There was a save situation up for grabs Thursday night for the Yankees, but it was Chad Green, not Aroldis Chapman, who took it.
Chapman was not available because he had been sick for two days, according to manager Aaron Boone. The team does not believe it is a COVID-related issue.
“He’s taken a lot of tests in the last couple days and we don’t believe it is that,” Boone said. “We believe he just got a bug. Think he’s hopefully coming around.”
Boone was not sure whether Chapman would travel with the Yankees to Detroit on Thursday night or fly separately on Friday, but he hoped to have the closer back in time for the opener of the series against the Tigers.
Green worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning in Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader split with the Blue Jays, a 5-3 Yankees win, for his second save of the season.
Luis Severino (Tommy John surgery) is “getting close” to starting a rehab assignment, according to Boone. He threw two innings of live batting practice Wednesday in Tampa and worked up to 34 pitches.
Boone said Severino wouldn’t need to be fully built up before joining the Yankees, because their plan has him continuing to stretch out once he returns.
A sticky situation Wednesday in Chicago was the talk of MLB, after umpire Joe West forced Cardinals pitcher Giovanny Gallegos to change hats because he noticed a substance on the brim. The league is trying to crack down on pitchers’ use of foreign substances beyond just to get a grip — collecting baseballs this season to study the issue — but Wednesday’s issue was instigated by West.
“Usually that’s something that should come from the opposing teams, unless there’s something egregious or obvious that has to be [addressed],” Boone said.
Boone didn’t have any more clarity on Corey Kluber’s right shoulder strain, but the Yankees placed him on the 10-day injured list and called up Albert Abreu.
The Yankees will open a series Friday in Detroit with Gerrit Cole on the mound, followed by Deivi Garcia on Saturday. Sunday’s starter is to be determined, though Michael King could factor in.
