March 19th Spring Training Notes: Betances, Hicks, Gregorius, Gonzalez

The Yankees beat the Rays this afternoon. I didn’t realize this until it was mentioned on the YES Network broadcast, but the Yankees have the best Spring Training record in baseball at 15-6-4. They haven’t lost a game since March 8th. Huh. Anyway, Greg Bird hit a home run today and Gary Sanchez had two nearly identical rocket doubles into the right-center field gap. Giancarlo Stanton doubled down the line and Aaron Judge picked up his first single of 2019. I was kinda hoping to see him get through the entire spring with extra-base hits only. Alas.

Chad Green allowed one run on two hits in his one inning as the opener thanks in part to a Judge error. “If it comes up during the year, let’s prepare for it now so it’s not anything new for us when the games start,” said Green to Erik Boland when asked about being an opener. Aaron Boone told Jack Curry there is a “good chance” they’ll use an opener at some point this year. Luis Cessa followed Green and was excellent, allowing two hits and striking out five in four scoreless innings. He’s had a great spring (17 IP, 9 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 18 K). Here are the box score and video highlights, and here are today’s notes:

In case you missed it earlier, Dellin Betances will begin the regular season on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. That explains the missing velocity. Betances said he’s “not too concerned” and added he will resume throwing in 3-5 days. [Coley Harvey]
Aaron Hicks (back) said he is pain-free following the second cortisone shot. That’s good news, but Hicks said he was also pain-free following the first shot, and it wasn’t until he tried to swing a bat that it bothered him. Hicks said he’s been diagnosed with muscular “chronic back pain,” which is better than a spinal issue. [James Wagner, Lindsey Adler]
Didi Gregorius (Tommy John surgery) has graduated to hitting off a tee. He is two or three weeks away from hitting a baseball that actually moves. “It’s been way better than expected. There have been no problems,” he said. So far, so good. [George King]
The recently signed Gio Gonzalez arrived in camp today. “Wearing pinstripes for the first time is pretty exciting. I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d be a Yankee,” he said. Gonzalez threw 88 pitches in a simulated game yesterday and won’t get into a Grapefruit League game until this weekend. [Jon Heyman, Brendan Kuty]

The Yankees will make the long road trip across the state to play the Astros tomorrow afternoon. Jonathan Holder will be the opener for that game. I have no idea who is coming out of the bullpen after him. It won’t be Masahiro Tanaka (started yesterday), James Paxton or Jonathan Loaisiga (started Sunday’s split squad games), J.A. Happ (started Saturday), or Domingo German (starting Thursday). I guess it’ll be a surprise. Tomorrow’s game will be televised live.