The Yankees topped the Pirates, 6-5, in Grapefruit League action on Wednesday night.
Here are the main takeaways from Wednesday’s game …
– The Yankees got another strong start from Domingo German, as the right-hander allowed just one hit over three innings of work, striking out three Pirates along the way.
– Aroldis Chapman made his highly-anticipated spring debut, and he looked as sharp as ever, striking out two Pirates in a scoreless inning of work. Chapman also showed off his impressive new splitter, which could become a game-changer for him as he adds it to his repertoire.
– Sticking in the bullpen, Darren O’Day pitched a scoreless inning of work in the fifth, but things fell apart for Justin Wilson in the sixth. After striking out the first batter he faced, Wilson allowed a solo home run to Jared Oliva and then loaded the bases for Brian Goodwin, who smacked a grand slam to tie the game. Wilson was charged with five runs (four earned) in one third of an inning.
– Chad Green, whon the Yankees may have to rely on even more heavily following Zack Britton’s elbow surgery, pitched a spotless top of the seventh inning, striking out the side on just 13 pitches.
– On the offensive side of things, the Yankees clubbed a couple of impressive home runs of their own, as Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres went back-to-back in the third inning. If those two bats can stay healthy, they would obviously provide a huge boost for the Yankees’ lineup.
– Aaron Judge and Brett Gardner each had a pair of hits, including a double from Gardner in the fifth inning.
– In the bottom of the eighth inning, veteran catcher Robinson Chirinos was hit on the right hand by a Blake Cederlind pitch and was removed form the game.
What’s next
The Yankees are back in action on Thursday afternoon when they visit the Phillies in Clearwater, Fla. at 1:05 p.m..