The Yankees have placed lefty Zack Britton on the 10-day injured list due to a strained left hamstring and optioned infielder/outfielder Miguel Andujar to their alternate training site, per a club announcement. Right-handers Ben Heller and Miguel Yajure are up from the alternate site in a pair of corresponding moves.
Britton, 32, appeared to sustain the injury while covering first base last night. He had an MRI earlier this morning that confirmed the strain prior to the team’s announcement. Presumably, manager Aaron Boone will have more information on the severity of the strain and the expected recovery timeline when he next addresses reporters.
It’s a tough loss for a Yankees club that hoped to have its bullpen back to full strength after welcoming Aroldis Chapman back from the IL. Britton pitched quite well as the interim closer for the Yanks, yielding just two runs on six hits and four walks with nine strikeouts through nine innings. He’s picked up eight saves in 2020, and while his ground-ball rate is “down” to 60 percent this year, that still rates well above the league average.
This marks the second time in 2020 that Andujar, 25, has been optioned to the minors. The 2018 Rookie of the Year runner-up went 1-for-7 with a single and a walk in his latest brief stint at the big league level. Shoulder surgery wiped out what would’ve been Andujar’s second full season in the big leagues, and the club has struggled to find opportunities for him now that he’s healthy. The Yanks have gotten Andujar some reps in the outfield, but their lineup is crowded with quality options that have relegated him to more of a depth option at the moment (even with a few key position players injured).
The Yankees currently have Aaron Judge, DJ LeMahieu and Giancarlo Stanton on the injured list. In their absence, Mike Tauchman is seemingly in line for regular outfield work, hot-hitting Clint Frazier logging action at DH and Tyler Wade shouldering the workload at second base. Andujar will need to be down for at least 10 days unless he’s recalled as the corresponding move for placing another player on the injured list.
I don’t think the Yankees are as good as their record indicates. Lots of injuries this year. They’ve been winning games but I don’t think it will be sustainable. Enough for the division- probably. A World Series? I’m not sold on them.
In this farce of a season anything’s possible my man.
They always deal with it seems more than the average club. Issue will be to get their core players healthy for October.
6 of their wins are against a horrible Red Six team and the Rays have been taking them to it. I think the division is probably going to Tampa, but the Yankees are definitely a playoff team.
Sox*
@elmedius-The Rays are definitely a playoff team for sure. Everyone knows that. They play against the Yankees really well and are a tough team to beat. But there is ABSOLUTELY no way their winning the AL East this year. Sorry.
Actually 7 wins vs the Sox
@NYY42- And the Yankees played blindfolded
Any team can beat us. We are the worst in the AL.
Have you looked into the run differential of every division leader?
@pwndroia- I wish you were a betting man. With a name like that I know your probably a big Red Sox fan. That’s too bad. Trade for Zach Plesac on the Indians. Just don’t be crazy and trade the Verdugo kid.
I do like Plesac, good kid. But yeah, we are going nowhere this year. I just think Tampa is more put together and dangerous than the Yankees.
I think their record in spite of the injuries is an indicator of just how deep and good of a team they actually are just like last year.
I’m fact their biggest offensive outburst this season came after most of these injuries.
I think a bigger issue is Boone changing the lineup around sooo much. Trying to get everyone on the team going and get everyone enough at bats just isn’t likely in this shortened season. I feel they’d be better off with a somewhat flexible core lineup so the core guys can at least get going consistently and know where they’re hitting and what to expect from day to day.
They seem to have a hitting approach to being aggressive at the plate, which worked well for them last year but it doesn’t seem to work well when your guys aren’t consistently seeing the ball yet, and pitchers know there’s a few guys they can pick on pretty badly to make them chase bad pitches early in counts (Torres and Sanchez).
Consistency and recognizing they have a limited time frame this year to get their core lineup going is going to be what makes or breaks their world series chances in my opinion.
Yeah the starters are a bit dicey behind Cole but there’s always a chance any teams rotation just steps up and mows people down once the playoffs start.
In a short series I’ll take Cole, Playoff Tanaka, and Paxton doing his best A.J. Burnett impression (50/50 shot between looking like a true bonafide ace or looking worse than an outfielder throwing in mop up duty).
But unless Paxton can get back to form I don’t think they’re a world series CHAMPION team.
They’re not going to be able to get past a team like the Dodger’s or Nationals with a rotation of two guys carrying the team and another guy liable to strike out the side the first time through the lineup or give up 5+ runs in the first inning, and an increasingly back loaded bullpen. If Paxton struggles through the playoffs Chad Green and Ottovino (and possibly Montgomery if they go with a 3 man rotation and move him to the pen) get leaned on a lot and could be wiped by the alcs, let alone WS.
TL DR:
I guess at the end of the day it’s all consistency that’s gonna do it for them on both sides of the ball. Lineup needs to be more set in stone to start getting guys dialed in and figure out their expectations and spot in the ebb and flow of the team, and Paxton needs to find his form by the playoffs for them to have a chance at a world series ring.
If they get healthy, who knows? Playoffs are largely about who is hot and clicking. Just get there in one piece with the best seed you can.
A really big blow to Miguel Andujar who is the most likely to be traded. The Yankees are just being cautious with him in case he were to get injured. Whoever makes a trade for him will definitely be happy. Any team that needs power he is your guy. He just needs to play everyday and get at bats. I will be sad to see him go.
Let me set a scene for you. 2-2, top of the tenth, bases loaded for the Rangers. Choo is due up to bat, but it would’ve been against a lefty, so we pinch hit none other than ROB REFSNYDER. We could use Andujar right about now lol.
BTW, one run ended up scoring with a swinging bunt by Willie Calhoun, and then Gallo drove what looked like a grand slam 6 inches away from the wall in right, only to end the inning. My point being, when Todd Frazier is the 2nd best power hitter on your team, you need more power.
@Rangers29- Andujar struck out yesterday pinch hitting in a big spot. lol. Andy really needs to JUST play. If the Rangers trade for this guy and and play him he will produce. ROB REFSNYDER yikes! Nice kid though, he is Aaron Judge’s best friend. No starting power lefty’s on your farm? Going to try to find one now to be had. Nice talk, @Rangers29 though.
@Rangers29
I know Bird got hurt again but was he given much of a shot before that or showing any signs of life?
It’s odd that they DFA’d him immediately after activating him especially if they have a distinct lack of power. His injuries are usually longer so I was surprised to see them cut ties so fast when he made it back from the most recent one somewhat quickly
It seems a lot like teams are forgetting the guy has been hurt for pretty much the last 3+ years, and they look at the spotty performance and forget the potential he has if he could stay healthy and get some playing time strung together.
Then again I’m just a fan and maybe the scouts and analytics say that part of the struggles have been due to some of the injuries and there are some changes to the guy that are just part of the package now. Maybe he can’t plant as well since the foot injury or something like that, who knows.
In the summer camp intrasquad games we played, Bird was playing very bad (about the same as Ronald Guzman, if not worse), but unlike Guzman, he plays a worse defense. Guzman is the same player as Bird, with a lot more range at first base, and an overall better glove. Not to mention he hits for power.
And Guzman can’t possibly be as injury prone. Bird does have more patience though at the plate.
Yeah I think the dude deserves a shot at more playing time. Kind of like Austin Romine.
Yank4Life He might not be most likely to be traded for long if he keeps this up. If anything his trade value is dropping not rising. He’s a defensively limited player who’s probably best used at DH who also hasn’t proven he can still hit since 2018.
Obviously he still has value, just not at the level so many Yankees fans seem to believe.
It’s his lack of D that kills his value. His offense is still highly regarded, although I think most fans overestimate his ceiling. If he could play 3B he’d be very valuable. If.
@Rocket32- not sure what team you root for? I hear everything you said and most of it is about 100% correct. But there is no reason why Andujar can’t be traded in a 3 team trade that involves the Braves, Cubs, Mariners, or the Tigers. Where Andy goes to Texas, Lynn goes to the Braves, and the Yankees could come away with two lefty starting prospects in the minors. The Yanks would have in interest in Cubs lefty Burl Carraway, Braves lefty Kyle Muller or lefty Tucker Davidson, Tigers lefty Joey Wentz( TJ) or even getting Mariners lefty Justus Sheffield back. The Yankees have no lefty starters in the minors.
You guys always make us Yankee fans laugh….so tired of hearing how we “over value” Yankee players….like there isn’t a team fan base that comments on this site that doesn’t do exactly the same each and every day…….but all you ever hear about is how the Yankee fans do this and the Yankee fans do that……jealousy can be a terrible thing rocket man!
I think they were mostly trying to give him time to get his value back up and unfortunately he didn’t do the best job of that.
Though at least teams will hopefully see he’s healthy and they shouldn’t worry s ton about injuries, and they’ll remember what he’s capable of doing in a full season with consistent playing time.
Really though I think Andujar was most likely to be traded from the get go, he’s the hardest to find a spot to play for and at this point even if Frazier is never a +defensive outfielder he’s shown he’s out in the work and he’s a better option out there then Andujar.
Can the Yankees like… option Andujar to the Rangers? wink wink
@Rangers29- lol, any way you can give me starting lefty Mike Minor back? wink, wink. I can’t take Lance Lynn back. He’ll get shelled here in NY again. Be careful with that guy in a big spot. Trust me on this one. But Lynn has looked great so far.
Be careful what you wish for, Minor has sucked this season.
@Rangers29- OMG, thanks I gotta do more homework obviously. I think the Cubs, Tigers, Braves, and the Mariners are a better match for a trade for Andujar at this point. Any young lefty power starters in the minors? Yankees have none. Unless you guys wanna do a 3 way trade getting Andujar? He might one day be Beltre with the bat. But not with the glove.
We have a power lefty named Joe Palumbo. Sits 95 on his fastball (starter btw), has a nasty breaking pitch, but he always seems to get in some hot water at least 1 inning per game. Good MLB ready prospect though.
BTW, it’s kind of sad what has happened to Mike Minor this season. He was having troubles with his velo early on, because it dropped 2 mph from the year before, but since then he has gotten it back up to par. Now he doesn’t know what he’s doing wrong. He was interviewed the other day, and he said he just doesn’t know why he’s so bad this season. He just says the ball feels different off his hand. (Might be how MLB un-juiced the baseballs this season by putting more drag on the ball, but that’s just a theory.)
@Rangers29- Interesting, I’ll tell you what if you give me Joe Palumbo, Brock Burke and a struggling Mike Minor. We’ll give you Andujar, Michael King, Luis Cessa and Ben Heller a old farm-hand from the Indians back? Lmk… lol, I just don’t want Lance Lynn back!
Lance Lynn is way better than Mike Minor and it isn’t even close, i have no idea what you based your comment off of because it makes absolutely zero sense. Lynn was great in New York and he should have been resigned instead of JA Crapp.
@pinstripes17- I definitely disagree with you Lynn was not good in NY. And if he was why wasn’t he resigned? He can’t pitch here it’s plain and simple. Your absolutely right J.A. Happ should of never be re-signed. The guy the Yankees should of signed was #46 Patrick Corbin. He looks just like his idol out there Andy Pettitte. The Yankees lowballed him, only offering 4 years years with an option. If they offered him 5 years with an option right away he would of been a signed player. Ca$hman is off his game as far as starters. Max Scherzer not being signed by the Yankees when he was a free agent definitely proves it.
Lynn was overall, kind of bad in 2018, but actually his time with the Yankees was better than his time with the Twins that season. He recorded his most strikeouts in a month in August with 38, a low whip, and sat around a 4 era. Average/a little above average pitcher with the Yanks. All I know is that he is literally terrific now. A true ace. And tbh, when we signed him in the 18′ off-season, I didn’t really care for the move, but whatever pitching magic we worked with Minor, rubbed off on Lynn because now he is dominate wherever he goes. I still think he goes to Atlanta though. (BTW: Kyle Gibson is looking like the next surprise Rangers product.)
Now here is what I want to see the Rangers do over the next year: Trade Lynn to Atlanta and try to get maybe Waters and Anderson, or Waters and Wright + one more prospect. That will have Jung, Huff, Crouse, Waters, Anderson/Wright, and Taveras all coming up around the same time to provide some youth kick to this team. Let Minor walk in free agency. Accept the QO on Kluber (crazy, right). Next sign Bauer in free agency, pair him with Gibson, Allard, Kluber, and Anderson/Wright. Find something to do with Lyles, maybe make him a LR. The bullpen should be set with Lyles, Montero, Hernandez, Rodriguez, Martin, Leclerc, and Evans. Let Frazier walk. Swing a trade for Andujar.
That’s all. I’d like to see one for your Yankees.
Lynn was part of that group of players that signed late. They all sucked early in the season. Lynn was actually decent with the Yankees. He’s gotten very good this year.
@Joe Says…- that a side you really would take a chance on bringing back Lance Lynn to the Yankees? Yikes!!! I would definitely rather have a pitching prospect from the Braves like a Kyle Muller or a Tucker Davidson and maybe a minor league catcher like William Contreras or Alex Jackson. So I definitely see a 3 way trade with the Rangers, Braves, and the Yankees happening at the August 31st trading deadline this season
Lance Lynn …..54 innings, 9 starts, 4+ ERA…….what channel were you watching when Lynn was on the Yankees…..certainly not the one in this reality with that comment. He tended to give up runs in bunches! Did you ever watch one of his starts?
Me thinks you overstate Lynn’s actual value…..compared to Mike Minor of previous years this isn’t a close race at all which is why Lynn is considered a journeyman pitcher not a staff mainstay….
@rocky7- well said. If your a City guy living in Long Island I think I might know you. Just checking. Great call though. Yes even though Mike Minor is struggling I got to take him over Lance Lynn. Andujar definitely has value to a few major league teams out there. My guess he will be traded at the August 31st trading deadline. Now, Torres might have a leg injury he was just taken out of the game. smh no breaks for Yankees.
All Andujar can do is DH.
It seemed something was off with Britton, last night he looked absolutely horrible on the mound. Hope he recovers soon. Andujar should have been traded for Gerrit Cole in 2018, he’s a defensive liability anywhere on the field and if he can’t hit than he’s completely useless.
Andujar’s value has plummeted to a point where the Yankees could non-tender him this off season, rather than pay him millions in arbitration. The Yankees will be lucky to find a trade partner in August for Andujar and if they do, they can’t expect much back in return for him. Maybe they get a RP for him or a 4th or 5th starter / swingman. They should have moved him when he had actual value; now he is another MLB has been.
i highly doubt he gets millions plural after the numbers he’s put up recently. sure 2018 was great but its looking like an outlier now. no, they wouldn’t do that, that would be squandering an asset.
@Dorothy_Mantooth- yes, Andujar has been awful, I agree. But we’re talking about 20 at bats. So that is pretty unfair to judge him when he isn’t playing consistently, and coming off an injury also. The talent is there. It definitely looks like Andy will be traded by the deadline. But if the Yankees can’t get a prospect or 2 for him, he won’t be traded. It doesn’t have to be a top prospect either. If he is traded the team acquiring him will be happy with his production given the at bats he has. Thinking a 3 way trade that brings Andy to Texas, Lynn to Atlanta is definitely possible where the Yankees get two power lefties like Kyle Muller or Tyler Davidson and either lefty Joe Palumbo or lefty Brock Burke. I can definitely see something like that happening by the deadline
Uh oh, better outlaw pitchers covering first base
Cole does it just fine because he has hand/eye coordination
Remember when Yankee fans wanted to make Andujar the centerpiece of a Francisco Lindor trade? Now, he’s a likely DFA either this year or next. Pepperidge Farms remembers.
@Julio Franco’s Birth Certificate- Lol, I hear you. But you guys gotta sign your face of your franchise for $370 million for 10 years. You can’t trade him or let him walk. Trust me the Indians will never forgive themselves if he leaves!!!
Have to give Anduar a chance. His bat is just way to good. When he does turn it around then look to trade him. I’m certain when he starts to hit, I will be reading why he shouldn’t be traded. Personally I’ve been questioning Boone’s moves throughout several games. Cole should have stayed in the game regardless of his pitch count.
It’s hard to get Andujar MLB at bats when Stanton is healthy because Andujar flat out cannot play anywhere in the field so he has to DH. The fact that they are sending Andujar down with Stanton on the IL tells us how much Aaron Boone thinks of him (hint: it’s not too highly). This is killing any bit of trade value that Andujar has left. Perhaps DiPoto will get bored and send the Yankees and young pitching prospect for Andujar, but I don’t see any competitive team (save for Texas) making a play for Andujar at the end of the month. This kid went from a legit rookie of the year candidate to a potential DFA candidate two years later. It’s crazy how quickly things change in MLB.
@Dorothy_Mantooth- If the Yankees can get lefty Marco Gonzales, Justus Sheffield or a Justin Dunn from the Mariners then I can see the Yankees trading Andujar, Michael King, Ben Heller, Luis Cessa or Jonathan Holder to Seattle.
Yank4life always expect talent from other teams yet offers Yankee leftovers and then he wonders why people dislike Yankee fans. Heller, Cessa, Holder and a DH. Give me a break.
@hockeyjohn- is Marco Gonzales a CY Award winner all of a sudden? No, he’s a solid #3 or #4 starter on a mlb team. And he is locked up on a team friendly contract. He is a Jose Quintana type pitcher nothing more and nothing less. The Mariners are horrible and really could use Andujar’s bat In their line-up. So a Andujar-Gonzales trade makes plenty sense for both teams. Michael King could replace Gonzales in the rotation. Al Abreu could start for Seattle or go in their bullpen. The Yankees need a back up catcher for Sanchez maybe the M’s could give them one that is solid. The Mariners and the Yankees have a great trading history. I think there is a good chance something can get done between the two teams.
Mariners are a last place team in a rebuild. They don’t need Andujar, they need to develop young pitching, not toss it away for a DH who won’t help their future window. No benefit in Seattle even considering such a trade.
@Dorothy_Mantooth
There’s a small set of Yankees fans that are actually starting to wonder if the Yankees DH-ing Stanton so often is part of the problem and cause for the injuries.
He’s always been a bit injury prone but it didn’t seem to be these long lasting strains so some of us are wondering if him playing the field and running around being active out there actually helped with keeping him loose and stretched out, therefore cutting down on the muscle strains he’s seemed to have since coming to New York.
His best season in New York was the first and he actually primarily played the outfield that season and stayed healthy for the most part.
Obviously even if that’s the case, it’s something a major league training staff should have thought of or picked up on.
Even if they let him play the outfield more and it helps they need to pay someone to follow Judge and Stanton around each and every day, to every work out, practice, and game, with a little buzzer to shock them until they learn that they have to freaking stretch out more than they’re doing.
Somebody also needs to slap Judge for wearing cleats out in the field at Tropicana field when he’s apparently been warned against it.
I know it’s not the case, but at some point it almost seems like these guys don’t realize how important they are to their team and how much that team has committed to them. I also know they’re not getting hurt on purpose and it sucks more for them but they still need to listen to trainers and others instead of just thinking they’ll be fine and they know better.
“Britton, 32, appeared to sustain the injury while covering first base last night.”
Meanwhile whyhayzee, 63, ran 10.5 miles over gnarly tactical mountain trails and appeared to not sustain any injuries. Of course, my fast ball is not even 63 MPH.
Tin-foil hat on: EITHER Britton is faking injury to save his career, OR was told to fake it so save his AND Boone’s careers.
Game was completely mis-managed. And Cole won’t tell the press what nasty things he said to Boone behind his glove to Call Boone out. Boone was a coward who called for a pitching change from the bench without saying it to Cole’s face.
Cole had thrown 109 pitches and it was the right move to pull him mid way thru the 7th. Britton got out of the 7th inning with no damage so I don’t understand what your complaint is here about Boone mismanaging this game. Britton made a big error in the 8th inning but who else do you want on the mound there? Britton has been rock solid all year. Sometimes, your best players lose the game for you. Tampa is not afraid of NY and if they get their pitching healthy, they could be a big problem for NY in the playoffs.
None of that is true but it’s nice you admit you have paranoid tendencies.
If someone gets a small hangnail Boone seems to feel they should go on the DL. There is no good reason why the Yanks get hurt more than any other team. Having injured players always gives him an excuse for not winning. He just got out managed by the Tampa manager. again. Wrong lineups, match ups galore.
The Yankees need more Starting Pitchers. Lance Lynn is not the answer. No one is going to trade top difference makers starting pitchers to the Yankees. The Yankees could offer Torres,Judge, Sanchez and more to the Mets for DeGrom and Mets will still say F OFF. The Yankees problem they can’t develop their own starting pitchers plain and simple!!!!!
Oh my God….please not Lance Lynn 2.0……he was horrible the first time around….no repeats PLEASE!
@rocky7- Yeah, trusting Michael Lance Lynn in a big spot is scary. I do think he is a pretty good pitcher not pitching in NY. Staying in Texas or being traded to the Braves would be alright for him. So please no Lance Lynn 2.0 in NY! Thank you, Mr Brian Ca$hman.