Yankees cut 2 fireballing pitchers

TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees were hoping reliever Angel Chivilli would push for an Opening Day bullpen spot after trading for hard-throwing right-hander late into the offseason. Heading into spring training, the Yankees never imagined Carlos Lagrange making a run at earning a spot, not with their No. 1 pitching prospect never even having pitched above Double-A. Both Dominicans were cut from the big-league roster on Thursday after the Yankees’ 5-4 win over the Orioles in Tampa and an 11-0 loss to the Blue Jays in Dunedin. Lagrange was reassigned to the minor-league camp with an 0.66 ERA in four outings while Chivilli was optioned to Triple-A with a 12.91 ERA in eight relief appearances. The Yankees acquired Chivilli, 23, from the Rockies for first baseman prospect T.J. Rumfield on Jan. 28. He showed his good fastball that touches 99 mph this spring, but was torched for 11 runs in 7.2 Grapefruit League innings. Lagrange hit 102 mph and worked a combined eight shutout innings in his last two outings, but will begin the season in the minors, probably starting for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. After their latest cuts, the Yankees still have 43 players on their spring training roster. They need to get down to 26 prior to their March 25 season opener in San Francisco.