A lot of Yankees news came after yesterday’s game, more than we could stop in our daily link roundup. Here are some important news and notes, including a roster movement, an injury update, and some clubhouse drama:
Activate Yankees Aroldis Chapman, DFA David Hale
Before last night’s game, the Yankees activated closer Aroldis Chapman from the injured list of COVID-19. As a corresponding move, the team appointed referee pitcher David Hale for assignment. Chapman, 32, had worked out on the Yankees’ alternative side in Scranton.
In 2019, the Flaming stepped closer to a 2.21 ERA (2.28 FIP) with a 13.42 K / 9 over 57 innings. He scored 37 saves in the process. At the end of the season, the Yankees extended Chapman, who had an opt-out clause in his contract. The team added an extra year and $ 18 million to its existing deal, keeping it in pinstripes through 2022.
Hale, 32, appeared in five games for the Yankees this season. He owns a 3.00 ERA (2.30 FIP) over six innings. A frequent rider of the Scranton Shuttle, his transaction log is somewhat different:
To get Hale back to Scranton, he will have to waive exemptions and free agency. That’s not a sure thing with Nick Tropeano being tracked down by the Pirates.
DJ LeMahieu Miss 2-3 weeks with thumb injury
The Yankees faced a litany of injuries this week, first losing linebackers Giancarlo Stanton and then Aaron Judge, and on Saturday another core part of their lineup went down. DJ LeMahieu went out in the sixth inning of the day against the Red Sox, after spreading his thumb on a swing in a former at-bat.
The team put LeMahieu on the IL the next day, with imaging results pending to discover how serious the injury was. There were some initial concerns that surgery might be required, but tests came back that indicated there was no fracture, only inflammation. The Yankee is second baseman expected to miss 2-3 weeks according to Aaron Boone, though we’ll have to wait and see if LeMahieu returns in that timeline.
JA Happ, Aaron Boone had an awkward conversation
Last night, JA saw Happ turn in his first successful start of the season, with the left-hander holding the Red Sox to one run on three hits over 5.2 innings. He knocked out three and ran two. That kind of performance now counts just as well for Happ, who has probably not had an extended stretch of effectiveness since the 2018 season – perhaps September 2019.
The left raised eyebrows in his postgame interview, however, when he described an exciting conversation with Boone. ‘I had two conversations with Boonie,’ Happ told Bryan Hoch. “I thought one of them was very good. And the second one I did not think went very well. But we both said what we had to say, and that’s fine. And we are pretty much ahead. ”
That sounds ominous. Happ tried then make things clear, Hoch says, ‘No one wants to be overwhelmed. I want to be out and about again every five days. I feel like I should be. That’s what I mean. There was no argument, nothing greater than that. It was just, I did not expect it. I think that’s why I say it did not go well. ”
After appearing in parts for 14 seasons, almost exclusively as a starter, Happ apparently has confidence in his capabilities. Jumping into rotation ruined his ego, and that’s honest! Good for him for expressing his concerns instead of sitting on it, and a fun job by Boone for chatting Happ through it. It seemed to work well for the Yankees on Sunday night.
