NJ.com | Randy Miller: When Spencer Jones launched a ball deep into the Tampa sky and out of George M. Steinbrenner Stadium in his first plate appearances this spring, Yankees fans were immediately reminded of the towering moonshots that Aaron Judge gives us so regularly in the Bronx. However, eagle-eyed fans, aware not of the flying ball, but of the center fielder’s swing, would have recalled another multiple-time MVP winner: Shohei Ohtani. The 24-year-old left-handed hitter spent the winter once again trying to rework his swing to reduce his strikeouts without sacrificing his power, and this year he’s adopted a stance that even judge and manager Aaron Boone describes as Ohtani’s. Hopefully the results will start to look similar too.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: The prevailing assumption right now is that once shortstop Anthony Volpe completes his rehabilitation from offseason shoulder surgery, he will return to the starting role he has held, somewhat disappointingly compared to expectations, since Opening Day 2023. That being said, José Caballero has a chance to make the decision difficult. Acquired at the trade deadline from the Tampa Bay Rays, Caballero immediately injected energy into the Yankees’ lineup with both his speed and his ability to play all over the field. Now, with over a month left to play shortstop to start the season, Caballero has a chance to show that he should stay in the lineup and once again pair with his minor league double play partner, Jazz Chisholm.
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Athletics | Brendan Kuty: (subscription required, but same report found somewhere else) Former Yankees radio announcer John Sterling visited Rickie Ricardo on WFAN yesterday and gave us some news: He suffered a heart attack in January. Fortunately, Sterling said “everything is fine” and has spent the last few weeks in bed watching the Winter Olympics while recovering.
