Family matters
Headley rejoins Yankees after family health scare
Chase Headley returned to the Yankees after a health scare involving his oldest son that forced the switch-hitting third baseman to leave Yankee Stadium Wednesday.
Headley entered the Yankees’ 4-1 loss to the Orioles Thursday as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning and grounded out.
“Over the All-Star break, my oldest son had a small operation and has been dealing with some complications the last few days,” Headley said of Cole, who will be 5 in September. “It got pretty serious [Wednesday] and he had to have another procedure. But he’s doing a lot better.”
The experience clearly took a toll on Headley.
“It was tough,’’ he said. “I don’t remember a whole lot of days that were worse than that. Thankfully, he’s got the care he needed and is doing a lot better. He’s in great condition right now.”
Ronald Torreyes, who hadn’t started a game since July 3 and had one at-bat since, started at third Wednesday and Thursday. He went 1-for-3 with a triple Wednesday and 1-for-2 with a single Thursday. The Blue Jays, Astros, Mets, Marlins and Cubs had scouts at Yankee Stadium Thursday.
Getting left-handed reliever Mike Montgomery from the Mariners Wednesday hasn’t killed the Cubs’ appetite for Andrew Miller or Aroldis Chapman.
“The Yankees are playing it smart and will likely take it to the end to get the most,’’ an NL club official said of the Yankees waiting until the Aug. 1 trade deadline to move Chapman and/or Miller.
Alex Rodriguez was in seventh spot of the order Thursday despite having a .368 (7-for-19) average against Orioles righthanded starter Chris Tillman. It was the first time the struggling DH hit lower than sixth this year.
Past success didn’t help Rodriguez, who went 0for-3 against Tillman and is batting .193 (27-for-140) against right-handers and .210 overall.
CC Sabathia is ready for the abuse he will take for falling down on the mound in the sixth inning while pitching to J.J. Hardy.
“I just fell down,’’ said Sabathia, who was called for a balk one batter after his throwing error allowed Chris Davis to reach first. “I am going to see that all over the place.’’
Chad Green’s 2 ¹/3 scoreless innings following Sabathia raised the Yankees’ bullpen streak to 31 innings without giving up a run. According to STATS Inc., it’s the longest scoreless stretch by the Yankees’ pen since 1998 when the relievers didn’t give up a run in 37 ¹/3 straight innings from July 20 to Aug. 9.
Wanting to make sure they didn’t get caught short in the bullpen Thursday the Yankees summoned the right-handed Green from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and sent Nick Goody down.