Spring training concluded without any injuries (yay!) and Curtis Mead confirmed his winning of the 1B job by hitting 324/405/541 with 2 HR and 7 RBI. Brandon Lowe had a big spring with 5 HR and 12 RBI to go with a .375 average so hopefully that portends some positive regression after his miserable 2022.
Among the pitchers, Shane Baz had a rough spring with 6 homers allowed in 11 innings but Luis Patino was a combined 13 7 0 0 4 19 in his 3 starts (I only play a 3-week schedule of exhibition games).
Anyway, here's the roster. We had to DFA Josh Fleming and Luke Raley due to their being out of options.
C-Vazquez, Mejia
1B-Mead
2B-B.Lowe
SS-W.Franco
3B-Toro
IF-Walls, A.Vaughn (DH)
OF-Arozarena, J.Lowe, H.Ramos, E.Ruiz, F.Reyes (DH)
SP-Glasnow, Rasmussen, McClanahan, Baz, Patino
MR-Beeks, Gau, Raley, Feyereisen
SU-Kittredge, Springs, Fairbanks
CL-N.Anderson
Anderson is the nominal closer but I will use any of those listed under setup to close as well.
The preseason predictions:
We're considered the best of a bad lot in the AL East with the defending champ Yankees really looking down after all their losses this offseason. We'll find out just how down they are as we open the new season with 4 games at Yankee Stadium.