Yankees News and Notes: Ryan’s Injury Sparks Series of Moves

Ryan (USA Today Sports)

With Opening Day right round the corner, there is still plenty going on with the New York Yankees as they try to finalize their roster. Here is the latest out of spring training:

• Brendan Ryan suffered a Grade 2 strain in his right calf on Wednesday when he went to field a ground ball in the sixth inning. The injury, which means Ryan will not ready for Opening Day on April 6, inspired a series of other decisions from the Yankees in an attempt to figure out their depth chart in the middle of the infield.

• Directly responding to Ryan’s injury, the Yankees went out and acquired Gregorio Petit from the Houston Astros for a player to be named or cash considerations. Petit, who has played just 62 major league games over parts of three season for the Astros and Oakland A’s, can pick it at second base, third base and shortstop. The 30-year-old seems like a lock to break camp with the big league club.

• Stephen Drew, the Yankees starting second baseman, will now serve as the team’s backup shortstop as well. Drew made his first appearance at short this spring on Thursday.

• The Yankees starting shortstop, Didi Gregorius, says he is ready to go for Opening Day after spraining his left wrist last week.

• The Yankees also announced that Adam Warren had won the final spot in the rotation on Wednesday. Warren is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA and just one walk in 16.2 innings this spring. New York’s rotation now looks as such: Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, CC Sabathia, Nathan Eovaldi and Warren.

Adam Warren (USA Today Sports)

• On Thursday the Yankees reassigned Nick Noonan, Eddy Rodriguez and Robert Refsnyder to minor league camp. Many had thought that Refnsyder’s chances of making the team had increased after Ryan’s injury, but instead the Yankees traded for Petit. That move may have been for the best, as keeping Refsnyder in the minors allows him to play everyday, get his at-bats and work on his defense at second base. Had he made the Yankees, it would have likely been as a reserve.

• The team also optioned Chase Whitley to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. That move likely means Chasen Shreve and Chris Martin will fill out the last two spots in the bullpen.