TAMPA — The Yankees have talked about lots of their pitchers getting into spring coaching with a greater basis from their offseason work.
Ron Marinaccio has taken that actually.
A stress response in his shin late within the 2022 season restricted his offseason preparation getting into 2023, when he took a step again from his sturdy rookie season.
This offseason, although, Marinaccio was in a position to get in all of his lower-half energy coaching, giving him a greater basis that the Yankees consider can assist him bounce again as a bullpen contributor in 2024.
“I don’t assume he had an excellent base coming into camp final 12 months, simply from the shortage of lower-half energy work and energy growth,” pitching coach Matt Blake mentioned Saturday. “I feel he was enjoying from behind the 8 ball final 12 months and it snowballed on him slightly bit.”
After working his method into some higher-leverage appearances early within the 2023 season, Marinaccio had a 4.08 ERA with 27 walks in 47 ¹/₃ innings by July 31 when the Yankees optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
His supply had gotten out of whack, which particularly harm for a pitcher who depends on deception.
Issues didn’t get any higher as soon as Marinaccio acquired to Triple-A because the right-hander struggled to an 8.80 ERA with 18 walks in 15 ¹/₃ innings.
However with a full offseason below his belt — and feeling stronger in his legs — Marinaccio has an opportunity to reclaim a spot within the Yankees bullpen, particularly with Scott Effross on the 60-day injured record to start out the 12 months.
“He’s an element for us if we are able to maintain him wholesome and get him behind the ball,” Blake mentioned.
Marinaccio threw two innings of stay batting observe Saturday and, after permitting some loud contact early, acquired sharper and flashed an improved slider as his third pitch.
“He’s most likely in pretty much as good a spot as he’s been in in a pair years,” supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned.
For somebody who not too long ago strained his calf, Jose Trevino remains to be doing loads.
The Yankees catcher arrived at spring coaching with the lower-leg challenge that Boone mentioned would maintain him out of the primary week or two of Grapefruit League video games.
However Trevino has nonetheless been catching bullpen classes — together with Clarke Schmidt’s stay session Saturday — together with some working and not too long ago began hitting, as nicely.
“He’s doing nicely,” Boone mentioned. “However he’s not prepared, like he couldn’t play in a sport and run full-bore. However all the things else he’s just about doing now. He’s most likely a pair weeks behind, however in a position to do fairly a bit.”
New lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson was one in every of 9 Yankees who threw stay batting observe Saturday earlier than the rain arrived at Steinbrenner Area.
“Elite fastball,” Boone mentioned. “Now simply tinkering along with his completely different slider/cutters. … He’s been good and as marketed.”