The Yankees added to their pitching depth with Thursday’s trade for J.A. Happ, but also suffered a blow when Domingo German left his start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with what may have been right bicep tendinitis, according to manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman.
Jonathan Loaisiga, meanwhile, has been out with a shoulder injury since pitching to a 3.00 ERA in four starts in June and July.
Even with Happ, Cashman said he could still turn to some of the organization’s younger arms again down the stretch.
Loaisiga, according to Cashman, could be back at the end of August or in September. Lefty Justus Sheffield, the Yankees’ top pitching prospect, also remains a possibility.
But Cashman said he would be less inclined to move them up now that Happ is a Yankee.
“We don’t have to turn to them at all costs, but we can turn to them when necessary,’’ Cashman said. “We can deploy them in a more comfortable setting, if that is possible in New York. We’re not trying to necessarily stay away from the kids we have. It’s not about what they can or can’t do. With a veteran, you know what you’ll get versus the unknown. We’ve held onto those players because we think they’re future is bright. But we don’t have to rely solely on them.”
Tommy Kahnle was part of one of the Yankees’ significant moves at the deadline last year when he came from the White Sox.
For the past two months, he has been at Triple-A, in part due to the emergence of fellow right-hander Jonathan Holder.
Though his velocity was down again in his last outing for SWB on Thursday, when he gave up a run in 1 ¹/₃ innings, Boone said Kahnle “has been throwing the ball, for the most part, pretty well down there.’’
With the arrival of Zach Britton, the Yankees’ already stellar bullpen became even stronger.
Nevertheless, Boone said Kahnle could be back in The Bronx at some point. He pointed to Kahnle’s success down the stretch and in the playoffs for the Yankees last season.
“He’s not necessarily where he was last year, but he continues to be a guy that’s talked about a lot and that we watch closely, because we know just how dynamic a pitcher he was for us last year,’’ Boone said.
Neil Walker is showing signs of life at the plate. He had two hits and scored a run in Thursday’s 7-2 win over the Royals and is 12-for-34 with four extra-base hits in his last 11 games. … Aaron Hicks is 9-for-15 with six runs and three walks in four games against the Royals this year. … Shane Robinson was called up before Thursday’s game from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He will likely be replaced by Happ on the roster on Friday.
Third base coach Phil Nevin wasn’t at the game on Thursday because of a personal matter. Infield coach Carlos Mendoza filled in at third.
The Yankees’ game in Baltimore on Aug. 26 has been picked up by ESPN and will be played at 8:05 p.m.
CC Sabathia will start Friday, his first outing since he received an injection in his right knee before the All-Star break.
He was originally slated to pitch Tuesday in Tampa Bay, but was pushed back when Sunday’s game against the Mets was rained out and the Yankees decided to keep Luis Severino in his rotation spot on Monday, with Masahiro Tanaka going Tuesday.
