(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

The Yankees and Astros played to a tie on Tuesday night. CC Sabathia allowed four runs in five innings, his final tune-up start before Opening Day. Mariano Rivera, David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, Boone Logan, and Vidal Nuno all following with scoreless innings.

Brett Gardner and Travis Hafner did all the heavy lifting on offense, combining for three singles, a double, a triple, and a walk in eight plate appearances. Hafner was hitting the ball especially hard — Dan Barbarisi says he recently abandoned some changes he was trying to make to his swing — so maybe he’s having a little 2012 Raul Ibanez-esque spring to life at the end of camp. Kevin Youkilis also doubled while Eduardo Nunez stole a base. Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay went a combined 0-for-4 in their Yankees debuts. Here’s the box score and here’s the rest from Tampa…

• The Yankees had until noon on Tuesday to either release Juan Rivera, add him to the 40-man roster, or pay him $100k and keep him on a minor league contract. They haven’t made any sort of announcement and he worked out with the club before the game, so I’m guessing they paid him the $100k and he remains with the team as a non-40-man guy. Rivera is now competing with Overbay to fill in for Mark Teixeira at first base.
• X-rays show that Curtis Granderson‘s fractured forearm is healing well, and he is scheduled for another checkup this week. He ran and stretched with the team today but is still a ways off from resuming baseball activities. Granderson will stay behind in Tampa once the season begins. [Meredith Marakovits]
• Mark Teixeira is scheduled to have his injured right wrist examined on Monday. If everything checks out okay, he’ll shed the brace he’s been wearing and begin strengthening exercises. There’s still a while to go before he returns, however. [Marakovits]
• Derek Jeter said it is “disappointing” he won’t be ready in time for Opening Day and acknowledged he may have pushed himself too hard during his rehab. Sound familiar? The Cap’n is unsure of his schedule going forward, he’s just receiving treatment right now. [Bryan Hoch, David Lennon & Marakovits]
• Phil Hughes is scheduled to pitch in a minor league game tomorrow. He is stretching out after missing a few weeks with a bulging disk in his back, but the Yankees are keeping him out of Grapefruit League games so they can back-date his DL stint if he won’t be ready in time for the start of the season. That seems likely. [Chad Jennings]
• Clay Rapada threw off a flat ground using his regular pitching delivery, which is apparently different than just playing catch. He is working his way back from shoulder bursitis and will start the season on the DL, Brian Cashman already confirmed. [Jennings]
• Cesar Cabral threw live batting practice today and faced hitters for the first time since fracturing his elbow last spring. He had been on the same rehab schedule as Michael Pineda, who will face hitters in two weeks, but is now ahead because he doesn’t need to get stretched out as a reliever. [Jennings]
• Dellin Betances hurt his ankle — at first it looked like he was hit by a comebacker, but apparently he just rolled it — in a minor league game this afternoon and limped off the field. No word on the extent of his injury or how much time he’ll miss, but he was on track to start Opening Day for Triple-A Scranton. [Donnie Collins]
• Apparently Alabama head football coach Nick Saban was at the complex today to give a little pep talk to both the major and minor leaguers. So yeah.

The Yankees will be in Sarasota to play the Orioles tomorrow night. David Phelps gets the start while projected big leaguers Robinson Cano, Jayson Nix, Brennan Boesch, Gardner, and Nunez join him on the trip. That game will be broadcast on MLB Network and MLB.tv (no local blackouts) but not YES.

Wanger’s back, and he’s wearing an old Spring Training hat. (AP/Chris O’Meara)

The Yankees had a full day off on Monday and apparently Vernon Wells won’t take his physical until tomorrow. The trade should be finalized shortly thereafter, for better or worse. Chien-Ming Wang did have his first workout since signing a minor league deal late last week, though all he did was play catch and field grounders. Afterwards, the the soon-to-be 33-year-old told Chad Jennings it “was an easy decision for me (to return to the Yankees) because I never wanted to leave … It’s like back in the day. This was my first team, this is where I started. I feel great.” He’ll throw his first official bullpen on Wednesday, which means we’re unlikely to see him appear in a Spring Training game. Drat.

On the minor league side, Slade Heathcott (patellar tendinitis) returned to the lineup and played a few innings in a minor league game. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Tyler Austin suffered some kind of left foot/ankle injury sliding into second base today. He was all wrapped up after the game according to Josh Norris. The Yankees have had some bad luck when it comes to prospects sliding into second base in recent years (David Adams and Ravel Santana, specifically), but apparently it’s not a huge deal and he’s day-to-day. Exhale.

Anyway, here is your open thread for the night. The Devils are playing and MLB Network will air a Spring Training contest as well. Seems like the Dodgers and Royals will be the matchup du jour. Talk about either of those games or anything else here. Have at it.

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

The Yankees walked off with a win over the Rays this afternoon thanks to a Ronnie Mustelier solo homer in the tenth inning. Kevin Youkilis hit not one, but two homers while Travis Hafner went deep once. Eduardo Nunez had a pair of knocks, including a triple. The Yankees struck out just once as a team (Youkilis) while drawing four walks.

As has been the case for most of camp, the team’s defense was laughable. They were only charged with one error, but Youkilis booted two balls and short-hopped a throw to first base. There was also a poorly timed dive in the outfield (Ben Francisco). The defensive miscues contributed to the five runs (one earned) allowed by Adam Warren in 3.2 innings. Vidal Nuno, who is competing for a bullpen spot in the wake of Clay Rapada‘s injury, allowed all three men he faced to reach base (walk and two singles). Two of the three were lefties. David Aardsma allowed a run in an inning for work, blowing the save in the ninth. Mariano Rivera allowed two singles in a scoreless inning. Here’s the box score and here’s the rest from Tampa…

• The Yankees will give Robinson Cano a few days off just to recharge his batteries, so to speak. He’s healthy, but he played (and traveled) a whole bunch during the World Baseball Classic, so he’ll get a few days of rest. [Jon Heyman]
• Slade Heathcott ran the bases for a second straight day on Sunday. He’s been dealing with patellar tendinitis — in English: an achy knee — and there was no timetable for his return at the time of the injury. So yeah, good news. [Josh Norris & Donnie Collins]
• Infielders Addison Maruszak, Jose Pirela, and Walt Ibarra was all reassigned to minor league camp. I didn’t even realize they were still with the big league team. The Yankees are down to 43 players in camp, unofficially. [Chad Jennings]

Here’s your open thread for the night. The Rangers, Islanders, and Nets are all playing, plus MLB Network will air a Spring Training game as well. Looks like Orioles-Pirates for most viewers. You folks know how these things work by now, so have at it.

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

The Yankees lost to the Tigers this afternoon despite leading by three runs at one point. Andy Pettitte allowed four runs in 6.1 innings of work, so he’s pretty much stretched out for the season. Just one more tune-up start to go. Cody Eppley faced five batters and allowed five hits, which is … uh … not good. Shawn Kelley allowed a run in an inning and a third.

Ben Francisco was the big star of the day, hitting not one but two homers. They both came off righties — Anibal Sanchez and Bruce Rondon — even though the team is looking at him as a lefty masher. Juan Rivera had three hits including a double while Brett Gardner, Eduardo Nunez (two), Ichiro Suzuki, and Chris Stewart all singled. Kevin Youkilis and Jayson Nix doubled. Here’s the box score and here’s the rest from Tampa…

• Brennan Boesch (stiff left ribcage) was checked out by the doctors today and he will not play this weekend. The Yankees are off on Monday and the plan is to get him back in a game Tuesday or Wednesday. [Andy McCullough & Bryan Hoch]
• Joe Girardi said he doesn’t expect to make any final roster decisions until the exhibition game against Army at West Point next Saturday. Fifth starter, first base, left field, bench, and Clay Rapada‘s vacant bullpen spot are all up for grabs. [Chad Jennings]
• David Adams played in his first minor league game of the year this afternoon. He had been battling a back injury that required an epidural and kept him out of big league Spring Training. [Josh Norris]
• Jose Campos pitched in a minor league game this afternoon and was sitting 89-91 mph with the fastball in the first inning. He missed basically all of last year with an elbow problem, so it’s good to hear he’s back on the mound. [Norris]
• The Yankees released a handful of minor leaguer pitchers today: righties Cory Arbiso, Pedro Guerra, Will Oliver, Matt Richardson and lefty Matt Bashore. Arbiso was the best of the bunch. [Norris]
• Adam Warren will start against the Rays when they come to Tampa tomorrow. That game will be on YES and MLB.tv (no local blackout).

Here is your open thread for the evening. The Devils, Knicks, and Nets are all playing, plus MLB Network will air a Spring Training game later tonight. Sounds like most people will get the Pirates and Red Sox. Talk about any of that stuff and more right here. Enjoy.

You know these games mean something when #99 is shaking hands after the final out. (AP/Elise Amendola)

The Yankees beat the Twins this afternoon, but Ivan Nova didn’t pitch all that well (five runs in 5.1 innings). After David Phelps got knocked around last night, I guess it was only fair for Nova to return the favor and keep the fifth starter’s competition close. Eduardo Nunez, Corban Joseph, and Thomas Neal all had two hits while Ronnie Mustelier had three. Robinson Cano and Chris Stewart both doubled as well. Here’s the box score and here’s the rest from Tampa…

• Derek Jeter took batting practice on the field this morning and his surgically repaired/cortisone shot ankle came through just fine. “It’s a day-to-day thing. Today was here. We’ll see what happens tomorrow,” said the Cap’n. He doesn’t know what the next step is, but Brian Cashman indicated he could play in a minor league game as soon as tomorrow. [Meredith Marakovits, Chad Jennings & Andy McCullough]
• Hiroki Kuroda threw 88 pitches in seven shutout innings in a minor league game this afternoon, the team announced. Phil Hughes threw 57 pitches in three innings of three-run ball in a separate minor league game, in case you missed it.
• Brennan Boesch was scratched from this afternoon’s lineup with what is officially being called a “stiff left ribcage.” He missed about two weeks with the Tigers earlier in camp because of a right oblique problem, which may or may not mean something. Cashman said Boesch was removed from the lineup as a precaution and won’t play until Sunday at the earliest. [Evan Drellich, McCullough & Bryan Hoch]
• Alex Rodriguez is still doing physical therapy following left hip surgery and hasn’t resumed baseball activities. That’s not much of a surprise. “I think he is doing a lot of work in the pool,’’ said Joe Girardi while Cashman added: “I am not sure when his actual rehab to field activity will take place … Once he does baseball activity we will get him (to Tampa).’’ [George King]
• The Yankees will be in Lakeland tomorrow to play the Tigers. Andy Pettitte will get that start, and he’ll be joined by projected big leaguers Stewart, Travis Hafner, Jayson Nix, Nunez, Brett Gardner, Juan Rivera, and Ichiro Suzuki on the road trip. That game will not be broadcast anywhere, unfortunately.

Here is your open thread for the evenings. The Knicks and Islanders are both playing, plus MLB Network is airing some Spring Training games. Talk about all of that stuff and more. Enjoy.