Yankees' Clay Holmes on IL; DJ LeMahieu, Giancarlo Stanton returns on horizon
Yankees closing pitcher Clay Holmes works against the Mariners during the ninth inning of a game on Aug. 8, 2022, in Seattle. Credit: AP/John Froschauer
Clay Holmes went on the injured list on Wednesday. DL LeMahieu avoided the injured list. And Giancarlo Stanton is closer to coming off the injured list.
The Yankees placed Holmes, their struggling onetime closer, on the IL with left lower back spasms. The move was retroactive to Sunday.
Manager Aaron Boone said Holmes, who lost his closer job with his recent woes, is not scheduled to undergo any medical tests.
“Not real concerned,” Boone said. “We’re hoping that it’s just the 15 days. He came out Sunday just in his catch play and his back spasmed up on him. So it’s been a few days. He went out and threw [Tuesday]. Kind of was like one of those things like maybe he could get through, but then we’re like, ‘Do we want to be in a compromised situation with him, especially as he’s kind of working through some things?’ Hopefully it’s just something that’s a couple more days where he’s down and then we ramp him back up.”
Boone said his closer “could be a number of guys,” and he specifically mentioned deposed closer Aroldis Chapman and righthander Scott Effross.
“We’ll just kind of try to put everyone in their best position to be at their best,” Boone said.
Righthander Ron Marinaccio was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
LeMahieu appeared headed for the IL with a troublesome right big toe, especially with the Yankees calling up infielder Oswaldo Cabrera. But with the help of rest, medicine and orthotics, LeMahieu proclaimed himself ready to help off the bench if needed on Wednesday and in the lineup on Thursday. He lined a first-pitch single to right as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning Wednesday and was removed for a pinch runner.
“Hopefully these three or four days off really puts it in the right direction,” said LeMahieu, who had last played on Saturday and has watched the Yankees score one total run in the three games since. “The last three days, it’s definitely hard to watch and not be a part of it. But I tell them how I feel and we go from there.”
Stanton might not be too far behind. The slugger, who has been on the IL since July 26 with left Achilles tendinitis, took fly balls in rightfield well after the Yankees finished batting practice before their game against Tampa Bay.
Boone, who is often loath to give timetables, said he hopes Stanton can return “next week sometime” after a minor-league rehab stint that would begin this weekend.
Boone also said he hopes Stanton won’t be limited to designated hitter duty when he returns.
Deja vu all over again
When Josh Donaldson gave the Yankees an 8-7 victory over the Rays with a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning Wednesday night, it was the third time in franchise history that a Yankee had hit a walk-off slam with the team trailing by three runs. Oddly, all three came in similar situations.
On Sept. 24, 1925, the White Sox scored three runs in the top of the 10th to take a 5-2 lead. Babe Ruth's grand slam then gave the Yankees a 6-5 victory.
On May 17, 2002, the Twins scored three runs in the top of the 14th inning to take a 12-9 lead. Jason Giambi's grand slam in the rain then gave the Yankees a 13-12 victory in his coming-out moment with the team after replacing the popular Tino Martinez.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
