Yankees updates/news: Positive injury news James Paxton, Giancarlo Stanton, and more

The New York Yankees have been slaughtered by the injury bug this spring training, but with and injury comes the recovery, and two starting players are making positive strides before the team’s March 26 Opening game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Paxton threw for the first time in weeks on Wednesday, walking away with only positive signs of recovery:

“It was 25 throws at 60 feet. Just really easy to kind of get them through day one, making sure everything’s all good,” Paxton told reporters on Wednesday. “It’s all great, you know, the back didn’t hurt at all. Just working on getting my arm feeling normal again. I haven’t thrown in a long time but that’ll come with more playing catch.”

Stanton, on the other hand, has made progress as well, stating:

“I’ve been throwing. Hitting has been fine. It’s good,” Stanton said to reporters. “It’s in the right direction.”

Stanton suffered a grade 1 calf strain 1 1/2 weeks ago, but it’s unlikely he’s ready for the Yankees’ first regular-season game in two weeks. He will need to endure at least 30 live at-bats before making an appearance with the top team, which indicates he could start the year with Scranton Wilkes-Barre before being called up.

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SNY: Yankees’ Gerrit Cole, Zack Britton talk potential of not playing in front of fans amid coronavirus concerns

Yankees pitchers Zack Britton and Gerrit Cole express their concern over stadiums filled with empty seats due to the coronavirus. This could be a reality for teams across the country if the containment of the virus fails.

“That would be unfortunate,” Cole said Tuesday after pitching in the Yankees’ 4-2 loss to the Blue Jays. “But I don’t think it’s something we can’t get through as an industry; we can’t get through as a country as well.”

“It’s not something we’d like to do if it comes down to it,” Britton added.

NJ.com: Yankees can breathe easy after Zack Britton injury scare (UPDATE)

Britton was in pain immediately after being struck with a line drive on the wrist. MRIs returned negative, indicating he won’t be out for long.