Jordan Montgomery, coming back from Tommy John surgery and not certain to be a factor in the majors this season, allowed two runs and struck out five in three innings in his rehab start in Trenton’s playoff win Wednesday night at Reading.
Kyle Higashioka also will play regularly with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre until its season ends and then he’ll be brought up for catching depth, manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the Rangers on Wednesday night at the Stadium.
Zack Britton pitched the eighth inning Wednesday for the Yankees, his first appearance since leaving Saturday’s game with a right-calf cramp, near the area of his surgically repaired Achilles. He wasn’t especially sharp, allowing a single, walk and a wild pitch in the scoreless inning, and he didn’t cover the bag on Willie Calhoun’s grounder to first.
Nevertheless, Britton said he was pleased to get the outing out of the way, but admitted he forgot to get to first.
“It reminded me of last year when I locked up and wouldn’t run,’’ said Britton, who added he’d do drills before Friday’s series opener in Boston.
“To have him get through [the outing] and not have any issues was a nice step,’’ Boone said.
CC Sabathia, on the IL with right knee inflammation, played catch Tuesday and Wednesday, but the Yankees still need to see how he responds from the shots he received over the weekend before determining his next step.
Gio Urshela, also on the IL with a groin strain, ran the bases Wednesday, and Boone expects him to be available on Sunday, when he’s eligible to be activated. … Boone said Gleyber Torres was fine after stumbling out of the box on a sixth-inning grounder.
Luke Voit, who wasn’t in the lineup Wednesday, had just one extra-base hit in 20 plate appearances since coming back from a sports hernia.
“I think it’s just timing and getting rolling again,’’ Boone said. “I’m confident he’s healthy. I think he’s surprised himself with how well he’s been bouncing back.”
Voit had started in five straight games without a day off until Wednesday. He is 4-for-17 with a double, along with three walks and eight strikeouts in 20 plate appearances since the injury.
Edwin Encarnacion started at first Wednesday and made a nice scoop on a bounced throw by Didi Gregorius in the third inning.
