Journeyman reliever Lucas Luetge gets a role in the Yankees box



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The Yankees’ survey box will be significantly different from what they expect when the season kicks off Thursday.

Aroldis Chapman will be out as he served a two-game suspension for throwing near the header of Mike Brosseau of Tampa Bay last season, and Justin Wilson will be on the injured list after feeling shoulder strain during the match. spring training. Wilson started a bullpen session on Wednesday and is expected for the first road trip.

Then there’s Lucas Luetge, the 33-year-old journeyman who hasn’t played in the majors since 2015 but has had a terrific spring and officially made the roster on Wednesday.

“He came to camp and had expectations around him, but there was a really good competition,” said manager Aaron Boone. “We could have taken many different ways to reach this place. It’s hard to deny what Lucas has been up to since the start of camp. He’s made his way onto the list and I can’t wait to see what he can do for us.

Luetge has appeared in 10 Grapefruit League games and gave up just a pair of runs in 10 10 / ₃ innings, despite walking just two. Where the southpaw really parted was with his 18 strikeouts.

Lucas luetge
Lucas luetge
New York Post: Charles Wenzelberg

“He came in and absolutely dominated hitters,” said Chad Green. “That’s what you have to do to form a team. It is fun to watch.

An AL Scout who saw Luetge throughout the spring said, “It’s easy to be fooled by what you see at this time of year, but his business looked good.”

Luetge will have the opportunity to prove it, provided he gets the chance before Wilson returns.

And without Chapman, Boone again said on Wednesday that he would not point to a closer, but rather confrontations.

“Certainly, green or [Darren] O’Day or anyone else [could close]Boone said. “I wouldn’t hesitate to use these guys in high leverage [situation] before a backup situation.


Mike Tauchman found work alongside Jay Bruce in Wednesday’s practice at Yankee Stadium, and Boone hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Tauchman spending time there with Luke Voit after knee surgery.

“We’ll see,” Boone said.

The coach added that Tauchman needed to get a few innings to position in one of the Yankees’ final spring training games before Tauchman fouled his right shin, putting him on the sidelines for a few days.

“We try as much as possible with our guys to try to create as much versatility [as we can]Boone said, highlighting the smaller number of positional players on the rosters as the teams look to add pitching depth.


Aaron Judge has taken up batting practice and is “ready to go” for Thursday, according to Boone, after the right fielder misses the last three games of spring training – the last of which due to being “under pressure. time ”, possibly due to allergies. .


The Yankees made a number of moves on Wednesday.

They signed a contract with Lefty Luetge in the major league and selected him from the list of 40 players. They put Miguel Andujar on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, with carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist.

They placed LHP Zack Britton on the 60-day injured list with a left elbow spur and placed Voir on the 10-day injured list with a left knee medial meniscus injury, retroactive to Monday.

Wilson was placed on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation, also backdated to Monday.

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