New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Ben Rice didn’t exactly raise eyebrows with his first base defense last year, and when he did it wasn’t in a good way. The young Yankee cost his team some outs down the stretch and in the playoffs, especially when it came to his footwork around the bag and tracking popups. It’s only been two games, but Mr. Arroz seems to be handling himself much better at the cold corner, making three plays at first on Sunday that it would be hard to imagine him pulling off in 2025. The Yankees see this as a strong step forward in his development, and proof that his work ethic and coachability can be a major asset.
FanGraphs | David Laurila: I’m writing this ahead of Ryan Weathers’ first start of the season, coming Monday night against the Mariners. The offseason acquisition went deep on the sharp, splitter-like changeup he developed in the Marlins’ bullpen last year, and effective use of the offspeed offering will likely be a big part of whether the southpaw sticks in the Yankee rotation this season. By the time you read this, you’ll already have seen how MLB hitters react to Weathers’ repertoire, and hopefully it’s “poorly.”
New York Post | Dan Martin: It’s been quite the 12 months for David Bednar. The Yankee closer was demoted to Triple-A while still with the Pirates last year, a wakeup call and chance for adjustment that he wasn’t going to get while facing big-league pitching. The right-hander needed just five outings with Pittsburgh’s Indianapolis affiliate to get himself back on track, and he almost immediately re-asserted himself as one of the best relievers in baseball. After two clean saves to start the year with the Yankees, Bednar credits that reset for a major piece of his success since.
The Associated Press: A melancholy happy trails to Ken Clay, who passed away last week at the age of 71. Clay spent five seasons in the majors, peaking with two World Series rings with the 1977 & ‘78 Yankee teams (despite George Steinbrenner’s criticisms). Our best to his family and loved ones.
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