Nothing was definitive by the time Aaron Boone spoke before Friday’s game against the Blue Jays, but he planned on Gerrit Cole starting this Sunday. The manager just wanted to make sure that Cole’s Friday bullpen went well.
Cole went on to tell reporters that it did. The ace plans on pitching against the Blue Jays on Sunday.
Cole was scratched from his scheduled start in Philadelphia on Tuesday due to general body fatigue. He had trouble recovering after his last start against the Mets on July 24, and he also battled a stomach bug.
With the Yankees off this past Thursday, they decided to take a cautious approach. That included promoting Will Warren for his major league debut, as he was slated to start at Triple-A on Tuesday.
“I’m still [seven] starts into this season for me and everyone else is in the middle of it all,” Cole said Tuesday. “So I feel different than other people. And maybe we all go through this at the beginning of the season or other different parts of the season, but we don’t always have an opportunity to just push it back and just get a few extra days.”
On Tuesday, Cole said that his right elbow, which experienced inflammation in spring training and delayed the start of his season, was not an issue. He has a 5.40 ERA over seven starts this season.
In addition to Cole rejoining the rotation, Boone said that the Yankees’ pitching plans don’t call for a four-man rotation.
With four more off days coming up this month, including one on Monday, the Yankees could have truncated their rotation if they wanted to at times. That would have also provided Luis Gil with more rest; the Tommy John patient’s unprecedented workload has been a topic of conversation all season.
However, Boone isn’t looking to do that.
“We thought about getting a little bit creative, but no,” the manager said. “No plans to do that now. As it is – if Gerrit goes Sunday – with the off day Monday that puts Luis on Tuesday on seven days. So feel like we’ll have some of those opportunities. We may get a little creative, but no, I don’t intend on a four-man or skipping him at this time.”
Tweaking De Los Santos
Enyel De Los Santos, acquired from the Padres before the trade deadline, joined the Yankees in New York on Friday. The reliever had a 4.46 ERA, 32.5 Whiff% and 28.2 K% in 44 games with San Diego this year.
The righty also allowed 11 home runs over 40.1 innings, giving him the worst HR/9 ration (2.45) of any reliever in baseball.
Asked about De Los Santos, Boone said, “I really love the depth that he adds. He’s a good pitcher. He’s had a lot of success against right-handed hitters.”
Righties were hitting .250/.296/.482 against De Los Santos this season. Lefties were slashing .250/.346/.667.
Boone added that the Yankees hope De Los Santos, under team control until 2027, can “grow as a pitcher.” Adjusting his fastball usage would be a good place to start, as opponents were hitting .329 with a .683 slugging percentage against the pitch, which he threw 47.6% of the time with San Diego.
“Hopefully there’s little tweaks here and there that allow a guy to move the needle and get a little bit better,” Boone said.
De Los Santos, who also throws a slider and a changeup, said that he’ll consider any ideas the Yankees bring his way.
“We haven’t had the chance to really sit down and talk about things like that,” he said, “but I’m very open to listening.”
Chisholm’s Kobe Connection
The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers are very popular in The Bahamas, just like the Yankees. That led to Jazz Chisholm Jr. idolizing Kobe Bryant as a kid.
“He always shined in the brightest moments,” Chisholm said Friday. “No matter what was going on with Kobe or anything, when it came to that bright moment, he was ready to play his heart out and give it his all.
“I feel like that’s how I feel and how I play.”
Jones Stays Put
Jahmai Jones, designated for assignment on July 29, is staying with the Yankees organization. The team announced that the seldom-used clubhouse favorite was outrighted to Triple-A on Friday.
J.D. Davis, designated for assignment on July 28, was released.
On Thursday, the Yankees returned Nick Burdi (hip) from his rehab assignment, reinstated him from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A. Cody Poteet (triceps) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
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