clarke schmidt

New York Yankees 9/13: 5 Major takeaways from another Yankee loss

September 13, 2021 by William Parlee

The New York Yankees entered last night’s rubber game with the Mets hoping to win the game and take the series after losing their last four series. It was not to be as they lost 7-6. The Yankees are now 3-12 in their last 15 games and have fallen out of a wild card berth.

Clarke Schmidt to the rescue

With Gerrit Cole’s start date pushed back after leaving a game against the Blue Jays with a strained left hamstring, the Yankees had no one to start last night’s game at Citi Field. So the Yankees called up Clarke Schmidt, who had been rehabbing with the Rail Riders.

Schmidt had started 7 games in the minor leagues en route to his return. He was 0-1 with a 2.96 ERA. With the Yankees short on dependable pitchers, they were hopeful he could give them three or four innings. He was not stretched out, pitching a total of 27.1 innings. In his last four games at Scranton, he had 20 strikeouts over 15 innings of work.

He gave the Yankees more than they could have hoped for; he threw 90 pitches into the fifth inning, giving up two earned runs. But he was victimized by errors causing him to give up 5 runs. Chad Green took the loss in the game as he allowed Franciso Lindor’s third homer of the night in the eighth inning.

The dizzy New York Yankees

Dizziness reared its ugly head again for the Yankees last night. Aaron Judge appeared to get something in his eyes requiring the trainer to add drops to his eyes. After his second at-bat, he felt dizzy and was removed from the game. This is not the first time a Yankee has felt dizzy. Clint Frazier dealt with it and vertigo, allowing him to only play in 66 games this season.

After the game manager, Aaron Boone said of Judge. “I didn’t want him to be in a position where he put himself in danger, hopefully, it’s something that subsides here over the next little bit, and get him back in there tomorrow.” In the same conversation, he indicated that Clint Frazier would not return to the team this season. These problems that Frazier has been enduring may reach back to his concussion. So there is some conversation that suggests that he may never play again.

Gleyber Torres and Giancarlo Stanton homer

It is always said that when the New York Yankees hit home runs, they win games. Normally when you hit two home runs in a game, the likelihood hood with three RBIs, you are on your way to a win. Both Gleyber Torres and Giancarlo Stanton homered in the game. But this was not the Yankee’s night. Francisco Lindor had a career night hitting three home runs for the first time in his career, driving in five runs.

Gleyber Torres led the New York Yankees in 2019 with 38 home runs but in this and last season, he seemed to have lost his power stroke. With his two-run homer last night the Yankees are hopeful that is behind him, and can again contribute.

The Yankees may get some pitching help

In the very long rehab of starting pitcher Luis Severino he may be becoming close to a return to the team, it may not be in time for the regular season, but he could be used out of the bullpen when and if the Yankees get to the postseason. After several setbacks, Severino is scheduled to throw another bullpen session today as he continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery. He was working off the mound last week and will throw against hitters during his expected session today.

Starter Domingo German may also soon become available. He will have a rehab assignment on Tuesday. He has been away from the club since July 31st with shoulder inflammation.

The Yankees fight to stay in Wild Card contention

With the loss, last night, the New York Yankees fell out of the wild card berths. The Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox are tied for the first spot in the one-game playoff that is the wild card game.

Here is how it’s shaping up after the Yankees owned that first game spot for almost six weeks before their slide. The Tampa Bay Rays lead the AL East ten games over the Yankees. In the Central, the White Sox owns the division, and in the West, it’s the Houston Astros.

With only 19 games left to the season, the Yankees are now one game out of the wild card looking in. Right behind them are the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners that are 3 games out. The Yankees can no longer hope to win the division, but according to how they play, they still can regain a wild card berth if they start winning again. If not they will fall further out of contention and have their worst season under manager Aaron Boone.

Note: Today was supposed to be a day off for the Yankees, but due to a rainout they will play a makeup game with the Minnesota Twins. Luis Gil will be on the mound for the Yankees and John Gant for the Twins. The game will be at 2:05 pm EDT at Yankee Stadium and will be broadcast on the YES Network and Bally Sports North.

New York Yankees Recap: Francisco Lindor homers three times in Mets win over the Yankees

September 13, 2021 by William Parlee

Last night at Citi Field the Queens, New York, the New York Yankees met up with the New York Mets in the rubber game of a three-game set. The Yankees took a bashing in game one 10-3, but the Yankees bounced back in game two with an 8-7 win, but taking the series was not meant to be; the Yankees lost last night 7-6.

With no one to start last night’s game, the Yankees called up Clarke Schmidt to start the game. Schmidt, not being fully stretched out after a season-long injury. He gave the Yankees more than they could have hoped for; he threw 90 pitches into the fifth inning, giving up two earned runs. But he was victimized by errors causing him to give up 5 runs.

The game started well for the Yankees, who scored 2 runs in the first inning. After DJ LeMahieu doubled to start the game, Giancarlo Stanton hit one that bounced off the centerfield wall scoring LeMahieu. Then, with Anthony Rizzo already on base Joey Gallo got a sac fly scoring Rizzo. Mets got one back in the bottom of the frame.

The Yankees were scoreless in the second. In the bottom, Francisco Lindor hit a long three-run homer to center for his first homer of the night. With the game remaining at 4-2, Mets in the fifth inning. The Mets picked up another run, but that’s when things got really interesting.

The New York Yankees got back into the game in the sixth when Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer. Sanchez walked. Urshela stuck out. Luke Voit came in pinch-hitting and struck out swinging. At the bottom, Villar faced new pitcher Wandy Peralta and flew out to third. Lindor homered for his second home run of the game. Conforto lined out. Alonso lined out to Stanton in left. Mets 6 Yankees 4.

The seventh inning was led off by LeMahieu, who singled to right-center. Rizzo faced new pitcher Brad Hand and ground out, but LeMahieu went to second. Gardner struck out. Stanton hit a long ball into the second deck of the left-field stands tying up the game. The game was halted as it appeared Lindor had something to say to Stanton as he rounded the bases and both dugouts emptied. Things cooled off, and Gallo struck out swinging, but the Yankees tied it up at 6. At the bottom, McNeil struck out. Pillar flew out to Gallo in right. McCann walked, Dominic Smith, pinch-hitting struck out swinging. New York Yankees 6 Mets 6.

The eighth inning was led off by Gleyber Torres, who struck out on a foul tip. Sanchez struck out looking. Urshela flew out to the warning track in right. At the bottom, Villar against Chad Green popped out to short. Lindor hit his third homer of the game to give the Mets again the lead. Conforto out on strikes. Alonso popped out to the infield with Rizzo crashing to the ground. Mets 7 Yankees 6.

Rougie Odor led off for the Yankees in the top of the ninth and struck out swinging. LeMahieu singled to center. Tyler Wade was pinch-running for LeMahieu. Rizzo walked. Gardner struck out. Stanton, with two on and two outs and the game on the line, a pitch got away, moving the runners up. Stanton popped out to left to end the game. The final score was the New York Mets 7 and the Yankees 6. The winning pitcher was Seth Lugo, and the loser was Chad Green, with the save going to Edwin Diaz.

Francisco Lindor had his first three-homer game driving in 5 of the Mets runs.

New York Yankee Player Profile: Clarke Schmidt to start tonight’s Mets Finale

September 12, 2021 by William Parlee

Tonight the New York Yankees will have their finale with the New York Mets. It is the rubber game of the series, and Clarke Schmidt will start the game in his first start of the season. Schmidt was considered for a starter role for the 2021 season, but a common extensor strain ended the highly-rated prospect’s hopes. An MRI confirmed no serious damage, but a couple of bouts with renewed discomfort kept him out.

Schmidt has started 7 games in the minor leagues en route to his return. He is 0-1 with a 2.96 ERA. With the Yankees short on dependable pitchers, the Yankees will be hopeful he can give them three or four innings. He is not stretched out, pitching a total of 27.1 innings. In his last four games at Scranton, he has 20 strikeouts over 15 innings of work.

If you are not familiar with Schmidt or have forgotten about him, here is what you need to know. Clarke was born in Acworth, Georgia, attended Allatoona High School, and played baseball at the University of South Carolina. Schmidt pitched in 18 games and made 10 starts as a freshman, pitching to a 2–2 with a 4.81 ERA and 55. He became South Carolina’s ace as a sophomore in 2016. He pitched in 18 games with 17 starts and went 9–5 with a 3.40 ERA and 129 strikeouts. Schmidt remained the team’s number one starter his junior year in 2017, but he was forced to have Tommy John surgery to repair an ACL in April.

Nevertheless, he was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 2017 draft but did hot play that year at all rehabbing. He made his pro debut with the Gulf Coast Yankees in 2018. He got a big signing bonus of $2.1 million. He quickly worked his way in the minors finishing the season with a 3.09 ERA in 23 1/3 innings. He started 2019 with the Tampa Tarpons but was promoted to the Trenton Thunder in August, where he pitched until it was announced that there would be no minor league season. Then, on September 4th, he was called up to the Stadium, where he pitched in relief. The 24-year-old pitched in 3 games for 6.1 innings striking out seven but had an elevated 7.11 ERA.

He really impressed manager Aaron Boone and the coaching staff during spring training. Pitching coach Matt Blake feels that Schmidt is progressing well and is the second most promising pitcher after Deivi Garcia. Garcia has had a disappointing 2021 for the Rail Riders. Tonight at Citi Field, he will finally get his chance to start a game this season before it is turned over to the bullpen. The Yankees sent Andrew Velazquez down to Scranton to make room for him on the roster, although that is likely not the last we will see of him this season.

Yankees’ rehabbing prospect impresses in FCL return, could he be an option for 2021?

July 27, 2021 by Andres Chavez

The 2021 season has certainly not gone the way Clarke Schmidt thought it would. The New York Yankees’ right-handed pitching prospect went down with an elbow injury in February. At the time, he said it was minor and he would be back soon, but that obviously wasn’t the case.

To this day, Schmidt hasn’t been able to pitch with the Yankees this campaign. Diagnosed with a common flexor tendon strain in his right forearm, he suffered renewed discomfort in April and his rehab got derailed. He had to rest, then start a throwing program and, a few bullpens and simulated games later, he finally pitched against competition at the Yankees Florida Complex League on Monday.

The results were excellent. He pitched for three innings in which he didn’t allow runs and conceded just one hit, striking out five Rookie-level hitters.

According to Newsday’s Erik Boland, “one rival scout in attendance said his fastball sat 92-95. “Checked a lot of boxes,” the scout said. “Looked better than I thought he would.”

Yankees announce Clarke Schmidt started a rehab assignment today with the FCL Yankees. Struck out 5 and allowed one hit in three innings. One rival scout in attendance said his fastball sat 92-95. “Checked a lot of boxes,” the scout said. “Looked better than I thought he would.”

— Erik Boland (@eboland11) July 26, 2021

The Yankees’ prospect in on his way

That velocity range is actually very close to his regular one. In fact, last season in his brief cameo with the Yankees (three games, 6.1 frames) Schmidt averaged 95 miles per hour, mostly in relief.

All in all, Monday was a very encouraging day for the Yankees and Schmidt. However, it’s fair to wonder whether he will be ready contribute to the 2021 Bombers after all the lost time.

Because of the absence of minor league baseball in 2020, the prospect was thrown into the fire last year with only three Double-A starts under his belt although they were very good) in 2019. You could argue that he can benefit from some exposure to Triple-A hitters before the Yankees consider him for a spot in the rotation come September if there is a need.

Everything will be dictated by his workload, how much he can stretch out to, and his performance. This, however, qualifies as excellent news for the Yankees.

New York Yankees: latest injury updates on 8 Yankee players

May 1, 2021 by William Parlee

Compared to the last two seasons, the New York Yankees have been blessed with far fewer significant injuries. One of the injuries is a carryover from last year. Luis Severino underwent Tommy John surgery, not allowing him to pitch at all last season. Now Severino is just two months away from his expected return. He is a list of the Yankees’ present injuries and the players’ progress.

Darren O’Day, rotator cuff:

Before today’s game, the Yankees announced they had put right-hand reliever Darren O’Day on the 10 injured lists retroactive to Friday. They reported that he had a right rotator cuff strain. Because this information is just in few details are available. The Yankees recalled Michael King to replace him. Stay tuned; more information should be forthcoming.

Luke Voit, knee surgery:

The injury news on Luke Voit is very encouraging. According to the Athletic’s Lindsay Adler, Voit has been removed from the 60 IL and put on the 10 day. He is scheduled to play a rehab game with the double-A Somerset Patriots this coming Tuesday. Voit could be back with the Yankees by mid-May. The most recent report has him back with the team on May 11th when the New York Yankees return home to play the Tampa Bay Rays.

Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News got this quote from Voit:

“I’ve been chomping at the bit. Obviously watching every game at home and it’s frustrating,” Voit said on Friday. “You want to be there with the boys and I know some of them are pressing a little bit and try to do too much, but hey, these guys had a good road trip. Obviously didn’t come out like they wanted to yesterday, but I trust these boys are gonna get the job done.”

Asher Wojciechowski, lat injury:

Asher is now day to day and was sent to the minors last Wednesday. There is very little information on his rehab, and no expected return date has been announced.

Zack Britton, Bone chip:

Back in March, Zack Britton underwent surgery to have a bone chip removed from his pitching elbow. Earlier in April, Aaron Boone provided a positive update on Britton’s rehab.

“Zack’s doing really well. He’s got full range of motion. I think he is scheduled to start playing catch as early as this week. … The incision and the swelling and all that, which is the biggest hurdle to clear initially, is going really well for him.

Britton is not eligible to return until the end of this month, depending on his progress. He will throw off a mound now that the New York Yankees have returned from their road trip, Max Goodman of Sports Illustrated reports.

Robinson Chirinos, wrist:

Robinson Chirinos is now at Triple-A Scranton rehabbing. He is doing well playing in exhibition games and could return to the Yankees in the next two weeks if he is needed.

Clarke Schmidt,

Jordan Horrobin of MLB.com reports that Schmidt has begun throwing again. Schmidt suffered a common flexor strain during spring training. He received a cortisone shot to relieve pain. If pitching off the flat is a success, he will move on to pitch from the mound. There is no timetable for his return. Boone said, “Obviously, it’s going to take a while because he’s starting from scratch essentially, but he’s doing well.”

Luis Severino, Tommy John:

Severino has been throwing off a mound since March 11 and is close to being cleared to face hitters. Manager Aaron Boone said:

“I don’t know his exact date of throwing to hitters. I know it’s mapped out and I’ll try to peek at the schedule here (Thursday or Friday). I know that he’s got a bullpen (Thursday) (April 29) of 35 pitches, so he is getting close.”

Severino was originally expected to return to the mound at Yankee Stadium late in the summer, but that has advanced to him returning very late in June of at least before the All-Star break.

Miguel Andujar, hand:

Miguel Andujar suffered a muscle strain in his right hand. He has recovered and has been activated from the injured list and optioned to Scranton Wilkes/Barre. He is playing exhibition games, including back-to-back starts. In his last game, he was 0-for-4 with a strikeout. He has played two games at first base.

Yankees: Clarke Schmidt injury update is positive but lengthy

April 25, 2021April 25, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

The New York Yankees are coming off their third consecutive victory and fourth win in five games against the Cleveland Indians on Saturday afternoon by a score of 2-1. While their offense still hasn’t enjoyed that breakout performance, their pitching has been stellar, with Gerrit Cole lasting seven innings in the win, recording 11 strikeouts, and allowing just one run on three hits. He currently has a 1.71 ERA this season and has already put himself in the conversation as one of the best pitchers to ever wear the pinstripes.

While he still has plenty to accomplish in pinstripes, he started off his career in New York with a bang, justifying the money they spent on him over the long haul. He has been an absolute stud, but the rest of the starting rotation has struggled to start the 2021 campaign. With Domingo German and Deivi Garcia (during spring ball) struggling during their appearances, the Yankees are still trying to iron out the back end of the rotation, which is where Clarke Schmidt enters the fold.

Schmidt experienced pain in his elbow during a throwing session a few months ago and has since been rehabilitating. He recently began playing catch, trying to correct the common flexor tendon that stunted his progression this spring. He received a cortisone shot on April 13, and while he’s doing well, according to skipper Aaron Boone, he still has quite some time before seeing the mound.

“He’s doing well,” manager Aaron Boone said on Saturday. “He’s thrown now two or three times in his catch play and each time has gone well so hopefully he’s on his way now to start building up. Obviously, it’s going to take a while because he’s starting from scratch essentially, but he’s doing well.”

Schmidt made just three appearances last year, pitching 6.1 innings and earning a 7.11 ERA. The Yankees had big expectations for him this season, though, especially competing with German and Garcia for the fifth spot in the rotation. Instead, the team put him on the 60-day injured list, and he has been fighting his way back ever since.

Hopefully, he will offer some sort of support upon his return, as the Yankees desperately need more options in the starting rotation, and Schmidt is capable of offering quality, despite a limited sample size at the MLB level.

New York Yankees receive great Clarke Schmidt injury news

April 13, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

The New York Yankees bullpen has been fantastic as of late, especially against the Toronto Blue Jays in a 3-1 victory on Monday afternoon. Despite Gerrit Cole producing a six-inning, three-hit performance, the bullpen got things done in the final three innings, allowing just two hits and striking out four batters.

It is important to keep in mind the Yankees are working through issues in their starting rotation, especially with Corey Kluber fighting his rehabilitation process and Domingo German being sent down to the alternate site due to poor performance.

The Yankees will gain back a starter soon from injury:

However, they are expecting to gain back one of their starters soon, Clarke Schmidt. Schmidt left spring training with a common flexor tendon strain and hasn’t thrown since mid-February. The Yankees hoped he would compete with German and Deivi Garcia for the final spot in the starting rotation, but instead, they put him on the 60-day injured list.

Luckily, skipper Aaron Boone believes that Schmidt will return in the coming days after receiving a cortisone shot to help reduce the pain discomfort from his strain.

“Feel like hopefully should solve the issue to get him over the final hump. The expectation is that if it does work, in the next couple of days, he should probably be able to start throwing sometime later this week or next week.”

Schmidt made three appearances last year with the Yankees, pitching 6.1 innings in the abbreviated 2020 season. He logged an elevated 7.11 ERA and struck out 21.2% of his batters faced. He was looking to take a more efficient and productive role in 2021, but this injury sent him back a few weeks.

Luckily, it’s not season-ending, and he will return in due time, and the Yankees could use another back-end pitcher to compete before they role with Garcia, who had an effective spring training.

New York Yankees: The latest injury updates on 8 Yankees

March 30, 2021 by William Parlee

The New York Yankees have had injuries in the spring and before, but have been relatively free of serious injuries that will keep players off the field for prolonged periods. The only serious injury is Luis Severino that was caused by his Tommy John Surgery at the beginning of last season. Here is a breakdown of the injuries and the latest updates for New York Yankee players and when fans could expect them back with the team.

Luis Severino:

On February 27, 2020, Luis Severino underwent Tommy John surgery to repair his elbow. At the time, it was projected he would be away from the team until late summer 2021. That would include a few minor league rehab starts. But recently, manager Aaron Boone has updated his progress, say that he is doing better than expected in his rehab. Boone has actually caught a session from Severino. He is now expected to be back with the team sometime in mid-July.

Miguel Andujar:

Third baseman and outfielder Miguel Andujar has minor hand and wrist soreness that will keep him away from the team at the beginning of the season and with a difficult-to-diagnose injury, possibly beyond. After his poor showing in spring training, when he does come back, he will most likely be sent down to Scranton and won’t be used unless injuries require him.

Luke Voit:

The loss of last year’s baseball home run leader is one of the most significant injuries so far in the spring. Voit had knee surgery yesterday in New York. It was first noticed when he had trouble running the bases. An MRI revealed a partial meniscus tear. He is expected to be away from the team at least until the middle of May.

Justin Wilson:

Left-hand pitcher Justin Wilson was supposed to partially make of for the loss of Zack Britton; he left a March 22 outing with shoulder soreness and tightness. An MRI did not find any serious injury. He is on Anti-inflammatories but will miss the beginning of the season, which is on Thursday of this week. Wilson is progressing nicely and doesn’t want to be in the IL; however, general manager Brian Cashman announced yesterday that he would start the season on the 10 day IL. He will probably return when that expires.

Zack Britton:

It was discovered that left-hand reliever Zack Britton has a bone chip in his elbow. He underwent surgery to have it removed on March 15. There is conflicting information on when fans may expect him to return. Some say six weeks; others say two to three months. Based on the worst-case scenarios, he will be back with the team sometime before the end of June. CBS Sports reports that he won’t be back before May 28th.

Mike Tauchman:

Backup outfielder Mike Tauchman is suffering from a mild self-inflicted injury. Tauchman fouled a pitch off his lower right leg, near his calf, during an eight-pitch at-bat against Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler on Sunday. He is presently icing it down and taking anti-inflammatories. The injury is minor, but his readiness for opening day is questionable.

Clarke Schmidt:

The news on Clarke Schmidt’s elbow injury is not good. He experienced an extensor strain in his right elbow; it’s a common ailment and not long-term serious. Manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that Schmidt’s return to throwing could be “imminent.” However, no matter how minor, he will have to build back up for season play, and he is expected to be out until May 31 after being put on the 60-day IL on Saturday.

Aaron Judge:

Fans were wondering why Aaron Judge was not in yesterday’s New York Yankee’s game after also missing the game before. The good news is that there is nothing seriously wrong with the slugger. He is under the weather. He has gone through the COVID health protocols and has passed those. Both general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone said he would be ready to start the season on Thursday. Other sources say that is questionable.

Yankees: Clarke Schmidt gets excellent news about his elbow injury

March 16, 2021 by Andres Chavez

New York Yankees’ pitching prospect Clarke Schmidt is a big part of the future of the organization. That is why the club decided to proceed with extreme caution the moment they found out that he was dealing with an elbow issue, a common extensor strain to be more specific.

Thankfully, the Yankees’ pitcher himself told reporters in late February that his elbow injury is considered minor and he expects to be back soon. The organization had good news to report on that front on Tuesday.

According to ESPN’s Marly Rivera, Schmidt is getting closer to begin a throwing program, as Yankees manager Aaron Boone told her. Having Schmidt back soon would be huge for the Bombers, as he will need at least some more Triple-A innings to fully develop as a hurler.

In fact, if everything goes well with his elbow, Schmidt could be an option for the Yankees’ big team sometime before the summer, but he will need to be healthy and dominate Triple-A hitters, as there is currently no room for him in the rotation.

The Yankees can afford to let him heal properly

Gerrit Cole is the ace, and will be followed by Corey Kluber, Jameson Taillon, and Jordan Montgomery in some order. Deivi Garcia and Domingo German are having an intense battle for the Yankees’ fifth spot in the rotation, with the latter perceived as the leader as things stand right now.

It’s good to know that the symptoms have gone away. However, the Yankees will still need Schmidt to fully ramp back up before even considering him.

As things stand right now, the most likely scenario has Schmidt starting they year on the injured list, as Opening Day is just a couple of weeks away and there is no time for him to be an option for the opening wee. However, the organization as a whole is excited about his rapid recovery.

New York Yankees: 7 Yankee player injury updates

March 15, 2021 by William Parlee

Since the beginning of spring training, the New York Yankees have been blessed with no major injuries to keep players out for the whole season. Although that is good news compared to the last two seasons, the Yankees have not been unscathed. Here are the most recent updates on the Yankee injured players.

Clarke Schmidt:

Schmidt vying for a place in the starting rotation, was hit early in spring training with bad news on that front. He was the first Yankee to suffer an injury in spring training. Schmidt suffered a common extensor strain. No matter how common he will miss significant time. Aaron Boone said that he is making satisfactory progress over the weekend but is still at least a week away from starting to throw again. Once he starts that, a better prediction can be made when he will pitch against live batters.

Zack Britton:

There have been quite a few minor injuries to players this spring training, but nothing compared to the last two seasons. The most devastating blow to the New York Yankees was when Zack Britton developed soreness in his elbow after a bullpen session. He had an MRI, and it was determined that surgery would be necessary to remove a bone chip from this throwing elbow.

This is particularly devasting due to the loss of Tommy Kahnle to the Dodgers. The Yankee did acquire Darren O’Day to ease the loss of Kahnle, but it made Britton’s role in the bullpen even more important as he would be the key setup man for Aroldis Chapman, even closing some games. Although it is unclear, the surgery is expected to occur today in New York by team surgeon Dr. Christopher Ahmad. He will be shut down for a month to six weeks and will have to build back up, making his return to the team sometime in late May or June.

Luis Severino:

Severino pitched in only three games in 2019 ( ERA 1.50) before needing Tommy John surgery; he lost the rest of the season and all of 2020. Now rehabbing, he is expected to rejoin the team in June or July. The recent reports on his progress are encouraging. Over the weekend, Severino, who has been throwing off the flat, took his first pitches off the mound. Bullpen coach Harkey said that Severino has been “working his tail off” to get back to form. Harkey believes he will be 100% upon his return.

Michael Beltre:

Beltre left Friday’s game against Pittsburgh with a hamstring injury, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reported. The severity of the injury is not known as he consults with team doctors. Beltre posted a .637 OPS in the minors in 2019. So far this season, he had a hit in 11 plate appearances hoping to make the team. Rehab time for hamstring injuries is hard to predict. He could be back next week, or his spring training could be over; it sometimes takes a couple of months to recover fully according to the injury’s severity.

Robinson Chirinos:

With the loss of backup catcher Erik Kratz to retirement, the Yankees needed another catcher. They solved that with the signing of veteran catcher Robinson Chirinos. He has been playing and catching well, but now all his plans are on hold due to getting hit by a pitch last Wednesday. He is consulting with specialists to determine if he will need surgery. If he does, he will be out for some time.

Miguel Andujar:

In May of 2019, Andujar had season-ending surgery on his shoulder for the budding Yankee star. The Yankees needed a replacement at the hot corner, and they brought up Gio Urshela to fill in, a move that would prove unfortunate for Miguel. Urshela was so good he became the Yankees’ permanent third baseman. Last season he fought his way back even though the Yankees had no place for him, and that continued this spring training as he tried to gain a spot in the lineup. All of that is in question with an odd wrist and hand soreness that has become more intense in spring training. Now he is enlisting the services of a hand specialist. With this type of injury, there is no way to tell how long he will be away from the team.

Aaron Boone:

Over the offseason and particularly at the beginning of spring training, New York Yankee manager Aaron Boone felt punk, just not right. At the start of spring training, Boone noticed bouts of being tired and labored breathing. He consulted with doctors, and it was determined that his heart was beating too slowly and would require a pacemaker to correct the deficiency. In his second week with the pacemaker, the good news is that he back with the team and is feeling great, better than in years.

Although not injured, I have to mention that the New York Yankees have to be encouraged that both Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon seem very healthy and are performing as advertised. The Yankees took a big risk, hiring Kluber and trading for Taillon; both had not pitched for over a year due to injury and surgery.