Josh Donaldson scratched with stomach ailment, setting stage for great play by Oswaldo Cabrera
Oswaldo Cabrera of the Yankees is checked out by teammates Andrew Benintendi and Isiah Kiner-Falefa after making a catch during the third inning against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Add Josh Donaldson to the list of ailing Yankees.
Though, in this case, it doesn’t appear as if the third baseman will miss much time.
Donaldson, originally in Saturday afternoon’s lineup against the Blue Jays at third base and batting fifth, was announced as a scratch about 30 minutes before first pitch with a stomach bug.
“Stomach before the game, couldn’t [keep] anything down. Just wasn’t feeling well,” Aaron Boone said after the Yankees’ 5-2 loss. “Came into my office a little after 12 . . . I think got a little better as the game went on and was potentially an option there late.”
Rookie Oswaldo Cabrera, in the initial lineup in rightfield, was shifted to third. Aaron Judge, originally in center, moved to right (where he made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Bo Bichette of an extra-base hit) and Estevan Florial was inserted into the lineup in centerfield.
Cabrera continued to impress Stadium fans with his play. After robbing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. of a homer to rightfield on the first pitch of Friday night's game, Cabrera made another spectacular play in the second inning Saturday. Playing wide of third base against the lefthanded-hitting Jackie Bradley Jr., he sprinted toward the tarpaulin on the third-base side in pursuit of Bradley's foul pop, dived across the tarpaulin as he caught the ball and banged the lower part of his face against the padded concrete ledge behind the tarp. The stunned Cabrera was checked out and stayed in the game, drawing a huge ovation.
“What a great play,” Boone said. “He had a little bloody nose but he was fine.”
Closing time
Clay Holmes, placed on the injured list Wednesday (and backdated to Aug. 14) with lower-back spasms, threw on flat ground Saturday. The righthander said he’s “optimistic” given the way he feels, indicating he could return when the 15-day stint expires.
Whenever Holmes, who posted an 8.22 ERA in eight games after appearing in the All-Star Game in Los Angeles, comes back, Boone said who closes “will be fluid.”
“We want to get Clay right. We know when he’s right, we saw it the first three-plus months of the season where he was about as lights-out as you can be,'' Boone said. "So we have to get him to that point. First and foremost is getting him physically right right now. He’s playing catch today, so hopefully he can get through these next couple of days and we can get him back on the mound. The bottom line is when he gets locked in with his delivery and commanding his sinker, the results should be quick to follow.”
Asked how challenging it is to manage without a defined closer, Boone took the long route in not directly answering the question.
“I do feel like enough good things are happening within the bullpen with guys throwing the ball well that we have to get those guys in spots where they can be successful,” he said. “Obviously, you’d love to have that guy that you know, ‘he’s our guy today at the back end,’ but we have to find our way a little bit there and kind of establish those and earn those.”
Stanton out on assignment
Giancarlo Stanton was slated to begin a rehab assignment Saturday night with Double-A Somerset at Bowie. Boone reiterated Saturday what he said Friday: The plan is for Stanton to DH Saturday and Sunday with Somerset, then return to New York and be one of the hitters facing Luis Severino on Tuesday afternoon in a live batting-practice session. With no setbacks, Stanton is likely to rejoin the Yankees on Thursday in Oakland for the start of a three-city, 10-game trip.
Good call
Boone tweaked his lineup a bit Saturday, which included hitting Judge third for only the fourth time this season (he has hit second in 100 games).
“On my radio the other day, a caller called in [suggesting that], so I just wanted to appease him,” Boone said with a smile. “Just mixing things up a little bit, get a little spark going. Hopefully this combination today [is one] that can kind of break through.”
Judge, who entered the game with two hits in his previous 24 at-bats, picked up two infield hits in four at-bats.
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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