Edwin Encarnacion

New York Yankees: Great James Paxton injury news quiets pitching doubts

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New York Yankees, James Paxton

The New York Yankees have little room for additional injuries with the postseason just around the bend, and when starting pitcher and rotation-man in October, James Paxton, went down in the first inning on Friday night, everyone held their breath.

After just one inning, Paxton left the game with a tight glute — a not-so significant-sounding injury but one nonetheless. Manager Aaron Boone downplayed the ailment picked up by Paxton, stating that the move was precautionary given how close the Yankees are to the playoffs.

Moose threw just 21 pitches before being plucked, and there’s no room for error with the postseason. Paxton will be a pivotal option moving forward and will undoubtedly be a part of the three-person rotation, especially with Luis Severino still working through his initial exposure to the league this season.

Game 1 of the postseason will likely go to Paxton if he can remain healthy, but Severino is capable of being the team’s ace regardless.

“I don’t think it is going to be anything serious,’’ Paxton insisted.

With the loss of Domingo German for the postseason, the Yankees need to rest their starters and not overwork them. Fatigue plays a factor in the efficiency of players, especially pitchers. The Yanks will have home-field advantage for the ALDS, giving them a leg up on their opponent, who is the Minnesota Twins, a powerhouse in the scoring production.

However, the Bombers still don’t have a definitive game-plan, which is why general manager Brian Cashman is tagging along with the team to help Boone situate his active roster.

Additional New York Yankees injury news:

First-baseman Edwin Encarnacion will likely miss the rest of the regular season but return for the postseason.

“Just something he and I talked about. He hit on the field and looked good, but I think mentally he is not over the hump yet,’’ Aaron Boone said of Encarnacion.

The Yanks need their primary designated hitter to be active for the playoffs as Giancarlo Stanton will be starting in the outfield due to the number of injuries that have piled up.

New York Yankees: Encarnacion and Sanchez to return for last series

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New York Yankees, Gary Sanchez

New York Yankees’ sluggers Edwin Encarnacion and Gary Sanchez are expected to return to the lineup for the last series of the regular season against the Texas Rangers.

“Everything I did, nothing bothered me,” said Gary Sanchez. “The plan is to get back before the season ends.” When asked about a timetable Sanchez added, “Hopefully in the next few days, with all I have to do, and after working with the trainers, I can feel the way I feel now.”

Sanchez was dealing with the same groin injury that he had earlier in the season. He’s been sidelined ever since the doubleheader against the Detriot Tigers on September 12th. Encarnacion has also been sidelined since that doubleheader against the Tigers with an oblique strain.

Both players took batting practice Tuesday before the game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Sanchez also completed some agility and condition drills where he responded with no problem. “I’m optimistic that there’s a chance that he could be back at some point in that Texas series,” said manager Aaron Boone.

Encarnacion has also been taking consistent swings and completing running drills. “I feel like (Encarnacion) is probably ready and certainly he’s pushing to get in there tomorrow,” said manager Aaron Boone.

Encarnacion who was traded to the New York Yankees earlier this year has been a dependable bat in the lineup where he’s batting .244 with 34 home runs on the season. Sanchez whos signed to a 1 year/$669,800 deal is batting .233 on the year with 34 home runs as well.

 

New York Yankees: Encarnacion And Sanchez To Return Within Days

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New York Yankees, Gary Sanchez

New York Yankee power hitters Edwin Encarnacion and Gary Sanchez should find their way back into the Yankee lineup within a few days. They’ve been out the last few weeks with injuries.

Sanchez hasn’t played since September 12th with groin tightness. He said that the injury was similar to the one that he had earlier in the season. He should hopefully return by the end of the regular season, but it’s unlikely that he wouldn’t be on the ALDS roster. Because of roster expansion, Sanchez remains on the active roster and can be ready to go whenever he is ready.

Sanchez is batting .233 with 34 home runs and 77 runs batted in.

Edwin Encarnacion also hasn’t played since September 12th, but has instead been out with an oblique strain. Like Sanchez, he remains on the active roster. Encarnacion will definately be back by the end of the regular season, but we aren’t sure exactly when yet. He is likely to return in the two game set against the Rays, but it may end up happening over the weekend in Texas.

Encarnacion is batting .244 with 34 home runs and 86 runs batted in. He was traded to the Yankees from the Mariners in mid-June.

Both Edwin Encarnacion and Gary Sanchez have huge impacts to the Yankees and the team wants them back as soon as possible. With the postseason just a week and a half away, the Yankees need everything they can. Both players have hit for power this year, just what the Yankees do best. Those bats back in the lineup will make an enormous impact for the team in the World Series hunt.

New York Yankees get fantastic Edwin Encarnacion injury news

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New York Yankees, Edwin Encarnacion

The New York Yankees lost both starting catcher Gary Sanchez and primary designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion several days ago with potentially dangerous ailments. Sanchez pulled his groin sliding into second base on a steal attempt, and Edwin suffered a strained oblique.

Those two injuries damaged other players throughout the season, including Aaron Judge and Sanchez himself. However, despite manager Aaron Boone not commenting on either’s condition, Encarnacion provided the status of his health.

“I’m almost ready,” Encarnacion said, as per the NY Post. “I don’t know if I’ll be 100 percent this week, but I think I’m at 80 percent.”

The initial test will be active batting practice for Edwin, who has yet to swing a bat after injuring the oblique. Gaining him back will give the Yankees a significant boost before the start of the postseason. The team will need all of the firepower they can get considering the number of injuries they have picked up this season.

Sanchez, on the other hand, has 11 remaining games to make a return and show he’s ready to take on playoff baseball. His status is certainly cloudy, and he could miss a good portion of the playoffs if not the entire period. He injured the same groin two months ago that forced him to miss 16 games (July 24-Aug 10). Using that same timetable, Sanchez would theoretically miss most of, if not all of the first playoff series.

The New York Yankees need Gary Sanchez to return:

If Sanchez is unable to play, the Bombers would likely resort to Austin Romine as their starter and Kyle Higashioka backing him up. Realistically, it would force the Yanks to carry three catchers into the postseason, which would take an extra slot away from a damaged outfield unit.

Luckily, they will gain back Giancarlo Stanton in the coming days, which will provide a massive boost to the hitting order and another defensive option.

New York Yankees: Aaron Judge concerned over outfield injuries

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New York Yankees' Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

The New York Yankees have battled injuries continuously this season, with the latest haunting Edwin Encarnacion (oblique strain) and Gary Sanchez (groin strain). The outfield, however, has been decimated to a point where the depth is dwindling.

Career-average player Mike Tauchman, elevated his game this season to hit .277 on the year before suffering a calf injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the season. An unfortunate circumstance for the Yanks, who have missed a combined 2,000+ games with all of their injuries.

The outfield heading into the postseason will consist of Aaron Judge, Brett Gardner, Clint Frazier, and Giancarlo Stanton. Cameron Maybin will also be available for the postseason.

Judge commented on the status of the unit and who will need to step up for the postseason, per the NY Post:

To be honest, maybe going into it, it might have been Tauchman, Gardy and me in the outfield with Stanton DH-ing. We got Edwin [Encarnacion], you don’t want to see Edwin hurt [oblique], Tauchman is hurt, so I think [Stanton] will just slide right into that left-field role for us, mix in a DH a little bit.

In regards to Stanton’s return and his influence for the New York Yankees:

He is a big piece. I know a lot of people might have said, ‘Why bring him in now? He’s missing the year, you got a good thing going on.’ But he is an MVP, he knows what to do. He’s come back from injuries before, he knows how to come back.

Giancarlo, a former MVP, will return to the lineup this upcoming week, providing a massive boost for the hitting order and also a defensive option for the outfield. His slugging ability and run production should help supplement any deficiencies in the pitching rotation, which should be expected.

The Bombers will also return starting pitcher Luis Severino to the rotation next week. He will help significantly with the starters and present an additional option for the postseason.

EXTRA:

One player that has been fantastic lately is James Paxton. On Saturday night, he went five innings, allowing just one run on three hits before handing the ball over to Cory Gearrin. The Yankees will feature him in their three-man rotation for the postseason.

New York Yankees get very positive news regarding Gary Sanchez injury

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New York Yankees, Gary Sanchez

The New York Yankees can’t get out of their own way in regards to picking up injuries this season. The latest to miss extended time is starting catcher Gary Sanchez and first baseman Edwin Encarnación.

Sanchez, who was thrown out at second base attempting to steal, overstretched his leg and pulled his groin. This is an injury he has had before, and he could miss the rest of the regular season if not appropriately treated. The Yankees continue to suffer from the injury bug, and it could potentially spill over into the postseason.

However, manager Aaron Boone was optimistic that Sanchez could return this month:

“I don’t want to start saying o10 days, two weeks, three weeks, all these things, because we’re now in the early stages,” Boone said. I would say, based on the information given to me, I have some optimism.”

The Bombers desperately need their starting catcher, as he is one of their best home run hitters and his defensive qualities are a necessity. If Sanchez is forced to miss any time during the playoffs, backup catcher Austin Romine would likely head the responsibilities. With the number of injuries piling up, the Yankees cannot afford to lose any players and will already be thin moving forward.

“Hopeful we’ll get him back by the end of the season, but obviously these next few days, how he responds and everything, we’ll be able to determine the factor.”

The New York Yankees will gain back several players:

While the injury bug still lingers and the negatives continue to develop, the Yanks will return Luis Severino, Giancarlo Stanton, and Dellin Betances soon.

Severino is already scheduled to play on Tuesday, a massive development for the starting pitching rotation and Stanton is working his way back with the intention of rejoining the team next week as well.

All three players listed have missed the entire or a majority of the season. Their influence is significant and will be a huge boost to the team heading into the playoffs.

Why the New York Yankees will not make it past the first round of the playoffs

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New York Yankees, Gary Sanchez

If the 2019 MLB regular season were to end today, the New York Yankees would either face the Oakland Athletics or Tampa Bay rays in the first round of the playoffs. Both teams are stacked full of talent and will present formidable challenges against a Yankees squad that can’t seem to avoid injuries this season.

On Friday, the Yankees played in a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers, coming away with two victories.  However, the wins were also accompanied by two injuries to starting players on the team.

Catcher Gary Sanchez and Edwin Encarnacion both left the game with ailments that could linger until the start of the postseason.

Sanchez overstretched his leg on a stolen base attempt in the fourth inning. After having several groin issues in the last two seasons, this could be concerning for the starting catcher. Encarnacion left the game with a strained left oblique muscle. To make matters even worse, starting pitcher J.A. Happ is also dealing with some health issues, although manager Aaron Boone wasn’t too concerned.

The Bombers are already without a majority of their starting outfielders. At the moment, they are featuring Clint Frazier, Aaron Judge, and Brett Gardner as the starting three. They are without Cameron Maybin, Giancarlo Stanton, and Aaron Hicks. The Yankees are journeying forward despite their dwindling depth and overall lack of support.

The reality is, the New York Yankees could be destined for failure primarily due to injuries. The unfathomable amount of ailments that continue to be picked up day-in and day-out will hurt the team and disable them from the ground up.

The starting pitching rotation is thin, the bullpen is struggling with minor injuries, the outfield is decimated, and the infield is battling through scratches and bruises.

Without depth during the postseason, the Yankees will have an incredibly difficult time fighting against better teams that are 100% healthy. Luckily, they will return starting pitcher Luis Severino on Tuesday and will hopefully game back Dellin Betances before the postseason begins. Stanton is also preparing for his return and will be needed.

The bottom line, health must be managed carefully, and the Yankees need to be careful with their starting players. They are already a lock for the postseason and need to finish in an average way. Resting their regular starters and allowing them to manage their bodies should be the priority.

New York Yankees Win Doubleheader But Injuries Bite Again

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New York Yankees, J.A. Happ

The New York Yankees entered Thursday with a back-to-back doubleheader against the Detriot Tigers, a game being made up from yesterday’s rainout. The Yankees emerged from the two games victorious, as they won both games. The victories came with a cost, however, as the Yankees had several players removed for injuries.

The first on the list was Edwin Encarnacion, who left during the game with a left oblique strain (the same injury that sidelined Aaron Judge for around three months). He was sent back to New York for tests.

Gary Sanchez was replaced mid-game by Kyle Higashioka due to left groin tightness. Sanchez mentioned that the pain was similar to what he experienced earlier in the year. The 26-year-old attempted to steal a base and was pulled from the lineup shortly after. Sanchez is expected to undergo an MRI to find out more.

Following JA Happ’s start today, the Yankees announced that he has left bicep tendinitis. He was sent back to New York for more tests. Manager Aaron Boone said that it has been bothering him for a few days now but they determined that he could pitch through it for today.

There’s a concern with slugger Aaron Judge due to him wincing when running the bases following his home run. Yankee fans are distressed because this is the same thing Judge did when he was hurt earlier in the season. Judge had also run into the right-field wall when making a catch on a fly ball.

There’s good news, however. Luis Severino is returning next week and Giancarlo Stanton is expected to return as well. Dellin Betances is expected to make one more rehab appearance before rejoining the Yankees.

New York Yankees: An Ideal Starting Lineup for the Post-Season

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New York Yankees shortstop, Didi Gregorius.

Aaron Boone, the manager of the New York Yankees, has a fun, but challenging task of creating a lineup for the postseason.

The Yankees currently have the best record in baseball at 95-51, are 7-3 in their last 10 games, and have an 8.5 game lead on the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees have one more two-game set against the Rays, at Tropicana Field, near the end of the month (MLB.com).

With the recent news of Hicks possibly needing Tommy John surgery and Tauchman being out the rest of the season, that opens up some spots in the outfield on the postseason roster. Stanton is the candidate to get the starting spot in left once he comes back off the IL. Clint Frazier could see an increase in playing time as well and will most likely make the postseason roster with all of these injuries.

What should the Starting Lineup Look Like in the Post-Season?

Once everyone comes back from injury, an ideal lineup would look like this: Lemahieu (3B), Judge (RF), Sanchez (C), Encarnacion (DH), Stanton (LF), Voit (1B), Torres (2B), Gregorius (SS), and Gardner (CF). Even for the Astros pitching, that would be a tough lineup to get through.  The balanced hitting of Lemahieu and Judge will set up the middle of the order, where all of the power comes from. Then, the sneaky home run leader, Torres, will add value to the bottom-third of the lineup. Gardner, a player that always seems to make something happen, whether it’s drawing a walk or stealing a base, is a perfect nine hitter to set up the top of the lineup.

Some key players off the bench would be: Gio Urshela (3B), for his electric plays on defense and consistent bat, Cameron Maybin (OF), for his veteran presence and ability to everything he asked to do at a high level, and Austin Romine (C), for his ability to lead as a veteran and come up clutch in big moments at the plate. He also seems to bond well with the pitchers and gives them extra confidence the mound.

Also, for the ALDS, Boone should most likely have Paxton start game 1 with his recent success. Tanaka game 2, Severino game 3, and German open up game 4, with Sabathia and/or Happ, right behind Severino or German. Severino will need some time to get back to his full durability audit may not be this season. German has also thrown a lot of innings this year and they should be careful with his arm. This plan would allow The Yankees could be smart to utilize all of their options to keep everyone fresh out of the bullpen.

Using this strategy, Boone can help lead the New York Yankees to their first World Series in a decade.

New York Yankees: The key to a deep playoff run for the Yanks

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New York Yankees, Aaron Judge

As the New York Yankees journey forward towards the postseason, they will have to make several tough decisions on who to carry over on their roster. The apparent choices being Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez, Didi Gregorius and more will all feature on the active squad.

However, several injured players will need to return and make an impact during the playoffs, if the Yankees are keen on making a deep run. One of their stars, Giancarlo Stanton, will be needed. As one of the league’s top sluggers, he offers immense value In the lineup and the outfield. He can fill an outfield spot over Mike Tauchman or Camaron Maybin, which would be the ideal scenario for the Yankees.

Injuries continue to plague the team, as Tauchman left the game on Sunday night against the Boston Red Sox with what the team called a tight left calf. He will undergo further testing in New York.

Losing another outfielder is disheartening, which makes the return of stand that much more influential.

What’s the key to a New York Yankees postseason run?

Ultimately, success in the playoffs relies on two things: consistent pitching and run support. The Yankees have one of the two down, and returning Stanton will only help them in that category. So far this season, the Yankees have hit 131 home runs at home and 134 on the road. Not only should that give you an idea of their power, but attests to their ability to hit away from Yankee Stadium, which will be essential during the playoffs.

The Yankees top sluggers account for a significant portion of their home runs. Edwin Encarnación has 11 homers, Aaron judge has 21 homers, Gleyber Torres has 35 homers, and Gary Sanchez has 34 homers. In total, they’ve hit a total of 103 long balls.

Adding Stanton to that grouping will only help the team succeed. Despite his high strikeout rate, that is the sacrifice the Yankees are willing to make for timely runs and compensating for inconsistent pitching. Their biggest weakness is in the starting pitching rotation, as they don’t have a true Ace and are just returning Luis Severino. He will likely not be able to pitch a full game, which will make him an opening option.