Monday afternoon was turn back the clock day at New York Yankees camp. Left-hander Carlos Rodón, who the Yankees desperately need to step up in the wake of Gerrit Cole’s injury, turned back the clock to 2021-22, and struck out five in 5 2/3 no-hit innings against the Philadelphia Phillies (GameTracker). It was the best Rodón has ever looked in pinstripes.
Once Rodón reached his pitch count, out came the manager to remove him from the game. It was not Aaron Boone, however. It was Hall of Famer and longtime Yankees manager Joe Torre, who has been in Yankees camp the last few days as a guest. The Yankees turned back the clock on a pitching change. To the action footage:
“Initially, I thought Aaron Boone had butt-dialed me, but I picked up the phone and there he was,” Torre told the YES Network about how his visit to Yankees camp came together. “He just asked if I had any plans to come to Florida, and he’d like me to come here and put the uniform on. I said, ‘Well, I’ll be there, but I’m not sure about the uniform part.’ I got coerced into it by sitting in the coaches’ room. I figured I’d take it from them and take their lead.”
This spring training trip is the first time Torre has worn a Yankees uniform since his stint as manager ended after the 2007 season. Torre managed the Yankees from 1996-2007 and led the club to World Series titles in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. His 2,326 wins are fifth most all-time. Torre, who was a terrific player in his day and the 1971 NL MVP, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Now 83, Torre is a special assistant to commissioner Rob Manfred. He has worked with MLB in a variety of capacities since last managing in 2010.
