Yankees trim roster, Misiewicz’s mustache magic runs out

While Nestor Cortes and Gleyber Torres made fleeting attempts at facial hair, the most impressive display in the Yankees’ spring training clubhouse belonged to non-roster pitcher Anthony Misiewicz.

Although Misiewicz wasn’t sporting a handlebar mustache reminiscent of Rollie Fingers, his facial hair was undeniably eye-catching. In the early stages of the Grapefruit League, it seemed to be his lucky charm, as he pitched three scoreless outings to start the season.

However, last week, Misiewicz’s mustache met its demise at the hands of a razor, and unfortunately, his hot streak on the mound also came to an end.

Following the Yankees’ 10-9 victory over the Blue Jays on Saturday, Misiewicz’s spring training performance left him with a disappointing 13.50 ERA across six appearances.

The New York Yankees are continuing to refine their roster in preparation for the upcoming season, with non-roster pitcher Anthony Misiewicz being reassigned to minor league camp and right-hander Cody Morris being optioned to Triple-A. Both pitchers were competing for spots in the bullpen but faced intense competition from other candidates.

Misiewicz, 29, saw his early success in spring training fade away. While his impressive mustache may not have been the key to his performance, he struggled in recent appearances after pitching three scoreless outings to start the season. Over a brief stint of 2⅓ innings, he surrendered nine runs, eight of which were earned.

Prior to today’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves:
• Optioned RHP Cody Morris to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
• Reassigned LHP Anthony Misiewicz to minor league camp.

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 16, 2024

Misiewicz was initially acquired by the Yankees via a waiver claim in July of the previous year. However, he appeared in just three games before a line drive struck him in the head, resulting in an injury that ended his season. After becoming a free agent, he re-signed with the Yankees on a minor league deal in December.

Morris, who was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians in a December trade that sent outfielder Estevan Florial to Cleveland, didn’t fare much better. The 27-year-old struggled during spring training, posting a 10.80 ERA across four appearances. Throughout 6⅔ innings, he allowed eight runs on eight hits, while issuing five walks and hitting one batter.

Yankees Announce Preliminary 2024 Regular Season Roster

The New York Yankees have unveiled their preliminary roster for the upcoming season, with several key players still on the mend from injuries.

Pitching Staff (22):

• Right-Handed Pitchers (16): Clayton Beeter, Nick Burdi, Gerrit Cole, Yerry De Los Santos, Ian Hamilton, Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle (injured list), Jonathan Loaisiga, Ron Marinaccio, McKinley Moore (injured list), Cody Poteet, Dennis Santana, Clarke Schmidt, Marcus Stroman, Will Warren, Luke Weaver.
• Left-Handed Pitchers (6): Clayton Andrews, Nestor Cortes, Caleb Ferguson, Victor Gonzalez, Nick Ramirez, Carlos Rodon.

Position Players (24):

• Infielders (9): Jahmai Jones, D.J. LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza (injured list), Anthony Rizzo, Jose Rojas, Kevin Smith, Gleyber Torres, Jorbit Vivas, Anthony Volpe.
• Outfielders (10): Greg Allen, Oswaldo Cabrera, Jasson Dominguez (injured list), Oscar Gonzalez, Luis Gonzalez, Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, Everson Pereira, Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo.
• Catchers (4): Ben Rortvedt, Luis Torrens, Jose Trevino, Austin Wells.
• Designated Hitter (1): Giancarlo Stanton.

Important Notes:

• Players marked with “x” are non-roster invitees to spring training.
• Players marked with “z” are expected to start the season on the injured list due to various ailments.

This preliminary roster provides a glimpse into the Yankees’ potential team composition for the start of the season, taking into account the current injury status of several players.

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