Zack Britton comes off IL, throws a breezy inning
Zack Britton and Gary Sanchez of the Yankees celebrate after defeating the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 16. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Zack’s back and ready to go.
The Yankees on Tuesday reinstated Zack Britton (left hamstring strain) from the 10-day injured list, with Aaron Boone saying he’ll be able to slot Britton into the back end of the bullpen immediately, with little restriction. And Britton, who pitched a perfect eighth inning with one strikeout Tuesday, seemed to prove it well enough.
“He’s been able to keep his arm going the whole time,” Boone said. “He’s been able to throw, and talking to him after his two bullpens he said, ‘My arm feels really good. I feel like I’m throwing the ball exactly where I need be.’ So I think he’s really encouraged about where he’s at.”
Britton came into Tuesday 0-2 with a 2.00 ERA and eight saves in 10 games after filling in for Aroldis Chapman earlier in the season. Britton’s last outing, Aug. 19, ended with a pair of RBI singles in the eighth inning (only one of the runs charged to Britton) in a 4-2 loss to the Rays. Boone said that though he might not immediately use Britton in back-to-back games to start with, he’ll continue to see how the situation develops.
Gleyber improving
Gleyber Torres (left hamstring) is “getting close,” Boone said, and could begin playing in games at the alternate site in Scranton in one or two days. His return to the Yankees is “around the corner,” Boone said. “I don’t want to give you a date yet because I don’t have that, but I do I think we’re potentially now days away.” Tyler Wade and Thairo Estrada will continue to get time at shortstop, he said. Wade started Tuesday and hit ninth.
Backstop’s back, too
The Yankees also reinstated Kyle Higashioka (right oblique strain) from the 10-day IL, making him the third catcher on the roster, along with Gary Sanchez and Erik Kratz. Higashioka started and hit eighth Tuesday, and Sanchez was slotted as the DH. Infielder Jordy Mercer was designated for assignment and righthander Miguel Yajure was optioned to the alternate site in corresponding moves.
Laura Albanese is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. She's been covering MLB since 2014 after starting at Newsday as an intern seven years earlier.
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