Yankees' spring training lineup vs. Twins hints at Opening Day plans

Even in a technically meaningless spring training start, New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole means business. Remember last year with Daniel Vogelbach's strut around the bases? Case closed.

That's why it's no surprise that the Yankees appear to be using Cole's start on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins to get serious about their Opening Day plans. Whether this lineup is satisfactory or not is another thing entirely. You might love it. You might have questions. But, either way, you can't deny that it seems to be the way the Yankees are leaning towards the first showdown that counts on March 27 against Milwaukee.

Without Giancarlo Stanton available, the Yankees must get creative in the cleanup spot and DH role, which will probably rotate throughout April and May. While we're not sure that Aaron Judge will occupy it on Day 1, as he does in Thursday's lineup, this seems like a fairly reasonable early season collection of nine Yankees.

Quibble with Trent Grisham in center/Cody Bellinger in right/Judge DHing if you'd like, but Bellinger and Goldschmidt following Judge feels like exactly the direction the Yankees will choose. Austin Wells leading off also proves that Aaron Boone's comments about seriously considering the option have held weight.

Yankees Opening Day lineup preview vs. Minnesota Twins in spring training showdown?

Of course, we still have three weeks to go. Plenty could change. But it's clear, on Thurs., March 6, that Boone likes the power and patience Wells provides starting off a game, and is set on Judge's protection (aka the lineup's two newbies).

In a world where Judge plays right field on Opening Day, Bellinger likely goes to center, Jasson Dominguez stays in left, and Dominic Smith, of all people, feels like a likely DH. Perhaps Dominguez or Everson Pereira gets the DH reps in the opener, with Belli in center and Grisham in left.

A few minor tweaks aside, Thursday's group certainly feels like the Yankees' Plan A (or, at least, the Plan A of the post-Juan Soto world). Now, we'll all just have to cross our fingers and hope it materializes (and that Caleb Durbin doesn't hit an ironic homer minutes into the first game that counts).