Spencer Jones homers into parking lot at Yankees’ spring ballpark
TAMPA, Fla. — Commuting on Florida’s highways is no vacation. On any given day, Sunshine State motorists deal with traffic-snarling construction, tropical downpours or Disney World-bound tourists who have no idea which exit to take.
The Yankees outfielder blasted his second home run of the spring in Thursday’s 7-3 Grapefruit League victory over the Braves, a drive that traveled out of George M. Steinbrenner Field and came to rest somewhere along Dale Mabry Highway.
“He put a really good swing on that ball,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Obviously, that’s what he’s capable of right there.”
Jones’ seventh-inning blast off right-hander Austin Pope came off the bat at 107 mph and traveled a Statcast-projected 401 feet, though — much like his first homer of the spring — it seemed to go further.
“He’s a great reference of a really good mover with a great swing,” Jones said. “He’s one of those guys that I look at with some of the stuff he does, and I try to apply it in whichever way I can.”
The 24-year-old Jones is 2-for-6 with four strikeouts and a walk so far this spring.
“I feel like he’s put together some good at-bats,” Boone said. “He’s getting a lot of playing time, which is good. He’s a big man that’s made a lot of adjustments, that’s tried to get himself into good positions. Hopefully he can keep building on that.”
