Opening day in doubt for Stanton
Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton will likely miss opening day because of a strained right calf, another significant injury for a team that was beset by health problems last season.
Manager Aaron Boone said Stanton was hurt near the end of defensive drills Tuesday. An MRI found a Grade 1 strain.
“It will probably put us against it a little bit,” Boone said Wednesday. “I would say it’s time for him to get back, but then getting built up and stuff. We’ll see.”
The announcement came a day after the Yankees said All-Star pitcher Luis Severino needed Tommy John surgery and would miss the entire season. Slugger Aaron Judge and lefty James Paxton already had been slowed this spring by injuries.
The Yankees put a major leaguerecord 30 players on the injured list last year, with Stanton missing most of the season.
Asked if replied “No.”
The AL East champion Yankees open on the road March 26 against the Orioles.
Stanton played in just 18 games due a number of injuries last season, batting .288 with three homers in 59 at-bats. He hit 38 homers in his first year with the Yankees in 2018, one year after a going deep a career-high 59 times in 2017 with the Marlins.
Boone feels Stanton will be able to take advantage of replicating at-bats from last year’s rehab assignments and indoor work.
“So, I feel like from a hitting standpoint, he saw a lot of reps last year for being in a way a lost season,” Boone said.
The outfielder/designated hitter signed a 13-year, $325 million contract after the 2014 season.
“It’s disappointing because you want to get guys going and built up,” Boone said. “But it’s just a little bump in the road and we’re equipped to handle it.”
Boone doesn’t know if Stanton’s latest injury will mean more time at DH.
“We’ll have those conversions as he gets healthy and going,” Boone said. “See what it all looks like.” felt snake-bitten,
Boone
Verlander’s spring debut delayed: Justin Verlander’s spring training debut will be postponed at least a few more days while the Astros ace deals with tightness in his groin.
Verlander had been scheduled to start Thursday against the Nationals. Instead, he will throw a simulated game at the Astros’ complex prior to that exhibition.
Astros manager Dusty Baker said the tightness first appeared “a couple of days ago.”
“He said he’s doing good, so we’ll just have to keep an eye on him and analyze him,” Baker said.
Baker added that he isn’t worried about the injury lingering and expects that, if all goes as planned Thursday, Verlander would make his next scheduled start, likely early next week.
“I would think so,” Baker said. “It just depends on how he feels.”
Verlander won his second Cy Young Award last season by going 21-6 with a 2.52 ERA. His 225 career wins are the most among active players.
The change of plans thwarts what would have been a marquee Grapefruit League pitching matchup.
The Nationals still are planning to send Max Scherzer to the mound Thursday. Scherzer tossed two scoreless innings against the Astros in the Grapefruit League opener for both teams.
Tebow to play for Philippines: Tim Tebow is set to swing into action for a new team.
The Mets minor league outfielder and former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback will play for the Philippines next month in the World Baseball Classic.
Tebow was born in the Philippines in 1987 when his parents were serving as missionaries in the country. The family moved to Florida when he was 3 years old.
“I’m kind of excited about it,” Tebow said Wednesday. “I think it’s cool.”
On Tuesday, Tebow homered in a spring training game against the Tigers. He’s spent parts of four seasons in the minors with the Mets, and hit .163 with four home runs and 19 RBIs in 77 games last year in his first Triple-A action.