The early indications are Gleyber Torres will be OK, but any setback for the Yankees’ most consistent, healthy hitter this season would be significant.
Torres was pulled in the bottom of the seventh inning of Sunday’s 8-5 win over the Royals in The Bronx with what the club called left hip tightness.
There were no immediate plans to send Torres for tests.
“I just saw him after the game in [the clubhouse], and he said it feels better already,” reported manager Aaron Boone. “But I haven’t gotten a trainer’s report on it.”
Boone did not know when Torres first felt the tightness, though the second baseman ranged up the middle in the third inning, fielding a Bobby Witt Jr. grounder, and threw to first (too late) while drifting toward shortstop.
After the play, Torres squatted for a few moments.
By the seventh inning, Anthony Volpe pinch-hit for Torres on what began as a rest day for the regular shortstop.
Torres went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in the first inning, his 16th of the season — only trailing Aaron Judge (19) among Yankees.
While Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton and the rest of the Yankees’ lineup have suffered through prolonged slumps, Torres has been the club’s most consistent hitter.
His .769 OPS is best on the team among qualified hitters, and he batted second Sunday.
Game 100 was supposed to be Volpe’s first day off, but it did not work out that way.
Volpe subbing in meant he still has played in every game this season.
Oswald Peraza started at shortstop amid a prolonged slump for the New Jerseyan.
Volpe is 5-for-44 (.114) in his past 13 games, his OPS sinking to .657.
Boone said he did not think Volpe has been physically tired, but the recent promotion of Peraza allowed a chance to give him a bit of a breather — or at least a few innings off.
“I’ve been mindful of [Volpe’s workload],” Boone said. “I feel like physically, he’s been in a really good spot all year, but it’s been hard to kind of get him out of there.”
Shortly after the trade deadline, Jonathan Loaisiga will loom as a timely addition for a club that has missed him.
The bullpen has not been the Yankees’ problem, but the relievers have shown signs of wearing down.
The biggest strength for the Yankees for the season’s first three months has been a surprising weakness in July.
The Yankees entered Sunday afternoon’s game against the Royals with a 4.95 bullpen ERA this month, which was the 11th worst in baseball in the span.
If the majority of the bullpen’s arms are tired, Loaisiga’s should be fresh. The veteran has been out since April 5 with what was initially diagnosed as elbow inflammation.
A bone spur then was removed in his right elbow in May.
Loaisiga has returned to the mound and threw a 16-pitch simulated game against Aaron Judge on Sunday, not allowing Judge to put a ball into play.
“I thought Lo looked great,” Boone said. “That’s really encouraging to see Lo, command- and stuff-wise — that looked like Lo in the playoffs almost right there. That was really encouraging.”
Loaisiga said he threw everything — four-seamer, sinker, slider and changeup — and felt “really good.”
“I feel like my arm strength is there. Feel healthy,” Loaisiga said through interpreter Marlon Abreu. “Looking forward to getting back and helping the team.”
The 28-year-old is expected to fly to Tampa and throw another sim game Wednesday that should include two approximated innings, Boone said.
He likely will begin a rehab assignment next weekend.
Loaisiga had his struggles last season, but rediscovered his stuff and bounced back into the shutdown reliever he typically has been for the Yankees.
“We know what we have there,” Boone said.
The Yankees activated outfielders Jake Bauers and Greg Allen from the 10-day injured list and optioned outfielder Franchy Cordero to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Oswaldo Cabrera had been sent down Saturday night.
Bauers missed 12 games after suffering a left rotator cuff contusion July 5.
He hit leadoff and went 1-for-3 with a walk in his return.
“Excited to get him back,” Boone said of Bauers, who went 7-for-9 in a three-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. “He’s swung the bat well the last couple of days.”
Allen, who had been out since June 2 with a hip flexor, returns as a speedy fourth outfielder capable of playing solid defense and contributing as a pinch runner.
That role is a bit more valuable than it has been in past seasons, as the league has tweaked rules to inject more stolen bases into the game.
Allen, who ran for Bauers in the seventh inning and was thrown out trying to steal second, had played with the bigger bases and limited pickoff attempts in the minor leagues.
When he learned MLB would bring the rule changes to the big leagues, he said he “definitely didn’t hate it.”
Nestor Cortes (left rotator cuff strain) made his first rehab start, with Double-A Somerset, and threw 42 pitches in 2 ¹/₃ innings. Cortes allowed one run on four hits and no walks while striking out four.
UConn men’s basketball coach and reigning national champion Dan Hurley threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
