(AP Photo/Mike Groll)

The Yankees beat the Army Black Knights in their final exhibition game of 2013 this afternoon. Both Brennan Boesch and Melky Mesa went deep while Vidal Nuno threw two scoreless innings. Boone Logan got roughed up, surrendering four runs in one-third of an inning. Other than that, not much else happened. Here is the box score and here are the final notes from Spring Training…

• Following the game, Joe Girardi confirmed Boesch, Cody Eppley, and Adam Warren have all made the team. The Yankees still need to clear a 40-man roster spot for Lyle Overbay. The deadline to finalize the roster is 3pm ET tomorrow. [Chad Jennings]
• Brian Cashman confirmed Alex Rodriguez will be at Yankee Stadium for Opening Day on Monday. It’s unclear if he’ll be in uniform and part of the pre-game introductions, but it’s not like the Yankees ever cared about A-Rod getting booed before. [Erik Boland & Bob Klapisch]
• Minor leaguers Craig Heyer and Evan DeLuca were released. Heyer made my 2011 Preseason Top 30 Prospects List while DeLuca never put it together after signing for $500k back in 2009. [Josh Norris]
• The next game the Yankees play will actually count in the standings. They’re off on Sunday and will welcome the Red Sox to the Bronx for a three-game set early next week. CC Sabathia vs. Jon Lester is your Opening Day pitching matchup for Monday.

Here is your open thread for the night. The Rangers, Devils, and Nets are all playing, plus MLB Network will air a Spring Training game as well. Talk about any of those games or anything else here. Enjoy.

Opening Day is a comin’. (Photo via the Yankees)

The Yankees made relatively quick work of the Nationals in Nationals Park this afternoon, winning the game behind strong work from Andy Pettitte (two runs in six innings) and the bullpen (scoreless innings from Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson and Mariano Rivera). Kevin Youkilis hit a solo homer while Eduardo Nunez plated two with a single. Nunez, Robinson Cano, and Vernon Wells each had two hits, including doubles for Cano and Wells. Here’s the box score and here’s the rest on the team…

• Vidal Nuno, Dan Johnson, Thomas Neal, Melky Mesa, Jim Miller, Preston Claiborne, Branden Pinder, Juan Cedeno, Bobby Wilson, Josh Spence, Jose Pirela, and Gil Velazquez were all sent to minor league camp. Nuno had an outside chance to grab a bullpen spot in the wake of Clay Rapada‘s injury. Sure seems like Adam Warren and Cody Eppley will open the season in the bullpen.
• The Rivera farewell tour (unexpectedly) kicked off on Friday. The Nationals congratulated him on his career before today’s game and former bullpen-mate Rafael Soriano presented him with a signed Nationals #42 jersey. Neat. [James Wagner]
• Mark Teixeira was taking ground balls with the team in D.C. today and hopes to begin swinging a bat two-handed in two weeks. He’s been swinging one-handed since Sunday and will have a checkup on his wrist on Monday. Teixeira says he expects to be back in a big league game by May 1st, which is … optimistic. [Andy McCullough & David Waldstein]
• Derek Jeter will not do anything until Monday, Brian Cashman confirmed. They want to make sure he’s 100% with no lingering soreness before returning to baseball activities. [Dan Barbarisi]
• Brennan Boesch took some ground balls at first base this afternoon — he played the position in high school and college — with some coaching tips from Teixeira. Looks like the Yankees are preparing him as an emergency first base option. [Barbarisi & McCullough]
• Right-hander Diego Moreno is still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery but is expected to get into games soon. He was acquired from the Pirates in the A.J. Burnett trade last year. [Tim Williams]
• Remember that Jose Mojica trade from earlier in the week? As it turns out, he was dealt to the Phillies for no compensation. Not surprising. [Josh Norris]
• The Yankees will be in West Point for an exhibition game against Army on Saturday, their last meaningless game of 2013. Adam Warren gets the start and the game will be broadcast on YES.

Here is your open thread for the evening. The Devils, Knicks, and Nets are all playing, plus MLB Network will air some Spring Training game as well. Talk about any of that stuff and more. Enjoy.

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

The Yankees are done with Spring Training in Florida and they might already be in Washington D.C. by time you read this. They lost to the Pirates in this afternoon’s Grapefruit League finale, a game that had “hurry up and swing, I’ve got an 8pm reservation at Komi” written all over it. Hiroki Kuroda was magnificent, allowing one base-runner (a single) and striking out five in six scoreless innings. Brennan Boesch hit a double and Frankie Cervelli hit a triple, and that’s pretty much it. Not the most exciting game. Here’s the box score and here’s the rest from Tampa…

• In case you missed it earlier, Juan Rivera was released and the bench started to come into focus. Nothing is official yet, but it sure looks like Lyle Overbay, Ben Francisco, and Boesch will make the team.
• Ronnie Mustelier has a bone bruise in his knee, and Joe Girardi confirmed the injury takes him out of the running for a bench spot. That really stinks, he had a legit chance to break camp with the club. [Bryan Hoch]
• Vidal Nuno has won the James P. Dawson award as the top rookie in camp, the team announced. David Phelps won the award last year, and previous winners include Manny Banuelos, Jon Weber (!), Brett Gardner, Shelley Duncan, and Jorge Posada.
• The Yankees will play an exhibition game against the Nationals in Nationals Park tomorrow afternoon (2pm ET). Andy Pettitte will get the start and the game will be broadcast on YES.

Here is your open thread for the evening. The Rangers and Islanders are both playing, plus MLB Network will air a Spring Training game as well. Looks like the Twins and Red Sox. Talk about any of those games and more right here. Go nuts.

(Presswire)

The Yankees beat up on the Orioles on Wednesday night thanks to two hits apiece from Eduardo Nunez, Lyle Overbay, and Ben Francisco. Brennan Boesch and Francisco hit a set of back-to-back homers while Mason Williams and Melky Mesa chipped in doubles. Thomas Neal singled, walked twice, and stole a base.

David Phelps allowed three runs in 5.1 innings in his final start of the Grapefruit League season, with all three runs coming in the fifth inning. He has a tendency to run into trouble in the fifth, so maybe it’s a third time through the order thing. Branden Pinder (four runs, two outs) was the only real eyesore out of the parade of minor league relievers. Here’s the box score and here’s the rest from Tampa…

• Derek Jeter won’t resume any kind of activity until Monday at the earliest. They want to make sure he and his bum ankle get enough time to rest and heal before jumping back into things. The April 6th return date sure seems optimistic since they want him to play back-to-back nine-inning games before returning. [Bryan Hoch]
• Ivan Nova got rocked in his minor league game this afternoon, allowing seven runs in five innings. Afterwards he called his spring “not good,” which is usually what people say when they allow 17 runs in 24.1 innings. [Hoch]
• Robinson Cano was held out of tonight’s lineup with a stomach bug, but it’s not a big deal and he’ll play tomorrow. Ronnie Mustelier, meanwhile, was scratched from tonight’s lineup after his knee “cracked” during pregame warmups. He’ll be sent for tests tomorrow. [Sweeny Murti, Erik Boland & Andy McCullough]
• This is weird, but apparently Joe Girardi indicated David Aardsma might not make the team. The 31-year-old missed a few days with a groin problem a few weeks ago but has otherwise pitched well in Grapefruit League action — three runs, one walk, seven strikeouts in seven innings — so I don’t know what that’s about. [Dan Barbarisi & Mark Feinsand]
• Dellin Betances did some flat-ground work and fielding drills today after leaving yesterday’s minor league start with some kind of ankle injury. He seems to be fine after that little scare and remains on track to start Opening Day for Triple-A Scranton. [Josh Norris]
• The Yankees have apparently traded minor league infielder Jose Mojica to the Phillies for an unknown return. The 24-year-old hit .226/.265/.305 (61 wRC+) in 379 plate appearances for High-A Tampa last year. Can’t imagine the return was anything special. [Norris]

The Yankees will play their final Grapefruit League game of the year on Thursday when the Pirates come to Tampa for a matinee. Hiroki Kuroda will get that start and the game will not be televised.