Tyler Wade making his bid to fill in for Didi Gregorius
New York Yankees' Tyler Wade in mid-swing during batting practice in spring training on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL. Credit: Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Rookie Tyler Wade started at shortstop, went 1-for-3 with a double and nearly missed a home run in another at-bat in the Yankees’ 6-5 victory over the Blue Jays on Saturday at Steinbrenner Field. With the Yankees trying to decide on a replacement for the injured Didi Gregorius, Wade is batting .341.
“He made a lot of plays today,” Joe Girardi said of Wade, who was credited with two assists at short. “Big double for us today. We’re looking at everyone that’s here. It wasn’t a decision that I expected us to have to make, but we’ve got to now.”
Non-roster player Pete Kozma, another shortstop hopeful, knocked in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth with a single to center.
Greg Bird hit his seventh home run of spring training.
Minor matters
No. 3 starter Michael Pineda allowed two runs (one earned) in 3 1⁄3 innings against the Pirates’ Triple-A team Saturday.
Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances and Tyler Clippard pitched for Double-A Trenton against Pittsburgh’s Double-A team. Chapman started and threw two-thirds of an inning, allowing one hit. Betances threw a perfect inning. Clippard, in his first appearance since returning from the World Baseball Classic, allowed a run in one inning.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
