Latest news with #Trajekt
Hamilton Spectator
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Blue Jays infielder Michael Stefanic embracing role of ‘grimy' player: ‘I love the way he plays the game'
When Michael Stefanic first got the call-up from Triple-A Buffalo to join the Blue Jays earlier this month, manager John Schneider described him as a 'grimy' baseball player who'd do anything and everything to help his team win. He also said that Stefanic reminds him of a slightly shorter Ernie Clement, but with a more defined beard. Both assessments are just fine by Stefanic, the soft-spoken, 29-year-old from Boise, Idaho who has scratched and clawed his way to 272 major-league plate appearances since signing with the Los Angeles Angels as an undrafted free agent in the summer of 2018. 'Ever since spring training, Ernie has been my guy,' the infielder told the Star in a recent interview. 'Obviously, he can pick the heck out of it and swing it, too.' The Clement comparison is a serendipitous one, seeing as the two have gotten close since his call-up, playing cards and chatting about golf between workouts and sessions in the batting cage. The Jays are building a culture by coming out for the anthems as a team. And they just happen to be winning while they do it. The Jays are building a culture by coming out for the anthems as a team. And they just happen to be winning while they do it. 'I love the way he plays the game,' Clement said, adding he takes it as a compliment that Schneider compared the two. 'I think he's shown that he can get the job done even though he's not playing every day.' Clement, who spent the early stages of his career bouncing between the minors and majors with Cleveland, knows the feeling of not knowing when his next at-bat will come. He said Stefanic has navigated the assignment well, despite the limited playing time. 'It's one of the hardest jobs to do in baseball,' Clement said. 'I've had to do it, I've failed at it really bad and I've had some success. You've got to stick around long enough to find what works and he's done that, whether it's in the ninth inning pinch-hitting or going in to play defence, and I think everybody trusts him to get that done.' The two are also similar hitters, at least when it comes to making contact; while Clement has consistently logged above-average contact rates and rarely strikes out, Stefanic has also made solid and consistent contact. Now in his fourth big-league season, Stefanic says he's taking a more methodical approach, using the team's Trajekt machine — an advanced pitching machine that allows hitters to dial in specific pitches and arm angles to simulate in-game scenarios — to prepare for late-game situations. 'I didn't take as much advantage of that with the Angels as I should have. I felt unprepared at times, and that was my own fault,' Stefanic admitted. His impact on the Blue Jays has been minimal — he's logged just 13 plate appearances in a handful of games heading into Tuesday night, but he has three hits and a walk. His presence has been so unnoticeable that a Blue Jays staffer mistakenly called him 'Miles Stefanic' when announcing his entry into a game last week against San Diego as a late-inning replacement. With Gimenez hurt, Ernie Clement, Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes have all proven to be more valuable at a fraction of the cost. With Gimenez hurt, Ernie Clement, Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes have all proven to be more valuable at a fraction of the cost. He was also called upon to pitch in a 13-0 blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, a job often bestowed upon the team's most dispensable player. (He retired the side in order on just seven pitches, then singled in the next half-inning.) His stint in Toronto may be short-lived — he was called up as a temporary replacement for Andrés Giménez, who is on the injured list with a quad strain earlier this month and could return as early as next week — but Stefanic says he's soaking it all in and enjoying the camaraderie of the Blue Jays clubhouse. 'Everybody's pulling for each other,' he said. 'That's an amazing thing to see.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Connor Wong returns to Red Sox roster; backup catcher sent to AAA
BOSTON — Less than four weeks after fracturing his pinky finger, Connor Wong is back with the Red Sox on Friday night. Boston activated Wong from the injured list before its series opener against the Twins and optioned backup catcher Blake Sabol to Triple-A Worcester. Wong is hitting seventh and catching Brayan Bello on Friday. Advertisement Wong, who entered the season as the starter behind the plate, was 2-for-23 (.087) with seven strikeouts in nine games before being injured when George Springer nicked his hand on a catcher's interference during a game on April 7. He recovered rather quickly from the injury and played in three rehab games at Triple-A Worcester this week, going 4-for-11 with one double, one home run, and three RBIs. He also took a number of at-bats against the Trajekt pitch simulator machine in recent days. 'That's the luxury of having Trajekt,' said manager Alex Cora. 'You can have as many at-bats as possible without being on the field. He attacked that the right way. Defensively, the first day, he was off and a little bit hesitant, then yesterday he felt great with the moves.' Wong returns in a bit of a different situation than the one he left as the upstart play of backup catcher Carlos Narváez — who has proven to be elite defensively while providing some pop at the plate — has led to an expected timeshare between the two moving forward. Wong will get his fair share of starts but Narváez is expected to mix in on a consistent basis as well. Cora said he'd take it 'day-by-day' in regards to deciding who will catch. 'Narvy caught the three games in Toronto. We thought it was a good day for Connor to get here and catch Bello,' Cora said. 'He's here and we know he's going to contribute.' Advertisement Sabol, acquired in a minor winter trade with San Francisco, appeared in eight games, making four starts. He hit .125 (2-for-16) with a double and seven strikeouts. Runners attempting to steal off him went 10-for-11. He will return to Triple-A where he will split time with veteran Yasmani Grandal, who decided to stay with the organization for the time being despite holding a May 1 opt-out in his minor league contract. More Red Sox coverage Read the original article on MassLive.
New York Post
08-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Yankees hopeful Giancarlo Stanton will return by end of month
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free From the day he arrived at spring training, Giancarlo Stanton has made it clear he will have to manage the pain in his elbows whenever he returns from the injured list. That day may finally be approaching — perhaps by the end of this month — and after facing live pitching for the first time Tuesday, the veteran DH was feeling good enough to take more batting practice on the field Wednesday as he continues to ramp up his workload. 'I don't want to keep talking about this, because I've been over and over it,' Stanton said Wednesday when asked about the specifics of his elbow pain. 'If I'm out there, I'm good enough to play. There's no levels of anything else.' Stanton and the Yankees have declined to put a timetable on his return from tennis elbows throughout this process, though his recent transfer to the 60-day IL ensured it will not come before May 23. But it may not be long after that if the 35-year-old keeps progressing like he has been lately, especially because as a DH he will not need the typical rehab assignment that most would after missing the first two months of the season. When Stanton has returned from the IL in recent seasons, his rehab assignments (if he took one at all) have lasted just a game or two, because the Yankees feel the work he gets off the Trajekt (a pitching machine that mimics pitch shapes of real major leaguers) and live batting practice sessions are just as beneficial. Stanton indicated Wednesday he would 'probably' need some rehab games depending on which rehabbing teammates were available for him to face in live batting practice before then. 'I know when G.'s in there, he's ready to go,' Boone said before the Yankees' 4-3 comeback win over the Padres in The Bronx. 'He's not going to be in there if he doesn't feel like he can be really productive. I know when that time comes, when he's ready to do that, we should be in a good spot. There is a chance Giancarlo Stanton, who has been out all season with 'tennis elbows,' has a shot to return to the Yankees' lineup by the end of May. Robert Sabo / New York Post CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS 'Hopefully we've done some things in the latter part of the winter into early spring that'll set him up to be a little more physically able to do it and withstand it, but also obviously understand he'll probably deal with some things. But he was dealing with it pretty darn well down the stretch last year.' Jonathan Loáisiga is now on the doorstep of The Bronx, even if he is still about two weeks away from getting there. Nearly 13 months removed from UCL surgery, Loáisiga had his rehab assignment transferred to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he threw two scoreless innings Wednesday on 19 pitches with two strikeouts. Yankees reliever Jonathan Loáisiga, who has been on the injured list, watches a Yankees' game earlier in the season. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post If the righty reliever comes out of that well, the rough schedule for him is to pitch again on Sunday and Tuesday before going back-to-back next Saturday and Sunday — the last hurdle for him to clear. Assuming he does not have any setbacks, Loáisiga could be activated from the IL as early as May 20. 'He looks great,' Boone said. 'I'm really excited about where Lo is. When he was throwing bullpens when we got to Tampa [for spring training], I thought it looked great. Then he had a de-load phase where he backs off a little. He's been really good. He looks good. I'm definitely excited to get him back. 'Lo at his best has been a killer.' DJ LeMahieu went 2-for-3 while playing seven innings at third base Wednesday for SWB. Will Warren and Carlos Rodón are listed as the probable Yankees starters for their first two games against the A's this weekend before 'TBA' on Sunday. That could be when Ryan Yarbrough or Allan Winans slots into the rotation for the DFA'd Carlos Carrasco, though Boone said they would make that decision based on the results of the games Wednesday and Friday — because they may need Yarbrough out of the bullpen before Sunday. Clarke Schmidt is currently scheduled to pitch on his sixth day Monday, though Boone said that could change if needed.
New York Post
07-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Giancarlo Stanton takes massive step as he inches closer to Yankees return
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free Hours before Tuesday's 12-3 win over the Padres, the Yankees witnessed an encouraging sight: Giancarlo Stanton was back in the batter's box in The Bronx and taking competitive at-bats against a pitcher. It represented progress and one more step during a slow buildup process that has an unknown number of steps. Advertisement For the first time this year, Stanton took live at-bats. Facing off against the rehabbing Jake Cousins, the slugger saw 10 pitches in which he hit what would have been a groundout to shortstop and drew a full-count walk. Stanton took a few hacks and looked natural as he makes his way back from the elbow tendinitis in both arms. The same ailment bothered him last year, too, and he has required several injections. The Yankees will leave for six games on the West Coast beginning Friday, during which time Stanton will continue his running progression and hit off the high-velocity Trajekt pitching machine, Aaron Boone said. The manager said he did not know when a rehab assignment will begin or what a rehab assignment will consist of. Stanton no longer plays the field and has bypassed rehab assignments in the past. 3 Giancarlo Stanton (l.) talks to Jazz Chisholm (r.) in the Yankees dugout during a win over the Padres on May 6, 2025. JASON SZENES/NY POST Advertisement 3 Giancarlo Stanton smiles in the Yankees dugout during their win over the Padres on May 6, 2025. Robert Sabo for NY Post Cousins, who also faced J.C. Escarra, threw 15 pitches as he recovers from a right elbow flexor strain. Boone said Cousins 'looked good.' Cousins has said he hopes to be ready by early- to mid-June. 'I don't know what exactly his rehab assignment will look like,' Boone said. 'Might be a little different than everyone else's because we don't need the field component.' Advertisement One day after Devin Williams imploded in an eventual loss, Boone again defended a righty still trying to find his way. Advertisement 'I still maintain, like, this is not a pitcher we're trying to reinvent or a guy that's past his prime,' Boone said after Williams' rough eighth inning Monday. 'This is still an elite [pitcher], and all the stuff there is saying that. … I do feel like it's very close. It's just about controlling counts a little bit better, and once he does, he'll ascend real quick.' Asked if Williams crumbling Monday reset the clock for when he could return to the closer spot, a role that has since been occupied by Luke Weaver, Boone said he didn't think so. It wasn't as if Williams — who went strikeout, walk, single, strikeout, walk before handing off to Weaver with the bases loaded Monday — surrendered homers and other damaging hits. 'I feel like the last few, it's been good,' Boone said. 'And again, I don't feel like it's a situation where he's all over the place. It's just missing a little out of the zone with his fastball.' Aaron Judge (1-for-3 with a walk and his 12th home run of the season) extended his on-base streak to 32 games. Righty Scott Effross (left hamstring strain) threw a scoreless, one-hit, one-strikeout inning as he started a rehab assignment with the FCL Yankees. Advertisement New to the torpedo-bat club: Escarra, whose shipment arrived Tuesday. Top prospect Spencer Jones, who has been playing with Somerset, was placed on the seven-day injured list. Advertisement 3 DJ LeMahieu JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST DJ LeMahieu was bumped from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but his rehab assignment took a day off because SWB's game was rained out. Before the weather interruption, Boone said the plan had been for LeMahieu to play Tuesday and Wednesday before deciding whether he would be ready for a call-up. After Wednesday, the club was anticipating 'a conversation about whether we want him to do more or potentially be in play with us on the road,' Boone said. LeMahieu has gone 7-for-16 with a home run and double during the rehab assignment. Advertisement Paul Goldschmidt received a rare day out of the starting lineup against righty Michael King as the Yankees played Ben Rice at first base and Jasson Domínguez as the designated hitter. 'As well as he's obviously playing for us, I also want to be mindful just what a grind it is for him, especially being where he's at in his career,' Boone said of the 37-year-old Goldschmidt, who pinch hit in the 10-run seventh, was intentionally walked and played the last few innings at first base. Advertisement Boone was riding home from the team's 'welcome home' dinner Saturday night when he got a call that caught him 'off guard': His older brother, Bret, had been hired as Rangers hitting coach. 'Kind of out of nowhere,' Boone said of the job for Bret, a three-time All-Star who had been out of the game and running a podcast. 'I'm excited for him. I think he's in just such a really good place in his life. And I think he has a ton to offer.'
Hamilton Spectator
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Yankees designate veteran RHP Carlos Carrasco for assignment
NEW YORK (AP) — Needing another reliever, the New York Yankees designated struggling starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco for assignment on Tuesday. The Yankees recalled Yerry de Los Santos from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre to replace Carrasco. The right-hander made his only appearance for the Yankees during a doubleheader on April 27 against Toronto and is 1-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 10 appearances in Triple-A. Carrasco was 2-2 with a 5.91 ERA in eight appearances and made six starts for the Yankees, whose rotation began Tuesday with a 3.92 ERA. Carlos Rodón and Max Fried have combined to go 10-3 with a 2.03 ERA while other Yankees starters are 3-6 with a 6.02 ERA. 'It was a tough call, with how we feel about Cookie,' manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees continued a three-game series with the San Diego Padres. 'We've toyed with it for a couple of days now, and just felt like it was the right time.' Injuries to Gerrit Cole (elbow) and Luis Gil (lat) created a spot for Carrasco, who signed a one-year contract on March 22. Carrasco was in spring training on a minor league deal and could have opted out but he was re-signed after posting a 1.69 ERA in five spring training outings, including four starts. Carrasco was 3-10 with a 5.64 ERA in 21 starts for Cleveland last season. In 15 seasons, Carrasco has a 112-105 record and 4.18 ERA. He led the American League in wins in 2017, when he was 18-6 with Cleveland and also was named the 2019 AL Comeback Player of the Year following a return from leukemia. 'What I told him is, 'I've always admired him from across the diamond,'' Boone said. 'We got to see it up close, in what a phenomenal human being Carlos is, with the class with which he carries himself. It really was a pleasure to be around him for these last couple of months, and who knows? He may be back here.' Boone did not immediately say who would take Carrasco's spot. The Yankees may use Ryan Yarbrough, who pitched four scoreless innings filling in for Clarke Schmidt on Saturday. Another option Boone hinted at is Allan Winans, who has pitched 14 scoreless innings in Triple-A. Stanton faces live pitching Giancarlo Stanton, recovering from epicondylitis in both elbows since the start of spring training , took two at-bats and saw 10 pitches in a live batting practice session from reliever Jake Cousins, who is rehabbing a right elbow flexor strain. Stanton is expected to remain in New York during the upcoming West Coast trip and continue rehabbing against the high-velocity Trajekt machine. 'I thought his at-bats were really good,' Boone said. 'Cousins is not an easy at-bat for a righty, especially. I thought Cousins looked good and G looked like he was controlling the at-bats pretty well.' ___ AP MLB:
