The Yankees' have a well-documented case of injuries, but reinforcements are coming.
As New York's regular season winds down -- six series remain before the MLB playoffs begin -- manager Aaron Boone offered an in-depth update on a handful of looming returns to the postseason roster, including left-handed reliever Zack Britton's "possible" 2022 debut.
During a Thursday interview with The Michael Kay Show, Boone answered questions regarding the following players.
The Yankees placed Rizzo on the 10-day injured list last Tuesday, retroactive to Sept. 3, with headaches.
"Scott Effross has a live batting practice (Friday) that, hopefully, Rizz will be a part of -- hitting off of him," Boone said. "If all goes well with that (Friday), he'll have another bigger work day. He had a good one (Wednesday), where he ran a hundred percent, took some groundballs, hit in the cage. He'll have another pretty heavy workload day (Friday). If that goes well, Sunday could potentially be in play. And then I saw on the scroll on MLB Network that I said he'd be back on Sunday, which I didn't say -- I just said it's possibly in play. So if everything goes well, I would say there's a chance he's back Sunday. If not, hopefully Tuesday, when we start the homestand."
Sidelined since June 27 with right foot plantar fascitis, the Yankees' Aug. 2 trade acquisition from the St. Louis Cardinals inches closer to a return amid a rehab assignment at Double-A Somerset.
"Harrison Bader will continue to play this weekend and he could be, potentially, in play when we start the homestand also," Boone said. "Either he'll play in another game or two on Tuesday, Wednesday in the minor leagues or he'll be with us. But things are going well for him."
Chapman, whom the Yankees placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 27 -- retroactive to Aug. 24 -- with an infected wound from a recent tattoo, began a rehab assignment this past Sunday in Double-A Somerset.
"Chapman will be back (Friday)," Boone said. "Effross will throw that live BP (Friday) and then probably throw in a rehab game on Sunday and then be in play for us when we start the homestand as well. Britt's still got a little ways to go. He'll continue to pitch. So I don't have anything definitive on that."
A postseason return to the Yankees' bullpen is "possible" for Britton (left elbow UCL reconstruction), who has not pitched in an MLB game since Aug. 19, 2021, Boone explained.
"It's possible," Boone said. "I've tried to downplay that as much as I can just because of he's done so well. It's coming back from Tommy John, even though he had the brace put in, and technically that's why it's been a little bit of a shorter time. But I don't want to -- I think it's possible. He's doing well. But we'll just continue to see."
LeMahieu (right second toe inflammation) is not a lock to be back in the leadoff spot when he makes his return, Boone explained.
"I'd consider everything," Boone said of LeMahieu, whom the Yankees placed on the 10-day injured list last Thursday. "I mean, we've got to see what we have with DJ. But I've loved (Aaron) Judge at the top of the lineup and, yeah, I'd be open to just about anything. DJ can hit anywhere in the order. The biggest thing with DJ is just finding out where we are and where we can get to, health wise, with him and just how effective he can be."
Severino (right lat strain) is one step away from making his first MLB start since July 13. In fact, he has a start lined up, assuming the final hurdle is cleared, according to Boone.
"Sevy goes (Thursday night) in Scranton," Boone said. "If everything goes well there, he will start Wednesday against the Pirates."
