Yankees have some positive injury news on Corey Kluber and Luis Severino

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May 25, 2021; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Corey Kluber (28) pitches in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees feared the worst when Corey Kluber, a veteran pitcher, had to leave his last start with right shoulder soreness. His diagnosis, a strained sub scapula muscle, meant he wouldn’t pitch for at least two months.

The right-hander had been getting some additional testing done on his shoulder on Wednesday, and there are some good news to report.

While the initial eight-week timetable remains, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, according to NJ Advance Media, that Kluber actually could start a throwing program sooner than expected.

“I would say there’s some optimism,” Boone said about his pitcher before Thursday’s game against the Rays. “He’ll probably start a flat-ground program probably in the next few days. But I’ll probably have more when he gets here and we sit down and meet and start to map out a plan.”

There was some fear that the additional imaging would show a torn labrum or a similarly bad injury, but fortunately for Kluber and the Yankees, that is not the case. The Bombers, barring any setbacks, could have their star pitcher back in approximately two months.

Kluber sought additional opinions on his injury in Los Angeles, but is expected back today.

The initial plan was for him to shut down all activities for four weeks, but he will start throwing significantly sooner than that.

Yankees’ Severino to start rehab assignment in Tampa

After toying with the idea of assigning rehabbing starter Luis Severino to Double-A or Triple-A, the Yankees decided to have him start on Sunday in Low-A.

The right-hander is already touching 97 mph on his fastball and could return in a few weeks to the Yankees’ active roster if he doesn’t suffer any setbacks.

“With him already being down there (in Tampa), instead of him going through (COVID-19 health and safety protocol) intake when he goes up here, it was just easier to keep him on that,” Boone said.