MLB notebook: Stanton, Judge give Yankees minor-league Murderers Row
CHICAGO— The New York Yankees might have their most feared sluggers back in the lineup soon after Aaron Judge joined Giancarlo Stanton on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday.
Judge, making his first rehab appearance, was the designated hitter Friday night at Durham. Stanton was in right field after the Yankees transferred him from Class-A Tampa to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“We feel like they’re at a point where they’re doing well and obviously they’ve got to get through these final steps and hurdles and rack up some time here,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “But we’re starting to plan and get excited for them, hopefully joining us at some point on the homestand.”
Judge, the 2017 AL rookie of the year and a two-time all-star, has been sidelined since April 20 because of a strained left oblique. Stanton, the 2017 NL MVP, has not played for the Yankees since March 31 because of biceps, shoulder and calf injuries.
Boone said Stanton could be ready to rejoin the club after the weekend as long as he doesn’t experience any setbacks. The Yankees open a 10-game homestand Monday against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Judge will probably need a little more time with the Triple-A club. Boone said the plan was to have him serve as the DH the first two games before playing him in the outfield.
“We’ll want him to get out there and get some back-toback games where he’s on defence and it’s more about building up that kind of in-baseball-shape kind of thing,” Boone said. “Whereas Giancarlo, obviously, is a little further along there.”
The Yankees have placed 20 players on the injured list this year, matching their total for the entire 2018 season. Even so, they came into Friday’s game against the Chicago White Sox leading the AL East with a 41-26 record. BACK TO WORK: Cleveland ace Corey Kluber has been cleared to work on strength building after having his broken arm evaluated.
Cleveland manager Terry Francona said Friday the report on Kluber was good. He said Kluber has “the go ahead to do strengthening stuff” and will be re-evaluated in a couple more weeks.
Francona also said right-hander Cody Anderson had surgery Friday to repair a tendon in his right elbow. Anderson appeared in five games for Cleveland this season and was sent down to the minors last month.
Kluber is 2-3 with a 5.80 ERA this season. The two-time Cy Young Award winner broke his pitching arm when he was hit by a line drive May 1.
ELBOW PAIN: Boston Red Sox reliever Heath Hembree has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained right elbow.
Hembree is 1-0 with a 2.51 ERA and one save in 31 appearances. He is working on a streak of nine straight games without allowing a run.
The right-hander last pitched Monday, retiring all four batters he faced in a loss to Texas.
Boston recalled rookie lefthander Josh Taylor to fill the void in the bullpen. Taylor has a 10.80 ERA in five games with Boston this season.