3 Yankees spring training battles that should be magnified more

You already know the main spring training storylines for the New York Yankees. Typically, the Bombers don't head into the preseason with this many questions, especially coming off a division title and ALCS appearance, but such is life at the moment.

Left field is wide open. There will be a battle for shortstop (but it feels like Oswald Peraza's job to lose). Many are wondering if DJ LeMahieu could upend Josh Donaldson's situation at third base. There's also the curious case of Gleyber Torres and whether he'll be on the team by Opening Day, which could really shift everything.

But what about the lesser magnified battles? There are some obvious ones that aren't getting the attention they deserve, too. They might not be as important as the others, but that doesn't mean the result won't have a notable impact on the team's performance in 2023.

3 Yankees spring training battles that deserve more attention

No. 5 Starter Job

Frankie Montas' shoulder surgery has created a void in the starting rotation, and it seems as if everyone is penciling in Domingo Germán to slide right in. Are we sure about that, though? Clarke Schmidt might have something to say about that.

There's also non-roster invite Sean Boyle, who owns a 2.72 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across 15 games (12 starts) at Triple-A the last two seasons. He threw a no-hitter in 2022 and was part of a combined one as well. In total, he finished with a 3.71 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 160 strikeouts in 28 games (27 starts), totaling 155.1 innings across Double-A and Triple-A last year.

Germán has been unspectacular as a starter. Schmidt has far from impressed in that role. The door is wide open for Boyle to make an impression.

Oh yeah, and there's also Deivi Garcia. Just sayin'. You never know. (We're not ruling out a trade before Opening Day, either.)

Who Will the Closer Be?

The Yankees may not roll with a traditional closer in 2023, but they do like their structure. In the end, they at least like to have "their guy" for saves and/or big 7th or 8th inning spots when facing a tight situation against the opponent's heart of the order.

It's been Clay Holmes for the better part of the last year or so, but he fell off a cliff in the second half of 2022, while Michael King dominated up until his elbow fracture. Tommy Kahnle is also back, and he was used in a similar high-leverage role down the stretch with the Dodgers last year.

The reason this battle deserves your eyes is because Holmes' consistency is still a question mark, as are the health statuses of King and Kahnle. If Yankees fans were to bet, they'd pick King as the favorite, but it's hard to call that a certainty since he may not be let loose in the early going as he rehabs his way back to game speed.

Are you really doubting a scenario where King needs some time, Holmes still struggles with his mechanics, and Kahnle emerges as "the guy"? Or a world where Holmes' trademark sinker starts buzzsawing hitters right off the bat and he reclaims his throne? Or King's quickly able to return to form now that he's finally found a solidified role on the pitching staff? It's more wide open than you might think.