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Spring training photos really are the best. Please feel free to caption this one as well.
Around the Empire
Newsday | Erik Boland: Masahiro Tanaka is having himself so excellent a spring that perhaps spring itself finally got Tommy John surgery. Tanaka pitched four innings yesterday without allowing a single hit. He also struck out six. This performance, along with the efforts of Chasen Shreve and Jordan Montgomery, led the Yankees to no-hit the Tigers. More importantly, Tanaka has struck out nineteen, walked only two batters, and has allowed only three hits in his four starts this spring. Meh.
New York Daily News | Mike Mazzeo: As mentioned up above, Jordan Montgomery contributed to yesterday’s no-hitter against the Tigers. That performance, in addition to others, have him on the radar as a potential option for the starting rotation. Joe Girardi likes what he sees from the young lefty. There’s still plenty of spring training left to go.
New York Post | Dan Martin: One of the other competitors for the rotation spot, Bryan Mitchell, made his own case on Thursday. Mitchell pitched three innings and struck out five batters in one of his best outings of the spring. It was the kind of outing Mitchell needed. Girardi is not stating who the current leader of “RotationDome” is, but odds are that Mitchell and Severino are leading the pack.
New York Daily News | Mike Mazzeo: Jorge Mateo is heading back to the minors. The talented young prospect will continue his spring in High-A Tampa. Girardi talked with him before he was sent down, also stating that he was very mature in camp. The Yankees plan to continue having him play both shortstop and second base, as well as get him some exposure in center field. Despite the influx of the good Gleyber Torres, a lot of eyes will still be on Mateo this year.