For a team that has the third best record in baseball, not a whole lot of luck seems to be going right for the New York Yankees these days. The Yankees were defeated at home by the Rays earlier this week, and their problems with injuries from 2019 have shifted to 2020.
On Friday, the Yankees announced three players on the injured list: LHP Luis Avilan (shoulder inflammation), LHP James Paxton (forearm flexor), and SS Gleyber Torres (grade 1 left quad and hamstring strains). The Yankees now have 10 players on the injured list. Here are the other seven:
New York is without its starting midfielder (LeMahieu and Torres), top two power hitters (Judge and Stanton), No. 2 starter (Severino), and two top set man (Britton and Kahnle). Last season, the Yankees sent an MLB record of 30 different players to the injured list. That prompted them to renew their training staff after the season. Doesn’t seem to help much.
On the bright side, manager Aaron Boone told reporters Saturday that a judge will be in the lineup when the team returns to action early next week, according to ESPN’s Marly Rivera. “He looks good. He looks ready to go. I expect that when we return, he will be there,” Boone said. The Yankees ‘weekend series with the Mets has been postponed due to Mets’ COVID-19 outbreak.
Torres suffered his injury while carrying a ground ball during Thursday’s game. He stumbled on his way to the first base, although it is not clear if the stanza caused the injury or the injury caused the stanza. Boone told reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, which Torres will miss 2-3 weeks. Here is the play:
With LeMahieu and Torres sidelined, the Yankees will turn to reserves Thairo Estrada and Tyler Wade in midfield. Both are young and have abilities but are unproven at the MLB level. Putting Miguel Andujar on third base and Gio Urshela on second as short is a possibility. The Yankees have veteran infielders Matt Duffy and Jordy Mercer on the alternate side.
Paxton started the game Thursday and kept the Rays hitless by four innings before the wheels came off in the fifth inning. He complained of elbow closeness after the match and was sent for an MRI. Boone told reporters, including News day‘s Erik Boland, that Paxton will be sidelined for 14 days, although his elbow ligament is intact and Tommy John’s surgery is not a consideration.
Paxton had back surgery in February and completed his rehabilitation on schedule in May. He was a full participant in Summer Camp, although his speed had been all year, and now he’s out with an arm injury. If a man who is sitting mostly 95-99 mph comes out throwing 91-94 mph, it’s pretty good that there is something, and that was the case here.
Clarke Schmidt, New York’s chief prospect, was impressive in spring training and summer camp and was able to get the call to replace Paxton. Other options include swingman Michael King and judge Jonathan Loaisiga, though the latter has taken on a more prominent role since Kahnle’s injury. Judges Nick Nelson and Miguel Yajure are other options.
The August 31 deadline is just nine days away and the Yankees sought to be in the market for pitching assistance (both rotation and bullpen), even before Britton and Paxton got hurt. GM Brian Cashman will surely increase these efforts now. The Torres injury could also push the Yankees into the infield market.
