Either the Yankees have a truly absurd reveal planned for their Opening Day festivities against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, or Aaron Boone packed one last troll meant for his friend Alex Cora when he headed north this week.
While an approximation of New York's Opening Day lineup was playing down in Miami, it seems that new closer Devin Williams and the unneeded bullpen pieces headed up to the Bronx a little early to get a workout in before Wednesday's stretching/throwing.
Williams snapped a few screenshots of Opening Day prep, from the grounds crew to the scoreboard, and posted them to his Instagram story.
Either he didn't notice the apparent starter, or he's in on the joke. What ... is Garrett Crochet doing on that scoreboard on Carlos Rodón's place?!
Yankees' Opening Day starter is Garrett Crochet of the Red Sox, actually (per Devin Williams' Instagram story)
The Yankees' pining for Crochet could become a reality in two years, if his price rises and Boston is unable to extend him. For now, though, it's just a pipe dream akin to a photoshopped Patrick Corbin hanging out on the scoreboard in 2019. Crochet will (sigh) probably win a Cy Young in Boston this year, which might just vault him out of both teams' likely price range.
More importantly, though ... who's starting at second base? Jazz Chisholm seemingly has the position locked down after an emergency switch landed him at third base midseason in 2024, but according to the big board, Jazz can expect to shift back to the hot corner in favor of ... "Hernandez, No. 66" at the keystone.
Is that catcher Ronaldo Hernández, who's currently in the Yankees' system? Or does this little scoreboard nugget just make it even more glaringly obvious that the Yankees have intentions of finding a new Opening Day third sacker who isn't Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza, or Pablo Reyes?
The Yankees have a catcher currently slated to lead off, but a catcher playing second base for the opener seems like another bridge too far. Maybe Brian Cashman's last-minute shuffling will get the Yankees the extra right-handed bat they so desire.
Or maybe it'll get them a lefty ace in Crochet. Never say never!
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