24-year-old right hander Bryan Mitchell was the favorite to take over Adam Warren’s vacated long reliever and spot starter role in the Yankees pitching staff coming out of spring training. He pitched well all spring and even looked like a dark horse candidate in the battle for the fifth starter job when Ivan Nova and CC Sabathia were both struggling.
Instead of the breakout many were expecting, Mitchell injured his toe covering first base during the last week of spring training in a game against the Braves. He was diagnosed with a grade 3 turf toe and a fractured sesamoid bone in his foot.