Yankees News: Darryl Strawberry heart attack, Clayton Beeter, Austin Wells

Darryl Strawberry might've come up in the game of baseball as the New York Mets' great hope, but it was the New York Yankees who ultimately saved him.

Strawberry, on a long road back from drug addiction and a dissolving baseball career, was toiling for the independent St. Paul Saints when George Steinbrenner opted to welcome him back with open arms.

It was under Steinbrenner's care that he ultimately fought back and captured not just one, but three rings with the Yankees before retiring. The adversity didn't cease upon his return, of course; he also missed significant time after being diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 36.

The latest bump in Strawberry's road occurred on Monday, one day prior to his 62nd birthday. Strawberry was hospitalized with a heart attack just a few weeks after appearing at Mets camp as a guest instructor. Welcoming prayers, the slugger announced he was in recovery late Monday night.

Yankees News: Darryl Strawberry recovering from heart attack

We'll continue to keep our eyes on Strawberry's willful road to recovery, in pursuit of an appearance at the Mets' ceremony intended to retire his number this upcoming June.

Yankees News: Clayton Beeter, Austin Wells humming at spring training

And don't sleep on Will Warren, either, who put some red-hot Orioles to sleep in his spring appearance on Monday afternoon. He'll factor in sooner rather than later, too.

Luis Gil's flaming return to the mound on Monday received a good deal of the attention -- and rightfully so -- but right-hander Clayton Beeter, the Yankees' half of the Joey Gallo trade with the Dodgers, continued to spin his breaker, befuddling the Phillies' Opening Day lineup in that game as well. Beeter, who didn't appear in game action between Feb. 29 and March 11, picked up right where he left off, following three scoreless frames against the Marlins with four two-hit blanks against Philadelphia. While he's unlikely to crack the Opening Day roster, there's a good deal of faith that he could be a midseason bullpen weapon a la Gil, at the very least.

Far more likely to make an Opening Day impression is Austin Wells, who might enjoy returning to the scene of his MLB debut in Houston with a vengeance.

Yankees defensive stalwart Jose Trevino is recovered from the calf strain that took him out of camp early, but Wells' thunderous bat has been impossible to ignore. He racked up 12 total bases, a pair of homers, and a bases-clearing 104 MPH double in the three-game stretch that culminated on Monday.

If you missed the homer, too, it's appointment viewing. You know. One of those spring blasts that leaves the outfielders glued to their grass pedestals.

Wells might be splitting reps with Trevino (who also homered in his debut) all year long, but if he continues his reported defensive strides and to wield some heavy lumber, the Yankees might receive significant productivity from a position that was near zero last season.