NY Post | Joel Sherman: After spring training, the Yankees confirmed the final two bullpen berths, which were awarded to Nick Burdi and Clayton Beeter. Beeter’s tenure will most likely be brief, given he has been a starter since entering the Yankees organisation and still has to improve on his secondary pitches, but with Tommy Kahnle still a few weeks away from returning to the mound, he has a slot to keep. Furthermore, the positions are not totally assured just yet – Burdi and Beeter are the current roster options, but there is still time to make a deal before Opening Day that might erase the team’s commitment.
Burdi and Beeter’s victory left the rest of the crowd on the outside looking in for a roster position. The Yankees made it official by sending down a slew of competitors for both the bullpen and the bench, where they’ll wait for an opportunity to fill in later in the season, if possible.
It was an especially difficult day for Gonzalez, who learned of his relegation and then fouled a ball off into his face during a game in Mexico City. He sustained a right orbital fracture and will be hospitalised tonight.
MLB Trade rumours | Nick Deeds: There are only two days till Opening Day, and one of the top arms in the offseason class remains unsigned. Jordan Montgomery remains unsigned, despite the fact that his fellow free agents Blake Snell and Matt Chapman accepted short-term contracts to join a team. According to recent rumours, his target deal is comparable to Tyler Glasnow’s recent agreement with the Dodgers, which is not quite a long-term commitment but certainly higher than the bargains that Snell and Chapman accepted. The Yankees are still in the picture, though it’s unclear how seriously they’re talking to their former rotation member.
New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio ($): The 1999 Yankees faced a difficult assignment in following up on the glories of the 1998 squad, but they came out swinging with the trade for Roger Clemens and did quite well for themselves. The 25th anniversary of that team is arrived, which means there will be plenty of retrospectives on their championship run. Sblendorio begins with a detailed look into the formation of a good baseball team amidst a dynasty.
