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The Yankees have released first baseman/corner outfielder Adam Lind, per an announcement from the team. New York had just signed him to a minor league deal on March 2nd.
With the signing of Neil Walker providing first base depth, the Yankees just had no need for the lefty swinger’s bat in camp anymore as insurance to incumbent first baseman Greg Bird. For what it’s worth, Lind was just 3-for-15 this spring, with no extra-base hits.
Lind was excellent in a part-time role for the Nationals last season, batting .303/.362/.513 in 301 plate appearances, playing first base and left field. All fourteen of Lind’s home runs last season came against right-handed pitching. At the outset of the offseason, Lind seemed like all but a guarantee to land a multimillion-dollar major-league contract, but with this free-agent market being especially unkind to defensively-inept corner bats, Lind had to settle for a minor-league pact, sitting out on the market until the beginning of March.
One can only assume that Lind will have to settle for yet another minor league deal from a different club. However, there should be more opportunities at this point in time than there were two weeks ago, although no fit is perfect: the Astros may be on the look for first base help with Yulieski Gurriel on the shelf after hand surgery (although they will in all likelihood stick with internal options for the first couple weeks of the season); the Mariners' Ryon Healy has had his own hand troubles (but they have Mike Ford and Dan Vogelbach, two lefty swingers); and the White Sox’s Nicky Delmonico suffered a separated shoulder which may cause him to miss the start of the season, opening up their DH spot but he should be ready sometime in April, if not on Opening Day.
Lind is one of just many examples of a first baseman having to wait out the market: Danny Valencia had to settle for a minor league deal with the Orioles, as did Mike Napoli with Cleveland, whereas solid righty bats Matt Holliday and Mark Reynolds remain unsigned.