Yankees' David Hale: Assigned to minor-league camp
Rotowire
6H ago
Hale was reassigned to minor-league spring training Saturday.
Hale's 14 strikeouts in 11.2 spring innings weren't enough to earn him a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. The 31-year-old has a mediocre 4.49 ERA in 192.1 career major-league innings.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Luis Cessa: Set for long-relief role
Rotowire
6H ago
Manager Aaron Boone announced Saturday that Cessa will begin the season out of the bullpen in a long-relief role, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Boone did mention the possibility of utilizing the opener strategy April 1 against the Tigers, and Cessa could be used as the primary pitcher should they go that route. The 26-year-old was in the mix for a rotation spot with Luis Severino (shoulder) and CC Sabathia (knee, chest, suspension) sidelined for the beginning of the season, but Domingo German and Jonathan Loaisiga will be called upon instead. Cessa showcased himself near perfectly in spring training with a 0.53 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 18:1 K:BB through 17 innings, but will nonetheless start the season in the bullpen.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Jonathan Loaisiga: Optioned for short period
Rotowire
7H ago
Loaisiga was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday but is expected to return six games into the season once CC Sabathia (knee, chest) has served his suspension, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Sabathia will occupy a roster spot at the start of the year but will then head to the injured list for a brief period as he recovers from offseason knee and chest surgeries. Loaisiga will be preferred ahead of Luis Cessa in the rotation due that time, although the Yankees could also use an opener when Sabathia's spot in the rotation comes up.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Domingo German: Confirmed for rotation spot
Rotowire
7H ago
German will open the season as the Yankees' fourth starter, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
CC Sabathia (knee, chest) isn't expected to miss too much time and will bump German back one spot when he returns, but German's starting role should be relatively safe until Luis Severino (shoulder) gets back on the mound in May. Gio Gonzalez, Jonathan Loaisiga and Luis Cessa loom should German fail to impress in his first few starts.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Jordan Montgomery: Placed on 60-day injured list
Rotowire
7H ago
Montgomery (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Saturday.
Per Lindsey Adler of The Athletic, Montgomery revealed earlier in the day that he doesn't expect to be ready to pitch in the majors until mid-August, thus making it unsurprising the Yankees will stash him on the 60-day IL. At this point in his rehab from Tommy John surgery, Montgomery is throwing off a half mound, but not at full effort. He's expected to resume tossing fastballs off a full mound next week, but will again be barred from throwing at full capacity.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Greg Bird: Late scratch from lineup
Rotowire
13H ago
Bird (elbow) was scratched from the Yankees' lineup for Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays.
He'll be replaced by Chris Gittens, who will man first base and bat eighth. Per Erik Boland of Newsday, Bird completed batting practice earlier Saturday without any apparent issues, so the expectation was that he had made a full recovery from the sore elbow he sustained after being hit by a pitch Wednesday. The Yankees may have just been taking a precautionary approach with Bird, who is tentatively slated to play in the team's Grapefruit League finale Sunday versus the Twins, according to Lindsey Adler of The Athletic.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Tyler Wade: Re-enters spring lineup
Rotowire
14H ago
Wade (hip) will start center field and hit ninth in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays, Brendan Kuty of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Wade exited Wednesday's exhibition versus the Astros due to tightness in both of his hips and was sidelined for the past two days as a result. The 24-year-old apparently only required a couple days of rest to overcome the injury, keeping his hopes of cracking the Opening Day roster alive. Through 47 plate appearances this spring, Wade is slashing .318/.378/.439 with a home run and three steals.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Greg Bird: Back in action Saturday
Rotowire
14H ago
Bird (elbow) will start at first base and bat cleanup in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Bird suffered a scare earlier this week when he was hit in the right elbow by a pitch Wednesday, but follow-up X-rays fortunately cleared him of any structural damage. After taking a couple days off to manage the soreness in his elbow, Bird will check back into the starting nine and doesn't look to be in any peril of missing Opening Day. Bird and Luke Voit have been battling for the starting first-base role throughout the spring, but with Aaron Hicks (back) slated to begin the season on the injured list, there should be room on the Opening Day roster for both power hitters.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Daniel Coulombe: Sent to minors
Rotowire
1D ago
Coulombe was reassigned to minor-league camp Friday.
Coulombe posted a solid 2.79 ERA and 10:3 K:BB through 9.2 innings this spring, but there simply isn't room for him in the Yankees' stacked bullpen. The southpaw, who owns a career 4.27 ERA across parts of five big-league seasons (143.1 innings), should provide bullpen depth for New York.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Drew Hutchison: Sent to minors
Rotowire
1D ago
Hutchison was assigned to minor-league camp Friday.
Hutchison had been in big-league camp as a non-roster invitee but wasn't expected to make the Opening Day roster. He recorded a 6.75 ERA in 42.2 major-league innings last season and isn't on the Yankees' 40-man roster, so his odds of making a significant impact this season are low.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Clint Frazier: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
1D ago
Frazier (calf) was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday.
The move is something of a surprise with Aaron Hicks (back) set to open the season on the injured list. Frazier fouled a ball off his calf Thursday against the Cardinals and was removed from the game, but he didn't seem concerned. Giancarlo Stanton will presumably move out to left field, pushing Brett Gardner to center until Hicks is ready to return.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Aaron Hicks: Won't return when first eligible
Rotowire
11H ago
Hicks (back) wants to return from the injured list when he'd be first eligible April 4, but manager Aaron Boone doesn't believe that will happen, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Hicks has yet to resume baseball activities, so his absence is likely to stretch a least a bit longer than the minimum required time. The Yankees will be cautious with the injury-prone outfielder in an effort to avoid a return trip to the injured list.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' CC Sabathia: Pitches in minors game
Rotowire
1D ago
Sabathia (knee, chest) fired two innings in a minor-league game vs. Detroit's Triple-A affiliate Thursday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Sabathia tossed 26 pitches -- 21 of which were strikes -- and allowed one run on two hits while striking out three before exiting. The big southpaw has been behind schedule all spring after undergoing a pair of offseason procedures, but he remains on track to join the Yankees' rotation at some point in April -- after he serves the five-game suspension he received last September.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Billy Burns: Reassigned to minor-league camp
Rotowire
1D ago
Burns was reassigned to minor-league camp Thursday.
Burns' chances of breaking camp with the team were always slim at best. He's been sent down even with Aaron Hicks (back) expected to open the season on the injured list. It will take a handful of injuries for him to get a shot with the Yankees.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Ryan Lavarnway: Sent to minors camp
Rotowire
2D ago
Lavarnway was reassigned to minor-league camp Thursday.
Lavarnway hit a respectable .333/.400/.444 with a pair of doubles and six RBI in 11 spring games, but was never expected to supplant Austin Romine as the team's backup. He'll remain in the organization as catching depth.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Greg Bird: Won't miss much time
Rotowire
2D ago
Bird's X-rays and CT scans on his elbow were negative, and he'll probably play this weekend, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.
Bird had a bit of a scare after getting hit in his right elbow by a pitch Wednesday, but he's avoided serious injury. It doesn't appear that his availability for Opening Day will be threatened.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Clint Frazier: Not concerned after early exit
Rotowire
2D ago
Frazier says he's fine after fouling a ball off his calf, Coley Harvey of ESPN.com reports.
Frazier was checked on after the incident but stayed in to finish his at-bat. He didn't take the field in the following half-inning but was reportedly about to come out of the game anyway, so it doesn't appear as though there's any cause for concern.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Gio Gonzalez: Adds cutter to repertoire
Rotowire
2D ago
Gonzalez added a cutter to his arsenal over the winter, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.
Gonzalez's new pitching coach Larry Rothschild was reportedly impressed with the pitch in bullpen sessions. The veteran lefty seems to be roughly on schedule despite signing late in camp and could wind up helping the Yankees right away. He's firmly in the "boring veteran" stage of his career, but it wouldn't be out of the question to see a late-career renaissance, especially if the new pitch turns out to be an effective one.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Clint Frazier: Exits after fouling ball off leg
Rotowire
2D ago
Frazier left Thursday's game against the Cardinals after fouling a ball off his leg, Coley Harvey of ESPN.com reports.
The young outfielder was checked on immediately after the incident. He stayed in to finish his at-bat but did not take his place in left field in the next half-inning. Frazier has a temporary opportunity for at-bats with Aaron Hicks (back) expected to open the year on the injured list, but he'll have to be injury-free himself to make the most of that chance.
... See More... See Less
Yankees' Greg Bird: Undergoing X-rays on elbow
Rotowire
2D ago
Bird has some swelling in his right elbow after being hit by a pitch Wednesday and will undergo X-rays, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.
The Yankees don't appear to be particularly concerned, as manager Aaron Boone said that Bird could have played through the soreness if not for concerns about the pain affecting his mechanics. The severity of the issue should become clear following the tests.
