TAMPA — Francisco Cervelli has blown away the field in the race to be catcher Brian McCann’s backup and Monday Joe Girardi spoke glowingly about him.
Yet, Cervelli can’t erase what the last week of spring training in 2012 delivered. That’s when the Yankees acquired Chris Stewart and sent Cervelli to Triple-A for the entire season.
“I have to see the uniform on me in Houston,’’ Cervelli said of the city where the Yankees open the season next Tuesday. “It happened one time.’’
It’s not going to happen this year. Cervelli is not only hitting well (.455; 15-for-33) in 13 games, he has improved defensively which scores big points with Girardi.
“We might wait to announce but we are pretty sure what we are going to do,’’ Girardi said Tuesday.
A year ago Cervelli wrestled the starting job away from Stewart but suffered a fractured right hand that required surgery and ended his season in late April. In early August Cervelli was handed a 50-game suspension for being involved in the Biogenesis scandal.
“He came into spring training extremely prepared and he has played well. He has done everything you could ask him to do,’’ Girardi said. “He is playing at the level he was before he got hurt last year. He is a good kid and plays hard and does the things I want him to do. He really cares about this game.’’
Cervelli winning the backup job likely means John Ryan Murphy and Austin Romine will split the catching job at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Gary Sanchez will work for Double-A Trenton.
In his next-to-last spring outing Ivan Nova was sharp against Single-A Charleston Monday at the minor league complex when he worked eight innings and, according to Cervelli, struck out 10.
“Except for this one, every time I come here I get hit,’’ Nova said of the minor league complex. “Today I worked on my changeup, curveball and [fastball]. The changeup has been a really good pitch this spring. If I continue to throw it, it will help a lot this season.’’
Jacoby Ellsbury is slated to test his injured right calf as a DH in a minor league game Tuesday. Ellsbury hasn’t played since March 14.
“Hopefully, it doesn’t rain,’’ Girardi said.
The idea behind using Ellsbury, who is being counted on to play center field and leadoff, in a minor league game is if he suffers a setback he can be back-dated and start the season on the disabled list. Players can be backdated to March 21.
Infielder Brendan Ryan hasn’t played since March 4 due to a back issue but is improving according to Girardi.
“He is getting better and it’s good to see because when I saw him [Friday] he looked horrible,’’ Girardi said of Ryan, who received treatment Monday.