Boone: Sevy not tipping pitches

CLEVELAND – Aaron Boone didn’t think Luis Severino was tipping his pitches on Thursday night, even though the Yankees’ 24-year-old ace wondered, after getting hit hard by the Indians, if that was the case.

“It’s something we always are watching with all our guys,” Boone said Friday. “But I think any time a pitcher of his stature gets hit around a little bit you start looking for everything. So that’s something that we try to monitor all the time. I don’t know if it was necessarily that or them having a good plan and jumping on him a couple pitches. So it is something that we watch all the time, but I don’t necessarily think that’s the case.”

Severino struck out a season-low one and allowed a season-high nine hits (including two homers) over five innings. He takes a 14-2 record and a 2.31 ERA into the All-Star game, which he could start on Tuesday.

Severino went only five innings in Toronto in his previous start as well.

SANCHEZ CLOSE TO REHAB

Gary Sanchez (groin) ran the stairs at Progressive Field before Friday’s game and also threw to the bases as well. A minor-league rehab stint for Sanchez at Triple-A Scranton could begin Sunday, with the team hopeful he can return after the All-Star break.

DIDI'S DAY OFF

Didi Gregorius got Friday off for the most part, with Tyler Wade making the start at shortstop. It’s been something Aaron Boone has wanted to do for a while.

“It’s been a few weeks that I’ve been flirting with giving him a day,” Boone said. “I left here (Thursday) thinking he was going to play. But then just kind of sitting on it overnight and this morning, I just felt there was some benefit in getting a day now.”

Wade went 2-for-3 with a double and a run, while Gregorius popped out to end the game at a pinch-hitter.

GLEYBER UPDATE

Boone said Gleyber Torres (hip) is a little bit behind Sanchez in terms of his progress but everything is going well. Torres continues to up his workload and was slated to take batting practice either Friday or Saturday, Boone said.

The team has been hoping Torres can begin his minorleague rehab stint at some point after Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

IN DEFENSE OF ANDUJAR

Miguel Andujar has been a pleasant surprise defensively, yet he ranks last among 21 qualifying third basemen in advanced defensive metrics like defensive runs saved and ultimate zone rating. Speculation has been that Andujar could perhaps be traded for a young, controllable starter, though there doesn’t seem to be many if any of those on the market.

“I still think he’s absolutely a work in progress and there’s so much more in there I think he can get to being an above-average third baseman defensively,” Boone said. “I absolutely feel that way now, whereas I wasn’t sure I’d say that in the winter. But now that I’ve seen him I’d say what he’s done really well up here is really handled the routine play.”

ELLS NO

Jacoby Ellsbury is still not doing any baseball activities due to a bothersome hip, and Boone wouldn’t speculate when he might be back.