TAMPA – Corey Kluber threw his first live wrestling practice of the spring at the Yankees minor league complex on Sunday, with Gary Sanchez behind the set and Aaron Boone sounded happy with what he saw.
The manager called the exit “good”.
“Obviously, there’s been a lot of talk about it,” Boone said of Kluber’s $ 11 million one-year deal after launching a single inning in two seasons due to a forearm fracture in 2019. and a shoulder injury last year.
“He came here after throwing live and it was even more tiring than that [Sunday] was. It was good to bring Gary with him to a live setting. Another good step forward in this process for him. ”
The health of Kluber’s right arm is essential for a rotation that seeks to support Gerrit Cole after losing Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton and JA Happ as free agents during the season.
Aroldis Chapman revealed a quick ball last year with his fingers split, but used the field in moderation. Expect to see more this season.
“I think it’s definitely a tone for me,” Chapman said through an interpreter. “I feel like I’ve incorporated that pitch into my pitch mix.”
He expects to use the splitter more than he has to change, which he throws “only a few times here and there.”
“I definitely feel really good about that,” Chapman said of the divider. “[It’s] definitely a weapon that will be used in the future. ”
Austin Wells was recruited by the Yankees in June last year and has never been able to play a game due to the pandemic, so he is trying to make the most of being in camp early.
“I’ve been with distance training for over a year,” Wells said. “Any fight against any pitcher I get is good for me.”
Wells is just one of the minor leagues that lost as much as a development season when the minor leagues were closed last year.
Reese said the development of the game without games was “interesting.”
“It was a challenge,” Reese said. “It was hard. You throw away the game plan for a year and get used to it. ”
The Yankees chose not to have a training league last fall, with Reese saying the organization decided there were too many risks of growing COVID cases in Florida at the time and that the Yankees did not have its own hotel to accommodate players. in safety.
Miguel Andujar is not the only position player to appear at the camp this week in the hope of proving that he can provide value in several positions.
Boone also mentioned the recently signed Jay Bruce and Derek Dietrich, as well as Andrew Velazquez, the Fordham Prep product who is also in a minor league contract.
Dietrich can play second and third base, Bruce first and Velazquez short and can all be used in corner-outfield positions.
“I feel like we have some guys with pretty good defensive versatility and flexibility,” Boone said.
– Additional reporting by Ken Davidoff