Boone gets vaccine, will enourage others to as well

Aaron Boone, a cardiac surgery survivor who had to leave this spring training to have a pacemaker implanted, has had the COVID-19 vaccine. The Yankees skipper will also encourage his players, coaches, family and friends to do the same.

“I got vaccinated about a week ago. Of course, yeah, I’ll definitely encourage our guys to get it. There’s talk of more of us being able to get it. We’re hopeful . . . it does seem like it’s starting to happen obviously more with especially some younger population and healthier population,” Boone said Wednesday afternoon. “So hopefully it’s something that will be available to us en masse and I’ll definitely encourage that.”

Tuesday, MLB announced it was joining with 12 other sports leagues to encourage fans to get the vaccine. Mike Trout and Pete Alonzo are among the stars of the game who are featured in a baseball public service announcement titled “I’ll Be Seeing You.”

But Boone would not go so far to use his position as the Yankees manager to advocate for that.

“I don’t know if I’d necessarily take that position, because in the end I think it’s an individual decision,” Boone said. “Certainly when I’m asked about it and when I talk to our guys I’ll certainly encourage it.

“But I don’t feel like it’s my place to tell somebody.”

Limping to the finish line

With the Yankees making final roster decisions this week, Deivi Garcia went

out and gave up four earned runs in three innings of work against the Blue Jays. The 21-year old also probably let slip away his chance at a rotation spot on Opening Day.

We have really, really talented people here. I have really talented teammates, and for me it was always about doing my job and giving the best I have every single outing I’ve gone out there,” Garcia said through interpreter Marlon Abreu. “I have given the best I have and that’s really it, you know, that’s really the focus for me is just to provide the best I have and really focus on my job.”

Domingo German, who has been ahead in the so-called battle for the fifth starting spot, is expected to pitch once more before the Yankees break camp on Monday.

Garcia struggled with command Wednesday and finding his velocity. The Blue Jays got seven hits — including two homers — of Garcia. He walked two and struck out two.

“Probably just not as much life with all those pitches in the zone, hung some breaking balls that they got put in play hard,” Boone said. “Overall, not as sharp.”

Garcia has struck out 14 and pitched to a 3.86 ERA over 14 innings pitched this spring.

While Garcia likely won’t have a roster spot on Opening Day, he will likely be the first to be called up to make a spot start this year. Considering how careful the Yankees — and all of baseball — feel they have to be with pitchers workloads after the abbreviated 2020 season, that could come early in the year.

Making Moves

After the Yankees’ 5-0 loss to the Blue Jays, they reassigned right-handed pitchers Kyle Barraclough and Asher Wojciechowski and outfielders Sócrates Brito and Ryan LaMarre to minor league camp. Wojciechowski has been dealing with a lat injury.