New York Yankee News Recap: Gerrit Cole, Aaron Judge, Stanton, LeMahieu, and more!

Yankee News Recap:  Gerrit Cole and more

New York Yankee‘s newly acquired star pitcher Gerrit Cole is not laying back and resting; he is keeping his pitching form sharp by pitching to his wife, Amy.  Amy posted a video Sunday afternoon on Twitter, showing her style as well.   It’s evident from the video that she’s up to the job as she has quite a rocket of an arm.  It shouldn’t be surprising as she was a softball pitcher at UCLA.  She helped the team win the 2010 College World Series.

Aaron Judge

Yankees star slugger Aaron Judge, for the time being, is remaining at the Yankee training complex at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.  He has recently undergone another MRI revealing that his fractured rib continues to heal.  This may mean that possible surgery may not be necessary.  The delay in the start of the baseball season makes it more likely that he will be ready to man right field when the season finally gets started.   In an interview from the parking lot, Judge commented on being happy to have a place to play:

“The great thing is they have this open so we can come here and do some baseball activity and stay ready,’’ Judge said. “You still kind of feel like we are in baseball mode, but it is kind of when you go home. … I have some stuff to do around the house, put some stuff on the wall and cleaning. But I think after I get all the stuff done in my apartment I think I will kind of going crazy.’’

Giancarlo Stanton

When the New York Yankee season gets underway when the CDC guidelines allow it, along with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton may be in the outfield as well.  During the shortened spring training, he suffered a grade one calf strain.  He has recovered well enough to partake in some baseball activities.  During the 2019 season, Stanton only played in 18 games due to a series of injuries that kept him off the field.  Manager Aaron Boone hopes he will be available at the start of the season.  If he is not, there are several players that can cover his position, including Mike Tauchman, Clint Frazier, and Miguel Andujar, who has played four games during spring training in that outfield position and has handled it well.

DJ LeMahieu

DJ LeMahieu is another New York Yankee major leaguer that has remained at the Tampa complex.  According to Yankee Tyler Wade, LeMahieu has taken the reins and is showing his leadership by setting the tone for the team’s informal workouts as the players make the best of the coronavirus situation.   Other players taking part and staying in shape at the complex are Judge, Stanton, Tyler Wade, Luke Voit, and Gary Sanchez, who is recovering from back soreness.  A full list of the remaining players is not available.  As the state of Florida prepares for the spread of the virus, gyms and sporting complexes may be forced to shut down, driving players to their homes.

According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, LeMahieu said being able to work out at Steinbrenner Field is keeping him “sane” amidst the coronavirus shutdown, adding that the gyms are closed in Michigan (where he lives), and the weather is better in Florida.

Mariano Rivera reflects on the coronavirus

Rivera reached out to the Michael Kay show to bring attention to the need for young people to protect themselves and their love ones.  The former great Yankee closer, Mariano Rivera, reflected on his dismay over young people disregarding the seriousness of the coronavirus.

“They have to take this thing serious…because it is serious,” Rivera said. “There’s no time to be playing around. There’s no time to [be] partying, there’s no time to be on the beach. Millennials believe that they’re invincible, you know, and they need to be aware that they can transmit the virus to a lot of their families and friends. People they love.”