Today the Yankees lineup gets a little weird. Joe Girardi has played around with the order over the first few days of the season. With Mark Teixeira out with a hamstring strain, Girardi is trying everything he can to bring the team's offense to life. It seemed we had a solution with Kelly Johnson at first base, but now we have a startling turn of events:
Yankees lineup vs. O's: Gardner 7 Jeter 6 Ellsbury 8 Beltran 9 Soriano DH McCann 2 Cervelli 3 Roberts 4 Solarte 5 Nova RHP
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) April 8, 2014That's right, Francisco Cervelli will be today's starting first baseman because this is where we are right now. Johnson needs a day off and they are trying to get Cervelli's bat in the lineup. It's a really good thing the Yankees didn't invest in any form of backup first baseman, but this should be fun!
The Yankees had a nice home opener with a win over the Orioles, but misfortune fell on them in the hours that followed. It was announced that David Robertson would need to go onto the disabled list with a strained groin. The Yankees only had three options to replace him: Preston Claiborne, Cesar Cabral, or Shane Greene. They chose to bring up Cabral, making him the THIRD lefty in the bullpen and the SECOND LOOGY along with Matt Thornton.
If Claiborne isn't a major league option, then I think it's time for them to cut him loose. The Yankees 40-man roster is filled with plenty of unusable players as it is. They have five catchers and plenty of prospects not yet ready to make the team. Taking Claiborne off the roster would allow the Yankees to add someone that might actually be of some use.
UPDATE:
Girardi said Kelley is the #Yankees closer until Robertson gets back, but he isn't available today. Girardi doesn't know who would close.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgeccastillo) April 8, 2014Awesome! So Adam Warren Dellin Betances is the new closer?