Boone: Didi close; Gleyber named Player of Week
OAKLAND — Didi Gregorius is getting “very close” to a return, according to Aaron Boone. The shortstop had a scheduled light day of rehab on Monday. “After getting him ramped up the last couple of days, he came in feeling really strong,” Boone said before Monday’s series opener against the A’s at the Oakland Coliseum. “I would think tomorrow he will probably be out running the bases. I would say he’s getting very close to a return.”
Gregorius has been out since Aug. 20 with a bruised left heel. The Yankees went out and traded for defensive shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria before the waiver trade deadline in what was seen as insurance for perhaps a longer than expected rehab for Gregorius.
The Yankees, however, have been encouraged by Gregorius’ work and expect him to attack his last few obstacles.
“Just running, getting out there running bases. Getting after it from a ground ball standpoint where he is able to move laterally as well as he can,” Boone said of what Gregorius has yet to do.” The last couple days where he’s started to ramp up, he’s responded each day, he’s come in and he’s bounced back, so we feel like he’s getting real close.”
The Yankees not only could use Gregorius’ glove, but also his bat. The 28year-old was hitting .270 with 22 homers
and 74 RBI in 118 games. After Didi missed his 14th game on Monday, Boone said he wasn’t too worried about him getting his timing back.
“No, not really. Sometimes hitting can be a tricky thing. Sometimes it can click right away. Sometimes it takes a minute to get your timing, that can be true when you are playing every day, you go through your little ebbs and flows in the season,” Boone said. “It can be a little tricky. I think he should be OK, the (batting practice) he’s been taking the last couple of days, it looks like the ball is really jumping off his bat. He looks really strong.
“If he does come back, say in the next few days, he’ll be just a couple weeks removed, hopefully that’s something that is not too much of an adjustment for him.” GLEYBER DAY
Gleyber Torres was named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending September 2. The Yankees’ rookie infielder went 11-for-23 with three runs scored, three home runs, 10 RBI, five walks and a stolen base in seven games. It is his second AL Player of the Week Award this season.
Among qualified AL leaders, Torres finished the week first in batting average; tied for first in RBI; second in hits and on-base percentage; tied for fourth in home runs, walks and total bases; and eighth in slugging percentage. On Saturday against the Tigers at Yankee Stadium, the Venezuelan native hit his 22nd home run of the season. Torres reached the 22-homer mark in his 98th career game at the age of 21 years, 262 days.