No longer in need of 16 pitchers, Yankees bring up Tim Locastro
Yankees leftfielder Tim Locastro dives to make a catch on a fly ball by the Orioles' Trey Mancini for an out during the sixth inning of a game on Sunday in Baltimore. Credit: Nick Wass
BALTIMORE — And then there were 15.
The Yankees departed spring training just under two weeks ago with 16 pitchers and 12 position players because of the impact of the lockout on spring training. Starting pitchers were not built up the way they would be during a typical six-week spring training (this year it was 3 1/2 weeks).
But with each rotation member now two turns through — after Nestor Cortes’ start Sunday — “most of our pitchers” are built for 90 to 100 pitches, Aaron Boone said, which no longer necessitates the extra pitcher.
“We’re getting to where they’re stretched out,” Boone said.
As a result, rookie lefthander JP Sears, who pitched a scoreless inning and earned his first big-league win in Saturday night’s 5-2 victory over the Orioles, was optioned after that game to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Versatile and speedy outfielder Tim Locastro, signed to a major-league deal before spring training but sent to Triple-A to start the year because of the desire for extra pitching, was called up, giving Boone a four-man bench. He made an immediate impact Sunday, laying out to make a tremendous diving catch in deep left-center in the sixth inning to rob Trey Mancini of an extra-base hit and an RBI.
“I think now it makes more sense to have the extra flexibility position player-wise,” Boone said. “And it gives us a chance with JP to send him down and keep him stretched out, get some starts going. Did a really nice job for us while he was here. I’m sure he’ll be back at some point.”
Locastro started Sunday and went 0-for-2 before Joey Gallo pinch hit for him in the seventh. Given Gallo’s struggles (after going 0-for-1 Sunday, he is hitting .138 with a .424 OPS), Boone was asked if there is a chance the two might form a platoon. . "Not really,'' he said.
“Timmy brings a lot of value, really like him against lefthanded pitching, love his speed, his defense, his ability to play all three [outfield positions] out there,” Boone said. “I see him playing an important role for us and there’s probably some starts for him to be had, but I don’t see it becoming that situation [platoon] with Joey.”
Catching platoon
Kyle Higashioka left camp as the unquestioned starter at catcher, but his slow start at the plate, combined with the spark Jose Trevino has provided in both of his starts, is likely to earn the latter more playing time.
“[I look at it] like we’ve got two really good ones back there,” Boone said. “He’s [Trevino] going to play.”
After going 1-for-4 Sunday, Higashioka, who hit seven homers in spring training, is hitting .120 with a .280 OPS in eight games. Trevino is 5-for-10 in five games.
Like Higashioka, Trevino is considered a defensive specialist and is especially good at pitch framing,
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.
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