Around the Empire: Yankees news - 3/12/23

NJ.com | Max Goodman: The Yankees are going to have to deal with a relatively large hole in center field for the foreseeable future. Harrison Bader is expected to be out of the lineup for at least six weeks due to an injury to his left oblique. He said it was a “punch to the face,” as the play that injured his oblique was as benign as they come, on a swing that resulted in a strikeout in a spring training game.

Given Bader’s quotes, he is clearly upset that he won’t be able to start on Opening Day, and an outfield of him, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton is lethal. However, it’s fortunate that the Yankees do have someone in Oswaldo Cabrera that can fill in across the outfield. Bader will be an important piece moving forward, but the most important part is getting him fully healthy.

NJ.com | Randy Miller: The Yankees made some more roster cuts, sending two right-handed pitchers—Jhony Brito, the Yankees’ 22nd-ranked prospect and Randy Vazquez, the Yankees’ 14th-ranked prospect—to the team’s minor league camp. Brito is likely to be rotation depth in 2023 and could come up to the major league squad if another injury happens to hit the rotation with Carlos Rodón and Frankie Montas out. This move puts the Yankee roster at 56 players.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The club’s number two prospect, Jasson Domínguez, has lit up spring training. He has arguably been the best player across the league in these exhibition games, and that has moved him up the totem pole in the eyes of Aaron Boone. Even though he won’t he won’t make the major league roster, it’s good for him to make a big impression.

At just 20-years-old with only a few games at the Double-A level, Domínguez does have a ways to go, but given his four spring training home runs, incredible OPS, and the unbelievable exit velocity on his hits, it may not be much longer before we see “The Martian” in the major leagues.