TORONTO — The Yankees lost a starter to suspension Wednesday, but they’re getting one back from injury this weekend.
Luis Severino will make his 2023 debut against the Reds Sunday in Cincinnati, per Aaron Boone. Severino, who suffered a lat injury at the end of spring training, has made two rehab starts, including one for Double-A Somerset on Tuesday.
Severino got knocked around a bit in that outing, totaling six hits, two earned runs, one walk and three strikeouts over 3.1 innings and 58 pitches. But Boone believes the right-hander is ready to rejoin the Yankees’ rotation as he continues building up.
“All the stuff was there,” the manager said before the Yankees’ Wednesday game against the Blue Jays. “He was 95-98 [mph], slider, changeup, looked healthy. I think he’s ready to go.”
Severino was an option for Sunday before the Yankees lost Domingo German to a sticky substance suspension, which he began serving Wednesday. German, who also received an undisclosed fine, was ejected from Tuesday’s game after a routine check of the pitcher’s hand.
He only made it through three innings.
“In my mind, it was more about [Severino] coming through alright, healthy and no red flags or anything like that,” Boone said. And I know Sevy certainly wants to get going up here, regardless of what’s going on.
“He’s been doing well for a while now. He’s a great pitcher. And looking forward to him getting into and a part of this rotation, and know what kind of impact he can have for us.”
The Yankees’ Sunday contest starts at 11:35 am. Coincidentally, Severino tried to avoid making his first rehab start the day the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders played at a similar time, as he didn’t want to stay over in Scranton or drive early the morning of his start.
This time, he’ll get big league accommodations before an earlier-than-usual workday.
“He’ll get to sleep in this time,” Boone joked.
HAMILTON’S GROIN
The Yankees placed Ian Hamilton on the 15-day injured list with a right groin strain Wednesday after he hurt himself in Tuesday’s game. Hamilton had to enter unexpectedly after German’s ejection.
Nick Ramirez replaced Hamilton on the Yankees’ roster.
Hamilton was undergoing an MRI in New York when Boone spoke to reporters on Wednesday, so the manager didn’t have a definitive update on the reliever. But Hamilton suffered a similar injury last season, which kept him out from April 18-29.
GOOD NEWS FOR RODON & STANTON
Carlos Rodon (back) threw from 90 feet Wednesday without incident, per Boone. The skipper planned on checking in with him Thursday. Rodon will continue to build up in the coming days as long as there aren’t any issues.
Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring) is “real close” to a rehab assignment, but Boone didn’t have a date yet. However, the slugger has been doing full baseball activities.
FAT BOY FOUND
When the Blue Jays’ dugout began berating Yankees third base coach Luis Rojas for being outside the coach’s box Wednesday, Toronto manager John Schneider appeared to yell “shut up fat boy” at someone other than Rojas.
Neither Schneider nor Boone wanted to dive into who Schneider was talking to before Wednesday’s game. The Jays skipper just said his yelling wasn’t directed at anyone in particular, and that he got caught up in the heat of the moment.
But Yankees assistant hitting coach Brad Wilkerson put an end to the mystery, stating he heard some playful jokes from the Bombers over Schneider’s rude comment towards him, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.
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