Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman went in for a platelet-rich plasma treatment on his ailing left knee, David Lennon of Newsday tweets. Skipper Aaron Boone indicated that the plan is to reevaluate the high-powered lefty in two weeks’ time. That’s a bit less promising than the initial suggestion that Chapman could be back after the minimum ten-day DL stint, though there’s no indication as of yet that there’s any real concern that the injury could carry over into the postseason. For a Yankees team that is all but locked into a Wild Card play-in game, getting Chapman up to full speed by the end of September is of much greater importance than having him available for the final month of the regular season.
- Meanwhile, the Yankees are still waiting for a breakthrough from star outfielder Aaron Judge. As Boone stated, and MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch tweeted, the team has “stopped guessing” as to when Judge’s fractured wrist will be in good enough shape to allow him to resume swinging. In this case, perhaps, there’s a bit more reason to be anxious. It has been a long layoff for Judge, after all, and he’ll want to get as many plate appearances as possible before October arrives. Clearly, though, there’s not much the team can do but wait and hope the wrist improves.
- The news is slightly more promising — though no less clear — on Red Sox southpaw Chris Sale. He’s “doing better” and “getting close,” per Boston manger Alex Cora, as Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports on Twitter. With a healthy division lead, the Boston organization is in no need of Sale’s services for the next five weeks. But he’s essential to the team’s World Series hopes, so getting his balky shoulder sorted out is a top priority.
- The injured finger of Twins hurler Ervin Santana won’t require surgery, skipper Paul Molitor said and Phil Miller of the Star-Tribune tweeted. That said, the veteran is going to remain shut down until “doctors come up with a plan.” With the Twins’ season sunk and Santana not looking himself since making a brief return to the majors, the objective here is to set him up as well as possible for the future rather than rushing him back in 2018. While no decision has been made as to whether Santana will pitch again for the Twins this year, it could well be that he has already taken the mound for the club for the last time. Minnesota is unlikely to pick up its $14MM option over the right-hander, who will presumably be a popular bounceback target in the offseason to come.
- Indians righty Nick Goody isn’t in need of a new ulnar collateral ligament, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com tweets, but he is headed in for some kind of procedure. That’s rather promising news, given that the 27-year-old was making the rounds to several noted surgeons recently. Goody has missed much of the 2018 season with arm woes, making for a disappointing follow-up to his strong 2017 performance. Last year, Goody worked to a 2.80 ERA with 11.9 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 over 54 2/3 frames. He had been on track to reach arbitration via Super Two status this fall. While he’ll have enough MLB service time to reach it, he won’t be eligible since he has not spent 86 days on the active roster this season.
- It seems the Mariners and Hisashi Iwakuma haven’t given up entirely on the veteran hurler this year. Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto said in a regular appearance on 710 ESPN (write-up via Brent Stecker) that the 37-year-old is nearing a rehab stint, in fact, though it doesn’t sound as if there’s particular cause for optimism that he’ll be a real factor this year. Iwakuma only made six starts in 2017 and hasn’t made it back to competitive action this season. Still, Dipoto suggested he’d do everything possible to get him up to the majors as a reliever down the stretch.
Like to see “Kuma back with Seattle somehow next year if at all possible if he’s able to pitch. Somehow he just belongs there to finish up his US career.
Teams rarely respect wrist injuries. I’m sure they’ll rush Judge back, he won’t have the full strength of the wrist find a way to compensate and end up hurting a knee. The team will be fine, let him heal up all the way.
why would Boston do anything other than sit Sale for another 3 weeks or so, get him something like 3 starts to end the season and be fresh and ready for a deep playoff run? it didnt make sense that they brought him back so quick the first time.
raef….. That should be the plan. He looked great his last start, my guess was there wasn’t any pain during the game. next start they need to ensure all the inflammation is totally gone.
With the lead they have, 3 starts before the playoffs should be the goal.
Sale should not be rushed back. This is prolly why each yr he stumbled at the end of season, he prolly thought he could tuff it out but luckily Cora isn’t letting it happen again. But the hitting has gone south with the team, Mookie hasn’t been as lethal since he returned from his little injury, n tfey need him, as they do JD, remember he had a mil or injury n he hasn’t been as lethal either.
Teams do generally rush players back from wrist injuries, but I think the Yankees are in the unique situation of being 8-1/2 down in the division, but 8 up the wildcard. Really is no need to rush him back when the division isn’t likely, and the wildcard is almost guaranteed.
I agree with you but if the Yankees fall to the second wildcard and have to travel to Oakland to play, the season ain’t likely to end well.
It’s not even September.
After tonight it could be down to 7 GB. Things are just now getting interesting in the AL East
Keep telling yourself that. NYY still have west coast trip left which includes Oakland and Seattle.
Sounds like all that nonsense we were hearing about Boston can’t beat teams over .500 record.. Don’t get 50 more wins than losses by just beating lousy teams.
I agree, , but depends whose pitching n right now it’s Price n Porcello. With Sale n effective ERod they could dominate any team.
That crap about only beating bad teams you can say bout the NYY too, even if Cashman makes stupid comments about the Redsox if they didn’t hafta play the NYY wonder what their record would be. Of course the Redsox swept them after that dumb comment. As far as Sanchez goes, he’s a slacka,
Santana is a bounce back candidate every couple years.