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East Notes: Fried, Bello, Red Sox, Donaldson, Bader, Garcia

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Left-hander Max Fried is slated to make his return to the mound on Monday, when the Braves open up a three-game series against the Padres.  Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including David O’Brien of The Athletic) that Fried will be activated from the 15-day injured list prior to the game.  Fried will end up missing only 16 days due to a strained left hamstring, as he went to the IL on April 4 but with a backdated placement of April 1, so ensure a quicker return as long as the hamstring issue turned out to be pretty minimal.

With Fried and Kyle Wright now healthy, Atlanta’s rotation is more or less back in its expected form, with Fried, Wright, Spencer Strider, and Charlie Morton comprising the top four, and Bryce Elder pitching well in a bid to cement his spot.  The Braves had planned to use Jared Shuster or Dylan Dodd as the fifth starter heading into the season, but while the two rookies have struggled against MLB hitters, while Elder has an impressive 1.53 ERA over three starts and 17 2/3 innings.

More from both the NL and AL East divisions…

  • Brayan Bello is also expected to be activated from the 15-day IL on Monday, as the Red Sox righty will make his season debut in a start against the Angels.  Bello dealt with some forearm tightness early in Spring Training, which delayed his ramp-up enough that a short IL stint was necessary to open the season.  With Bello expected to be a regular starter, the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier suggested that the Sox might utilize a six-man rotation until their next off-day on April 27, in order to give a bit more rest to a pitching staff that hasn’t many good results early in the season.  Tanner Houck might ultimately be the odd man out of the rotation, and while Houck told Speier that he would prefer to stay as a starter, “I don’t have much say over it.  We’ll have conversations, but I can only go out there and compete and put my best foot forward and continue to fight for the spot.”
  • The Yankees are likely to activate Josh Donaldson from the 10-day IL on Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone told ESPN’s Marly Rivera and other reporters.  Donaldson will play in a minor league rehab game on Tuesday and then take the field against the Angels on Wednesday.  A right hamstring strain sent Donaldson (retroactively) to the injured list on April 6, and his return will provide some relief to a lineup that is missing Giancarlo Stanton and Harrison Bader.  In Bader’s case, he has been working out and taking part in baseball activities at Yankee Stadium, and Boone indicated that a minor league rehab assignment might begin this week as Bader makes his way back from a left oblique strain.
  • X-rays were negative on Avisail Garcia’s right wrist after the Marlins outfielder was hit while swinging at a pitch in today’s game.  Jesus Sanchez had to replace Garcia to finish the rest of the plate appearance, but Garcia looks to have avoided serious injury, even if the Marlins might hold him out a day or two to monitor the wrist.  After a rough first season in Miami, Garcia’s struggles have continued in 2023, as he has hit only .162/.225/.270 over his first 41 plate appearances.

Yankees Notes: Rodón, Severino, Bader

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Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón has yet to make his debut with the club, having spent the early parts of the season on the injured list due to a forearm strain. It was reported last week that he was set to progress towards throwing live batting practice but manager Aaron Boone says Rodón was recently delayed by some back tightness, per Talkin’ Yanks. That has set his progress back by at least a few days.

Rodón is capable of being one of the best pitchers on the planet when healthy, as evidenced by his 2.88 ERA and 33.4% strikeout rate last year over 178 innings. However, he’s had difficult staying healthy for extended stretches. In his eight major league seasons, last year was only the second time he reached the 140-inning plateau. Nonetheless, the Yanks took a shot on him by signing him to a six-year, $162MM deal.

That put Rodón into a high-upside but volatile rotation that has seen three of its members start the season on the injured list, as right-handers Luis Severino and Frankie Montas are also on the shelf. That’s led to Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes being joined by depth options like Domingo Germán, Clarke Schmidt and Jhony Brito. Despite those issues, the club is still holding its own with a 6-4 record thus far, but they’ll surely be better off once Rodón is healthy and can jump back in. The Yanks would undoubtedly love to have him back as soon as possible but will likely avoid rushing him at this time of year, prioritizing his long-term health with many months still remaining on the schedule. Boone tells Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News that Rodón will throw another bullpen tomorrow and characterized an April return as “a little aggressive.”

Speaking of Severino, he is also trying to work his way back from the injured list, as mentioned. Severino suffered a lat strain towards the end of March, just as the season was set to kick off. He threw a bullpen session yesterday, per Erik Boland of Newsday, and came out of it feeling good. He says he hasn’t felt his injury in over a week, which is an encouraging sign. Much like Rodon, Severino’s career has been a mix of excellent results and injury absences. He topped 190 innings in both 2017 and 2018, though tossed only 18 total frames over 2019-2021 and 102 last year. But when healthy enough to take the mound, he’s posted a 3.39 career ERA, 27.2% strikeout rate, 6.9% walk rate and 45.9% ground ball rate. His return timeline will undoubtedly come into focus as he continues ramping up in the near future.

Boone also provided Talkin’ Yanks with an update on Harrison Bader, as relayed by Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. The outfielder has been dealing with an oblique strain for about a month and has yet to debut this season. Boone says he progressed to full hitting machine batting practice and could start a rehab assignment next week. Injuries have been an ongoing issue for Bader in his time as a Yankee, as he was already on the IL with plantar fasciitis when they traded for him last year. He eventually returned and played 14 regular season games, along with nine more in the playoffs.

Bader has been around league average at the plate in his career, as his .245/.317/.405 batting line amounts to a wRC+ of 97. However, his defense is very well rated, already accruing 48 Defensive Runs Saved, 59 Outs Above Average and has a grade of 42.1 from Ultimate Zone Rating. All three of those figures place him in the top 10 among all outfielders in the league from 2017 to the present.

In Bader’s absence, most of the playing time has gone to Aaron Judge, with a couple of starts along going to Isiah Kiner-Falefa, while the corner outfield duties have been split between Giancarlo Stanton, Franchy Cordero, Oswaldo Cabrera and Aaron Hicks. Once Bader comes back, he figures to push Judge back into a corner, potentially putting a dent in the playing time of that group.

Boone: Yankees Working On “Potential Deal” To Add Pitcher

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The Yankees are working on a “potential” deal to add a pitcher to the staff, manager Aaron Boone told reporters prior to today’s season opener (Twitter link, with video, via SNY). Boone didn’t futher tip his hand as to whether the Yankees are talking to a free agent or discussing a possible trade. However, they’re opening the season with 14 position players and 12 pitchers on their roster, reflective of both a potentially incoming arm and an off-day on the schedule Friday.

“We’re going with just seven guys in the ’pen, obviously with an off-day tomorrow, where we have a potential deal going that’ll probably change that moving forward in the next day or two,” said Boone. “…A pitcher could be in play for us, that we add or not. Whether or not we do, we’d be in a position to pull from the minor leagues, too.”

New York’s pitching staff has been hit hard by injuries, evidenced by the sheer number of players who are beginning the season on the injured list. The Yankees announced today that lefty Carlos Rodon (forearm strain) and righties Luis Severino (lat strain), Lou Trivino (elbow strain), Tommy Kahnle (biceps tendinitis) and Frankie Montas (shoulder surgery) have all been placed on the 15-day injured list. Right-handers Scott Effross (2022 Tommy John surgery) and Luis Gil (2022 Tommy John surgery) both were placed on the 60-day IL. Center fielder Harrison Bader (oblique strain) and catcher Ben Rortvedt (shoulder aneurysm surgery) are both on the 10-day IL.

Also of note from Boone’s media session today, the skipper indicated that not only will Oswaldo Cabrera get the Opening Day start in left field — but he’ll open the season as the team’s primary left fielder (Twitter link via Joel Sherman of the New York Post). Aaron Hicks will still get some time against left-handed pitching, and Cabrera’s versatility means he’ll occasionally line up at other spots, but it seems the current plan is for him to be the most frequently used option in left field.

The 24-year-old Cabrera made his big league debut in 2022, slashing .247/.312/.429 in 171 plate appearances. Originally expected to be in more of a versatile infield/outfield utility role, the switch-hitting Cabrera seized a more prominent role with a monster spring showing. In 57 plate appearances, he batted .340/.386/.623 with four homers, three doubles, four walks (7%) and 10 strikeouts (17.5%).

The Yankees also confirmed some previously known/reported moves. Top prospect Anthony Volpe’s contract has been formally selected, and he’ll open the season as the Yankees’ primary shortstop. Right-hander Jhony Brito was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and is expected to start the team’s third game of the season on Sunday. And, as was widely reported yesterday, the Yankees signed outfielder/first baseman Franchy Cordero to a Major League contract and formally added him to their Opening Day roster.

AL East Notes: Manoah, Bautista, Yankees’ Injuries

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The Blue Jays made a “contract suggestion” to star right-hander Alek Manoah this winter, but apparently the sides were not close, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Manoah is part of a young core, alongside Bo Bichette and Vlad Guerrero Jr., that have been speculated as possible targets for long-term extensions.

Manoah, 25, put up a quality season last year, working to a 2.24 ERA over 196 2/3 innings and finishing third in AL Cy Young voting. That followed on from a strong rookie year in 2021, and cemented Manoah as one of the sport’s brightest young starting pitchers. As such, it’s not a huge surprise that the Blue Jays would have some level of interest in locking up the former eleventh overall pick long term. For his part, Manoah is still five years away from free agency but four of those should be arbitration-eligible, as Manoah is likely to qualify as Super Two player at the end of the season.

Here’s some more notes from around the AL East:

  • The chances of Orioles closer Felix Bautista making the Opening Day roster appear to be growing, with manager Brandon Hyde looking to get Bautista into three or four more games before the team breaks camp, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN. He’s been highly effective in his two outings to date, displaying his triple-digit fastball. Bautista’s camp had been slowed by shoulder and knee injuries to start, but he looks to be on track now. That’s a huge positive for the Orioles, as the closer worked to a 2.19 ERA over 65 appearances last season.
  • Bryan Hoch of MLB.com provides an update on some of the injured Yankees in camp. Starting with the bad news, reliever Tommy Kahnle has been unable to throw as scheduled as he battles biceps soreness. Kahnle re-signed with the Yankees this winter on two-year, $11.5MM deal after a few seasons with the Dodgers. He had been projected as a vital late-inning member of the Yankees’ bullpen, but it appears the start of his season will be delayed. It’s not known yet when Kahnle is next scheduled to pitch, but obviously it’s not great news for his recovery timeline.
  • Left-hander Carlos Rodon returned to throwing yesterday and was feeling good, according to Hoch. There were plenty of fears after the Yankees announced that the oft-injured starter would be shutdown for 7 to 10 days with a forearm strain, but an MRI showed no UCL damage and it seems Rodon is back on track to start ramping up for the season. It’s already been confirmed that Rodon will start the season on the injured list, but a positive return to throwing for the six-year, $162MM free agent signing hopefully means it won’t be a long wait before he can make his Yankees debut.
  • Hoch also reports that Harrison Bader is doing “better than anticipated,” relaying a quote from manager Aaron Boone. It’s a rather vague statement and there’s no indication that Bader is on track any sooner than the initially projected six week recovery timeline (three weeks of regular season action), but it’s at least a positive development as the Yankees look to overcome a number of injuries early in the season. Bader impressed in the playoffs for the team after coming over from the Cardinals at the deadline last year, crushing five home runs in nine games before the team was eliminated in the ALCS.

Harrison Bader Has Oblique Strain, Likely To Open Season On Injured List

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TODAY: Speaking with Erik Boland and other reporters today, Boone suggested that Bader will need around six weeks of recovery time, so the outfielder will likely miss the first three weeks of the season.

MARCH 10: Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader has been diagnosed with a strained left oblique, manager Aaron Boone tells Newsday’s Erik Boland (Twitter link). There’s no timetable for his return just yet, but Bader is likely to begin the season on the injured list.

It’s yet another injury blow to a Yankees club that has been beset by health troubles this spring. The Yankees announced just yesterday that all three of Carlos Rodon, Lou Trivino and Tommy Kahnle will open the season on the injured list. Right-hander Frankie Montas, meanwhile, underwent shoulder surgery earlier in camp and is expected to miss the majority of the 2023 season.

Bader’s injury leaves the Yankees without a true center fielder, though both Aaron Hicks and Aaron Judge have ample experience at the position. Judge was the preferred option in center last year prior to Bader’s acquisition and activation from the injured list.

The injury will also likely lead to more outfield time for Giancarlo Stanton, which has already been under discussion. Utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera, who’d been vying for playing time in left field, figures to see an uptick of action in the corners as well. Further down the depth chart, Bader’s absence could lead to increased looks for former top prospect Estevan Florial or perhaps for non-roster invitees Rafael Ortega and/or Willie Calhoun. Ortega, in particular, is a capable center fielder.

It’s a tough start to the year for Bader, who hoped for a healthier 2023 season after a lengthy bout with plantar fasciitis limited him to just 86 games in 2022. The Yankees acquired Bader even while he was on the injured list — sending lefty Jordan Montgomery to the Cardinals — with an eye toward the postseason and toward 2023. Bader struggled through 49 plate appearances down the stretch after being activated in September, but he caught fire during the postseason, batting .333/.429/.833 with five home runs in just 35 plate appearances.

At his best, the 28-year-old Bader is a flat-out elite defender in center field with above-average pop. His offensive profile has changed over the years, as his high-walk and high-strikeout tendencies have given way to more balls in play but fewer walks and, in 2022, less power.

Overall, Bader is a career .245/.317/.405 hitter (97 wRC+), and while injuries have routinely been a problem — in part due to the reckless abandon with which he plays defense — he has clear 20-homer upside if he can remain healthy. Bader’s defensive ratings slipped in 2022, which is perhaps not surprising for a center fielder dealing with a foot injury, but through 3579 career innings in center field, he’s posted 38 Defensive Runs Saved and an even more massive 50 Outs Above Average.

The injury is also unfortunate for Bader on a personal level, as he was surely hoping to play a full slate of games in what will be his final season before reaching the open market as a first-time free agent. A mostly healthy season from Bader could still position him as the top center fielder in what’ll be a thin market at the position next winter. Other center fielders up for free agency include Cody Bellinger, Michael A. Taylor and Enrique Hernandez.

Harrison Bader Headed For Testing On Oblique

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Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader is headed for examination on his left oblique, manager Aaron Boone informed reporters (including Marly Rivera of ESPN). The right-handed hitter felt some side soreness during his final at-bat in yesterday’s Spring Training contest.

The club won’t know whether there’s any cause for concern until the imaging results come back. Nevertheless, it adds at least a little more health uncertainty for a team that has already had its share of Spring Training injuries. The Yankees have already lost Frankie Montas for the bulk of the season due to shoulder surgery, while general manager Brian Cashman told reporters this morning that each of Carlos Rodón, Lou Trivino and Tommy Kahnle would start the year on the shelf.

Acquired from the Cardinals for Jordan Montgomery last summer, Bader didn’t make his team debut until late September. He was on the injured list at the time of the trade because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, an injury that kept him out of action for nearly two more months. Bader struggled during his final couple weeks of regular season action but caught fire in the playoffs, when he hit five homers in just 35 plate appearances.

Bader is one of the sport’s top defensive outfielders. His offense has been less consistent but the 28-year-old has shown flashes of quality production on both sides of the ball. Injuries have kept Bader from ever putting things together over a full season, however. He’s spent time on the injured list in each of the past three 162-game schedules. He had a minimal IL stint due to a 2019 hamstring strain and lost more than a month in 2021 with a hairline fracture in his rib prior to last year’s foot issues.

If healthy, Bader is set to man center field on an everyday basis in the Bronx. He’ll be flanked by Aaron Judge, while Boone will have to determine how to divide playing time amongst Aaron Hicks, Oswaldo Cabrera, Estevan Florial and Giancarlo Stanton in the opposite corner. Any injury to Bader could increase the chances for the opt-of-options Florial to stick on the MLB roster or for a non-roster veteran like Rafael Ortega or Michael Hermosillo to secure a 40-man spot.

Harrison Bader Open To Extension Talks With Yankees

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The Yankees added Harrison Bader in a surprising deadline deal last summer, sending starter Jordan Montgomery to the Cardinals for their new center fielder. Bader was on the injured list due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot at the time and didn’t make his team debut until late September.

Bader only appeared in 14 regular season games with New York and struggled, not surprising for a player who’d had only six Double-A outings to get back to game speed amidst a three-month layoff. He picked things up in the postseason, connecting on five home runs in only 35 plate appearances to help the Yankees to the American League Championship Series.

While he’s still relatively new to the organization, the Bronxville native indicated he’d be happy to discuss a potential long-term pact. In the absence of an extension, he’d hit the open market for the first time in his career next winter. He’d do so with youth mostly on his side, as he’ll be headed into his age-30 season in 2024.

“Being born and raised in New York, it’s always been one of my goals to play in a Yankee uniform,” Bader told Jon Heyman of the New York Post. “Now that I crossed off playing in a Yankees uniform, of course I want to be a Yankee as long as I can be. But I realize, especially being traded last year, that it’s not really up to me. The only thing I can do is go out there and be the best version of myself for this team and every other team.”

To that end, Heyman reports that the Yankees have yet to discuss contract terms with Bader’s representatives at Vayner Sports. That’s not too surprising considering his lack of experience in pinstripes, though the Yankees clearly felt strongly enough about Bader to part with a member of their MLB rotation to bring him in last summer. He’s set for regular work in center field during the upcoming season, with Aaron Judge flanking him in one corner outfield spot. The other corner position is more in flux, with players like Aaron Hicks, Oswaldo Cabrera, Giancarlo Stanton and perhaps Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the mix for reps.

When healthy, Bader has shown the makings of an above-average center fielder. He played consistently excellent defense throughout his time in St. Louis. In a little more than 3500 career innings at the position, he’s rated as 38 runs better than average by measure of Defensive Runs Saved and 45 runs above par according to Statcast. Bader draws strong marks from Statcast for all his defensive tools, with plus grades for his speed, arm strength and reactions off the bat. He secured the National League’s Gold Glove award in 2021 after posting a +15 DRS in 886 2/3 innings.

While there’s little question about the University of Florida product’s glove, his offensive productivity has been more hit-or-miss. He’s a career .245/.317/.405 hitter in 1764 plate appearances. That’s just shy of league average work. Bader seemed to take a step forward at the plate in 2020, combining for a .258/.327/.457 mark with 20 homers across 526 plate appearances between 2020-21. His power production took a step back last year, as he managed only five round-trippers and 18 extra-base hits in 86 regular season games. Last year’s 26.3% hard contact percentage was easily the worst of his career.

It’s possible playing through pain in his foot sapped his ability to drive the ball early in the season. Bader’s power returned in his brief playoff run. He also made contact on a personal-best 79.2% of his swings last year and struck out in fewer than 20% of his plate appearances for the first time in his career. If Bader can pair those improved contact skills with the above-average power he’s shown at times, he could be a quality hitter.

Matching that kind of offense with elite defense and quality baserunning would make him one of the sport’s more valuable all-around players on a rate basis, but Bader has yet to put everything together over a full season. That’s in large part due to health. He’s reached 100 games in a season three times but never topped the 140-game mark or tallied even 450 trips to the plate. In addition to last year’s plantar fasciitis, Bader has missed time due to a hairline fracture in his rib and a right hamstring strain at the big league level.

That all makes him one of the higher-variance players who’s slated to reach the open market. Brandon Nimmo, for instance, only had one season of 140+ games before last year’s excellent platform campaign allowed him to cash in on an eight-year, $162MM free agent deal with the Mets. Nimmo’s career offensive track record is far better than Bader’s, making it hard to envision any way Bader gets to those heights, though he serves as a broad example of the kind of health risk teams are willing to take for an up-the-middle defender with offensive upside. With a strong season, Bader could at least put himself alongside the likes of Starling Marte (four years, $78MM) and Andrew Benintendi (five years, $75MM) in terms of earning power.

On the other hand, another injury-riddled season or one marred by inconsistency at the dish could leave him looking for something more closely resembling a pillow contract. Players like Jackie Bradley Jr., Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto have all signed two to three-year guarantees between $24MM and $43.5MM with opt-out opportunities over the past couple offseasons. Bradley had a similar track record of defensive excellence paired with inconsistency at the dish, while Haniger and Conforto had shown All-Star caliber upside at their best but had concerns about their injury histories.

Next year’s free agent class seems very light on position player talent beyond two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. Bader might be the top center fielder available — that’s largely dependent on whether Cody Bellinger can bounce back with the Cubs — while players like Conforto, Matt Chapman, Teoscar Hernández, Ian Happ and Rhys Hoskins look to be some of the best non-Ohtani hitters. The market will obviously be shaped in large part by how those hitters perform over the next six months. Few players could gain or lose more based on their upcoming season than Bader, making him a tricky player for the Yankees to value this spring and an interesting one to monitor if the sides don’t come to an agreement over the coming months.

Yankees Place Frankie Montas On IL With Shoulder Inflammation

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The Yankees announced that right-hander Frankie Montas has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to September 17, due to right shoulder inflammation. In a corresponding move, outfielder Harrison Bader was reinstated from the injured list, a move that had been previously reported.

Montas, 29, was acquired from the A’s just prior to the trade deadline in early August. He had dealt with some shoulder inflammation in July and ended up missing just over two weeks. He received a cortisone shot and returned to make two more starts for the A’s before the deadline. The Yankees were evidently not satisfied enough with the results to go ahead and pull the trigger on the deal.

Unfortunately, the move to the Bronx hasn’t gone smoothly for Montas so far. Though he had a 3.18 ERA at the time of the trade, he’s registered a 6.35 mark since donning the pinstripes. His 25.8% strikeout rate with Oakland has been replaced by a 17.8% mark with the Yankees. It’s possible that the shoulder issue is playing a role in all of this, as his fastball velocity dipped in July, perked back up in August, before dipping again here in September. Montas tells Marly Rivera of ESPN that the current issue is similar to what he experienced last time and he has received another cortisone shot. Manager Aaron Boone spoke to the media (video from Rivera) and said that Montas will be shut down from throwing for about 10 days and could still ramp back up for starter’s work in what’s left of the season.

The last time Montas went down this path, he pitched on July 21, his first start since July 3. In that return start, he threw 53 pitches over three scoreless innings. He followed that up with 78 pitches over five innings on July 26 and then was traded before his next start. With just over two weeks now remaining on the schedule, that leaves a tight window for Montas to return, assuming he’s even able to follow a similar schedule this time around.

For the Yankees, this will put a dent in their rotation depth for the remainder of the season and potentially into the postseason, depending on how Montas heals. Despite a rough second half, they still have a 5.5-game lead over the Blue Jays in the AL East and are well-positioned to earn a bye past the first round of the playoffs. That would give them more time to get Montas built back up, assuming they are able to hang on over the coming weeks. In the short term, the Yankees are expected to get Luis Severino back from his own IL stint tomorrow, per MLB.com, while Boone says that Domingo Germán will be rejoining the rotation on Saturday, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Those two will slot into the rotation alongside Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes and Jameson Taillon. In the long term, though Montas was acquired with the hope of being a key contributor for the Yanks in the playoffs, it’s now uncertain how much of a role he will play there.

Yankees Planning To Activate Harrison Bader On Tuesday

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Harrison Bader finally looks ready to make his Yankees debut, as manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News) that Bader will “likely” be activated from the 60-day injured list prior to Tuesday’s game against the Pirates.  Bader played the sixth game of a minor league rehab assignment today with Double-A Somerset.

Bader’s last Major League appearance was back on June 26, before he was sidelined due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot.  Even while Bader was still on the mend, the Yankees acquired from the Cardinals at the trade deadline in exchange for Jordan Montgomery.  The swap has already become infamous in the view of many Bronx fans, considering that Bader has yet to even take the field for New York while Montgomery has pitched well in St. Louis.

The Yankees’ 24-30 record since the All-Star break has led to some general unrest amongst the fanbase, though the team still has a 5.5-game lead in the AL East.  If Bader is recovered and able to play at his usual level, however, there will be a lot less second-guessing given Bader’s proven defensive excellence.  He is the reigning NL Gold Glove winner in center field, and even with his foot problems hampering his play this season, Bader still has a +9.6 UZR/150 and +6 Outs Above Average over 588 2/3 innings in center.

Offense has been a bit more of a question mark for Bader, who slashed .256/.303/.370 over 264 plate appearances with the Cardinals this season.  But, it is also quite possible the injury also impacted Bader at the plate, as he was an above-average hitter (111 wRC+) in both 2020 and 2021.

Bader went into detail about his health situation in an interview with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal earlier this week, saying that his foot issues first arose during Spring Training.  Between both the plantar fasciitis and the swelling of the bone marrow edema, Bader had to cut an initial rehab assignment (back when he was still a Cardinal) short in July after one minor league game.  Now, Bader believes he is ready to return, even if his right foot is still “a little uncomfortable.”

Aaron Judge’s all-timer of a season has helped paper over a Yankees outfield that has struggled as a whole, with Judge even getting some time in center field rather than his usual spot in right field.  Aaron Hicks and the now-traded Joey Gallo both struggled, and deadline pickup Andrew Benintendi played only 33 games in the pinstripes before undergoing hamate surgery, putting Benintendi’s availability for the rest of the regular season in doubt.

The Yankees have addressed their outfield needs by giving Giancarlo Stanton some time in right field, and they’re also turned to a wide array of experienced and younger players (i.e. Miguel Andujar, Estevan Florial, Marwin Gonzalez, Tim Locastro, Oswaldo Cabrera, Matt Carpenter) to eat some innings on the grass.  In theory, Bader will play just about every day, though he’ll likely get some rest against some right-handed pitchers to help manage any lingering foot soreness he might have after missing so much of the season.

That leaves less playing time for everyone else, including Hicks.  Even after two hits and a home run in today’s victory over the Brewers, Hicks is batting only .216/.327/.308 over 420 PA this season.  While the outfielder has been healthy after several injury-plagued years, he hasn’t shown much of the offensive form that he delivered over his first four seasons in New York (123 wRC+ from 2017-20) when he was able to play.

Hicks is owed $30.5MM from 2023-25, but there has already been speculation that the Yankees could be looking to move on if a trade can be arranged.  For his part, Hicks acknowledged the struggles in an interview with The New York Post’s Dan Martin, saying “things are tough in New York.  I don’t have an answer.  If they feel this isn’t the right fit for me, that’s their call.  If I do go to another team, I know I can help them win.”

Hicks has no issue in stepping aside for Bader, saying “I expect [Bader] to come in and start playing every day, as he should.  He got traded here to help us win.  We need him to be himself to win a World Series.”  That said, Hicks also felt his struggles weren’t being helped by a lack of playing time: “It’s extremely hard when I play a game and then I’m off for three days and now there’s another outfielder out there…As of right now, I feel the more I play, the better I’m gonna play.  That’s not what’s going on right now.”

It all adds up to a tough Catch-22 for Hicks — he may not be able to hit better without steady at-bats, and yet his lack of production isn’t making a case for that regular playing time.  Looking ahead to 2023, Hicks said he is planning to add some bulk, after losing weight last offseason in the wake of wrist surgery.

“I wanted to get faster and healthy, but me playing at 200 pounds isn’t it.  I haven’t been impacting the ball like I wanted to,” Hicks said.  “It’s really showed, with my power down.  I wanted to be quicker and it didn’t work out that way.”

Yankees Notes: LeMahieu, Rizzo, Cabrera, Bader, Pitching Staff

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3:26PM: LeMahieu discussed his toe injury with Rivera and other reporters, saying that he had yet to begin any baseball activities since he isn’t able to rotate his right foot.  LeMahieu is hopeful he might be able to return when the Yankees begin a homestand on September 20, though Boone wasn’t quite as optimistic about that potential return date.

9:25AM: The Yankees were largely able to avoid the injury bug in the early part of the year but it’s caught up with them here in the latter part of the schedule. The club currently has 15 players on the IL, which includes five position players and 10 pitchers. Marly Rivera did a thorough roundup at ESPN, including comments from manager Aaron Boone.

First baseman Anthony Rizzo has been out of action for over a week now but seems to be trending towards a return to baseball activities. A lingering back issue led to him getting an epidural as treatment, but that had the unfortunate side effect of giving Rizzo migraines. Rivera reports that Rizzo received a blood patch to try to alleviate the migraines, which Boone characterized as a success. “Immediately, they had him moving around and walking,” Boone said. “And I think it freed him up right away. Headaches are gone so far.”

Boone then added that if Rizzo feels good today, they will start ramping up baseball activities. While that sounds like good news, the next steps are still a bit murky. Though Boone is hoping for Rizzo to be back in the lineup within a week, it will depend on how things progress. “It’ll kind of depend on how the ramp-up goes. Hopefully, we’ve gotten through what we need to, and now we can start building that process. We’ll just pay attention to how he’s doing and how long it takes him to get rolling.”

With Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu out of action, the Yanks took a shot on Ronald Guzmán, though he was designated for assignment after just a few days. Marwin Gonzalez is holding down the position for now, with Rivera reporting that rookie Oswaldo Cabrera currently penciled in as the backup. Cabrera definitely has versatility, having played a lot of second base, third base and shortstop in his career, as well as some outfield work. He’s never played first base, however, though that doesn’t seem too concerning to the Yanks. Rivera reports that Cabrera has been practicing his work at first, getting a nod of approval from infield coach Travis Chapman.

There could be reinforcements coming for the outfield as well, with Harrison Bader inching closer to his Yankee debut. Acquired from the Cardinals on deadline day, Bader was on the IL at the time with plantar fasciitis and hasn’t been able to officially don the pinstripes just yet. He is going to start a rehab assignment today, though only serving as designated hitter initially. “It’s really just a matter of getting on a baseball field, checking off boxes in terms of feeling comfortable physically at game speed, and once those are checked, I’m going to go and be a winning player for this team,” Bader said.

Giving more details about the rehab, Boone said that Bader will DH today for the Double-A Somerset Patriots, who then have an off-day on Monday, with Bader building up after that. “It’ll probably be at least a week,” Boone said. “If we get through that week, and the buildup is going fine, he could be in play then when we start the homestand.” The homestand Boone referred to begins on September 20, which would give Bader a chance to contribute over the final two weeks of the regular schedule.

As for the pitching staff, the Yanks could have many options over the horizon, as a whole fleet of arms are rehabbing and nearing a return. Aroldis Chapman, Miguel Castro and Zack Britton are all scheduled to pitch for the Patriots today, with Chapman and Castro potentially returning for the same homestand as Bader. Scott Effross isn’t quite at the rehab stage but is gearing up to it. Additionally, Luis Severino is ready for launch but will make one more rehab start since the big league club has a couple of off-days that negate the need for his services in the short term.

The health of all these players, and the roster in general, will be hugely important for the Yankees in the final few weeks of the season. Not so long ago, it seemed that they were in cruise control, leading the AL East by as much as 15 1/2 games in July. This pile of injuries has helped slow the team down and whittle their lead over the Rays to just 4 1/2 games as of today, with the Jays just half a game behind Tampa. With just over three weeks left in the regular season, the Yanks will be hoping to fend off their competitors and keep the division title, which would be hugely important for their postseason chances. Whoever wins the East will almost certainly get a bye through the first round, whereas those who settle for a Wild Card slot will have to survive a best-of-three series to stay alive.

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