Setback keeps Paxton on shelf
James Paxton suffered a setback Wednesday. The Yankees lefthander, who is on the injured list with a strained forearm flexor, “felt a little sore” after throwing and won’t do so again for “a couple days,” Aaron Boone said on his weekly WFAN appearance.
A day before, Boone said the hope was Paxton would still be able to get back before the end of the regular season. Boone had mentioned the possibility that Paxton would throw off the mound for the first time this weekend.
With two weeks and three days left in the regular season, it’s now hard to see how Paxton could ramp up again after resting “a couple of days.” That would mean playing catch, seeing how he responds, throwing off a mound, throwing live batting practice and then simulated innings, all to get back before Sept. 27.
The Yankees sit in the eighth and last American League playoff spot, so there could be innings for Paxton there if he does get back.
But, ramping up quickly to get back is exactly the issue Paxton thinks put him in this situation. He said last month he believes the shortened summer training camp, after the fourmonth coronavirus pandemic shutdown, is why the Yankees are suddenly seeing their IL bulge and players across the game are suffering injuries.
“I think it’s pretty simple: a short spring training,” Paxton said when asked if there was a common thread through all the injuries. “We didn’t get enough time going at a lower speed to kind of build up and now you’re seeing, a few weeks into the season, guys are not fresh anymore.
“And it’s just the tiredness is building up,” Paxton said. “We don’t have that base we normally have.”
The 31-year-old will be a free agent after this season. In five starts, he was 1-1 with a 6.64 ERA.
A VOIT VOID
Luke Voit would not have been in the lineup Thursday night for the Yankees’ series opener against the Orioles, which ended up being rained out.
The first baseman had played in 22 straight games and has been dealing with “foot stuff,” that both he and the team have been very vague about.
THE KID CAN HANDLE IT
Deivi Garcia came to the big leagues believing he belonged here. Wednesday night, pitching in a game the Yankees had to win, the 21-year-old went out and dealt one of the best performances by a Bomber pitcher this season. So, Boone said they know he could handle being on the playoff roster, if the Yankees have to put one together.