TAMPA — Because the clock ticks down on Yankees camp, the Opening Day roster is starting to take form.
Carlos Carrasco will probably be on it. Clarke Schmidt and Ian Hamilton won’t. Giancarlo Stanton nonetheless shouldn’t be even near becoming a member of it and it could nonetheless embrace a participant or two presently in one other camp.
“A work in progress,” basic supervisor Brian Cashman mentioned Saturday when requested about Yankees’ spring at massive. “The roster adjustments on a regular basis, so it’s actually a special roster this yr than the way it ended final yr. So we’re studying so much in regards to the new guys. We’ve had some accidents to a few of the earlier guys left over. I believe we’ve a proficient staff. A few of them will probably be left behind as they rehab, however there’s been some guys which have stepped up and given us some consolation on the identical time.
“I think we have a good team and we look forward to testing it when we deploy it March 27.”
Listed below are the takeaways from Cashman’s state of the group with just some days left earlier than the Yankees break camp:
— The rotation was solidified Saturday as Cashman confirmed that the membership will add Carrasco to the roster (he might have opted out of his contract on Saturday if that they had not added him) and that Schmidt won’t be prepared to start out the season on time. Meaning Will Warren would be the fifth starter for not less than a number of turns after placing collectively a robust camp, like Carrasco.
Schmidt, who was slowed earlier in camp by a again difficulty after which shoulder fatigue, threw 32 pitches in a reside batting observe Thursday however wants extra time to construct his pitch rely earlier than becoming a member of the Yankees.
“He’s not gonna start with us on time because he just hasn’t had a spring training yet,” Cashman mentioned. “But he’s certainly going in the right direction.”
— The largest want the Yankees have is for a right-handed bat. As constructed, they’re set to hold not less than six left-handed hitters and two extra switch-hitters who’re higher from the left facet. If Dom Smith hit right-handed, he could not have needed to decide out as he did on Friday (the Yankees have 72 hours so as to add him to the roster, however it seems unlikely due to their want for right-handed steadiness).
“I feel like I’d be happier if I can line up some choices for our manager,” Cashman mentioned. “I think some choices have emerged here in camp and then it comes down to if those choices in camp are better than anything that might exist outside that you could either trade for, that you’re comfortable enough giving what it would take to get or obviously measuring that versus the options that might get the bad word in another camp they’re not making it and all of a sudden we’re competing for those services.”
Cashman echoed Aaron Boone in saying that right-handed hitting utilityman Pablo Reyes has caught his consideration, giving the non-roster invitee an opportunity to interrupt camp on the bench. Oswald Peraza, who’s out of minor league choices, additionally hits right-handed however is extra glove than bat.
Each Reyes and Peraza may very well be choices to platoon with Oswaldo Cabrera at third base, although it will not be stunning if the Yankees add one other participant to that blend who hits right-handed.
“We’re definitely keeping the phone lines open, whether it’s agents calling because their players are free and released by not making other clubs or trade conversations going on with my counterparts,” Cashman mentioned. “I don’t think there’s a lot of heavy lifting going on in that area, but we are certainly trying to improve on the margins if those margins exist.”
— A part of the rationale why the Yankees want right-handed hitting assistance is as a result of Giancarlo Stanton stays out indefinitely with tennis elbow in each arms. Cashman mentioned the veteran DH, who has undergone three rounds of PRP injections throughout camp, continues to be not conducting any baseball actions. He has not swung a bat since January.
“Certainly we’re all hopeful that we can get him back down the line, but that’s not in the near term,” Cashman mentioned.
— In the identical boat as Schmidt is Ian Hamilton, who missed time earlier in camp to cope with an an infection. That delayed his Grapefruit League debut till Wednesday, so the Yankees are planning to have him keep in Tampa to construct up his stamina earlier than becoming a member of the bullpen.
That leaves three bullpen spots up for grabs, with one prone to be crammed by Yoendrys Gómez, who has appeared sharp this spring and is out of minor league choices.
One other might go to lefty Brent Headrick, who provides some size, whereas different candidates embrace Yerry De Los Santos (who like Headrick is already on the 40-man roster) and Wilking Rodríguez.
