Cam Schlitter back on the mound
The lack of concern the Yankees expressed over Schlittler's mid-back inflammation was validated on Tuesday, as the right-hander returned to the bullpen mound in Tampa for the first time since being slowed down late last week.
Schlittler, whose minor back-lat issue emerged a few weeks ago, was limited to flat ground throwing over the weekend. But the 25-year-old's precautionary break from mound work has ended, and the Yanks don't believe the interruption to his program put him behind schedule for Opening Day.
"Went good. Something we weren't overly concerned about, just being where we are in the calendar," manager Aaron Boone said. "Just wanted to make sure it didn't turn into something bigger. Everything went well, accordingly. Keep moving forward."
The Yankees are relying on Schlitter to be a rotation mainstay, considering their regular season will start with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt on the injured list.
Schlittler, who made his big league debut last summer, registered a laudable 2.96 ERA with 84 strikeouts across 14 starts (73.0 innings). He delivered his most impressive performance in the AL Wild Card Series, when he punched out 12 in an eight-inning shutout over the Red Sox.
All Jazz'd Up
While the offseason trade rumors involving Jazz Chisholm Jr. never intensified, his long-term value to New York became a hot topic of conversation.
The veteran infielder, who avoided arbitration with a $10.2 million deal for 2026, is currently slated to test free agency next winter. Chisholm hopes his career continues in pinstripes, even though the status of extension talks is unclear.
When asked about Chisholm's mindset entering a contract year, Boone sounded extremely confident in the reigning Silver Slugger embracing team and personal expectations without any hitches.
"I feel like he's in a really good frame of mind. He's incredibly confident, for good reason, in his ability to go out there," Boone said. "If he goes out there, goes to the post and does his thing, and hopefully keeps improving his game, he's going to put himself in a real good position."
Chisholm is coming off a highlight 2025 season, in which he slashed .242/.332/.481 with a career-high 31 home runs and 31 stolen bases in 130 games. He finished as one of just seven players to produce a 30-30 campaign.
Boone chuckled when he heard Chisholm's latest goal is to achieve a 50-50 season, but he tried his best not to rule out the two-time All-Star's lofty plan.
"We'll be in a good spot if he does," Boone said with a smile. "It's hard to put a ceiling on him. He went 30-30 last year and missed a month and didn't run for two months. He's capable of some special things between the lines."
Grapefruit League opener revealed
While there was some speculation on rising prospect Carlos Lagrange starting the Grapefruit League opener, Boone announced Elmer Rodríguez-Cruz will get the ball on Friday against the Orioles in Sarasota.
Rodríguez-Cruz, named the Yankees' Minor League Player of the Year in 2025 by Baseball America, registered a 2.58 ERA with 176 strikeouts across three levels, finishing the season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.