Man, that 4-1 loss to the Yankees today stung, didn’t it? Our Mariners battled, but New York took the opener of this three-game series. And honestly, the worst part might be knowing what’s coming next for that team, because All-Star left fielder Cody Bellinger is “getting close” to returning from his left hamstring strain. After seeing their current squad, it’s a real gut punch imagining what that lineup will look like when he’s back.
Rodón’s Road Back: Not Quite There Yet
While Bellinger’s return feels imminent, Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón is still working his way back. The left-hander is scheduled to make his second minor league rehabilitation start for Double-A Somerset. He’s been sidelined since July 3 with left elbow inflammation, getting multiple shots, including platelet-rich plasma injections, to get right. His first rehab outing for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre wasn’t exactly a masterpiece: 2 2/3 innings, three runs, three hits, four strikeouts, and two walks, throwing 29 of 48 pitches for strikes against Rochester. Manager Aaron Boone hinted Rodón, who is 4-2 in the fourth season of his six-year, $162 million deal, might rejoin the team in a “piggyback situation” at first. He’ll slot back into a rotation that already features Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers.
The Calvary Is Coming, And That’s Bad News For Everyone Else
The real headline beyond Rodón is the Yankees’ injury-depleted lineup, which is about to get a serious boost. Boone thinks Bellinger will be the first one back. He’s been out since July 26 with that hamstring strain, expected to miss four to six weeks. But he’s been hitting, working in the outfield, and Boone says he’s running “over 90% of his normal top speed and feeling good doing that.” He’s just working through “a little bit of tightness getting into certain positions.” After Bellinger, designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is next. He’s been out since April 25 with a right calf strain but just ran the bases at Yankee Stadium. Boone said he’s “stacked a lot of good days here” and is “getting closer.” And then, the final piece: three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge. He hasn’t played since May 31 because of a broken right rib, but he’s been cleared for light workout activity and has vowed he will return this season. That’s a serious lineup our M’s just faced, and it’s only going to get tougher.
Bullpen Shuffles & What’s Ahead
In bullpen news, the Yankees put reliever Kervin Castro on the 15-day injured list with right elbow neuritis. Castro had a solid 1.42 ERA in five outings for New York this season, with eight strikeouts and two walks in 6 1/3 innings. To fill his spot, they called up 27-year-old right-hander Bradley Hanner from Triple-A for his major league debut. Hanner was 6-2 with a 2.10 ERA and four saves in 40 relief appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, racking up 61 strikeouts over 51 1/3 innings while only allowing two home runs. The Yankees began the day leading the American League wild-card standings, six games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East. Boone still believes they “have a chance to be at our very best hopefully when it matters the most.” And after watching them beat our M’s today, with even more firepower on the way, you have to wonder if he’s right.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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