With Yankees first baseman Chris Carter continuing to struggle, to put it mildly, and the return of Opening Day starter Greg Bird still uncertain, speculation has started to swirl around Tyler Austin.
The 25-year-old Austin was expected to compete for a roster spot during spring training before he was sidelined by a fractured foot. That cleared the way for Carter to make the team — three more strikeouts Tuesday night gave him 66 strikeouts against 32 hits in 159 at-bats, in relief of the injured Bird — and set Austin on the comeback trail at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.