Gleyber Torres day-to-day after 'core pain' issues test negative

BALTIMORE — The “core pain” that forced Gleyber Torres out of Tuesday night’s game wasn’t enough to land the 22-year-old on the injured list.

Torres underwent what Aaron Boone called “a battery of tests,” including an MRI, Wednesday in New York, all of which came back negative.

“He’s upbeat, he feels good,” Boone said.

Boone said Torres, en route back to Baltimore late Wednesday afternoon, would be day-to-day. Thairo Estrada, summoned from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre earlier in the day as insurance just in case Torres was placed on the IL, returned to Scranton.

Still, an air of mystery remained, with no assurances the issue wouldn’t resurface. Torres, after all, was forced from Sunday night’s game against Boston with what Boone at the time called a “core issue,” one that sent the infielder to a Manhattan hospital for testing. Those results were all negative and Torres traveled with his teammates here. Torres went 0-for-5 Monday as the DH, then was 0-for-2 Tuesday, when he started at second base, before coming out.

“A little bit, sure,” Boone said, asked if the situation was still concerning because no concrete answer has been found. “But also encouraged that we don’t think it’s serious, nor does he for that matter. I talked to him late last night when he was still on his way back [to New York] and he was like, ‘I’m all right, I feel like I’m going to be fine, I probably just need a day or two.’ We’ll obviously continue to watch it closely. But as of right now we’re optimistic.”

Boone said when the club determines Torres is good to go, he’ll resume as an everyday player.

“I’ll look at it as he’s not restricted,” Boone said. “As of right now, once we feel like he’s ready to go back, I’ll look at him as a regular."

Gio’s back in big way

Gio Urshela returned to the lineup Wednesday after missing two games. He hit a line drive two-run homer to leftfield in the fifth inning and launched another two-run homer in the sixth inning. Both times scoring Aaron Judge. Urshela got banged up Sunday night when, during the same sixth-inning at-bat, he fouled separate balls off his right knee and then his left shin.

“Felt he was an option for us yesterday and then this morning felt even better,” Boone said. “Checked out OK, so off we go.”

Severino, Betances nearing mound work

Luis Severino (right rotator cuff inflammation/lat) and Dellin Betances (right shoulder impingement/lat) both threw on flat ground Wednesday and the former is set to throw from a mound for the first time during his rehab Friday in Toronto. Boone said Betances is likely to get on a mound for the first time Monday. A return date for either pitcher has not been determined.

Stanton starts up again

Giancarlo Stanton, who had not done any baseball activities since going back on the IL June 26 with a right knee sprain, took that step in his rehab Thursday when he played catch and starting hitting off a tee.

“He’s definitely moving in the right direction,” Boone said.