Chapman back to relieve ’pen
OAKLAND, Calif. — Aroldis Chapman will be activated from the disabled list Sunday and return to the closer role Dellin Betances handled very well while Chapman was sidelined with an inflamed left rotator cuff.
Out since May 13, Chapman threw two-thirds of an inning Friday night for Double-A Trenton in which he gave up a run, walked two and struck out two.
Asked if he was concerned Chapman, who pitched in one minor league game, might have been rusty Friday night, manager Joe Girardi didn’t buy into it.
“You got a guy who was a World Series champion pitching in Triple-A,’’ Girardi said. “I would imagine the emotions are a little different.’’ Shortly before Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Ath- letics, the Yankees announced designated hitter Matt Holliday was scratched because of an allergic reaction.
“I am not sure what happened. My face got red and swollen,’’ said Holliday, who was replaced by Starlin Castro, who had been scheduled for his first full day off this year. “They gave me Benadryl and I wasn’t able to play. The doctor wasn’t sure what happened.’’
Holliday said he didn’t eat “anything out of the norm.’’
Castro, who leads the Yankees in hits this season with 88, went 1-for-4.
Domingo German replaced Masahiro Tanaka to start the fifth and provided four shutout innings that kept the game close and gave the rest of the bullpen a much-needed day of rest.
For his effort, the righthander may have earned himself a demotion to the minor leagues, since he threw 79 pitches. Didi Gregorius’ career-high 17-game hitting streak ended Saturday with a 0-for-4 outing. Aaron Judge (0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts) was hitless for the fourth time this month.
Jacoby Ellsbury is with Double-A Trenton, but Girardi didn’t have a date for when the center fielder will play in a minor league game. Ellsbury has been on the DL with a concussion since May 25.
Luis Cessa starts Sunday against the A’s. While his 3-6 record and 4.15 ERA in 11 games (10) starts for Triple-A Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre isn’t sterling, the right-hander’s three most recent outings for the RailRiders were solid. Cessa went 1-2, but posted a 2.25 ERA.
“Go out and locate,’’ Girardi said of the 25-yearold Cessa, who made one relief appearance this year for the Yankees and was recalled from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. “He has the stuff to compete on this level.’’