Yankees thin at catcher after Jose Trevino wrist injury

The Morning Mails

Yankees thin at catcher after Jose Trevino wrist injury



TAMPA — In a spring training of catcher concerns, the Yankees have found one more — though it does not sound overly serious. Jose Trevino suffered a right wrist sprain Thursday that has kept the starting catcher on the sidelines for the past five days, manager Aaron Boone revealed Tuesday night. Trevino is expected to be fine by Opening Day, Boone said. After he felt some pain in his right wrist following a swing against Boston on Thursday, Trevino received scans that showed the sprain. “He’s just got some inflammation in there,” Boone said after a 10-3 win over the Blue Jays at Steinbrenner Field.

“It should probably only be a couple more days.” Trainers were expecting to give Trevino an injection recently, but “they didn’t think it was necessary,” Boone added. The manager did not seem concerned, but the catching position in camp has been concerning. Trevino’s partner, Kyle Higashioka, is playing with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Ben Rortvedt, whom Trevino essentially replaced last season, required surgery to address an aneurysm of the posterior artery near his left shoulder.

Austin Wells sustained a fractured rib that likely will cost him all of spring training, and fellow prospect Josh Breaux missed weeks with an elbow issue before he was sent to minor league camp. Trevino, the reigning All-Star, is the most important in the group. “I’m not too worried about it right now for the season,” Boone said. “So I’m hoping by the weekend, he’s back in there.” The Giants and Yankees made the March 30 pitching matchup official on Tuesday, though Boone did not bother with much ceremony.

Is Gerrit Cole the presumed or the announced Opening Day starter? “Both,” Boone said. The Yankees will turn to Cole for his fourth Opening Day start in as many years as the Giants will give ace Logan Webb the ball in The Bronx. Cole and Boone have not needed to formally talk about the honor. Cole can deduce through the spring schedule. “That’s what I’m lined up to do,” said Cole, who was happy with his stuff through 4 ²/₃ innings Tuesday, in which he allowed three runs and struck out six.

“We try to do things a bit more one day at a time I think for a number of reasons, but that’s what the plan is.” San Francisco will open with Webb, who developed into a star in 2021 — when he was brilliant twice in the NLDS against the Dodgers — and pitched to a 2.90 ERA in 32 starts last season. “Good pitcher, nice guy,” Cole said of Webb, another California native and good friends with Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford, who is Cole’s brother-in-law. “I really like the way he pitches.

… He’s tough to elevate. He’s got a hell of a sinker, and he’s good in big games. “They got a good one there.” A Yankees batter struck out because he was caught looking — down. Boone turned it into a teaching moment.

Jake Bauers, a 27-year-old in major league camp as a non-roster invite, was batting in the seventh inning Monday against the Twins. He was alert to the pitcher at the 8-second mark of the pitch clock, abiding by the newly instituted rule. But Minnesota’s Alex Phillips was not yet ready to deliver the pitch. Bauers noted this and collected himself, looking down for a moment, knowing a pitch was not about to be thrown. The home-plate umpire charged him with a violation, which amounted to a third strike.

“He got banged for that while waiting on the pitcher,” Boone said. “It’s a reminder: No matter what the pitcher’s doing, you gotta be alert and ready.” Boone said he talked with some players around the club to explain what happened. The league does not want pitchers — such as the Mets’ Max Scherzer, who has been testing the pitch clock’s limits — to quick-pitch when they see that a hitter has let down his guard. “We’re talking through this stuff all the time,” Boone said.

“But I think our guys have taken to [the pitch clock] real well.” Anthony Rizzo, who skipped a two-game road trip because of a back Boone called “cranky,” returned to the lineup and launched a double to right. “I wasn’t too worried about it,” Boone said of Rizzo’s back, which forced him to miss time last season. “Just something we wanted to stay ahead of.” Lou Trivino (mild elbow ligament sprain) began a throwing program Monday, Boone said.

Tommy Kahnle (biceps tendinitis) is “not quite yet there,” Boone added. Both relievers will miss the start of the season. Carlos Rodon (mild strain of the brachioradialis muscle in his left forearm) “is getting close” to throwing again, Boone said. The Yankees optioned righty Deivi Garcia to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and assigned him to minor league camp. Righties Matt Bowman, Demarcus Evans and Ryan Weber and lefty Tanner Tully were assigned to minor league camp.

Zach Greene, who had been picked by the Mets in the Rule 5 draft, was returned to the Yankees. The righty reliever was assigned to Triple-A. Before the game, the Yankees held a moment of silence for Joe Pepitone, who died Monday at 82.



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