ALL SET TO GO
Stanton, DJ, Rizzo ready for spring debuts today
Through the early days of spring training, the Yankees have gotten looks at some of their highly-touted young prospects, veterans looking for bounce-back seasons and others looking to cement their roles.
However, some of the Bombers’ most crucial contributors have yet to make an appearance in Grapefruit League action.
That will change today. Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu and Anthony Rizzo are expected to make their spring debuts this afternoon against the Nationals at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. There were some concerns as to why the Yankees hadn’t played any of their veterans to this point due to all three experiencing borderline season-derailing injuries last season.
LeMahieu (toe), Stanton (Achilles) and Rizzo (back) were all limited toward the final stretch of last season and it showed in their statistics.
For the first time in his six-year Yankee career, Stanton posted an OPS below .800, slashing .211/.297/.462 while playing 110 games last season. LeMahieu was producing at a .292/.394/.431 slash line with 11 homers through 95 games on Aug. 2. Then, from Aug. 3 to Oct. 5, he posted .167/.238/.211 in 30 games, missing a majority of September due to the ailing toe.
Rizzo’s statistics — .817 OPS last season — were not as affected, however, his back issues have followed him throughout his career. Aaron Boone appears to be playing it cautiously with his big boppers.
Top prospect Anthony Volpe has started strong. The shortstop went 2-4 with a double and two stolen bases on Sunday, and while he went 0-2 on Monday night, the New Jersey native made a perfect throw from second base to gun down a runner at home with the infield in.
“Even some veteran players, it was like, ‘Wow,’ ” Boone said Monday. “One of the things you get excited about is, in talking to (bench coach) Carlos Mendoza about it, he’s managing the game, it’s like the results were great, obviously, three balls on the screws.
“That’s all fine and dandy, but it’s the energy and the intensity and the effort — the little things that he does that get your attention. You get excited about it.”
Boone also added that he may play Volpe at third base in the coming week. The skipper said earlier in the spring that all of the shortstop competitors — Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Oswald Peraza — will play at different positions.
While Volpe has already generated hype, it’s going to take a lot more for the Bombers to forgo more time at Triple-A — just 22 games for Scranton Wilkes-Barre in 2022 — and push him through to the big leagues. By the looks of it though, MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 overall prospect will not be making the decision any easier.
The Bombers sent Gleyber Torres, Jose Trevino and Peraza to Lake Buena Vista, Fla., to face off against the Rays in a 12-0 loss Tuesday.
Torres went hitless and was charged with an error. Peraza — playing shortstop —added a single in the top of the sixth, going 1-3 on the afternoon. Trevino singled and went 1-3 as well.
Domingo German will make his spring debut at 1 p.m. today against the Nationals. German is competing with the likes of Clarke Schmidt — who struck out five of the six batters he faced on Saturday — for the fifth spot in the rotation.