The Yankees defeated the Tampa Bay Rays by a score of 3-2 on Tuesday afternoon.
Here are the key takeaways…
— J.C. Escarra, likely to make the Opening Day roster as the backup catcher, blasted a 438-foot solo home run in the second inning to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead.
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Escarra went 3-for-4 at the plate and also threw a runner out trying to steal second base in the bottom of the seventh inning.
— Will Warren continued his strong spring on the mound. The right-hander cruised through his first four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. But he allowed a pair of singles to start the fifth, and with his pitch count in the mid-60s, his day ended there.
Cade Winquest allowed one of those inherited runners to score, so Warren’s final line read 4.0+ innings, one earned run on three hits, four strikeouts, and one walk. His spring ERA is still very impressive at 1.77.
–It was a quiet day overall for the Yankees offense, until the ninth. Ben Rice, serving as the DH, went 0-for-4 with three runners left on base in his first four at-bats, but in a rare fifth spring at-bat, he ripped a single to give the Yankees runners at first and third with nobody out in the ninth inning. Coby Morales, a non-roster player, would drive in a pair to put the Yankees up late.
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— Jasson Dominguez went 0-for-3 with a walk. Ryan McMahon, starting at shortstop, went 1-for-4.
–Oswaldo Cabrera, continuing his recovery from last season’s devastating ankle injury, went 0-for-2. He remains hitless this spring in eight at-bats.
HighlightsWhat’s next
The Yankees host the Boston Red Sox at 1:05 p.m. on Wednesday, with Gerrit Cole expected to make his spring debut.