Clint Frazier:
For the New York Yankees, we all know the COVID-19 virus, also called coronavirus, has canceled the remainder of spring training and created an uncertain situation to when or if the regular baseball season will start. But in addition to the obvious, there are side effects. One of them involves Clint Frazier. With the surgery recovering Aaron Hicks not expected back on the field until midseason, the calf strain to Giancarlo Stanton, and the rib injury to Aaron Judge, it now appears that when the season starts, these players will be ready to take the field.
Clint Frazier was one of the players that were expected to take the place of those players unable to play at the beginning of the season, giving Frazier, again a chance to prove himself in the outfield. Now that chance may be dashed, and he may again find himself in the minors with the Rail Riders.
James Paxton and Masahiro Tanaka
New York Yankees pitchers James Paxton and Masahiro Tanaka, the side effects of the virus and a shortened season create unexpected woes. Both of these veteran pitchers will become free agents at the end of this season if there is one. Paxton has to throw 165 innings and/or starts 27 games this coming season to be vested for the 2021 season. With the shortened season, that likely will not happen. Both Paxton and Tanaka did not have great seasons last year and needed to show their free agency worth this year. That also may be difficult now. Tanaka, in particular, has been just average over the last few years, and he will have trouble at age 32, obtaining any long term contract.
Injury updates on Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge:
Yankee Manager Aaron Boone gave health updates on Stanton and Judge while talking from his home in Greenwich, CT, to Michael Kay on the YES Network. He stated the Stanton has recovered from his calf strain and is ready to go if spring training started immediately.
As far as Aaron Judge is concerned, Boone indicated that he is slowly improving. Judge was diagnosed with a fractured rib after an extended discovery period of CT scans and MRIs. During the last MRI, it was also discovered that he had a partially collapsed lung, which is not unusual when associated with a rib fracture. Boone reported that he has completely recovered from the lung injury. Judge was unable to play in any spring training games.
“I think the thoracic outlet — he didn’t have that but that’s often times what’s associated. So it’s just making sure that that was healed because that’s when we have the concerns of flying and all that so cleared in that regard and hopefully now. Obviously, one of the good things is that hopefully this is a time where he can get the proper rest to allow that bone, allow that rib to heal properly and hopefully, when it’s time to play ball, Aaron’s with us.â€
Both Judge and Stanton suffered a series of injuries during the 2019 season, keeping them off the field. Stanton played in only 18 games last season. The Yankees are hoping that both of these players can stay healthy this year.
This day in Yankee history:
Today marks the day that Yankee owner George M. Steinbrenner was banned from taking part in the day to day operations of the New York Yankees for thirty months. Steinbrenner paid Howard Spira in January of 1990 to dig up dirt on Yankee player Dave Winfield when Winfield sued the Yankees for not making a contract mandated contribution to his charity.
Happy Birthday to these present or former Yankees:Â Steve Karsay 1972, Starlin Castro 1990, Bob Tilman 1937, Ernie Shore 1912, Dick Kryhoski 1925, and Delin Betances March 23, 1988.