Still no update on Yankees reliever Justin Wilson

LAKELAND, Fla. — As of Tuesday night, the Yankees still did not have an update for reliever Justin Wilson, who underwent an MRI on his left shoulder earlier in the day.

Wilson departed Monday night’s game with what the club called "left shoulder tightness," the reason for the MRI.

Wilson, signed to a two-year deal in the offseason to add depth to an already deep bullpen, immediately called for the Yankees training staff and manager Aaron Boone after delivering a pitch in the seventh inning of the game against the Phillies at Steinbrenner Field and almost as immediately walked off the mound.

Though Boone cautioned after the game not to assume the worst with the injury, the manner in which the veteran reacted, not only after throwing his final pitch but throughout the inning — appearing to occasionally shake his left hand — suggested reason for concern. If Wilson is out an extended period, that would leave the Yankees down two lefty relievers with the regular season on the horizon. Zack Britton was lost for likely the first half of the season after undergoing surgery to remove a bone chip in his left elbow March 15.

Sanchez struggling

Gary Sanchez, who had Tuesday off, has slumped since a hot start. After hitting his third homer of the spring March 9, the catcher, who will catch Gerrit Cole in the season-opener April 1, is 2-for-23 with 11 strikeouts.

"In this game, especially with the pitchers being as good as they are and as powerful as they are, when you get a pitch that you can put in play with authority, you’ve got to take advantage of it," Boone said, indicating Sanchez is just missing on such pitches. "So that’s hopefully just tightening up some final tweaks from a timing standpoint that get him locked in. I feel he’s doing a better job of controlling the zone and getting into some deep counts, but when he gets a pitch, now it’s that time you start hammering it in play with authority."

Sanchez is hitting .176 with a .684 OPS in 14 games.

Tough call

Mike Tauchman, battling the likes of Tyler Wade, Jay Bruce and Derek Dietrich for the final roster spots (though Wade will probably make it because of his speed and defensive flexibility), hit a long leadoff homer Tuesday, part of a 2-for-2 day in which he also walked twice. Tauchman, who is out of options and is a candidate to be traded, is hitting .269 with a .960 OPS with three homers in 10 games.

Nelson looking good

Righty Nick Nelson appears to be a near lock to grab a bullpen spot out of camp. Though he allowed a run (his first of the spring), one hit and a walk over 2 1/3 innings Tuesday, the 25-year-old has been terrific. Nelson, who struck out three, has a 1.04 ERA in 8 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out nine.

Call to order

Boone said "in my head" he’s "pretty much" laid out how the rotation will fall behind ace Gerrit Cole, but isn’t yet ready to make that public. "That said, we’ve got a week to go," Boone said. "Baseball has a way of changing your plans."