Kansas City Update
Kansas City, Mo. — Jazz Chisholm Jr. is dealing with some neck tightness, and it seems Maekel Garcia is in the same boat.
During the Royals’ 10-2 victory on Tuesday, Chisholm and the Yankees’ three basemen both left the game after a dive into third base on their sixth stolen base attempt. Manager Aaron Boone showed some concern over the neck tension and a thumb issue related to the play. Chisholm, however, was particularly frustrated with how Garcia tagged him, recalling their incident during last October’s ALDS.
Chisholm ended up hitting Garcia’s knee while trying to reach third base. “Every time we had issues, it felt like him,” he expressed. “That’s why I was so annoyed. He tagged me without even having the ball. Just frustrating, you know?”
This frustration has its roots in their history—Chisholm previously accused Garcia of trying to injure him during a slide to second base in Game 4 of the playoffs. Chisholm’s earlier comments in the ALDS highlighted this tension when he called the Royals “lucky” after winning Game 2.
He’s still feeling that way, even now. “I’m not at home, so I’d rather not deal with all this noise,” Chisholm noted. “When nothing’s happening on the road, it’s just… bleh.” He added, “Go ahead and boo me; at least it’ll give me some rhythm to walk to.”
Regarding his neck, both Chisholm and Boone are optimistic he’ll be back in the lineup by Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are facing some challenges in their bullpen. Jake Cousins, who was on a rehabilitation assignment for a strained right elbow flexor, felt discomfort in his elbow and was pulled from playing. Coach Boone mentioned that an MRI was scheduled to assess the situation, which is understandably concerning.
Given Cousins’ ongoing injury issues, the Yankees might look to trade for bullpen help as the deadline approaches. Previously, after being a key asset in the latter half of last season, Cousins has had to deal with various setbacks, including forearm tension and problems during a live batting practice session in May.
He had pitched in two rehab games recently, with his most recent outing being three innings with High A Hudson Valley.
Adding to their bullpen woes, Luke Weaver is out with hamstring issues, while Fernando Cruz has just returned from shoulder troubles. And Jonathan Roasiga is still finding his footing after elbow surgery last year.
Stroman’s Rehabilitation
Marcus Stroman is set to begin his rehab assignments at Double A Somerset on Wednesday. He’s been sidelined since mid-April due to knee inflammation but is gearing up for two live batting practice sessions before heading to a rehab game.
Boone indicated that there’s still a plan to utilize him as a starter, but it will depend on how well Stroman responds to the progression of his recovery. Currently, left-handed swingman Ryan Yarbra is filling in as the fifth starter, a position he struggled with against the Red Sox recently.
