 and SWB bound) and Mike Tauchman each hit a HR for the Yankees.
Tauchman, and also Miguel Andujar (1 for 2 today) will be interesting calls for the Yanks. Tauchman is out of options, and with Gardner back, appears not to have a place on the team. He is out of options and could be DFA’d. The HR by Tauchman was welcome, because he hit 13 HR in 2019, but those are his ONLY MLB HR. He did not hit any last year. The lack of power was interesting. Tauchman says he had a sore shoulder. Sore enough to bother him but not put him on the IL.
Andujar is an interesting case. He has an option left, but it seems like the 2018 runnerup for ROY (47 doubles, 27 HR, 92 RBI) does not have a place on the team as well, barring injury.
Barring an injury, the 13 position players (taking into account 13 players, and 13 pitchers on a 26 man roster) appear to be
C Sanchez and Higashioka (Brantly and Chirinos looking to take spot away from Higashioka) 1B Voit (and I think Jay Bruce (1B, LF, RF) will take backup spot from Mike Ford) 2B LeMahieu SS Torres 3B Urshela UT Wade (2B, SS, 3B, and OF; fighting for spot with Estrada) LF Frazier CF Hicks RF Judge OF Gardner DH Stanton.
I don’t think others, like Derek Dietrich or Esteban Florial, have a legit shot.
LeMahieu 1 for 2, single Torres a double. Andujar 1 for 2, single Brantly 2 run HR Tauchman HR
King (L) 2 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 W, 1 K. 2 HBP Wojciechowski 1 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 2 K. Barraclough 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3rd time with Yanks. Coming off injury. Looked good. Needs more rehab. Luetge 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. Goody 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. Gave UP 1 HR.
Tomorrow Cole and Taillon pitch. Much more interested there.
3 2/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 5 K. Gave up 2 solo HR. 1 HBP
