With most players and coaches spending time with their families amid the coronavirus outbreak, the Yankees are still very much working and preparing for the start of the regular season, whenever that might be.
New pitching coach Matt Blake, who’s taking over for Larry Rothschild in 2020, has been keeping in contact with his pitchers despite the disruption, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.
“It’s like one of those like weird dreams where you’re about to do something cool, then you wake up and it wasn’t real,†Blake said on Tuesday. “It’s a very serious situation, but we were building and I felt like we were in a good rhythm in Spring Training. Guys were performing at a high level and were kind of coming together, getting a good rapport amongst the group. Then you kind of hit this hard stop.â€
Blake also gave updates on pitchers like James Paxton, who are recovering from surgery’s this offseason. He said that Paxton was “doing well” at his home in Wisconsin, and “we feel really good about his progression.”
The Yankees could use their lefty pitcher come game-time, as they lost Luis Severino for the season after doctors recommended he undergo Tommy John Surgery.
How are the Yankees’ pitchers responding to quarantine?
Without formal workouts, pitchers have taken to home activities to keep in shape. They’re mainly responsible for their own workout plans, but the coaching staff is also involved in monitoring their progress.
“There’s no playbook here,†Blake said. “Nobody’s ever gone through it, so there’s no tried-and-true recipe to fall back on.â€
Blake went on to say that the coaches aren’t being overbearing during these trying times, allowing players to take a step back and spend time with their families without concern. Once things begin to pick up again, normal routines will take action, but for the time being, the Yankees are setting boundaries within their organization.