LAKELAND, Fla. — Greg Bird capped off a four-run first inning for the Yankees on Wednesday with a three-run homer to left field off Tigers starter Michael Fulmer. He went 1-for-2 with the home run and a strikeout as the Tigers won 10-4 in a game that was called after
LAKELAND, Fla. — Greg Bird capped off a four-run first inning for the Yankees on Wednesday with a three-run homer to left field off Tigers starter Michael Fulmer. He went 1-for-2 with the home run and a strikeout as the Tigers won 10-4 in a game that was called after six innings due to rain.
The home run came on a 3-2 pitch, with Bird looking for — and getting — a fastball that he could take to the opposite field.
“That was nice. That was really nice,” Bird said. “Ideally that’s where I’d like to be with my swing.”
Bird, who was in the designated hitter role, is competing with Luke Voit to be the everyday first baseman. Voit, who played first base Wednesday, went 0-for-1 with a walk.
Injuries over the past three seasons have kept Bird from establishing himself in the Yankees lineup, but he said he’s in a “good place” right now.
“It’s very nice, I still think there’s things I need to work on,” Bird said. “Just getting the game reps again, getting on the field and just getting used to it again.”
Bird said he’s trying to do less with his swing this year and that should lead to more production at the plate.
“I’m back to where I need to be, using my legs to hit,” Bird said. “That controls my swing, and less is more. You’re not swinging with your upper body, you’re swinging with your lower half.”
Staying focused
Manager Aaron Boone said one thing he’s tried to convey to his talented young infielders Miguel Andújar and Gleyber Torres is to focus on doing the right things to become better all-around ballplayers and not to worry about trying to outdo their production from last season.
“I think they both want to be really good at this game,” Boone said. “I think they are both going to play in this league and be impact players and have long careers. If their process is strong and they are working on their game in the right way, they’ll grow in that regard and that will show up over the long term.”
Andujar, who was 0-for-2 and scored a run Wednesday, said he’s just trying to practice hard and expects the work to carry over into the games.
“My mentality is to give my best every day — that doesn’t change,” Andujar said. “I want to play my hardest, enjoy my teammates and keep having fun.”
When asked about his thoughts on the eight-year, $260 million contract that Nolan Arenado agreed to with the Rockies, Andujar said, “I want to be like [him] one day.
“Joking aside, it doesn’t impact the position where I find myself,” Andujar said. “I just want to keep enjoying the game and everything that happens around the game.”
Adams struggles in first start
Chance Adams was able to throw strikes in his first start of the spring Wednesday, but he was hit hard by the Tigers. He allowed five runs on four hits — three doubles and a triple — while recording just one out.
Adams threw 17 of his 24 pitches for strikes, but he struggled to capitalize on good counts.
“It wasn’t what I wanted,” Adams said. “I was getting ahead of hitters, but I just wasn’t throwing good two-strike pitches.”
Adams, a right-hander once considered the Yankees’ No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, took a step back in 2018, going 4-5 with a 4.78 ERA over 27 games (23 starts) at Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. He made his MLB debut in September as a reliever, but Boone believes that Adams can still be a starter.
“I’d like to see him to continue to start and establish himself in that role,” Boone said. “This is an important year for him.”
Adams says he feels better and believes his velocity is up from last year. Whether Adams is a starter or a reliever, he says he just wants to be better.
“Whatever I can do to help the team win,” Adams said. “I’m just going to go out with an attack mentality.”
Up Next
The Yankees will have lefties on the mound each of the next two days. J.A. Happ will make the start Thursday against the Pirates, while James Paxton will take the hill Friday against the Orioles at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
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