Elmer Rodríguez showed why he’s the Yankees’ top pitching prospect in yesterday’s Grapefruit League opener, and today is Carlos Lagrange’s first chance to impress as he also makes a case for some 2026 MLB playing time. Lagrange stands a dominant 6-foot-7 with a 70-grade fastball and above-average slider, and while he finished last year with Double-A Somerset, he has the tools to rise even quicker through the senior level of the minors, and FanGraphs projects him as eventually an MLB-caliber closing pitcher. At just 22, he certainly has time to make it stick in a rotation first.
Keider Montero has spent parts of two seasons in a swingman role for the Tigers, and while a decent 94 mph heater will get you onto a major league roster, an inability to command it properly probably means he’s going to be a reliever for the bulk of his career. This goes double in a rotation as deep as Detroit’s, but if Montero can unlock a little extra in his strikeout rate, he can carve himself a role as a dependable bullpen piece.
On the offensive side, Aaron Judge will make his spring debut in right field, and with another “home” game scheduled for Sunday, one wonders if he’s reached that Mariano Rivera status where he’s not even issued a road jersey in camp. The only other first-stringer in the lineup is Ryan McMahon, hitting and playing third, while Jasson Domínguez, who may start the year at Triple-A Scranton, is your leadoff hitter. Also note Spencer Jones playing center and hitting seventh.
How to watch
Location: George M Steinbrenner Field — Tampa, FL
First pitch: 1:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES, Gotham Sports App, Tigers.tv
Radio broadcast: WXYT 97.1FM (Tigers broadcast)
Online stream: Gotham Sports App
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