BALTIMORE — The Yankees made a series of roster alterations on Saturday, with the infield taking an anticipated knock and the bullpen suffering an unexpected setback.
Following their 4-1 victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards, the Yankees officially put Josh Donaldson on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain (a move manager Aaron Boone labeled “probable” the day before) and sent Jonathan Loaisiga to the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation.
PinstripesNation has earlier reported that the Yankees were going to move Donaldson to the injured list.
Yankees roster changes
Tommy Kahnle, who has been out with right biceps tendinitis, was placed on the 60-day injured list.
Kahnle was sidelined in early March due to tendinitis, something he has faced a few times throughout his career. According to Boone, Kahnle is throwing, gradually building up, and has not had a setback. The right-handed reliever’s placement on the 60-day IL means he won’t be able to return until late May.
“It was probably a month of no-throw, so the build-up’s probably going to be a little slower,” Boone said of Kahnle, who he said probably won’t begin rehab games until “early or middle” May.
Loaisiga is out
The most surprising thing about Loaisiga was that he was sent to New York for an MRI and an injection because he was swollen. Boone said that the valuable right-handed pitcher’s ligament is fine, but he will be on the IL to avoid any further injury.
“He’s probably up to a couple weeks of no-throw, hopefully, sooner than that,” Boone said of Loaisiga. His injury helps explain why Boone chose Jimmy Cordero to pitch the seventh inning on Friday when the Orioles scored two runs to break a tie and went on to beat the Yankees.
Donaldson to heal his injury on IL
Boone doesn’t think Donaldson will be out for long, but the Yankees want to be careful with the third baseman because he pulled up lame while running to first base on Wednesday.
“I think it’s pretty minor,” Boone said.
Pereza and Others
If Oswaldo Cabrera, who is one of the choices at third base with Donaldson out, gets more repetitions in the infield, the corner outfielder may see some action.
“Hopefully there’s a start or two in there for Willie potentially on this trip,” Boone said. “But also a guy we think can really help us off the bench.”
Boone said that shortstop Oswald Peraza is day-to-day after missing three straight games at Triple-A because of tightness in his hamstring. He also said that the injury wasn’t “a big deal.”
Harrison Bader (strained oblique) has been hitting, throwing, and running and could soon be put through rehab.
“Hopefully next week to 10 days he’ll start getting some in games,” Boone said.
Lou Trivino threw a bullpen session on either Friday or Saturday. He has a strain on his right elbow.
Boone said of the right-handed reliever, who the Yankees are being careful with because of a strain to his UCL, “He’s doing pretty well.”
Who are new on the Yankees roster
The Yankees were able to call up Jhony Brito from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he had been playing, and bring up Willie Calhoun, who had not been on the 40-man roster before. Brito started Saturday night. Calhoun, a 28-year-old with six seasons in the majors, had a great spring training before being sent to Triple-A.
Calhoun is open to any position.
“I’ll do whatever they need, to be honest with you,” Calhoun said. “They need me to cook, I’ll cook.”
After going 1 for 2 with a double, a walk, and a sacrifice fly, Aaron Judge‘s career-best on-base streak reached 41 games.
Judge is the tenth Yankee since 1940 to win at least 40 games in a row. In 1941, Joe DiMaggio was the only player to reach base in 74 straight games.
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