BOSTON — With Scott Effross getting the save Saturday night, the Yankees have had 10 players record a save this season. That is the most by any team in the majors and after Clay Holmes recent struggles, it leaves the Bombers looking for guys to close out games now.
“I mean, it’s going to evolve. We’ll see,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Sunday night’s series finale against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. “I do feel like we have a handful of guys that are capable of doing it. It probably would be great to get to a point where we just say, alright, Clay, you’re back in there, whatever.
“But also I feel like they’re all capable of getting back-end outs,” Boone added. “We want to put them in the best kind of positions to be as successful as they can be.”
Effross was effective in the Yankees 3-2 win Saturday night. Lou Trivino has closing experience and Boone said that Wandy Peralta would be an option.
Aroldis Chapman has made nine straight scoreless appearances after a season and a half of struggles. The 34-year old has been used very carefully since his return from the injured list, where he spent six weeks with an Achilles issue and working on getting his delivery ironed out.
“He could be,” Boone said of Chapman.
Jonathan Loaisiga, who had five saves last season when Chapman struggled, has been inconsistent this season. Their most reliable relievers aren’t here right now. Michael King is out for the season after fracturing his elbow and Ron Marinaccio, who had earned Boone’s trust for high-leverage innings, is in Triple-A because of a roster numbers crunch.
“They can all be. They’re all in play. They’re all in play, just depending where we are on a given night, their availability and where we are in the lineup,” Boone said. “We’ll just kind of figure it out.”
Since the All-Star break the Yankees have blown a lead seven times, second only to the Rockies in the majors. Before the All-Star break the Bombers were tied with the Braves for the fewest (11) in the big leagues.
DJ OUT WITH TOE ISSUE
Not only did the Yankees get shut out and lose a series here at Fenway this weekend, they now have to be concerned about DJ LeMahieu. The Yankees versatile infielder sat out Sunday night’s 3-0 loss to the Red Sox with a sore right big toe, an issue that has been bothering him for several weeks.
LeMahieu will have testing on the toe Monday, but he said he plans on being in the lineup Monday night to start the home stand against the Rays.
“Just in the last four or five days, it’s kind of affected me,” LeMahieu said. “Really I don’t anticipate this issue going forward. So I plan to be back in there tomorrow.”
LeMahieu said he had a cortisone shot in the toe at the All-Star break, but that it affected his swing the last few days.
“I didn’t feel like I could get my swing off the last few days and talking to (Aaron Boone) just he said today’s a good day, just to make sure you’re right and ready to go for this home stand.”
LeMahieu emphasized that this was an issue that he feels he can manage and play through.
“Just just kind of bumps and bruises of the season, kind of wear and tear,” LeMahieu said. “I had a cortisone earlier in the year and felt great for a while/I feel like it’s just kind of creeping back up a little bit. But like I said, everyone’s got something right now. And so just making sure I’m ready to go the rest of the season.”
On this road trip, LeMahieu went 6-for-35 with a double, home run and an RBI. It’s probably not a coincidence that the Yankees offense has hit the skids at the same time, it was obvious last year when LeMahieu struggled through most of the season with a sports hernia that he is a very important piece to the lineup.
“He’s been one of our best hitters. He gets everything started for us or at the top of the order,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said. “It’s the first time I am hearing about it, so hopefully it’s some minor and we’re getting him back out there soon.
“We still got a lot of guys coming back, hopefully Giancarlo (Stanton’s) coming back and they will be healthy and good for us,” Judge continued. “These guys are gonna step up. We’ve got a good ball club here capable of going out there and winning every single game so we just got to pick each other up and move on.”
HICKS SITS
After going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Saturday night, Aaron Hicks was not in the lineup Sunday night. The switch-hitting center fielder has struggled to get any power this season and his last month has been particularly difficult. Over the last 28 days, Hicks is hitting .184/.296/.184 with a .480 OPS. His last extra-base hit was July 9 at Fenway when he homered for just the sixth time this season.
“I know he did some things yesterday in his pregame work to try and make some adjustments and find some things hands and rhythm wise. Yeah that’s just been something that’s been kind of a struggle all year for us is that extra base hit,” Boone said. “He drives the ball so well. He is still working his way on base, which is good. So we got to continue to work to try and unlock a little bit more.”
Hicks, who is in the fourth year of a seven-year deal worth $70 million, hit 27 home runs in 2018. He’s struggled to regain that form. He has also been hit hard by injuries, requiring Tommy John surgery in 2019 and then wrist surgery that cost him most of the 2021 season.
HELP IS COMING
Giancarlo Stanton is scheduled to do the entire pregame workout with the team Monday before they play the Rays, that includes shagging balls in the outfield and taking live batting practice, Boone said.
Stanton could be playing in minor league rehab games sometime this week, Boone added.
The slugger has been on the injured list since July 24 with tendinitis in his left Achilles.
The Yankees could use his bat. Stanton has 24 homers and 61 RBI, but was on a four-game 0-for-10 with seven strikeouts slump before going on the IL.
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Source: Berkshire mont
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