Around the Empire: Yankees news - 3/31/22

Sports Illustrated | Max Goodman: As reported yesterday, Luis Severino was scratched from his planned spring start last night. He was scheduled for a bullpen session on Wednesday instead, and that 31-pitch effort went off without a hitch. “I woke up with general soreness. I was real tight more than normal,” Severino told reporters in the Yankees’ clubhouse. “It got better the next day and the day after that.”

Thankfully, it doesn’t seem as though anyone is too worried about the minor injury. Severino is next scheduled to start on Saturday, so ideally, he’ll still be game for that.

NY Post | Dan Martin: Clarke Schmidt is fully healthy and averaged 96 mph on his four-seam fastball in his most recent spring outing. “That was one of the better times I’ve seen him,’’ said manager Aaron Boone. Finding consistency is what both Boone and Schmidt himself believe needs work. The righty is trying to improve his fastball command, as well as his delivery and arm slot.

MLB.com: Major League Baseball has announced the launch of MLB Home Run Derby X. What is that, you may ask? It will be an event played on a smaller baseball field, with home plate mounted on a stage and the mound up on a podium. The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers will be the team’s participating in the game. Each team will have a “legend” on its squad. For the Yankees, it’s Nick Swisher.

Josh will have some thoughts on Home Run Derby X later today, so stay tuned for that.