Aaron Boone: Luis Severino, Clint Frazier suffer rehab setbacks
Luis Severino of the Yankees looks on against the Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 6. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Aaron Boone delivered a mixed bag of injury and COVID-19 updates before the Yankees hosted the Angels on Monday night.
With two exceptions, the news seemed promising for the Yankees’ many players on the injured or COVID lists.
The exceptions are Luis Severino and Clint Frazier.
While Boone was stingy with the information, and hemmed and hawed a bit, Severino and Frazier have suffered setbacks in their rehab assignments that make it seem as if their chances of returning this season are low.
Severino was scratched from Friday’s rehab start because of shoulder tightness. The righthander, who has not pitched for the Yankees since the 2019 ALCS and is trying to come back from Tommy John surgery and a groin strain, had an MRI on Monday.
Boone said Monday night there was no update on Severino. Asked if he knew the results of the MRI, he said: "Don’t want to go into it."
Frazier, who has been out since July 1 with what the Yankees originally called vertigo, took himself out before a scheduled rehab game Sunday.
The Yankees ended Frazier’s rehab assignment and placed him on the 60-day injured list. (On Sunday, they had ended Severino’s rehab assignment.)
"Just not quite feeling where he needed to be," Boone said of Frazier. "Good decision for him, knowing he wasn’t full-bore ready to go."
Boone said there is no timetable for Frazier’s return.
There are timetables for other players. Gerrit Cole returned from the COVID list and started on Monday. Jordan Montgomery will be activated from the list to start one of the games of Tuesday’s split doubleheader.
Anthony Rizzo had cardiac tests in the hope that he can rejoin the team Tuesday for a workout and be activated off the COVID list soon thereafter. Rizzo is having extra tests done because he is a cancer survivor.
Aroldis Chapman (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday.
Corey Kluber (shoulder) is scheduled to make his second rehab start Tuesday.
Clay Holmes (COVID list) is still quarantining in Kansas City.
Gio Urshela (hamstring) ran at 80% and could begin a rehab assignment late this week. Gleyber Torres (thumb) is not swinging a bat yet. Miguel Andujar (wrist) took batting practice. There was no update on Domingo German (shoulder).
After Monday’s game, the Yankees sent down reliever Stephen Ridings and catcher Rob Brantly to make room for Montgomery and Gary Sanchez, who will be activated off the COVID IL Tuesday.
Ridings, who grew up in Commack and attended St. Anthony's, allowed two runs (one earned) in five innings with seven strikeouts in the first appearances of his MLB career.
Hall of Fame update
The Baseball Hall of Fame announced that 38 Hall of Famers are planning to attend the Sept. 8 induction ceremony in Cooperstown for Derek Jeter, Larry Walker, Ted Simmons and the late union chief Marvin Miller.
Among the Hall of Famers expected to attend are Jeter’s former manager, Joe Torre; teammates Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina, Wade Boggs, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez; former Yankees Goose Gossage, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson, Lee Smith and Dave Winfield, and Jeter nemesis Pedro 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.
