One Good, One Bad (Spring Training)

By Andrew Hefner

March 21, 2025

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My takeaways of a big spring matchup - The first “one good, one bad”.

As the clouds broke and the rain subsided in Sarasota, Florida, the Yankees were once again ready to take the field as a rain delay had pushed back the beginning of the preseason matchup versus the division rival Orioles. In rare fashion, captain Aaron Judge made an appearance on the road in spring training, along with a squad containing what many would describe as almost an opening-day lineup for the boys in pinstripes. Set to be a spring nail-biter, the results did not disappoint as in the end the Bombers walked away victorious, yet still with much to learn just a week away from the stadium.

Let’s talk about some “good” and “bad” from the Yankees' spring win last night versus the Baltimore Orioles. 

Good

The Lineup Works: 

Although not the strongest lineup manager Aaron Boone could have put out, the main pieces still stuck and made their mark. As mentioned, Aaron Judge made the trip to Sarasota, and despite not recording a single hit, his two walks and runs scored still made their mark on the game as a whole. The all-around idea that the Yankees rely too heavily on just a few players has been a constant theme over the years but for the first time, there appears to be a real sense of not only teamwork but that the players are trusting each other to make the big play happen. In last night's case, Jazz Chisolm and others were able to come through in these moments, and I hope that this new Yankees way will continue. 

Ian Hamilton:

Although not perfect, the middle innings of the game following Will Warren’s departure were, in all honesty, a breath of fresh air. With the full Orioles squad still in the game, a fresh Ian Hamilton, yet to play this spring, only gave up one run on three hits, striking out all three other batters faced, and going a perfect 12 for 12 on pitches thrown to strikes called. Hamilton will most likely end up in a set-up or middle relief spot in the bullpen, so seeing him perform well in his first appearance was encouraging and I hope that his spring tune-up will be swift so he will be available as early as possible. 

Jazz Chisolm Jr.:

I’ve now had the pleasure of seeing Chisolm this spring twice and both games were the most exciting spring shows I have ever witnessed. The energy that he provides to this squad is unmatched and his performances thus far have been extremely encouraging as the season nears. In the matchup with the O’s, Jazz went 2-3, with 5 RBIs, a Home Run, and a run scored. His approach at the plate appears much improved to previous years and especially in one at-bat his patience paid off as he was able to mash a ball over the right-center wall to drive in three. Of course, in typical Chisolm fashion, he took a minute to admire the ball before completing his iconic 3-step home run celebration as he rounded the bases. Some may say he is too much of a showman or he is overly celebrating in spring, but I say he brings the spirit that this team so badly lacks at times. 

Bad (Less Encouraging)

Dominguez Defense:

A fun alliteration, with a not-so-fun underlying message as once again I left the ballpark with more to be desired out of Jasson Dominguez on the defensive side of the ball. Although not a catchable ball by any stretch, one moment stuck out to me. When Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman launched a ball to left that would end up dropping into the seats, Dominguez continued back appearing to be tracking it, yet when he made his jump at the wall, he was at least five feet to the left of where the ball landed. I am not sure if this was meant to be this way or if there was another reason for the confusion, but if it was a true mistake, not tracking a home run ball that close to the wall could prove to be another issue on defense for Dominguez. I do hope he succeeds in the position this year but for now, it leaves much to be desired. 

Will Warren:

I do not want to discount the spring that Will Warren has had with what I am going to say about his outing, but it was still disappointing nonetheless and some serious issues still need to be fixed. Warren’s outing reminded me very much of a “Gerrit Cole type" start as it appeared dominant and in control early yet just a few misplaced pitches spelled trouble. In Warren’s case, two pitches ended up on the other side of the fence, and if not for the excellent offense last night, would have put the Yanks into a big hole. I think Warren will be a strong starting pitcher this season, but Matt Blake still needs some time with him to iron out the kinks that could spell trouble in the future. 

Final thoughts 

I very much enjoyed attending this game and the others across the last week, and it was nice to get a good preview of what the Yankees are actually going to look like this season. I am excited for all that is to come!

Happy almost opening day and enjoy the last few spring tune-up days, as pretty soon the boys will be back in the Bronx.