SAN FRANCISCO — When it comes to Yankees pitchers suffering from latitudinal strains, Luis Severino is something of an expert.
While Severino is currently playing for the Mets, Clark Schmidt spoke with Severino’s former teammate and good friend on Thursday morning after being diagnosed with a torn right lat muscle that will likely keep him out for at least two months.
Severino has struggled with lat injuries of varying severity during his time with the Yankees in 2019, 2022 and 2023. What advice has stood out most to Schmidt?
“Everybody recovers differently, every body is different, but I think the most important thing is to nip it in the bud and let it heal,” Schmidt said before the Yankees opened their series with the Giants at Oracle Park. “Thankfully, this isn’t something that requires surgery or anything like that. I just want to stay healthy so this doesn’t bother me late in the season or in the playoffs.”
“Obviously, we’re going to do everything we can to expedite this process and get back sooner. It’s the smart thing to do, obviously, but I really want to help this team down the stretch and win big games, big playoff games, so it’s about doing well down the stretch.”
Schmidt said he’s also spoken with Gerrit Cole, who “has had similar issues with his latissimus dorsi in the past,” as well as other pitchers around the league who have come to him for advice about the injury.
Manager Aaron Boone said Schmidt would rest four to six weeks, but Schmidt seemed confident enough to think there was some wiggle room there, calling it a “soft schedule.”
The right-hander will be re-examined in three weeks and hopes to resume pitching within the next three to four weeks.
The Yankees traded Triple-A catcher Luis Torrens to the Mets on Friday for $100,000 in cash, according to The Washington Post’s Joel Sherman.
If the Yankees had not added Torrens to the major league roster by June 15, Torrens could have claimed his release.
Torrens, 28, signed with the Yankees as a 16-year-old from Venezuela and rejoined the team this winter, but had a solid spring training before heading to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he batted .279 with an .807 OPS in 30 games.
This was the Yankees’ first trip to Oracle Park since 2019.
Early Friday afternoon, Nestor Cortez was one of a handful of Yankees personnel who made their way to the right field stands to get a better look at McCovey Cove.
Former Yankees outfielder Esteban Florial was designated a designated player by the Guardians on Friday.
