Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake has positive thoughts about Aroldis Chapman
Yankees relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman throws to first base against the Reds during the eighth inning of an MLB game at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Aroldis Chapman has been scored on in three of his six outings since returning from the injured list July 1, an extension of struggles that began before the IL stint.
But pitching coach Matt Blake, who doesn’t necessarily fall into Pollyanna mode when discussing his pitchers, said what he’s seen from Chapman in that time has been mostly positive.
“I feel like each time out he’s gained a little more confidence. The consistency of his fastball’s getting better,” Blake said before Saturday night’s game.
Chapman, who lost the closer’s job to Clay Holmes earlier in the season, allowed a homer by Bobby Dalbec on a 2-and-2 slider that put the Yankees in a 4-3 hole in the seventh inning Friday (they rallied in the ninth before falling, 5-4, in 11 innings). But Chapman, who has a 4.74 ERA in 23 games, quickly recovered, striking out two of the next three batters. He ended the inning by striking out Rob Refsnyder swinging at a 100-mph fastball.
“He’s still searching for a little bit of that consistent slider shape, but I feel like his overall mentality and attacking the zone is just getting better and better each time out, and trusting that his delivery’s in a good spot,” Blake said. “I don’t think we’re seeing as much searching out there. His fastball velocity is there from the get-go — it’s 97 to 99 and it hovers around there with some 100s and 101s — and I feel like the overall attack mindset is just a lot better right now than it was pre-injury.”
Castro out for a while
An effective Chapman would help a bullpen that lost another member Saturday when righty Miguel Castro, mostly solid this season, was placed on the IL with a right shoulder strain. Aaron Boone said before Saturday’s game that Castro likely won’t pick up a ball for at least the next four weeks.
“He’ll be reevaluated after two weeks, so that could get sped up depending on how things are going, but it’s going to be at least a few weeks of no-throw,” Boone said.
Castro has a 4.00 ERA in 32 games, with 30 strikeouts and 13 walks in 27 innings.
Outfielder Tim Locastro, a steady defender and also a significant threat to steal bases, was recalled to take Castro’s spot on the roster, though that’s likely only for Saturday and Sunday.
Latest on Sevy
Luis Severino, put on the IL Thursday with a right lat strain, “probably” won’t attempt to throw for at least the next two weeks, Boone said.
The manager added: “But that could get sped up based on symptoms and everything, but we’re probably looking at that. I think we’re pretty optimistic that it’s going to be something we’ll be able to get through.”
When Stanton talks . . .
Though Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo are 1a and 1b when it comes to leaders in the Yankees’ clubhouse, the understated Giancarlo Stanton has emerged in that regard the last few seasons.
“He’s not an overly vocal person, but it’s been neat to watch him, really over time, just continue to gain more and more gravitas [in the clubhouse],” Boone said. “When he speaks up, people really listen. There’s a lot of wisdom behind what he says. He’s very thoughtful about the game and how to prepare and how to go about it. He speaks up occasionally, and not [with] a lot of words necessarily, but when he does, people really lock in.”
Prepare for a Martian sighting in Hudson Valley
Outfielder Jasson Dominguez — tagged with the nickname “The Martian” because of what some consider other-worldly skills that make him one of the top position prospects in the Yankees' organization — was promoted to High-A Hudson Valley on Saturday. After a slow start, Dominguez, 19, hit .265 with nine homers, 17 doubles and an .813 OPS in 75 games with Class A Tampa.
Carpenter hammers again
Matt Carpenter hit a three-run homer in the first inning to give the Yankees a 4-1 lead and a three-run homer in the fifth to make it 8-1 Saturday night. That gave him 13 home runs in 74 at-bats and 90 plate appearances as a Yankee. His bases-loaded walk in the eighth gave him 31 RBIs in 30 games.
Aaron Judge hit his 32nd homer earlier in the fifth and added his 33rd in the sixth to give the Yankees a 10-1 lead. The latter homer went 444 feet.
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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