The early indications are Gleyber Torres will probably be OK, but any setback for the Yankees’ most consistent, healthy hitter this season could be significant.
Torres was pulled in the underside of the seventh inning of Sunday’s 8-5 win over the Royals in The Bronx with what the club called left hip tightness.
There have been no immediate plans to send Torres for tests.
“I just saw him after the sport in [the clubhouse], and he said it feels higher already,” reported manager Aaron Boone. “But I haven’t gotten a trainer’s report on it.”
Boone didn’t know when Torres first felt the tightness, though the second baseman ranged up the center within the third inning, fielding a Bobby Witt Jr. grounder, and threw to first (too late) while drifting toward shortstop.
After the play, Torres squatted for a number of moments.
By the seventh inning, Anthony Volpe pinch-hit for Torres on what began as a rest day for the regular shortstop.
Torres went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in the primary inning, his sixteenth of the season — only trailing Aaron Judge (19) amongst Yankees.
While Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton and the remaining of the Yankees’ lineup have suffered through prolonged slumps, Torres has been the club’s most consistent hitter.
His .769 OPS is best on the team amongst qualified hitters, and he batted second Sunday.
Game 100 was speculated to be Volpe’s first time without work, nevertheless it didn’t work out that way.
Volpe subbing in meant he still has played in every game this season.
Oswald Peraza began at shortstop amid a protracted slump for the Latest Jerseyan.
Volpe is 5-for-44 (.114) in his past 13 games, his OPS sinking to .657.
Boone said he didn’t think Volpe has been physically drained, however the recent promotion of Peraza allowed a likelihood to present him a little bit of a breather — or at the least a number of innings off.
“I’ve been mindful of [Volpe’s workload],” Boone said. “I feel like physically, he’s been in a extremely great spot all yr, nevertheless it’s been hard to type of get him out of there.”
Shortly after the trade deadline, Jonathan Loaisiga will loom as a timely addition for a club that has missed him.
The bullpen has not been the Yankees’ problem, however the relievers have shown signs of wearing down.
The largest strength for the Yankees for the season’s first three months has been a surprising weakness in July.
The Yankees entered Sunday afternoon’s game against the Royals with a 4.95 bullpen ERA this month, which was the eleventh worst in baseball within the span.
If the vast majority of the bullpen’s arms are drained, Loaisiga’s needs to be fresh. The veteran has been out since April 5 with what was initially diagnosed as elbow inflammation.
A bone spur then was removed in his right elbow in May.
Loaisiga has returned to the mound and threw a 16-pitch simulated game against Aaron Judge on Sunday, not allowing Judge to place a ball into play.
“I believed Lo looked great,” Boone said. “That’s really encouraging to see Lo, command- and stuff-wise — that looked like Lo within the playoffs almost right there. That was really encouraging.”
Loaisiga said he threw every thing — four-seamer, sinker, slider and changeup — and felt “really good.”
“I feel like my arm strength is there. Feel healthy,” Loaisiga said through interpreter Marlon Abreu. “Looking forward to getting back and helping the team.”
The 28-year-old is anticipated to fly to Tampa and throw one other sim game Wednesday that ought to include two approximated innings, Boone said.
He likely will begin a rehab task next weekend.
Loaisiga had his struggles last season, but rediscovered his stuff and bounced back into the shutdown reliever he typically has been for the Yankees.
“We all know what now we have there,” Boone said.
The Yankees activated outfielders Jake Bauers and Greg Allen from the 10-day injured list and optioned outfielder Franchy Cordero to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Oswaldo Cabrera had been sent down Saturday night.
Bauers missed 12 games after suffering a left rotator cuff contusion July 5.
He hit leadoff and went 1-for-3 with a walk in his return.
“Excited to get him back,” Boone said of Bauers, who went 7-for-9 in a three-game rehab task with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. “He’s swung the bat well the last couple of days.”
Allen, who had been out since June 2 with a hip flexor, returns as a speedy fourth outfielder able to playing solid defense and contributing as a pinch runner.
That role is a little more useful than it has been in past seasons, because the league has tweaked rules to inject more stolen bases into the sport.
Allen, who ran for Bauers within the seventh inning and was thrown out attempting to steal second, had played with the larger bases and limited pickoff attempts within the minor leagues.
When he learned MLB would bring the rule changes to the massive leagues, he said he “definitely didn’t hate it.”
Nestor Cortes (left rotator cuff strain) made his first rehab start, with Double-A Somerset, and threw 42 pitches in 2 ¹/₃ innings. Cortes allowed one run on 4 hits and no walks while striking out 4.
UConn men’s basketball coach and reigning national champion Dan Hurley threw out the ceremonial first pitch.