Jose Trevino, who hadn’t allowed more than three stolen bases in a game until the Red Sox allowed nine on Sunday, allowed four stolen bases to Baltimore as catcher in Wednesday’s 7-6, 10-inning loss.
Then in the 10th inning, Cedric Mullins made a throwing error while stealing third base, allowing Mullins to score the deciding run.
Trevino said he didn’t get a good grip on the ball on that pitch, but he’s not worried about his defensive challenges of late, despite his declining arm speed.
He entered Wednesday’s game with the same stolen base prevention rate as last season, 26 percent.
Manager Aaron Boone said everyone has to improve to cut down on stolen bases.
Mullins, who stole two bases along with Gunnar Henderson on Wednesday, said he didn’t see Trevino making any particular moves to get him to run.
“That’s part of how we play as a team,” Mullins said. “We’re aggressive on the bases.”
Trevino made an error in three straight games.
Clay Holmes allowed two more runs in the 10th inning and has allowed two runs in each of his previous three appearances.
“He’s not as sharp,” Boone said of his closer’s recent performance, “but he’s not far off.”
Anthony Rizzo was placed on the 60-day disabled list with a fractured right forearm to allow Gerrit Cole to return to the 40-man roster.
Ben Rice will start at first base on Wednesday, and Boone said Rice should get ample playing time after being promoted from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and making his MLB debut on Tuesday.
“He’s going to be out there,” Boone said of Rice, who hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning of the Yankees’ loss. “We’re in a back-to-back game. [against] “We have a few left-handed starting pitchers. I don’t expect to use all of them. It depends on the situation day by day.”
The other main option at first base in Rizzo’s absence is DJ LeMahieu, who singled on Wednesday but has yet to appear at bat this season after missing the first game of the year with a broken right foot.
He’s hit more ground balls than he has in his career, fewer liners and no extra base hits on Wednesday.
Manager Boone called LeMahieu’s at-bat “okay.”
“He’s certainly not where he’d like to be yet, but we’ve got to keep working at it,” Boone said. “He’s had some good at-bats so far.”
Oswaldo Cabrera attempted to steal second base with one out in the 10th inning but was called out.
Boone had no problem with Cabrerra leaving.
The Yankees challenged the play, thinking Jorge Mateo had blocked the bases, but that wasn’t up for review.
Anthony Misiewicz, who pitched the ninth inning, was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game.
Promising 22-year-old catching prospect Augustin Ramirez was promoted from Double-A Somerset to SWB to replace Rice.
He led Somerset with 16 home runs.
Boone said he is still waiting to hear the exact severity of Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s Jason Dominguez’s oblique injury, but said it is believed to be “moderate.”
There is no word yet on when the promising player will return.
The Yankees, like every other MLB team, held a moment of silence before the game in memory of Willie Mays, who died on Tuesday.
