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COVID Notes: 7/10/21

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The latest on coronavirus situations from around baseball…

  • Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm was removed from today’s game in the eighth inning for what manager Joe Girardi described only as reasons related to “COVID protocols.”  Officials aren’t required to provide detailed information about COVID-19 situations, and Girardi just told reporters (including NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Corey Seidman) that “we’ll know more as time goes on.  That’s all I can give you right now.”  It isn’t yet known if Bohm will be placed on the actual COVID-related injury list, and such a placement isn’t necessarily a sure thing — in the event of a close contact situation or perhaps an inconclusive test result, Bohm could be cleared in time for Sunday’s game with the Red Sox.  Following a very impressive 2020 rookie season, Bohm has hit a sophomore slump, hitting only .243/.298/.343 with six home runs in 329 PA this year.
  • The Yankees placed right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga on the COVID-related injury list prior to today’s game with the Astros.  Along with the placement of Miguel Andujar on the regular 10-day IL due to a left wrist strain, New York called up right-handers Albert Abreu and Brooks Kriske from Triple-A to fill the spots on the 26-man roster.  Yankees manager Aaron Boone also didn’t give specifics on Loaisiga’s status to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch and other reporters, except to say that Loaisiga “feels good.”  The righty has been a force out of the Yankees’ bullpen this season, posting a 2.11 ERA, 63.9% grounder rate, an outstanding 5.5% walk rate and an above-average 25.1% strikeout rate over 47 innings.

Yankees Recall Miguel Andujar, Option Albert Abreu

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The Yankees recalled Miguel Andujar today, the team announced. To make room, they optioned Albert Abreu to Triple-A.

Andujar arrives as insurance for starting third baseman Gio Urshela. An MRI on Urshela’s knee came back without any structural damage, so he’ll be day-to-day for now, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com (via Twitter). Urshela has once again proven himself to be a reliable bat for the Yankees. He’s slashing .287/.342/.455 with four home runs across 111 plate appearances, producing 0.7 bWAR.

Andujar himself has struggled to stay healthy. This spring he dealt with carpel tunnel syndrome in his wrist, though it hasn’t appeared to bother him so far. The minor league season is just three days old, but Andujar has already knocked three home runs while going 6-for-13.

As for Abreu, the 25-year-old right-hander made two appearances this season, both coming in the first half of April. He was placed on the roster just two days ago when Rougned Odor went to the injured list. Abreu will likely join the starting rotation in Triple-A.

East Notes: Andujar, Nelson, Smith, Turner

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The Yankees announced a pair of roster moves after today’s 7-3 loss to the Indians. For starters, they optioned Nick Nelson to their alternate site. The 25-year-old right-hander appeared in six games, once as an opener, giving up 10 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings. The demotion comes after a two-inning, three-earned-run outing in today’s ballgame. In addition, the Yankees activated third baseman Miguel Andujar from the injured list and optioned him to their alternate site. Andujar was beset by a bout of carpal tunnel syndrome in his right wrist. Slowed largely by injures, the 26-year-old has hit just .193/.219/.257 across 114 plate appearances since his breakout rookie season in 2018. Let’s stay on the East Coast, but move over to the Senior Circuit…

  • The Mets activated right-hander Drew Smith from the injured list and optioned him to their alternate site, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter). The 27-year-old has been spotty, but intriguing in small samples for the Mets. Though he made just eight appearances last year, he has logged 35 innings in 35 appearances with a 4.11 ERA/4.08 FIP going back through 2018. Injuries have been the bugaboo for Smith, who missed all of 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. His shoulder has been the issue of late, though hopefully, with some time at the alternate site, Smith can prove his readiness and soon get back to a big league mound.
  • Star shortstop Trea Turner was removed from today’s game after getting plunked in the arm. He has a contusion on his left forearm, but testing came back negative, per Jesse Doughtery of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Turner may miss a game, but it sounds as if the Nats expect him to be okay. That’s critical for the Nationals, as Turner has taken over as their 3-hole hitter with Juan Soto on the shelf. The speedy shortstop looks at home in the middle of the order with a 120 wRC+ and 1.0 bWAR produced through 75 plate appearances prior to today’s game.

Injury Notes: Kim, Alfaro, Andujar, Schmidt, Reds

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Kwang Hyun Kim is slated to toss a 90-pitch simulated game today, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt told reporters (including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).  Kim tossed another simulated game earlier this week, so the left-hander may be just about on the verge of rejoining the Cards’ rotation during the team’s upcoming series against the Phillies from April 16-18.

Back problems sidelined Kim for a good chunk of Spring Training, requiring an injured list placement to begin the season.  The 32-year-old is looking to build off an impressive debut season in Major League Baseball, as Kim posted a 1.62 ERA over 39 innings (thanks to a 50% grounder rate and a lot of soft contact) in 2020.

More injury updates from around the sport…

  • Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro was scratched from yesterday’s lineup due to what the team described as “lingering tightness in his left hamstring.”  Manager Don Mattingly told SportsGrid’s Craig Mish and other reporters the Marlins may decide tomorrow whether or not an IL stint is required.  Counting today, Alfaro will have been sidelined for four straight games, and Miami doesn’t have another off-day until April 19.  Should Alfaro hit the injured list, Sandy Leon is the only catcher in the Marlins’ farm system with any big league experience, so the team could select his minor league deal and install Leon as Chad Wallach’s backup.
  • Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided updates on Miguel Andujar and Clarke Schmidt to reporters (including ESPN.com’s Marly Rivera and Newsday’s Erik Boland).  For Andujar, he is already hitting off a tee and will start hitting out of the batting cage next week as the 26-year-old is trying to recover from right carpal tunnel syndrome.  Schmidt, meanwhile, is getting a second opinion on his bothersome right elbow, which is still giving him discomfort after almost seven weeks.  Schmidt was shut down back in February for what was supposed to be three or four weeks due to a common extensor strain in his right elbow — for what it’s worth, Boland noted that Boone today described the injury as simply a “right elbow strain.”
  • Shogo Akiyama and Sonny Gray are each progressing well in their injury recoveries, writes Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Akiyama has been expected to return from a hamstring injury in early-mid May, and Reds manager David Bell says the outfielder has had “zero setbacks” in his rehab. Gray, meanwhile, is in line to make his return from a back injury by the end of next week. It’s a little less clear when Cincinnati can expect Michael Lorenzen back; the right-hander’s recovery from a shoulder strain is “not as going fast as he would like,” Bell said (via Sheldon).

Yankees Select Lucas Luetge

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The Yankees announced that they have selected the contract of left-handed reliever Lucas Luetge, whom they signed to a minor league contract in the offseason. To make room for Luetge on their 40-man, the Yankees placed fellow southpaw reliever Zack Britton on the 60-day injured list. Britton will miss the first few months of the season as a result of elbow surgery.

Luetge makes for an interesting story as someone who hasn’t pitched in the majors in several years. A 21st-round pick of the Brewers in 2008, Luetge debuted with the Mariners in 2012 and stuck with the organization through 2015, though he combined for only 89 innings during that stretch. As a member of the M’s, Luetge logged a 4.35 ERA with unimpressive strikeout rates of 19 percent and 12.1 percent, respectively, while averaging a little over 90 mph on his fastball. He has since pitched in the minors with a handful of other teams, and he spent last year with the A’s organization.

To Luetge’s credit, he improbably shut down opposing hitters this spring with Yankees, as the 34-year-old tossed 10 1/3 innings of two-run, eight-hit ball with an eye-opening 18 strikeouts against two walks. Thanks to that tremendous performance and injuries to Britton and lefty Justin Wilson, whom the Yankees placed on the 10-day IL with shoulder inflammation, Luetge was able to earn a season-opening spot in the Yankees’ bullpen. He’ll be their relief corps’ top southpaw behind Aroldis Chapman until Wilson returns.

Along with the above moves, the Yankees placed first baseman Luke Voit (left knee) and third baseman/outfielder Miguel Andujar (right wrist) on the 10-day IL, retroactive to March 29. Neither decision came as a surprise – Voit just underwent surgery, while Andujar’s wrist has bothered him for a couple of weeks.

AL East Notes: Davis, Yanks, Wilson, Andujar, Jays

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The seven-year, $161MM contract the Orioles gave first baseman Chris Davis before 2016 continues to look worse: Manager Brandon Hyde admitted Monday that the lower back strain that has sidelined Davis since early this month could force him to begin the season on the 60-day injured list, according to Dan Connolly of The Athletic. Davis, who turned 35 last week, has gone from star to liability over the past few years. He slashed a horrendous .115/.164/.173 with no home runs during an injury-shortened, 55-plate appearance 2020. Davis is in the penultimate season of a contract that has long been an albatross for Baltimore.

More from the American League East…

  • Yankees left-handed reliever Justin Wilson departed Monday’s game with tightness in his pitching shoulder and will undergo an MRI on Tuesday, the team announced. Wilson’s importance to the Yankees increased when fellow lefty Zack Britton underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery a couple weeks ago, but now it looks possible that the club will begin the year without the top two southpaw setup men in its bullpen. Wilson was a notable offseason pickup for the Yankees, who signed him to a one-year, $4MM guarantee.
  • In further unfortunate news for the Yankees, the right hand/wrist issue that has kept third baseman/outfielder Miguel Andujar out for the past week isn’t healing quickly. Andujar won’t return to game action “anytime soon,” manager Aaron Boone informed Erik Boland of Newsday and other reporters. Health problems have slowed Andujar since he burst on the scene with a terrific rookie campaign in 2018. Shoulder troubles limited him to 12 games in 2019, when Gio Urshela took his third base job, and then he hit an uninspiring .242/.277/.355 with one homer in 65 plate appearances last year. Even if he stayed healthy this spring, Andujar probably would not have earned a major league roster spot.
  • The Blue Jays will go without injured closer Kirby Yates to start the season, but they won’t designate one pitcher to replace him, manager Charlie Montoyo told Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet and other media. Jordan Romano, Rafael Dolis, David Phelps and Tyler Chatwood are all in the running for high-leverage innings with Yates on the shelf.

East Notes: Yankees, Phillies, Rays

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The latest from the majors’ East divisions…

  • Yankees left-handed reliever Zack Britton’s arthroscopic elbow surgery on Monday went according to plan, manager Aaron Boone announced to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com and other reporters. Boone didn’t provide a timeline for when Britton could return, but it was initially reported that the Yankees might go three to four months without their integral setup man. Meanwhile, third baseman Miguel Andujar has “a muscle strain” in his right hand/wrist and “a bit of a nerve issue,” Marly Rivera of ESPN tweets. Again, though, there’s no official word on how long Andujar will have to sit out.
  • Phillies righty Spencer Howard didn’t make his scheduled outing Monday on account of back spasms, per manager Joe Girardi (via Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer). While the severity of the issue is unknown, it may make it even less likely for Howard to win a season-opening spot on the Phillies’ roster. Howard could eventually emerge as part of the solution in the Phillies’ rotation, but he only managed a 5.92 ERA/4.87 SIERA during his 24 1/3-inning major league debut last season.
  • Sticking with the Phillies, infielder/outfielder Brad Miller is dealing with an oblique strain, Matt Gelb of The Athletic relays. Girardi said the Phillies will re-evaluate Miller in five to six days, but the club has not ruled him out for Opening Day. Miller, who previously played with the Phillies in 2019, reunited with the team on a one-year, $3.5MM guarantee in the offseason. He earned that payday after slashing .232/.357/.451 with seven home runs in 171 plate appearances a Cardinal a season ago.
  • Rays outfielder Brett Phillips will miss three to four weeks with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Phillips suffered the injury Sunday, and it now appears the 2020 playoff hero will sit out until at least the middle of April. However, the Rays still have Kevin Kiermaier, Randy Arozarena, Austin Meadows, Manuel Margot and Yoshi Tsutsugo available in the outfield.

East Notes: Andujar, Chirinos, Brasier, Rainey

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Miguel Andújar has been held back by soreness in his right hand/wrist area and will see a specialist tomorrow, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including Marly Rivera of ESPN and Lindsey Adler of the Athletic). That evaluation will surely provide a clearer diagnosis and timetable for Andújar’s return to action, but this seemingly raises the possibility of a season-opening IL stint. Andújar hasn’t played much over the past two years after a strong rookie season in 2018. The 26-year-old has been frequently mentioned as a possible trade candidate based on the offensive upside he showed a few years ago and his lack of an obvious path to playing time in New York. The Yankees could continue to hold onto him as high-minors depth, though, as Andújar has an option year remaining.

More from the game’s East divisions:

  • Fellow Yankee Robinson Chirinos will also see a specialist tomorrow as he seeks a second opinion on his fractured right wrist (via Rivera and Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). Surgery is a possibility, per Hoch. Chirinos has been in camp as a non-roster invitee. The 36-year-old catcher is typically a productive hitter for his position but struggled in 82 plate appearances between the Rangers and Mets in 2020.
  • Red Sox reliever Ryan Brasier seems unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive and Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Manager Alex Cora revealed this morning that Brasier fractured a pinky over the offseason and was also absent early in camp for personal reasons. That pair of obstacles has delayed his ramp-up process, and it doesn’t seem he’ll be able to build up sufficient strength in time for April 1. The right-hander posted a decent 3.96 ERA/3.86 SIERA over 25 innings last season.
  • Another reliever slowed down by injury is Nationals right-hander Tanner Rainey. The fireballing 28-year-old has yet to pitch in a Spring Training game due to a minor muscle strain near his right collarbone, writes Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. He was able to throw a 30-pitch bullpen session yesterday though. Washington manager Dave Martinez expressed some hope Rainey will be able to make it back by Opening Day, but that doesn’t appear to be certain. Rainey was quietly excellent for the Nats last season, tossing 20.1 innings of 2.66 ERA/2.30 SIERA ball.

East Notes: Phillies, Andujar, Marlins

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Let’s check in on a few East Coast clubs…

  • The Phillies will not retain bullpen coach Jim Gott, per Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Gott held the role for three years, but the Phillies elected not to renew the former big league right-hander’s contract. The move comes on the heels of a disastrous season for the Phillies’ bullpen, which posted a bloated 7.06 ERA en route to a last-place finish in the league. The unit’s struggles played a major part in the Phillies’ failure to earn a playoff berth. Now, with Gott gone and pitching coach Bryan Price having retired, that aspect of Philly’s coaching staff is in for a shakeup.
  • After a second straight abbreviated season, Yankees third baseman/outfielder Miguel Andujar will report to the Dominican Winter League, Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes tweets. Andujar looked like a budding star as a rookie in 2018, but he has played just 33 games since then, owing in part to a serious shoulder injury he suffered in his second season. While Andujar did come back this year, he was unable to unseat Gio Urshela as the Yankees’ No. 1 option at third base. Andujar wound up slumping to a .242/.277/.355 line with one home run in 65 plate appearances.
  • The Yankees have lost a pair of minor league coaches to the Marlins, as George A. King III of the New York Post reports that Tommy Phelps and Phil Plantier are headed to Miami. Phelps would have been the Yankees’ Triple-A pitching coach had a minor league season taken place, while Plantier was in line to serve as their hitting coach. Phelps will now work as the Marlins’ assistant pitching coordinator, though Plantier’s role is unclear. These hirings continue a deep Yankees connection for the Marlins, who are co-owned by Derek Jeter, managed by Don Mattingly, and employ Gary Denbo as their director of player development and scouting.

Yankees Reinstate Giancarlo Stanton, Gio Urshela, Jonathan Loaisiga From Injured List

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The Yankees announced that outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, infielder Gio Urshela and right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga have all been reinstated from the 10-day injured list.  Miguel Andujar and Mike Ford were optioned to the alternate training site in corresponding moves, and the Yankees already had an open roster space since right-hander Clarke Schmidt was optioned after Sunday’s game.

Stanton hit the IL with a left hamstring strain back on August 9, and the Yankees and their fans are hoping that the slugger can finally enjoy a sustained run of healthy play after almost two full seasons of inactivity due to various leg injuries.  Stanton played in only 18 games in 2019 and appeared in 14 games this season before going on the injured list, with this year’s absence being particularly disappointing since Stanton was off to a huge start (hitting .293/.453/.585 with three homers in 54 PA).

However, Stanton’s return gives him time to get ramped up prior to the postseason, as the Yankees are starting to get healthy at perhaps just the right time.  Urshela will back to action after a minimal 10-day placement due to a bone spur in his right elbow, and the third baseman has followed up his breakout 2019 campaign with a strong .272/.358/.515 slash line and six homers in 120 PA this season.  Aaron Judge is also expected to soon return from a calf injury.

Loaisiga’s return is also welcome news for the Yankees, especially considering the rather unusual nature of his IL placement.  On September 4, the Yankees said Loaisiga was suffering from “a medical condition that prevents him from playing and necessitates placement on the injured list,” with manager Aaron Boone later specifying that the right-hander’s absence was not due to COVID-19.  Regardless, it is good to see Loaisiga back in relatively quick fashion.  The 25-year-old has a 3.18 ERA, 5.00 K/BB rate, and 10.6 K/9 over 17 innings this season.

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