Yankees injury update: Trevino, Hamilton, Severino

Suddenly, the number of players on the Yankees’ injured list has risen to a baker’s dozen. Following the placement of reliever Ian Hamilton on the IL due to a groin strain, another setback hit the team’s bullpen. Catcher Jose Trevino joined Hamilton on the sidelines as he was placed on the 10-day injured list on Thursday, dealing with a left hamstring strain. In response, catcher Ben Rortvedt was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Trevino’s place on the active roster.

Yankees move Trevino to the injured list

During the Yankees’ defeat to the Blue Jays on Wednesday night, Trevino experienced a hamstring injury. According to Boone, the catcher initially felt discomfort in the early innings, but it is possible that the play in the seventh inning, where Trevino attempted to evade a tag from Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt while running to first base, contributed to the injury.

Boone expressed on Thursday afternoon that they aim to resolve Trevino’s injury promptly. He mentioned that Trevino is dealing with additional physical discomfort aside from the hamstring issue. Boone hopes that the time off will not only address the hamstring injury but also provide Trevino’s entire body with much-needed rest, benefiting both the player and the team in the long run.

Trevino’s performance in the current season following his impressive breakout and All-Star campaign in 2022 has been a combination of successes and challenges. Although he continues to demonstrate excellent defensive skills as evident from his high ranking in Statcast’s catcher framing metric, his offensive contributions have been less impressive. With a batting average of .219 and an OPS of .598 across 30 games, Trevino’s offensive output has been relatively underwhelming.

Prior to tonight’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves:
• Placed C Jose Trevino on the 10-day I.L. with a left hamstring strain
• Recalled C Ben Rortvedt (#38) from Triple-A SWB
 
Additionally, RHP Tommy Kahnle commences a rehab assignment today with Single-A…

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 18, 2023

Trevino’s offensive performance has been subpar, particularly in terms of the quality of contact he makes. He seldom makes solid contact with the baseball, often swinging at pitches outside the strike zone, and his average exit velocity of 85.7 mph is the lowest among Yankees hitters who meet the qualification criteria. On a positive note, Trevino displays a low strikeout rate and has a history of delivering in crucial moments during late-game situations.

According to Boone, Trevino is expected to be eligible for a return towards the conclusion of the Yankees’ upcoming homestand, which involves matchups against the Orioles and Padres following a three-game series in Cincinnati over the weekend. As there are no current intentions to conduct an MRI or any imaging tests, the optimistic outlook is that Trevino’s absence will be brief, allowing him to rejoin the team around that time.

Ian Hamilton needs four weeks

Regarding Hamilton, the pitcher is expected to be sidelined for approximately one month. Boone stated that a four-week timeframe is typically associated with a groin strain, which is a similar injury that Hamilton experienced in the previous season.

Boone stated that he had missed 21 days the previous year and mentioned that it could potentially be more, but the final count was yet to be determined.

Hamilton has emerged as a top-performing reliever in the Yankees‘ bullpen this season, showcasing a remarkable 1.23 ERA across 16 appearances. This translates to a mere three earned runs conceded in 22 innings pitched. It’s worth noting that Hamilton had been pitching to prolong his career during spring training, where he participated as a non-roster invitee.

Boone commented that it presented another chance for someone to rise to the occasion. He acknowledged that they had experienced several players being unavailable, but were fortunate enough to witness individuals stepping up, specifically mentioning Ian Hamilton as one who had seized the opportunities given to him. Boone emphasized the need for further instances of players capitalizing on such opportunities.

Luis Severino to start on Sunday

As anticipated, the Yankees have confirmed that right-handed pitcher Luis Severino will be activated from the injured list and will make his first appearance of the season on Sunday, away against the Cincinnati Reds.

Severino has been sidelined due to a lat strain that he incurred during spring training. Over the past four seasons, Severino, who is currently 29 years old, has only participated in 26 regular-season games due to a range of injuries. In 2018, he achieved an impressive 19-8 record. Throughout his seven-year career in the major leagues, exclusively with the Yankees, Severino has accumulated a record of 50-29 with a 3.39 ERA across 122 games (107 starts) and 638 innings pitched.

The Yankees have additionally announced that Kahnle will commence a rehabilitation assignment today with Single-A Tampa. The 33-year-old pitcher, who was signed to a two-year contract worth $11.5 million during the offseason, has been on the injured list throughout the entirety of the current year due to biceps tendinitis. Subsequently, he was transferred to the 60-day injured list, which implies that he won’t be eligible to return until next week. However, even upon his eligibility, it is expected that he will require some time to regain optimal physical condition. Throughout his career, Kahnle has maintained a 3.78 ERA and a 29.3% strikeout rate. However, due to various injuries, he has only pitched for a total of 13 and two-thirds innings since the conclusion of the 2019 season.

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