SARASOTA, Florida – Jay Bruce is scheduled for exclusion on March 25.
But the camper and Yankees first baseman made another effort Saturday night not to have to make a big decision.
Adding to his case to make the Yankees ’26-man roster, Bruce provided additional evidence that he was healthy when he got a sliding catch in the left field run during a 2-1 loss to the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium.
“I’m very proud of my defense,” Bruce said. “I am just fine. My body feels really good physically. I’m in a good place. “
As for the exclusion from the contract, Bruce said the decision did not correspond to him at all.
“I’m the wrong person to ask myself when it’s going to be a tough decision or not,” said Bruce, who now beats 6-on-26 with two homers in 11 games. “I really have no control over it. I know I came to train in the spring physically ready to start. It seems to me that I have shown that I am capable of handling various positions. My swing is fine.
“It simply came to our notice then. I do not know. I’m really looking forward to finding out. My goal is to keep preparing for the season and I hope to help the club. “
Giancarlo Stanton’s return to the field will not come in spring training. Yankees coach Aaron Boone opened the door last month for the slugger to perform on the field this season, but Stanton said Saturday he would not pass until the team withdrew from the field.
“During the season, that’s the plan,” Stanton said. “But as the discussions continued, Boonie and I talked about how they would need me later, the first month or two. Therefore, now it is not so important to be ready to start the season, in a few weeks ”.
Stanton said getting a game action on the field this spring wouldn’t be very useful if he wasn’t going to play in a game outside the gates of the regular season.
“If I go in from time to time, I don’t go out for three or four weeks, it’s the same as making sure I’m ready to go into practice,” Stanton said. “So that’s the thought of it.”
Mike King, after eliminating six and allowing four runs in Saturday’s outing, said his goal this season is to pitch 100 innings with the Yankees, no matter how they come.
“I don’t care where they are, if they’re ripped off, straps, long relief, whatever,” King said. “But I think if I can bring 100 solid innings to this team, I think it would be very beneficial for this season.”
Clint Frazier was initially scheduled to make the trip and play in Saturday’s game, but the Yankees retained him in Tampa. The player on the left tweeted that he was “okay.”