The New York Yankees, like all of baseball, is on hiatus due to the spread of the coronavirus. With the remainder of spring training canceled and the start of the regular season unknown, Yankee players are doing much the same as all of us, trying to figure out how to spend their time, and for them how to stay game ready.
Gerrit Cole:
We all miss the start of the baseball season, but we miss seeing some players play more than others. For New York Yankee fans, that player is Gerrit Cole. Cole was signed during the winter meetings in San Diego to the largest contract ever given to a pitcher. $324 million over nine years. With very few spring training games televised, most fans haven’t been able to see the ace pitch yet.
When spring training was canceled, Cole left camp and returned to his newly purchased home in Greenwich, CT. Cole’s home is on a large plot of land, giving him ample opportunity to play catch and keep his form intact. We know that his wife Amy is an athlete and has a strong arm, as exhibited in a video they released. She can catch any heat Gerrit can throw. He has also played catch with his neighbor Aaron Boone.
Gerrit & Amy Cole ???
( via IG/@ amyc23 ) pic.twitter.com/sMtqbvie46
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) March 22, 2020
Aaron Boone:
After spring training was canceled, New York Yankee Manager Aaron Boone boarded his Mercedes and headed back to his Connecticut home to be with his children who were learning how to take online classes like many students have to adapt to with schools in many areas closed for the remainder of the season.
Boone wanted to be there for his four children, but that’s not all he is doing. While GM Brian Cashman remained at the Tampa facility, Boone is in touch and making many decisions even though the start of the season is fluid. He has also been available for interviews at a distance. Over the weekend, he has said that he foresees a three to four mini-camp before the Yankees will be ready to play.
Aaron Judge:
As of last week, Aaron Judge was still at the training camp along with Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Tyler Wade, and Luke Voit, many other players have gone home, like DJ LeMahieu who is working out at his home in Wisconsin. Judge, when asked why he was still at camp, responded that it keeps his mind off the shutdown, and he is most comfortable working out there.
Judge is healing from a fractured rib that he endured at the end of the last season when diving for a catch. Although it was causing him shoulder pain and some muscle discomfort, it wasn’t diagnosed until a recent MRI. It was also discovered that he has a partially collapsed lung that has healed. Judge is one of the players most helped by the delay of the start of the season. It now appears that he may be ready to play with the season finally starts.
Aaron Hicks:
Aaron Hicks is another Yankee Player that benefits from the delay at the start of the season. Hicks is the Yankee primary center fielder and has been recovering from Tommy John surgery.  In a recent interview, manager Aaron Boone said that the surgery went well. He said “he’s on track,” he may be back in June, he may be back in July, but the point is that he is on track and it’s healing, and it’s going to plan so far.”
Aroldis Chapman:
During the offseason, New York Yankee closer Aroldis Chapman agreed to an amended $48 million three year deal. Chapman is considered one of the best closers in baseball. Nicknamed the Cuban Missle due to his flaming fastball, he is an imposing figure at 6′ 4″ and 220 pounds.
This weekend he released a photo on Instagram showing he and friends playing dominos.  Anyone viewing the photo couldn’t help notice that Chapman has been doing more than playing games. The Yankee closer looks more muscled than ever.
