Around the Empire: Yankees news - 2/25/19

Newsday | David Lennon: During the Yankees’ first spring training dustup with their arch-rivals, Red Sox manager Alex Cora had lots of praise for for the newest addition to the Bombers’ bullpen, Adam Ottavino. He also expressed relief that David Robertson is gone, citing D-Rob’s versatility and effectiveness. Lennon reminds us that Robertson hurled 8.1 scoreless innings against Boston last season. Yes, D-Rob will be missed.

New York Post | George A. King III: One day after Greg Bird began Grapefruit League action by going 2-for-2 with a double, Luke Voit smashed a three-run homer off the roof of the tiki bar in left-center field during New York’s win over Tampa Bay. He also added an RBI single and made a nice play in the field. Entering spring training, General Manager Brian Cashman said that the first-base job was Voit’s to lose. The loser of the competition is widely expected to get demoted to Triple-A, since each has minor-league options remaining.

New York Post | George A. King III: Tyler Wade made an early statement in his hunt for a roster spot, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored on Sunday. King sees Wade’s versatility in the field as a plus, since he can play three infield spots and left field.

NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: Danny Farquhar said throwing his first simulated game was a “huge” step toward recovery from his near-death experience in the dugout last season. During his sim game, Farquhar sported a custom-made piece of headgear that provides extra protection for his skull. He described it as a “nice little hat/helmet that looks like a hat but is two sizes big.” We are all pulling for you, Danny.

The Athletic | Lindsey Adler: Finally, Adler wrote a nice piece on how Greg Bird shook off his frustrating 2018 season. Although The Athletic has a paywall, you get a certain number of free monthly articles if you download their mobile app. Trust me, articles like this one on Bird absolutely make it worth the time it takes to do that.