Bronx Bomber Ball

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  After another crushing defeat in the Field of Dreams game last night, the Yankees and White Sox are off on Friday as they travel to Chicago to complete their three-game series.   Let’s use the off-day as an opportunity to check-in on the Yankees’ laundry list of injured and COVID-afflicted players.

  New York Post/Getty Images After missing the last month and a half due to knee surgery from a left meniscus tear suffered during spring training, the reigning MLB home run king approaches his 2021 debut in Tampa next week against the Rays. His presence could provide an extra jolt to a Yankees lineup that has shockingly struggled to begin the season. Luke Voit finished the 2020 regular season with an MLB leading 22 home runs, a slash line of .277/.338/.610, and an OPS of .948 which is comparable to the red-hot Giancarlo Stanton. A New York roster lauded for its outstanding depth from the 1 to 9 spots in recent years can't seem to get any production outside of the top of the lineup. Especially from the first base spot that has seen a rotation of DJ LeMahieu, Mike Ford, and the now retired Jay Bruce, with the latter two combining for a paltry .100/.086/.267 and 6 RBIs, to 20 strikeouts. Even if Voit cannot repeat his 2020 pace, anything is better than what the Bombers have gotten so...

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There are a few big differences between last year’s story surrounding Yankees injuries and this year’s story.  The fact that this season only consists of 60 games and every game this season counts as much as 2.7 games in a 162-game season is chief among them.  The fact that history is repeating itself is another.  But another notable difference between this tale of two injury-heavy seasons for the Yankees is that DJ LeMahieu was not among the walking wounded in 2019.  Photo credit: FOX Sports

Look, I get it.   Injuries happen.   There’s no way around that.   But the total shitstorm we are currently experiencing AGAIN has the feel of something much, much worse than just some early Spring Training getting-the-kinks-worked-out nonsense.  The Yankees are once again falling apart in front of us and it's not even March.  I am absolutely worried right now. Photo Credit: Douglas DeFelice/USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees announced on Thursday that RHP Luis Severino would be shut down for "a few days" after he experienced discomfort in his forearm Wednesday night and again Thursday morning. Severino was scheduled to throw a bullpen on Thursday.  According to Aaron Boone, Severino has a "loose body" in his arm and this has been an on again off again issue for Severino dating back to his last start of the ALCS against Houston in October.  Per Sweeny Murti, Severino had MRIs in both December and February that came back clean.  It was initially reported that Severino would see Dr Christopher Ahmad on Friday and Jack Curry later clarified that Severino has been prescribed anti-inflammatories and rest but its is unclear when or if Severino will see Dr Ahmad.  

Just like that, the 2019 New York Yankees regular season has come to an end. The Bombers finished with a 103-59 regular-season record, being one of four teams to end the season with more than 100 wins for the first time in MLB history. Calling this season a rollercoaster would be an understatement. It seemed like another name was hitting the IL at every corner that was turned. The Yankees lead the league in both the number of different players that spent time on the injured list (30) and lead by almost 600 in total days spent on the injured list with 2,614. But, ironically, the Yanks head into the postseason looking about as healthy as they have throughout the duration of the season with just a couple names to keep an eye on. Photo Credit: Noah K. Murray/USA Today Sports

Yankees’ slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who was placed on the 10-day Injured List with a strained PCL yesterday, will be sidelined until at least August, per Brian Cashman in an interview with the media today.   Mike Tauchman was recalled from triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take his spot on the roster ahead of the team's weekend series in London against the Boston Red Sox. Cashman said “it’s going to be a while” for Stanton, and called August “the sweet spot” to get him back playing again. Anything earlier would be a bonus. https://t.co/JtSGPi8yYs — Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) June 27, 2019

The Yankees have officially placed CC Sabathia on the Injured List with inflammation in his right knee.   This is the same knee that Sabathia had surgery on in 2014 and saw IL (then, the DL) time with in 2015, 2017 and 2018.   The Yankees will recall Nestor Cortes to take Sabathia’s spot on the roster. Photo Credit: Ron Sachs/CNP

It is almost as though fans aren’t phased by it anymore. Over the course of the past month that baseball has been “in session,” the Yankees have accrued enough players on the Injured List to add up to $87 million worth of payroll as of April 7th.  They have also led MLB in the category of… most injured players.   The injury woes didn’t start with the season opener, either; we can’t forget that prior to the start of the 2019 season, Didi Gregorius underwent Tommy John surgery.   Dellin Betances has his shoulder issue, which started during Spring Training.   Aaron Hicks had, and continues to have, back problems.   Jacoby Ellsbury… we won’t even go there (or discuss the astronomical numbers he has cost the Yankees at this point).   Luis Severino, devastatingly, suffered a shoulder injury during Spring Training, which changed the outlook for the starting rotation that already had to regroup -- thanks to the previously-accounted for absence of C.C. Sabathi...

The Yankees were dealt a blow on Tuesday afternoon when RHP and staff ace Luis Severino was scratched from his scheduled start with soreness in his right shoulder just moments before game time.  After undergoing an MRI, it was revealed that Severino had inflammation in his rotator cuff and will be shut down for a minimum of two weeks.  This puts his available for Opening Day in serious doubt. Credit: Lynne Sladky/AP 

The Yankees officially announced this morning that SS Didi Gregorius will be placed on 10-day DL with a left heel contusion. Luke Voit will take his place on the active roster. Photo Credit: AP

After spending time on the DL with two hamstring injuries, Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka is expected to make a rehab start in Triple A this week with Scranton before possibly returning to the rotation in the Yankees’ upcoming series against Baltimore, as Brian Cashman said Tanaka returning to face Baltimore is “the best case scenario”. Tanaka’s return will mark the end of a rookie’s rotation spot, as Tanaka will replace one of either Jonathan Loaisiga or Domingo German. Photo Credit: Brad Mills | USA Today Sports

The New York Yankees, having recently lost both Jordan Montgomery for the season to Tommy John Surgery and Masahiro Tanaka for a few weeks due to cramps in both of his hamstrings, are set to call up electric right-hander Jonathan  Loaisiga  to make his Major League debut on Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Rays, per YES Network's Jack Curry. Boone said Jonathan Loaisiga will start for the Yankees on Thursday. He started the season at Class A Tampa and has been at Class AA Trenton, where he's 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 4 starts. He has 26Ks and 1 walk in 20 innings. — Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) June 12, 2018 *Per Boone's update after last night's game, Loaisiga will start Friday night, not Thursday night* Loaisiga , New York's 12th best prospect per  MLB[ dot]com,  had an impressive showing in A-ball before a quick promotion to double-A Trenton where he made his last six starts.  Over ten starts across both levels of the minors this season,  Loais...

At long last, the Yankees starting first baseman Greg Bird will be returning to the major league team this Saturday, in the Bronx, as the Yankees take on the Halos. This came directly from Boone who told WFAN today. Bird has missed the entirety of the season, thus far, due to an ankle surgery in late-March. Photo Credit: AP

After spending a month on the DL with a lingering headache problem, Brandon Drury has been activated and optioned down to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Acquired from the Diamondbacks this offseason, Drury's injury forced him out of a spot early in the season. Photo Credit: Corey Sipkin The former Diamondback utility infielder was five-for-23 (.217) in eight games the first few weeks of the seasons with one homer and four RBIs. His demotion may be a bit surprising to some, but after Neil Walker has picked up his play recently there’s not much of a spot for Drury. To go along with Walker, the Yanks have Ronald Torreyes, Gleyber Torres, and Miguel Andujar in the infield, who have all excelled. The next causality that will likely be optioned down to Triple-A is Tyler Austin, once Greg Bird returns to action. Drury’s spot on the big league roster became taken once Torres and Andujar were called up, but if there’s any injury in the meantime, expect Drury to be called up...

The Yankees suffered a big blow to their starting rotation on Tuesday night, as 25-year-old left-hander Jordan Montgomery left after only one inning into his start against the Astros. Originally, his injury was categorized as left elbow tightness, but earlier today the club confirmed a left elbow strain and placed Montgomery on the 10-day disabled list. He had pitched very well before his exit, posting a 3.62 ERA in 27.1 innings, as well as cruising through that first inning against the reigning champs, needing only seven pitches. Manager Aaron Boone  said  that Montgomery would likely miss 6-8 weeks, including a period of two to three weeks in which he won’t throw at all.    Photo Credit: Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire Montgomery’s next start was scheduled for this Sunday, May 6th, in the Bronx against Cleveland, and Boone has  confirmed  that Domingo German will indeed make the first start of his MLB career that day. German was brilliant in reli...

Prior to the series finale against the Marlins, the Yankees have placed Tommy  Kahnle  on the 10-day DL with right shoulder tendonitis. In response, the Yanks recalled right-handed journeyman Luis  Cessa  back up from Triple-A.   ROSTER MOVES: Prior to tonight’s game, the @Yankees placed RHP Tommy Kahnle on the 10-day disabled list (retroactive to 4/16) with right shoulder tendonitis and recalled RHP Luis Cessa from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. — Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) April 17, 2018   Kahnle  had been struggling lately and overall this season including a noticed drop in velocity, which is now explained. In six outings accumulating 7.1 innings, the righty has a 6.14 ERA while giving up eight walks. His WHIP of 1.64 has concerned Yankee fans and the reason of his struggles has now came out.  Hopefully just a minor injury,  Kahnle’s  presence will certainly be missed in the already struggling bullpen.  Cessa’s ...

With the Yankees suffering from numerous injuries in the early part of the season, they’ll get one piece back in Aaron Hicks, who was dealing with an oblique injury. The injury-prone center fielder is reinstated from the 10-day DL after he played in just 88 games last season due to injury as well, something that has slowed down in his career so far. Photo Credit: Corey Sipkin/New York Daily News