Ronald Torreyes drove in the winning run just 12 hours shy of Saturday’s contest between the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers, but that’s not all we’ve got going on in the Bronx.
As the diminutive Ronald Torreyes drove in the winning run in the early hours of Saturday morning, you might be wondering where Chase Headley was and perhaps why he wasn’t playing.
Apparently, Headley has been experiencing some serious lower back stiffness/soreness over the last few days. The injury led the third baseman to receive an epidural late Thursday, according to Newsday‘s Erik Boland.
Following the procedure, Headley said that he feels good and ready to go. However, manager Joe Girardi indicated that the switch-hitter will likely be out until Sunday’s series finale against the Texas Rangers.
Prior to Friday’s 2-1 victory over the Rangers, Girardi announced that backup catcher Austin Romine was taking ground balls at third base in case of an emergency scenario where the team was without another option at the hot corner.
Jacoby Ready to Goby
In the same pre-game interview, we also learned that outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury has passed all concussion protocol tests on Friday and is set to resume baseball activities.
Over the next few days, the Yankees brass will determine an appropriate rehab-assignment/timetable for the centerfielder with the hopes that Ellsbury will return sooner than later. The return of a healthy Ellsbury, who was slashing a respectable .281/.349/.422 before getting injured, could be just what the team, which has gone 2-8 in its last 10 games, needs.
Austin Puts the TA in TBA
While the Yankees are suffering from some of the worst production in all of baseball at the first base position, many have been calling for the services of the rehabbing Tyler Austin.
While Girardi and the rest of the Yankees regime feel that the 25-year old needs more minor league seasoning, Austin is absolutely raking to the tune of .309/.379/.582 with an OPS of .961 with four long balls at the minor league level during his rehab stint.
That sure doesn’t sound like a guy who needs any more time, but fortunately, that’s not for me to decide. Keep up the good work, TA.
History Me
Even though it was the 5-foot-7 Torreyes making the headlines last night, it was the starting pitchers that were the ones making history.
Masahiro Tanaka and Yu Darvish became the first pair of Japanese-born starters in baseball history to combine to throw a minimum of seven innings with three hits or less and nine or more strikeouts in a single game. In fact, they were the first pitchers of any descent to accomplish the feat in a single game matchup since 1913.
That’s all from Yankee Universe for now. But, be sure to follow Elite Sports NY for all of your up-to-the-minute Yankees and all-things-NY Sports related information.