The Yankees, who entered Wednesday with the lowest ERA in the majors, have some reinforcements in their bullpen.
In the short term, that means Nick Vardy, who finished his rehab appearance on Tuesday feeling good, could be back on the Yankees’ active roster in time for Friday’s game against the Rays.
He has been out since April 19th due to right hip arthritis.
In the not-too-distant future, that could also mean Tommy Kahnle, who began his rehab in Single-A Tampa on Wednesday and pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
The relief pitcher has yet to make his season debut due to shoulder issues that lingered into the offseason and slowed his pitching progress, but he will need at least five rehab appearances before rejoining the Yankees and will have until the end of this season. There is a possibility that he will return. Month.
“We’re excited to get him going,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees’ 9-4 blowout win over the Astros at Stadium on Wednesday night. “I know he’s been in a pretty good position here the last few weeks.”
Kahnle’s rehabilitation was delayed again in April when he had trouble recovering from pitching to a batter, but since then his recovery has been good enough to play in games.
The veteran will spend at least the first two rehab appearances in Tampa before moving up to the next level.
Even without Kahnle, the Yankees’ bullpen is in good position to start the season.
The bullpen, which allowed two runs in 2/3 innings in the Yankees’ victory, entered Wednesday with the lowest ERA in the majors at 2.22.
“I’m very happy with how everyone is coming together over there,” Boone said. “Do your job. They’ve done a really good job. And they’re not all going to be in the perfect spot and be locked in and pitch at their best. But they’ve all been in the win situation. It was really good because he really contributed in a lot of different ways. Hopefully as more and more guys become part of the mix, hopefully you move forward and become a more complete bullpen. I hope I can.”
The Yankees catcher positions himself closer to the plate than most catchers to maximize his framing, and the tandem of Jose Trevino and Austin Wells has been able to do that successfully early this season. Ta.
But don’t expect that to change, considering Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras broke his forearm Tuesday night when he took a swing into the outstretched arm of Mets slugger J.D. Martinez. please.
“We are working diligently to maximize these benefits while mitigating those risks as much as possible, with player safety as our top priority,” Yankees director of catchers Tanner Swanson said Wednesday. “There is,” he said.
Catcher interference is on the rise across the league, and teams are trying to gain an advantage when setting up low pitches by moving catchers closer to the plate.
But Trevino and Wells played in just one game Wednesday, and the Yankees were working with them to raise their mitts off the ground rather than spreading them across the field.
“We understand the risks and we assume the risks, but it’s a calculated one,” Swanson said.
DJ LeMahieu (undisplaced foot fracture) took early batting practice to continue to strengthen for another rehab task.
