Yankees: Clint Frazier predicted Tuesday homer in savage pregame text

Mar 16, 2021; Lakeland, Florida, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Clint Frazier (77) singles during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2021; Lakeland, Florida, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Clint Frazier (77) singles during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier is the all-caps STARTING LEFT FIELDER entering 2021, and he’s spent all spring making the position his own.

We have enough of a sample size of Frazier’s talent by now to know that, if he brings his locked-in attitude to every game he plays, he’ll thrive.

And treating a random spring training game like a showcase is a pretty good way to start.

Frazier went 3-for-3 with a monstrous home run to left off Tigers reliever Bryan Garcia, but his first two hits came against Michael Fulmer, the former All-Star (and Yankees trade target?) who boasts an unsightly 15.00 ERA this spring.

But you don’t have to tell that to Frazier.

According to his pregame text to a friend, he had a 1:00 PM appointment in his Google Calendar for “knocking Michael Fulmer around the ballpark.” Casual.

“I gotta go slap Michael Fulmer around real quick” is an instant classic. If that’s not a top-10 Yankees meme of 2021, I give up.

Yankees OF Clint Frazier knew he was gonna slap around the Tigers Tuesday.

Add Frazier to the list of Yankees hitters who seem ready to start the season right now; we’d be fine with bubble-wrapping Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez and Gleyber Torres, too, at minimum.

Aaron Boone was complimentary of his budding star, though maybe he would’ve had a little more to say about his confidence if he’d known about the “slap around” text.

Following the game, Boone confirmed he’d be playing Frazier on Wednesday, too, stating:

"“Took advantage of a hanging breaking ball and did what Fraz can do with those which is really put a charge into it. Really good day for Fraz and he’ll be back out there tomorrow to get some back-to-back at-bats.”"

That Wednesday lineup, for what it’s worth, includes all starters plus Jay Bruce and Derek Dietrich (telling!), but WILL NOT BE TELEVISED. Thanks so much. Why play these games at all?

All we can do is enjoy the photographs and faraway highlights — like this amazing photo that does a great job summing up Frazier’s legendary bat speed.

https://twitter.com/MaxTGoodman/status/1371972866258972674?s=20

There’s something about loving the Yankees that conditions you to your players being one level removed from brash public discourse.

But these modern Yankees? They know they’re about to smack people around, and they’re perfectly fine saying it. Maybe that’s what they’ve been missing for a decade.

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