If Aroldis Chapman doesn’t come off the DL on Wednesday, look for the Yankees’ All-Star closer to return Thursday.
“There is a chance [Wednesday]. We will talk about activating him [Wednesday] or Thursday depending on if we want to give him two days since he has thrown [simulated] games every other day,’’ manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees hosted the Red Sox on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
“I would say there is potential for [Wednesday].”
Chapman worked a simulated game Monday at Yankee Stadium, and on Tuesday, he said the left knee that had been housing tendinitis felt good enough to face big league hitters for the first time since Aug. 21, when the gas-throwing lefty was removed from a game in Miami.
“It went as expected, really good,” Chapman said of his session Monday.
Chapman, who has 31 saves in 33 chances, had not been informed when he would be activated.
“They haven’t told me specifically what date. I expect in the next couple of days, hopefully,” Chapman said.
Chapman has been dealing with discomfort in the knee since May, but the three-plus weeks off and platelet-rich plasma treatments seemed to have helped.
“It feels really good and I am happy to see the strength back,’’ Chapman said. “The rehab I have done and the work has helped me a lot.’’
Starting Wednesday, the Yankees have a dozen games remaining, which is not a long time to get Chapman ready for the postseason.
“The season has almost ended, so there is not a lot of time,” Chapman said. “The arm feels great, the knee feels great. It’s about going in there and battling right now and get the job done.”
Catcher Gary Sanchez was charged with his 14th passed ball in the third inning of the Yankees’ 3-2 win over the Red Sox on Tuesday, when what he said was supposed to be a fastball away to J. D. Martinez cut inside and led to an unearned Red Sox run.
Sanchez started the game tied for the MLB lead in passed balls with the Astros Martin Maldonado.
Sanchez went 0-for-2, which stretched his slump to 9-for-49 (.184), but he did draw a key, full-count walk in the seventh inning before Neil Walker’s game-winning three-run homer.
Walker’s 10th homer made him the 11th Yankee to reach double digits in homers this season, tying the major league record shared by last year’s Astros, the 2016 Twins, the 2015 Astros and the 2004 Tigers.
With Luke Voit having seven homers, the Yankees have an outside chance of breaking the record.
