The New York Yankees are already facing a number of serious injuries to essential players, notably in the starting rotation. Frankie Montas, Carlos Rodon, and Luis Severino are all dealing with individual issues that will keep them out for some time.
Rodon is making good progress, though, tossing a 30-pitch bullpen session earlier this week and is starting to ramp up his throwing program. Severino is dealing with a lat injury that will limit his contributions for the next month, whereas Montas won’t make a return until August at the very earliest.
In fact, general manager Brian Cashman has already coughed up that deal as a major disappointment, sending one of the team’s top pitching prospects on his way in return for the injured starter.
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Yankees announce nine players to the injured list:
- Placed RHP Scott Effross on the 60-day injured list with right elbow surgery recovery.
- Placed RHP Luis Gil on the 60-day injured list with right elbow surgery recovery.
- Placed OF Harrison Bader on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 3/27) with a left oblique strain.
- Placed C Ben Rortvedt on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 3/27) with left shoulder aneurysm surgery recovery.
- Placed RHP Luis Severino on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to 3/27) with a right lat strain.
- Placed RHP Lou Trivino on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to 3/27) with a right elbow strain.
- Placed RHP Tommy Kahnle on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to 3/27) with right biceps tendonitis.
- Placed LHP Carlos Rodón on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to 3/27) with a left forearm strain.
- Placed RHP Frankie Montas on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to 3/27) with right shoulder surgery recovery.
Aside from the three starting pitchers dealing with injury, the Yankees also have several bullpen arms on the IL. Scott Effross, another RHP acquired for a top prospect last trade deadline, is set to miss the entire season after suffering Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2022 campaign.
Lou Trivino, acquired in the Montas deal, was fantastic for the Yankees over a 21.2-inning sample size last season, posting a 1.66 ERA, 9.14 strikeouts per nine, and a career-best 83.9% left-on-base rate. Trivino generated weak contact, and while his strikeout rate plummeted compared to his time with Oakland, his overall efficiency was up significantly. Trivino is currently fighting off a right elbow strain and is on the 15-day injured list.
Free agent bullpen signing Tommy Kahnle is also on the 15-day injured list with a right biceps tendinitis issue. This is an injury that Kahnle has dealt with before, and he’s noticed the severity, so I wouldn’t expect to see him anytime soon.
Luis Gil, who suffered Tommy John surgery last year, is recovering at a slow pace. He’s making progress, but we likely won’t see him feature out of the bullpen until after the All-Star break, and that is if the Yankees have a spot for him to begin with.
Other than a myriad of pitchers dealing with their own issues, starting centerfielder Harrison Bader is already on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain. Bader suggested that it was a minor injury that the Yankees are being cautious with, given his bill of health in the past.
Bader played 86 games last season and hasn’t played over 103 games since 2019. Having him healthy and consistent will provide plenty of reward for the Yankees in the outfield, but in the meantime, expect to see Oswaldo Cabrera, Aaron Hicks, and Giancarlo Stanton rotate to keep things fresh.