MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Aaron Judge and Spencer Jones both went deep on Saturday as the Yankees steamrolled the Detroit Tigers 20-3. Jones’ homer was no cheapy, leaving the bat at 111.7 mph and traveling an official 408 feet (though the outfielder chided that metric as conservative). Judge expressed optimism about Jones’ reworked swing. “He doesn’t have a big leg kick and doesn’t have to worry about trying to get that down,” the Yankees captain said. “I liked the results I saw in that first at-bat. That quickness, that readiness, it’s really going to be a game-changer for him.”
For his part, Judge homered twice, quickly rounding into form as he prepares for the World Baseball Classic. “(With) the WBC, you don’t want to get exposed,” he said after the game in reference to his goal of ramping up quickly this spring. “You’re playing for your country. You’ve got to be ready to go.”
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The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: ($) A sewage leak engulfed George M. Steinbrenner Field Saturday as the Yankees put a hurting on the Tigers. The unwelcome visitor intruded on the team’s clubhouse as well as its team store, public concourse, and decorative pond. In addition to an unfortunate odor, the leak provided some all-time quotes. “It’s not great. It’s all over the place,” said manager Aaron Boone, adding circumspectly, “Life gets you sometimes.” But it was the team’s official spokesperson who delivered the doozy of the day via a quietly philosophical thought: “It’s spring training for the toilets, too.”
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Gerrit Cole looked sharp Friday in his first action against live hitters since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. Facing Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Jasson Domínguez, the 2023 Cy Young Award winner threw 20 pitches, topping out at 96 mph. “Everything felt good. I had a good bit of fun,” he said Saturday. “It was the first day where I was unregulated. The mindset was performance. It’s nice when you get to that point and your objective is to go execute and not think about anything else. It was rewarding and refreshing.” Cole also used a new over-the-head windup that he’s toying with carrying into the season.
The Yankees are also looking to get third baseman Ryan McMahon some action at shortstop so he’s available there to boost their flexibility during the season. “I’m a ballplayer,” the veteran, who made two appearances at short in 2020, said nonchalantly about the new position. “I’m a ballplayer. I think I can go out there and catch the ball, and we’ll see how it looks.”
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