SARASOTA, Fla. – Jay Bruce has an opt-out lurking on March 25.
But the outfielder / first baseman of the Yankees made another attempt on Saturday-evening to avoid making a decision at all.
In addition to his case to make it to the Yankees’ 26-man roster, Bruce provided further evidence that he was healthy when he made a sliding catch on the point in left field in a 2-1 loss to the Orioles in Ed Smith Stage.
“I am very proud of my defense,” said Bruce. “I feel very good. My body feels great physically. I am in a good place.”
As for the opt-out in his contract, Bruce said the decision was not entirely his.
“I’m the wrong person to ask if it’s going to be a tough decision,” said Bruce, who now hits 6-for-26 with two homeruns in 11 games. “I don’t really have control over that. I know that I have come physically ready for spring training. I feel like I have shown that I am capable of handling multiple functions. My swing feels good.
So we’ll see in five days. I do not know. I’m curious to find out. My goal is to keep getting ready for the season and I hope to help the club. “
Giancarlo Stanton’s return to the outfield will not take place during spring practice. Yankees manager Aaron Boone opened the door last month for the slugger who got some action in the outfield this season, but Stanton said on Saturday that it wouldn’t happen until the team made camp.
“During the season, that’s the plan,” said Stanton. But as the discussions progressed, Boonie and I talked about how I’ll be needed later, in the first two months. So it’s not that important to just be ready to go during the season a few weeks later. “
Stanton said getting game action in the outfield this spring wouldn’t be of great help if he didn’t play there in the regular season in a game straight out of the gates.
“If I go in there every now and then, I don’t go there for three or four weeks, it’s like making sure I’m ready to go in practice,” said Stanton. “So that’s the thought on that.”
Mike King, after six strikeouts and a run in four innings from Saturday’s start, said his goal this season is to throw 100 innings with the Yankees – no matter how they come.
“I don’t care where they are, whether they start, piggyback, long relief, whatever it is,” said King. “But I think if I can contribute 100 solid innings to this team, I think it would be very beneficial this season.”
Clint Frazier was originally going to make the trip and play in Saturday’s game, but the Yankees stopped him in Tampa. The left fielder tweeted that he was “okay”.