Category: MLB

Bryce Eldridge has Gold Glove aspirations as he battles for Giants roster spot originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SCOTTSDALE — The infield drills at Scottsdale Stadium on Monday morning were a bit more animated than usual, as new Giants manager Tony Vitello teamed up with third base coach Hector Borg to hit the grounders while infield coach Ron Washington gave constant encouragement and advice. When the work was over, Washington made a beeline for young first baseman Bryce Eldridge, who had alternated reps with Rafael Devers. 

“I think that might have been my best day yet,” Eldridge said. 

Washington nodded and patted Eldridge on the shoulder.

“It was,” he said. “Don’t go down. We’ll keep going up.”

For Eldridge, that is always the plan anyway. 

The 21-year-old has always been confident, which makes sense given the fact that he has been the most dangerous hitter on the field in nearly every game he has ever played. Eldridge has the raw power to lead MLB in homers one day and the overall hitting talent to be an All-Star or MVP candidate, but his aspirations are just as grand on the defensive end. 

During an interview for the “Giants Talk” podcast, Eldridge smiled when asked about Washington’s desire to work him so hard that his legs are burning after taking grounders.

“He definitely kicks our butt a little bit out there and gets the legs fired up,” Eldridge said. “But down the road, when hopefully I’m winning Gold Gloves with this team, I’m going to look back on it and say it’s all worth it.”

For now, Eldridge might have to break into the big leagues as a designated hitter because of the presence of Devers. Giants officials think Devers, a long time third baseman, has the footwork and instincts to turn into a Gold Glove-caliber first baseman himself. 

With Eldridge, they’re trying to play catchup given how new the position is, but he’s aiming high. The goal is to one day be elite. 

“Oh for sure, for sure. That’s something that — obviously the hitting side of it, I’ve got goals there — but I set goals out once I got here and realized that I was far behind defensively and I knew I had some work to be done,” Eldridge said. “That’s definitely been a goal of mine one day to win a Gold Glove. I know I’m athletic enough, I know I’m going to work hard enough to try to do it. Having Wash around now is giving me more confidence to try and do that one day.”

On paper, at least, Eldridge has the tools to be well above average at first. At 6-foot-7, he’ll be the tallest target in the league, and while sprint speed will never be the thing that jumps off his Baseball Savant page, he moves around well for his size. As a former pitcher, he’ll bring a good arm to the position when it’s needed. 

Washington said Eldridge has been putting in all the necessary reps early in camp. He believes the prospect can reach his lofty goals if he continues to grow. Thus far, the focus has mostly been on using his legs more to be in a better position as he crouches and reaches for balls. 

“We’re out there making sure that he learns how to get into his legs,” Washington said. “Every day that he leaves from (the infield) he’s complaining about how his legs are burning, and I let him know, ‘They’re burning because you’re doing everything right.’ It’s going to come to the point where you’re not going to feel that, and when you stop feeling that, you’re going to be one of the best first basemen in the game, when you stop feeling that.

“He’s working. He’s a very hard worker and he’s got a good work ethic. He wants to be good, and that’s the key. The word ‘want,’ and he wants it.”

Eldridge said he feels “miles better” at first than he did last spring. He works on his feet every day, and the strength coaches are fond of pulling out the agility ladder to try and get him to be a little quicker. 

“I think I’m just really getting comfortable with my footwork,” Eldridge said of the difference year over year. “I think a lot of guys will tell you once your footwork gets cleaned up the glove hand gets cleaned up a lot. That feels true with me.”

There is still a long way for Eldridge to go, and there’s no guarantee he’ll even be on the big league roster on Opening Day. Some in the front office would prefer that he get more time in Triple-A, and that’s understandable. Eldridge has fewer than 1,000 at-bats in the minors, and there are adjustments to be made on both sides of the ball.

Vitello, who unsuccessfully tried to recruit the Vienna, Virginia, native to Tennessee a few years ago, has not tipped his hand one way or another. But it’s clear the Giants are going to get every data point they can this spring before making what likely will be their most scrutinized decision ahead of the March 25 opener against the New York Yankees. 

Eldridge has played in all five spring games and is second on the team in plate appearances to Jung Hoo Lee, who is trying to quickly get ready for the World Baseball Classic. In Wednesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Eldridge hit his first homer of the spring, raising his OPS to 1.205 over the first week of action. 

Even if Eldridge wins a spot, there will be another significant hurdle in his bid to become one of the league’s best first basemen. Devers also is getting better day by day, and the 29-year-old is signed through 2033. He’ll almost certainly be the starter at first on Opening Day, and if his preference continues to be playing the field — something he has said multiple times — it may be years before the Giants truly need Eldridge on the dirt every night.

With that in mind, Vitello asked Eldridge to take fly balls earlier this spring, and he continues to work on the corner outfield spots. He wants to be great at first, but he also knows that moving around — and DHing often — might be the easiest path to a lineup spot every night in 2026. 

If there’s any sort of rivalry forming at first, it hasn’t shown. Eldridge said his combination with Devers will “be dangerous” at the plate, and he noted that the veteran has helped him quite a bit this spring as they both have worked to improve. 

“He’s been great to me at first base,” Eldridge said. “He’s cracking jokes, making it fun out there when sometimes it gets difficult. He’s picking me up if I have a bad day on defense or in the cage. I’m excited to keep getting to know him and to keep playing with him and keep doing some damage in the order.”

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Castellanos prefers managers with relatable track: 'emotions still intact' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

There were a number of hiccups toward the end of Nick Castellanos’ tenure in Philadelphia.

When the club released the 34-year-old, Matt Gelb of The Athletic published an investigative piece on what actually transpired behind closed doors and inside the dugout.

One of the central issues: Castellanos’ “disdain” for manager Rob Thomson and hitting coach Kevin Long. An intriguing note, given how well-respected both men are across baseball.

The reported reason was that Castellanos didn’t fully respect the tandem because neither played professionally. So when he hit free agency, where did he land?

With the San Diego Padres, led by first-year manager Craig Stammen, a 41-year-old who spent 13 seasons as a big-league reliever, six with San Diego, before retiring after 2022.

“I have a lot of good relationships with the coaches just because they all have been playing recently,” Castellanos told the Ben & Woods show on 97.3 The Fan in San Diego on Wednesday.

“I really enjoy talking to coaches that have put it down within the last decade. Their emotions are still intact. They talk to you from a physical standpoint, but there’s also a lot of emotional relatability there because they’re still connected,” he said.

Castellanos, entering his 14th big-league season, has experience with player-managers.

In his second season in 2014, the Tigers, under Dave Dombrowski, hired Brad Ausmus, who played 18 seasons in the majors, won three Gold Gloves behind the dish and had retired just four years prior. Castellanos played four seasons under Ausmus.

There’s no shortage of successful managers and hitting coaches throughout baseball history who never played at the big-league level. Hall-of-Famer Jim Leyland, whom Castellanos coincidentally played 11 games for in his first season in 2013, Earl Weaver and Buck Showalter never appeared in the majors.

It’s a personal preference, and one that may help explain why Castellanos was at least comfortable signing with the Joe Girardi-led Phillies ahead of 2022.

The emotional relatability he described is something he takes genuine pride in. As he walked off the field for the final time in a Phillies uniform after Game 4 of the NLDS, he stopped to console Orion Kerkering as they neared the dugout.

“The play happened. It’s over. So immediately my attention went to him,” Castellanos said of Kerkering’s series-ending throwing error. “I don’t know what that exact situation feels like, but I know what it’s like to be on a field with 40,000 people and lose it — let alone in that moment in the playoffs. I’ve had moments where I felt that low. I had to make sure I was right next to him.”

Castellanos’ character as a teammate was questioned throughout Gelb’s piece, which drew from more than a dozen anonymous players and coaches. Whatever you make of those accounts, his response to Kerkering in that moment was hard to dismiss.

In San Diego, Castellanos projects as the oldest position player to break camp, and he’ll be leaned on as a veteran presence alongside his childhood friend, Manny Machado. His role isn’t yet defined. He’s taken most of his reps at first base but has made it clear he’ll go wherever allows him to get his bat in the lineup the most.

“The thing that has gotten me to the big leagues is that I’m a kid who believes in himself and knows he can hit,” Castellanos said. “Craig just said, ‘hey, you ready to go back to the outfield?’ I’ll do whatever you need. I’ll play first. I’ll play left. If [Fernando] Tatis needs a blow, I’ll play right. I’ll DH.”

The Padres leaned heavily on the bargain market late in the offseason. Within a week, the club added Castellanos, utility man Miguel Andújar and starters Germán Márquez, Griffin Canning and Walker Buehler, the latter on a minor league deal.

The Castellanos-Phillies storyline won’t quiet down anytime soon. Philadelphia heads to Petco Park from May 26-28, and Castellanos returns to Citizens Bank Park from June 2-4. That should be fun.

Max Scherzer is not ready to step off the mound just yet.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner is set to return to the Toronto Blue Jays for his 19th season in MLB, according to multiple reports.

Scherzer and the Blue Jays have agreed to a deal that carries a $3 million base salary for 2026 with up to $10 million in incentives, Sportsnet baseball columnist Shi Davidi reports.

Scherzer returns to a team that reached the World Series, going all the way to Game 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Scherzer was given the ball to start that Game 7 at home on Nov. 1 and went 4.1 innings, striking out 3. He exited with a 3-1 lead, but Toronto eventually lost 5-4 in extra innings.

The headline says it all, but the Jays have signed Max Scherzer to a one-year contract. He’ll make $3 million with ‘up to’ $10 million in incentives.

He won’t be starting the season with the Jays. I’d imagine the plan will be to get him going in May with the idea he could join the major league team in June or July (unless there is an injury or two in the rotation).

I’m not all that excited. I didn’t think he was all that terrific last year. He had a 5.19 ERA n 17 starts. In 85 innings batters hit .262/.313/.497 against him.

He made one start in the ALCS, throwing 5.2 innings, allowing 3 hits, 2 earned, with a home run, 4 walks and 5 strikeouts. In the World Series he made two starts, 8.2 innings, allowing 9 hits, 4 earned, 2 homers, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.

Max is 41 now, he’ll be 42 on July 27.

I think he’s a great teammate, but I don’t know that I’d want to give him starts.

There is also a note that Jays minor league pitcher, Chay Yeager is going to have UCL surgery and is out for the season. He split last year between Vancouver and New Hampshire, with a 3.23 ERA in 42 games, 1 starts and 55.2 innings. He allowed 36 hits, 20 walks and 64 strikeouts.

Randal Grichuk signed a minor league deal with the Yankess. He hit .228/.273/.401 in 113 games last year split between the Diamondbacks and the Royals.

Max Scherzer is coming back for a 19th season.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner has agreed to a deal to return to the Blue Jays, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.

The deal is for one year and $3 million, according to multiple reports.

Scherzer, 41, told The Athletic in January that he was “healthy and ready to sign at any moment if certain teams call” but was willing to wait until Opening Day to make his decision.

The right-hander now heads back to Toronto, where he pitched last season.

Scherzer went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts during the regular season, but pitched well over three starts in the postseason.

He memorably won Game 4 of the American League Championship Series — jawing on the mound with manager John Schneider — to stay in the game before completing 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball.

The eight-time All-Star made two more appearances in the World Series, starting Game 7. He went the first 4 1/3 frames, striking out three and holding a vaunted Dodgers lineup to just one run.

Scherzer made clear after the final game of the Fall Classic, which the Blue Jays lost in heartbreaking fashion, that he was not done pitching.

“The only thing I can say is it’s going to take some time to give a full answer to that but there is no way that was my last pitch,” Scherzer told reporters. “That loss is so tough because you’re so close to everybody. This team had that closeness, had that camaraderie. We had that passion not only for the game but for each other.”

Toronto, in its efforts to get back to the World Series, has been active this offseason. It has added pitchers Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce and Tyler Rogers to bolster the rotation and bullpen.

Observations from Yankees spring training on Wednesday.

Going deep

Amed Rosario crushed his first home run this spring training, going deep on the first pitch he saw from Nationals lefty Andrew Alvarez in the bottom of the first inning.

DC comical

It might be a long season in the nation’s capital. The Nationals recorded more errors (three) than hits (one) in their 7-0 loss to the Yankees.

Their only base runner of the night was immediately erased in a double play.

Caught my eye

George Lombard Jr. turned in a dazzling night on both sides of the ball.

The top prospect made what Aaron Boone called a “special” play at third base, charging a chopper down the line, barehanding it, and firing to first for the out.

He later added a two-run double that came off the bat at 108.8 mph.

Thursday’s schedule

Pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez will make his second start of the spring when the Yankees host the Braves at 1:05 p.m.

MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: The previous edition of the Yankees news roundup noted that the Yankees were still considering adding a platoon bat. Well they may have found one in a player who has surfaced in various Yankees rumors for a few years now: Randal Grichuk. Formerly a pesky division rival with the Blue Jays from 2018-21, Grichuk had a penchant for making his pop count in New York, as he has 18 career homers in 63 games against the Yankees. Grichuk had a 139 OPS+ in 279 PA for the D-backs in 2024 and blistered lefties to the tune of a .941 OPS from 2022-24 but dipped this past year with Arizona and Kansas City, so at age-34, he had to settle for a non-roster invitation from the Yankees. Still, while Grichuk might not be a lock for the Opening Day roster, this may be just another sign that Jasson Domínguez is heading to Triple-A to start 2026.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Entering play on Wednesday, the Yankees have gone 6-for-7 in ABS challenges in Grapefruit League action. The lone loss came on Austin Wells challenging behind the plate, but challenges from the hitters have been well-timed and correct. The club has long preached hitters’ knowledge and control of the strike zone, and that seems to be paying off in the big-leaguers’ first taste of the review process. The team is still dialing in how it’ll implement their own challenge strategy once the games count for real, but for now, they might just be best off to keep doing what they’re doing.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: My least-in-demand party trick will require an update, as the Yankees announced that CC Sabathia’s No. 52 will be retired, with a plaque ceremony taking place pregame on September 26, 2026. Monument Park isn’t just a collection of Yankee greats, but a who’s who of some of the most dominant players to ever put a baseball jersey on, and it’ll be great to see the former ace take his rightful place in Yankee history. For more on CC, check out Matt’s breaking news story from last night.

New York Post | Greg Joyce: Will Warren is going to be called upon to start the season strong, as the Yankees wait for a couple of their bigger arms to recover from injury. While he wasn’t exactly bad in 2025, bouts of inconsistency especially against left-handed batters plagued the righty, and lowering that platoon tax is a major focus of Warren’s time in camp. Fortunately, Warren seems to have been taken under the wing of Clarke Schmidt, who was in a similar position to Will two years ago and if it weren’t for Tommy John surgery, would have made that jump from touch-and-go hurler to respectable rotation piece.

NJ.com | Randy Miller: One of the recurring themes of Yankee spring is that because the team inks so many players to major deals — deals that command a roster spot of their own virtue — there are plenty of “bubble” players who have to prove themselves in camp. Jasson Domínguez is likely to be one of those hard-luck losers, with a stacked outfield and frankly a need to polish up some defense and hitting from the right side, perfect for a Triple-A assignment. The bullpen picture is also muddy so far, with newbie Angel Chivilli and last year’s pickup Brent Headrick both in competition for the last MLB roster slot.

Hall of Fame pitcher CC Sabathia will be forever honored among the New York Yankees' legends.

The team announced on Wednesday, Feb. 25, that it will retire Sabathia's No. 52 in September.

Sabathia will become the 25th player to have his number retired at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have the most retired numbers in the league.

"From the first number that hung in my locker to 52 forever hanging in Monument Park - this HOF journey has come full circle,” Sabathia wrote in a post on X. “To have my number retired by the New York Yankees this year is one of the greatest honors of my life. The LegaCCy continues.”

9.26.26@CC_Sabathia's No. 52 enters Monument Park. #legaCCypic.twitter.com/z9b9ln9WeN

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) February 25, 2026

Sabathia spent 11 of his 19 seasons in New York, retiring in pinstripes after starting 22 of the 23 games he played in during the 2019 season. He finished with a 251-161 overall record and a 3.74 ERA. He started 560 of the 561 games he played in.

He produced 3,093 strikeouts in 3,577.1 innings pitched. He won the World Series in 2009, his first season with New York. He was named as a first-ballot inductee for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025.

List of retired Yankees numbers

• No. 1: Billy Martin
• No. 2: Derek Jeter
• No. 3: Babe Ruth
• No. 4: Lou Gehrig
• No. 5: Joe DiMaggio
• No. 6: Joe Torre
• No. 7: Mickey Mantle
• No. 8: Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey
• No. 9: Roger Maris
• No. 10: Phil Rizzuto
• No. 15: Thurman Munson
• No. 16: Whitey Ford
• No. 20: Jorge Posada
• No. 21: Paul O'Neill
• No. 23: Don Mattingly
• No. 32: Elston Howard
• No. 37: Casey Stengel
• No. 42: Mariano Rivera and Jackie Robinson (league-wide)
• No. 44: Reggie Jackson
• No. 46: Andy Pettitte
• No. 49: Ron Guidry
• No. 51: Bernie Williams
• No. 52: CC Sabathia

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Retired Yankees numbers: CC Sabathia joining Yankees' Monument Park

Despite the woes for rotation depth early this offseason, there is quietly a lot of competition for the back of the bullpen. Tyler Kinley, Dylan Lee, Dylan Dodd, Hayden Harris, and James Karinchak all had strong outings out of the bullpen Wednesday, with Harris and Karinchak looking especially impressive. The Braves have four bullpen locks or near locks with Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, Aaron Bummer, Dylan Lee. If they choose to run with a 6-man rotation to start the season, they would only have 3 spots left in the bullpen. Joel Payamps seems a likely member of the bullpen, while Hayden Harris, Daysbel Hernandez, James Karinchak, Ian Hamilton, Jose Suarez, Joey Wentz, and potentially even Jhancarlos Lara are real options for the bullpen. Harris, Hernandez, Dodd and Lara all have options, so they could very easily find themselves in AAA, though Dodd especially and to a lesser extent Harris and Hernandez may have real claims to a top 7-8 option on the 40-man. Hamilton and Karinchak are on minor league or split contracts, which sometimes include options for veterans to opt out if they don’t make the active roster, so they may be effectively out of options. Meanwhile, Wentz and Jose Suarez are out of minor league options.

I would personally not be particularly inclined to keep Jose Suarez, as he seems like a very replacement level pitcher, but this front office does often opt to preserve depth over picking the best guys for Opening Day. I am intrigued by Karinchak if he can look anything like his old dominant self. Hamilton has been good in the past, but we need to see which version of himself he looks like. Wentz could make sense as the de facto 6th member of the rotation who could easily convert to a solid lefty reliever with some stamina for multiple innings as needed. It will be a fascinating battle to watch over the next month.

Braves News

Austin Riley went yard, as Baldwin and Profar collected extra-base hits against Paul Skenes and bullpen competitors shined in a 3-1 Spring Training win.

MLB News

Braves’ legend AJ Minter is still recovering from surgery and is eying a May return for the Mets.

Top prospect Konnor Griffin is having extension discussions with the Pirates, as he looks poised to take the league by storm.

Merrill Kelly is dealing with back issues and is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day for the Diamondbacks.

TAMPA — The Yankees are adding a veteran right-handed bat to their bench competition this spring.

The club is signing outfielder Randal Grichuk to a minor league deal that includes an invite to big league camp, a source confirmed Wednesday night.

Grichuk, 34, will try to prove he can fill a need for the Yankees as a righty bat off the bench that can play left field against left-handers (when Cody Bellinger would move over to center).

Before adding Grichuk, the Yankees’ options beyond their projected starting outfield included Jasson Domínguez (a switch-hitter who is stronger from the left side), Spencer Jones (a lefty bat) and fellow non-roster invites Seth Brown and Yanquiel Fernandez — two more left-handed hitters.

Across 12 seasons in the big leagues, Grichuk has hit .268 with a .819 OPS against lefties.

He had a dip in production last season with the Diamondbacks and Royals, when he hit .227 with a .703 OPS against lefties, though that still included a .430 slugging percentage.

In 2024 with the Diamondbacks, he hit .319 with a .913 OPS against lefties.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Walker Buehler is well-known to San Diego Padres fans. The former two-time World Series champion and two-time All-Star with the Los Angeles Dodgers was a member of the hated rivals from 2017 when he made his debut with the club until 2025 when he left the Dodgers as a free agent and signed with the Boston Red Sox.

Buehler did not make it through the 2025 season with the Red Sox and was released on Aug. 29 after appearing in 23 games with 22 starts in Boston. He worked to a 7-7 record with a 5.45 ERA, which was the highest of his career, before his release. Buehler was not a free agent long and agreed to a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 31. He performed well with the Phillies and played in three games and made two starts, finishing with a 0.66 ERA over 13.2 innings.

The deal Buehler signed with Boston was only for one year, so even without the release he would have been looking for another job. The short-term deal made him expendable and allowed Boston to release him and Philadelphia to pick him up for its playoff run, which ended in the National League Division Series against the Dodgers. Once the season was over, Buehler returned to the free agent market and started searching again for a team to call home. He found that team in San Diego and agreed to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training, where he has yet to make an appearance in a game.

It is odd and can be jarring for Padres fans to see the long-time Dodger in brown and gold, but it may be something we all have to get used to. Buehler has said his intention is to compete for a starting job and with his major league track record and his opportunity to work with San Diego pitching coach Ruben Niebla, he might win it.

Buehler established himself as one of the best pitchers in MLB during his time in Los Angeles. He also became highly disliked by the Friar Faithful thanks in part to his 7-1 career record in 13 games against San Diego with 83 strikeouts and a 1.67 ERA. He pitched aggressively against the Padres and seemed to fully embrace the rivalry that exists between the teams.

While his career numbers against the Padres in the regular season were outstanding, Buehler struggled in postseason outings against San Diego. In 2020, he pitched one postseason game and lasted four innings, allowing one earned run on two hits. In 2024, Buehler made it through five innings but was touched up for six earned runs on seven hits which included a memorable two-run blast from Fernando Tatis Jr.

Buehler’s combined postseason numbers against the Padres are 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA over nine innings with seven runs allowed, five walks, an intentional walk and a wild pitch. Bueler did have eight postseason strikeouts against San Diego, but all eight came in 2020.

With all the history between Buehler and the Padres, would you, the Friar Faithful, root for him to win one of the last rotation spots on the 2026 roster? That is the Padres Reacts Survey poll question from Gaslamp Ball to the readers. Results will be revealed later in the week.

TAMPA — The regular season is still a month away, but Cam Schlittler took a key step Wednesday toward being ready to start it on time.

The right-hander threw 25 pitches of live batting practice on a back field, facing hitters for the first time since the Yankees slowed him down two weeks ago to deal with mid-back/left lat inflammation.

Both Schlittler and the Yankees had downplayed any concern about it, but the minor flare-up stifled the 25-year-old’s buildup while they made sure it did not turn into a bigger deal.

Assuming he recovers from Wednesday’s session without issues, Schlittler will face hitters again on Sunday before potentially getting into his first Grapefruit League game late next week.

“I expect him to be good [for the start of the season],” manager Aaron Boone said before Schlittler took the mound. “Now, I don’t think he’ll be to 80-90 pitches yet. … But I’ll take 70 pitches of Cam Schlittler, especially with some of the off-days you have. Even if you’re in a piggyback situation for a time or two, sign me up for that.”

The Yankees do not necessarily need to carry a fifth starter to begin the season, due to four off-days before they play their 10th game.

But if Schlittler is healthy enough by then, the Yankees plan on using him from the get-go.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS

Oswaldo Cabrera could get into games by late next week, as the utilityman continues to shake off more rust coming back from a broken ankle and ligament damage last May.

“He’s doing really well,” Boone said. “I feel like he’s made real improvements the last couple weeks. So possibly at the back end of next week, maybe getting into games. I know he’s starting to feel really good. It’s just getting that last level of burst.”

Anthony Volpe is a little over a week into his hitting progression and “doing well,” Boone said, as he hits off the tee and soft tosses.

The Yankees are looking for a right-handed outfielder and have invited Randal Grichuk to camp. 

YES Network's Jack Curry reports that Grichuk will be joining the Yankees in spring training on a minor league deal as a non-roster invite. 

Grichuk is a 12-year veteran who played with the Diamondbacks and Royals last season. In 113 games, he slashed .228/.273/.401 with an OPS of .674 to go along with nine home runs and 27 RBI in 2025.

Over his career, Grichuk has 212 home runs with a .251 average and a .298 OBP. 

However, Grichuk was a notorious Yankees killer. In 68 games against the Bombers, Grichuk slashed .253/.302/.523 with an OPS of .825. He also hit 18 home runs against the Yankees, his second-most against an opponent (Orioles). Most of that damage was done as a member of the Blue Jays (2018-21), where he had his best years. Across those four seasons, Grichuk hit .243 with 90 home runs and 257 RBI. 

With the Yankees so left-handed, especially in the outfield, Grichuk could give the team a boost off the bench. The starting outfielders are projected to be Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger. Jasson Dominguez, the switch-hitting prospect, may not break camp and could be sent to Triple-A to start the season and get more seasoning.

That leaves a spot open for a fourth outfielder, especially if Oswaldo Cabrera -- who has outfield experience -- is not ready for Opening Day as he continues to return from a season-ending leg injury. 

PORT ST. LUCIE — Panic had not yet set in at Clover Park, but knowing these parts, if Carson Benge had too many more hitless games, there would have been some red flags.

Benge eased any potential early concerns with a three-hit day in Wednesday’s 6-0 loss to the Cardinals, reaching on an infield hit, an opposite-field single and a grounder through the left side of the infield.

Each hit came with two strikes — a fact Benge seemed as pleased with as the results.

“I hate striking out,” Benge said. “That’s one thing about me. So being able to fight for every pitch, scrap for it, is really big.”

And could be just as big for the Mets, who have made no secret that the 23-year-old Benge is in the mix to win the starting job in right field this spring.

Despite having played just 24 games at the Triple-A level, the Mets think enough of Benge’s skill set that they’re giving him a chance to be in Queens next month. He just has to take it.

Wednesday’s performance at the plate showed why, putting up three tough at-bats and drilling his second hit 101 mph.

“The ability to stay in the fight, especially when he gets behind in counts,’’ Carlos Mendoza said when asked what stood out about Benge. “Fouling off pitches, using the whole field [and] putting the ball in play. He just finds a way.” 

While he’s fighting for a job, Benge said he’s trying to take advantage of every part of the opportunity.

“Just soaking up every bit of information I can from veteran guys around here,’’ Benge said of his experience in major league camp. “I feel like I’m getting adjusted day by day, seeing what it takes [and] seeing how good they are.”

And although it’s hard to count on too many more 3-for-3 afternoons, Benge is confident his bat-to-ball skills will only help his game.

“I feel that sprouted from me not liking to strike out,’’ Benge said. “I’d do anything not to strike out. Just put the ball in play.”

So while some in the game disregard the number of whiffs they pile up, as long as the production is there, Benge has a different mindset.

“I try to go out there and fight every at-bat and not give anything away with a dumb swing,’’ Benge said.

Francisco Lindor continues to progress in his recovery from the hand surgery he underwent Feb. 11, with the stitches removed Tuesday and “impact” drills expected to begin within the next few days, according to Mendoza.

“So far, it’s been good,’’ the manager said.

If all goes well, the shortstop could also start hitting in two weeks as he recovers from the stress reaction in his left hamate bone, seemingly putting him in position to be ready for Opening Day.

Brett Baty, slowed by hamstring discomfort, is scheduled to play first base by this weekend, according to Mendoza. … Vidal Bruján, who left Monday’s game after getting spiked in his left thumb while stealing second, returned to the lineup Wednesday.

— Additional reporting by Mike Puma 

The Colorado Rockies have completed six spring training games and are 4-2 in those games. They’ve also outscored their opponents 44-34.

Spring training games don’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, but in a year such as this for the Rockies, a lot of storylines have emerged and will be watched under a close eye ahead of Opening Day on March 27.

So my question is this to you tonight: what’s your biggest takeaway from this first week of spring training games? What are you excited about? What are you concerned about? Who do you need to see more of?

Let us know in the comments!

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