Hurricane Henri threw a wrench into the Yankees’ schedule even before it hit New York — and it might not be done with them yet.
The Yankees-Twins series finale originally scheduled for Sunday was postponed on Saturday due to the threat of inclement weather. It will be made up on Sept. 13 — a mutual off day — at 2:05 p.m. in The Bronx.
After Saturday’s 7-1 win over the Twins, manager Aaron Boone had been under the assumption that Sunday’s game would be postponed. But it remained to be seen how the storm would impact the Yankees’ ability to get to Atlanta for a two-game set against the Braves that begins Monday.
Boone said the Yankees thought there was a chance they would be able to take their regularly scheduled flight Sunday night.
“We’ll stay in the athletic position and do what we gotta do,” Boone said.
Also weather-dependent could be Gio Urshela (strained hamstring) starting a rehab assignment on Sunday — possibly with Double-A Somerset at Altoona. The third baseman hit on the field, ran the bases and took grounders Saturday morning.
The Yankees called up Estevan Florial on Saturday for another one-day stint, providing outfield coverage for a “stiff and sore” Brett Gardner, who was drilled on the elbow by a pitch Friday and left the game early.
Florial was not in the starting lineup, but pinch-ran for Giancarlo Stanton in the sixth inning. Boone was unsure whether Gardner would have been available.
“[He’s feeling] pretty good, stiff and sore, like you’d expect,” Boone said. “Hopefully fine in the next day or two as far as getting back in there.”
Florial was optioned back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game. The 23-year-old outfielder hit .300 (6-for-20) with a home run in his first eight games of the year, seven of which came during one of the Yankees’ COVID-19 outbreaks.
Luis Severino, who is still shut down from throwing after experiencing shoulder tightness in his comeback from Tommy John surgery, will travel to California next week for an in-person visit with Dr. Neal ElAttrache. The popular sports orthopaedic surgeon had offered a second opinion on Severino’s MRI exam last Monday, agreeing that there was no structural damage in his shoulder.
Domingo German (shoulder inflammation), who felt sore on Thursday a day after a bullpen session, is scheduled to play catch again Monday before throwing another bullpen session on Tuesday or Wednesday.
The Rays on Saturday designated ex-Yankee Mike Ford for assignment. The first baseman, who was DFA’d by the Yankees in June, was hitting .243 with 11 home runs, 41 strikeouts and a .874 OPS in 40 games with Triple-A Durham.