Kahnle’s slow buildup could open pen spot
Justin, Sonny iffy for Day 1; Giolito may miss season
Tommy Kahnle is a bit behind schedule. While the reliever has thrown some bullpen sessions since spring training began, Aaron Boone revealed Monday that Kahnle is building up slowly after shoulder inflammation ended his 2023 season a few weeks early. The righty is not injured, but he hasn’t thrown to live hitters yet.
Kahnle may not be ready for exhibition action until later this month, which means there’s a chance the set-up man won’t be on the active roster when the Yankees start their season in Houston on March 28.
“I think he’ll be ready (for Opening Day),” Boone said, per NJ.com’s Max Goodman, “but it’s a matter of, do we want him to have more games under his belt? That’s what we have to decide.”
Kahnle, who returned to the Yankees via free agency two offseasons ago, also missed the start of last season. Biceps tendinitis and the shoulder inflammation limited him to 42 games, though he recorded a 2.66 ERA and 48 strikeouts over 40.2 innings.
The Yankees were already expected to have an opening in their bullpen with Scott Effross starting the year on the injured list due to back and Tommy John surgeries. So far, Nick Burdi has emerged as a popular choice to fill that spot, as the non-roster invitee has impressed with a 100-mph fastball, sweeper and changeup from a deceptive arm angle.
Kahnle’s delayed timeline may open a second spot in the pen. That could be good news for some relievers at the back of the Yankees’ 40-man roster, or some other non-roster invitees.
The Yankees have repeatedly talked up the latter group, which also includes Dennis Santana, Duane Underwood Jr., Yerry De Los Santos and Anthony Misiewicz, among others.
SPENCER TO MINOR-LEAGUE CAMP
The Yankees continued making spring training roster cuts on Tuesday, most notably reassigning top prospect Spencer Jones to minor-league camp.
The same move was made for fellow outfielder Brandon Lockridge and infielders Jeter Downs and Caleb Durbin. While these transactions are merely procedural — none of the four were expected to make the Opening Day roster — the announcement followed a stellar run for Jones.
While the 2022 first-round pick can still appear in spring training games, his time in big-league camp ended with six runs, seven hits, one home run and four RBI over 15 at-bats and eight games. The one home run came in Jones’ first at-bat of the spring and traveled a whopping 470 feet.
While the towering dinger grabbed attention, Jones also never swung and missed prior to the reassignment. That’s impressive on its own, but even more so when considering the 22-year-old struck out 155 times last year.
The news hit one after another on Tuesday. Three big-name right-handed starting pitchers all dealing with injuries that could cause each to miss the start of the regular season – and potentially more.
Houston’s Justin Verlander, St. Louis’ Sonny Gray and Boston’s Lucas Giolito are all dealing with various injuries.
Verlander will start the season on the injured list after being slowed by inflammation in his pitching shoulder during the offseason. Gray has a hamstring strain sustained Monday. And Giolito reported discomfort in his pitching elbow following last week’s start in which he was roughed up.
“We’re obviously concerned. Not a good day for us,” Boston manager Alex Cora said.
Verlander is the biggest name of the three, although his situation appears to be more of a delay than a long-term concern. Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday the 41-year-old Verlander hasn’t suffered any setbacks or soreness following bullpen sessions but needs more time to become game ready.
Giolito will have additional exams to determine the severity of his injury, but there’s worry it could be a long-term issue, possibly costing him the season.
Giolito signed a $38.5 million, two-year deal with the Red Sox this offseason. The 29-year-old is coming off a 2023 season where he gave up a league-high 41 home runs and had a 4.88 ERA pitching for the White Sox, Angels and Guardians.
Gray may be the one of the three that has a chance to make it back for opening day, which he was slated to start against the Dodgers on March 28.
Gray left his start Monday against Washington after 20 pitches. The Cardinals initially said Gray had tightness in his hamstring, and an MRI revealed the strain.
ACUNA LOOKING GOOD
National League MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. is expected to be ready for opening day with the Braves after a more thorough examination of his sore right knee found no serious issues.
Acuña left the Braves’ spring training site in Florida to be examined by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Monday night.
The team announced Tuesday that ElAttrache found only irritation in the meniscus of his right knee. Acuña will be able to gradually increase his baseball activities and is expected to be cleared to play by the time the Braves open the regular season at Philadelphia on March 28.
“I feel great,” Acuña said. “I feel like nothing happened.”
EVERYBODY’S WATCHING CAITLIN
Caitlin Clark’s record-setting game for Iowa against Ohio State on Sunday attracted more than 4 million viewers at its peak and was the most watched women’s regular-season basketball game since 1999, Fox Sports announced Tuesday.
Clark scored 35 points and passed Pete Maravich as the NCAA Division I overall career scoring leader during the Hawkeyes’ 93-83 win.
Average viewership was 3.39 million and reached a high of 4.42 million late in the second half. Clark set the record with two free throws just before halftime.
If a soul-crushing loss to the Grizzlies on Monday night wasn’t enough, the Nets are now dealing with a handful of injuries during their most important stretch of the season.
Ben Simmons (left lower back nerve impingement) and Cam Thomas (right ankle/midfoot sprain) both missed their fifth straight games Tuesday night against the 76ers. Day’Ron Sharpe, who suffered a right wrist bruise in Monday’s 106-102 loss, joined them on the sidelines.
Without Simmons and Sharpe available, two of the larger players at interim coach Kevin Ollie’s disposal, the Nets called up rookie center Noah Clowney from the G League. The 19-year-old center has averaged 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds on 61.1% shooting across seven NBA appearances this season.
Center Nic Claxton played 33 minutes against Memphis, the lowest of any starter. Clowney has averaged 16.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 blocks in 16 starts at the G League level this season.
“Just like I said with Jalen Wilson, they’re just open to learning,” Ollie said when asked about Clowney’s development recently. “They’re open to be coached. They want to be better and they’re taking it personal, their development. You know, some people don’t take it personal. Some people come and go, but they’re taking it personal, like, ‘I’m going to own this, I’m going to get better. I’m going to listen to my coaches, but I’m going to do whatever it takes for me to get better. And if that’s being in the gym all day long, that’s being in the gym all day long. We need to take it personally,’ and that’s what we want.”
Ollie said Simmons is considered day-today and he’s “still on the court.” Simmons’ agent, Bernie Lee, took responsibility for his client’s lingering back issues in an interview with SNY’s Ian Begley.
The 27-year-old has appeared in just 15 games for the Nets this season and 57 of 179 total games since he was acquired by the Nets at the 2022 trade deadline.
“We continue to try and find non-surgical options to allow Ben to move forward on a permanent basis and that is where this is my responsibility and I am (the) one to blame,” Lee said.
“When I began working with Ben, I made a commitment to him that I would do everything I could to find the right answers and specialists for him to work with (in order) to move forward from the issues he has been having. Clearly it hasn’t happened, and that’s my responsibility.”