The New York Yankees face off against the Boston Red Sox in the Grapefruit League this afternoon, with a solid amount of starters featuring in the lineup.
The second batter faced on the day, Gleyber Torres, smacked a 1-2 pitch over the center field fence as the center fielder watched. The Red Sox’s pitcher was expected to surprise some folks, according to manager Alex Cora, but Torres made sure to punish him early.
Sure feels good to say this:
We’ve got a baseball game today. Catch us on @WFAN660 and @MLBNetwork. pic.twitter.com/xE3GQ9ZrCq
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) February 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/mrevandaniel/status/1099371863258607616
A great start for the second baseman after a streaky 2018 season. He finished last year with a .271 batting average, 24 homers, and 117 hits.
New York Yankees saw what they needed to see in the first inning:
First baseman Greg Bird started in the cleanup spot, sending a pitch against the center field wall in his first at-bat. A fantastic start for a player that has struggled throughout the course of his two seasons in the MLB. Bird stated that he is healthy and ready to pick up where he left off in his first season as a professional.
The other batters to start the game:
Aaron Hicks struck out in the leadoff spot – that slot is likely in the air, as it’s possible Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge could see time there or at least experiment with the slugger.
Clint Frazier smacked a single into center field in his return from a hiatus that saw him suffering through migraines. His return is good news for a Yankees outfield that simply can’t rely on Gardner to be an everyday starter anymore.
The first inning ended 1-0 Yankees, as they left runners on the corners, something we saw too often in 2018.