by By Lou DiPietro, YES Network
The New York Yankees kick off their Grapefruit League schedule this afternoon, and they’re heading across the Clarence Campbell Causeway to Clearwater for a 1 p.m. date with the Phillies.
Adam Warren draws the start today, with Luis Severino, Jacob Lindgren, Branden Pinder, Nick Goody, and Diego Moreno slated to pitch behind Warren and the quartet of Danny Burawa, Kyle Davies, Chasen Shreve and Tyler Webb also on the trip.
Appearances would mark the first-ever major-league spring action for both top prospect Severino and top 2014 draftee Lindgren, and manager Joe Girardi is excited to see Severino in action.
“He’s a strike-thrower with very good stuff,” the skipper said Tuesday morning. “I thought his second BP session was better than the first; you saw growth, and him getting more comfortable. I don’t expect (pitchers) to be in mid-season form their first BP, but he’s pretty calm, and he’s a worker, too.”
The starting lineup contains two familiar names at the top, two key 2015 reserves in the three and four spots, two players competing for roster spots behind them, and a trio of non-roster invitees in the bottom third. The full group:
Jacoby Ellsbury CF (Navajo)
Brett Gardner LF
Chris Young RF
Garrett Jones 1B
Jose Pirela 2B
Austin Romine C
Kyle Roller DH
Jonathan Galvez 3B
Nick Noonan SS
The second string behind them today is quite prospect-heavy, with catcher John Ryan Murphy, first baseman Greg Bird, second baseman Rob Refsnyder, shortstop Cito Culver, third baseman Cole Figueroa, left fielder Slade Heathcott, center fielder Jake Cave, and right fielder Aaron Judge.
Mason Williams is slated in as the second DH, and both catcher Francisco Arcia and outfielder Tyler Austin are on the trip as well.
Today’s game is the first of several spring “firsts” for the Yankees, who will then tomorrow play their first home game and first YES Network televised game, also against the Phillies, at Steinbrenner Field.
