Yankees overhaul training staff after setting injury record

NEW YORK (AP) >> Eric Cressey thinks some injuries can be prevented. After a season in which medical updates overshadowed scouting reports, the New York Yankees hope so.

Cressey was hired by the Yankees in the new role of director of player health and performance, a move made after New York had 30 players make a combined 39 trips to the injured list last year. New York set a big league record for sidelined players, topping the 28 on the 2016 Los Angeles Dodgers.

“You always want to separate bad processes from bad outcomes,” Cressey said during a conference call Tuesday. “Players are going to be hit by pitches, but there are definitely things that we can do on the processes side of things to provide a level of individualization in the way that we assess players, in the way that we listen to players and solicit their feedback on what’s worked for them.”

The 38-year-old founded Cressey Sports Performance in 2007 and will continue as president of the company, which specializes in kinesiology and biomechanics and maintains facilities in Hudson, Massachusetts, and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. His

clients have included Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer, New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard and other major leaguers.

Cressey does not think there will be any issues working with players on teams other than the Yankees.

“The number of major league hitting coaches that work with major leaguers from other teams in the offseason is borderline astounding,” he said.

Cressey expects to make five visits of twoto-five days to the Yankees before their March 26 opener. He will attend most homestands and all trips to Boston’s Fenway Park. He’s already been at work attending to what he called “the nitty gritty” of overhauling player assessment.

“There is a lot of behind-the-scenes systems work that we’re creating and already have created to help us extend to the minor leagues and just to communicate with the front office,” Cressey said. “And special challenges, whether that’s relating to trades or looking longer term in terms of finding competitive advantages in the industry.”