The New York Yankees’ pitching staff had a rough afternoon in their 8-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins in Grapefruit League action. Gerrit Cole struggled, and relievers Fernando Cruz and Luke Weaver each surrendered a home run, making it a forgettable day on the mound.
Cole Struggles with the Long Ball
Gerrit Cole’s outing wasn’t one he’ll want to remember. In just 2.2 innings, he allowed six runs on five hits, including two home runs that accounted for four of those runs. While he managed to avoid walks and struck out two batters, the results weren’t in his favor.
However, there were some positives to take away. Cole reached 54 pitches, and his stuff looked sharp despite the rough stat line. Cole used this outing as an opportunity to work on his curveball and fine-tune some of his mechanics. This was an experimental game for him, so I wouldn’t look too hard at the stat sheet.
Spring training is all about getting reps, and while the scoreboard wasn’t kind to him, the bigger picture still matters.
Cabrera Pulling Away in Third Base Battle
With DJ LeMahieu sidelined for at least a couple of weeks, his availability for Opening Day is up in the air. That leaves the Yankees with a decision at third base, where Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza are battling for the job.
Right now, Cabrera is making a strong case. He continued his impressive spring by going 2-for-2, lifting his numbers to a solid .316/.381/.474.
Meanwhile, Peraza didn’t help his cause, going 0-for-1 and sitting at a .250/.333/.250 slash line. Unless something changes, Cabrera looks like the favorite to step in at third.
DH Candidates Step Up in Stanton’s Absence
With Giancarlo Stanton expected to miss Opening Day—and possibly more—the Yankees need someone to fill the designated hitter role. A few candidates are emerging, and they showed promise at the plate.
Ben Rice, J.C. Escarra, and Everson Pereira all delivered. Escarra had the biggest impact, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.
Rice chipped in with a 1-for-2 performance and drew a walk, while Pereira also went 1-for-2 and scored twice.
While the Yankees may have struggled on the mound, there were still some bright spots in the lineup as the team continues to evaluate its options before the regular season begins.