Yankees' Harrison Bader tested for sore oblique
The Yankees’ Harrison Bader hits a double in the bottom of the second inning against the Tigers during a spring training game at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., on March 3. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
TAMPA, Fla. — A torrent of Yankees injury news that started before Thursday afternoon’s game against the Red Sox continued after their 11-7 loss at Steinbrenner Field.
Pitchers Carlos Rodon, Tommy Kahnle and Lou Trivino will begin the season on the injured list. When asked if everyone else is healthy, Aaron Boone paused before disclosing that centerfielder Harrison Bader was sent for testing earlier in the day after experiencing discomfort in his left oblique in Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals.
“Any time it’s the side [it’s a concern],” Boone said. “His last at-bat, he kinda swung and felt something in there. We’ll see. But yeah, you don’t like to see that.”
If it turns out to be an oblique strain, those typically keep players out four to six weeks, if not longer.
If Bader is out, Boone said Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, prospect Estevan Florial and non-roster invitee Rafael Ortega, who has put himself on the organization’s radar with a standout camp, are centerfield options.
Schmidt: Same approach
Clarke Schmidt came into spring training on the outside looking in when it came to nailing down the open fifth starter spot. Domingo German had a leg up to win the job because of his far more extensive experience as a big-league starter.
But with Rodon starting the season on the IL because of a forearm injury, Schmidt is likely to begin in the rotation after all.
“My mentality [doesn’t] change,” said Schmidt, who again threw the ball well — his new cutter in particular — Thursday against the Red Sox, allowing two runs and four hits with three strikeouts in three innings. “I’ve always wanted an opportunity to be a consistent starter in the big leagues and I always felt like that would come. For me, it’s just continuing to stay within myself, throw strikes, let my stuff work and not try to get too ahead of myself.”
Peraza OK
Oswald Peraza, sidelined the last few days with what had been vaguely described as lower leg discomfort, was back in the lineup at shortstop on Thursday and doubled to left in the fourth inning. He ran all out to test the leg and said he felt no pain or discomfort.
Peraza and Anthony Volpe, who started at second — many talent evaluators, including those with the Yankees, think he’s very good at shortstop but would be a terrific second baseman — teamed up on a nice 4-6-3 double play in the third.
Boone goes deep
Boone celebrated his 50th birthday and took batting practice in the same group as Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. On his last swing of his final round, while using one of Josh Donaldson’s bats, he accomplished his goal of hitting one out.
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
More Yankees headlines
