Just so Happ-ens ...
Yanks pitcher healthy and will start Thursday
CHICAGO — A Yankees team starving for a positive vibe in the midst of a season-high five-game losing streak received some Monday.
J.A. Happ, who missed a start Saturday because of hand, foot and mouth disease, will start Thursday against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium.
“Good news. He is out of the woods virus wise and not contagious,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees and Lance Lynn beat the hapless White Sox, 7-0, to end the skid Monday night. “He is eligible to come off [the DL] Thursday. The idea is, if everything goes well in the next couple of days, he would be in line to start Thursday.’’
Happ, 35, was 10-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 20 starts for the Blue Jays before being dealt to the Yankees for infielder Brandon Drury and outfielder Billy McKinney. In one start for the Yankees on July 29 against the Royals, Happ hurled the Bombers to a 6-3 win. He allowed one run and three hits in six innings.
Two days later he was diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease. Initially the Yankees believed Happ could start against the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday, but was placed on the 10-day DL instead. Chance Adams made the start in Boston and was the loser in a 4-1 decision, but acquitted himself well in his major league debut by allowing three runs and three hits in five innings.
Barring something unforeseen, Adams will return to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room for Happ on the 25-man roster.
➤ Boone said he didn’t shift Miguel Andujar from third base to the DH spot Monday night because the rookie third baseman made two errors, one that cost the Yankees a win, Sunday night in Boston.
Some managers would put a young player back in the field after two errors in order to show him he has confidence in the player. Others believe in doing what Boone did.
“There are two schools of thoughts there. Miguel, I feel like he is equipped to deal with the successes and failures you have up here so I don’t worry about putting him back out there,’’ Boone said. “That’s not why he isn’t [at third] today. I planned on starting [Neil] Walker at third the first game of this series. In the end I had no issue throwing Miggy back out there.’’
Andujar’s two errors Sunday night in Boston raised his total to 10 this year and that ties him with second baseman Gleyber Torres for the team lead.
Andujar went 0-for-3 with a walk and scored on Walker’s two-run homer in the eighth Monday. It was one of Walker’s two hits on the night.
➤ White Sox infielder Matt Davidson pitched the ninth inning and not only didn’t allow a run, he broke Brett Gardner’s bat on a foul ball. Davidson reached the low 90s with his fastball and showed a breaking ball.
So, would Boone ever give in and use Aaron Hicks’ power arm on the mound?
“He bugs me all the time, but no,’’ Boone said.
➤ Dellin Betances streak of four straight All-Star selections was stopped this year, but the righthander has possibly been the best reliever in baseball since May 27. Since then, Betances has given up one run in 25 innings (26 games) and fanned 43. Hitters are batting .100 (8-for-80) against him in that stretch.
Betances, who did not pitch Monday, has one strikeout in 25 straight appearances since May 29.