Luis Severino won’t be the only Yankee taking a significant step to getting back to The Bronx with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday.
Edwin Encarnacion is also expected to play his first rehab game with SWB, Aaron Boone said before the Yankees faced the A’s on Saturday. And the veteran slugger could return to the Yankees in less than a week.
Encarnacion has been out since Aug. 3, when he fractured his right wrist after being drilled by a pitch.
“He’ll probably be there a couple of days and there’s a chance he’s back even on this homestand,’’ Boone said of Encarnacion, who took batting practice on the field again Saturday. “He’s looked good.”
Luke Voit returned Friday from a sports hernia and Boone is looking forward to getting another right-handed bat back at first base.
“He’s such a presence in that lineup,’’ Boone said of Encarnacion, who arrived in a trade with the Mariners in June. “Even on days when he’s not getting hits, you feel his at-bats. He’s a guy we’re very excited to get back in the mix. He adds length in the lineup and allows us to be more consistent.”
Encarnacion was hitting well when he got hurt, with a 1.072 OPS in his last 52 plate appearances.
Voit, in his second game back from the sports hernia that cost him 28 games, struck out in each of his four plate appearances in Saturday’s 4-3, 11-inning win over Oakland.
Nevertheless, Boone said he thought Voit looked “OK.”
“I thought the shadows were a little bit of an issue in that last at-bat,’’ Boone said. “Punchouts, those are going to happen. He’s getting some good swings off, going back to [Friday]. The biggest thing for me is to make sure he’s strong and healthy and feels like he’s bouncing back.”
Giancarlo Stanton is not as close to Encarnacion to returning, but both were on the field taking BP on Saturday — Stanton wearing a bulky brace on his right leg as he tries to come back from a sprained right knee that has kept him out since June 25.
Stanton wore the brace while doing agility drills, as well, and Boone said he believed it would be needed if Stanton is able to return this season.
“I think so,’’ Boone said. “For this year, he’ll wear that. It’s something he’s comfortable with. That’s my understanding.”
Both Stanton and Aaron Hicks — who will start hitting and throwing this week as he rehabs from a right flexor strain — are still not close to playing.
“It’s more about getting them right, ready and hope they come back at some point,’’ Boone said. “No question, they help us and make us more dangerous every day, not only against regular pitching, but elite pitching.”
Stanton attended the U.S. Open Saturday night, and in an interview with ESPN, said he had “a few more [weeks] to go and I’ll be there just in time for the playoffs.”
Aaron Judge hit safely in his season-best ninth straight game. The resurgent Judge, who hit a game-tying solo homer in the eighth, is 16-for-37 with nine extra-base hits during that span.
With his two homers on Saturday, Gary Sanchez had his 13th career multi-homer game. He reached that number in just 362 games, the second-fastest to reach it behind Ralph Kiner, who did it in 308 games.
J.A. Happ will look to turn his season around Sunday. In his last seven starts, the left-hander has allowed 29 earned runs in just 34 innings for a 7.68 ERA, leaving his role for October somewhat in doubt.
He’s also given up 11 home runs in that span, as his issue with the long ball has plagued him all year. Happ gave up five runs in four innings on Aug. 21 in Oakland.
The Yankees will open the gates at 11 a.m. for Sunday’s Mike Mussina Hall of Fame Celebration. … Julius Randle, who the Knicks signed in July, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Saturday’s game.
