Yankees injury updates: Zack Britton making big progress; Latest on DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Hicks, 9 others

DJ LeMahieu (top left) and Aaron Hicks (bottom middle) are day-to-day with issues that kept them out of the Yankees' game on Thursday, while their 10-player injured list includes Josh Donaldson (right) and Zack Britton (bottom left).
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Injuries are piling up for the Yankees and Thursday afternoon’s news wasn’t all that great. DJ LeMahieu’s wrist soreness wasn’t much better two days after his cortisone injection and Aaron Hicks was a late lineup scratch due to hamstring tightness.

By night’s end, the Yankees were feeling some relief. Besides forging a 7-2 romp of the Tampa Bay Rays, LeMahieu and Hicks were feeling better and hoping to be lineup options for Friday night’s game.

The Yankees still have 10 players on their injury list, five of them added in the last week counting Josh Donaldson going on the COVID IL.

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Here are updates on the sidelined Yankees:

ZACK BRITTON, LHP

Injury: Tommy John surgery on Sept. 8, 2021.

Status: 60-day injured list since March 13.

Missed games: 44

The latest: Britton has been making steady progress rehabbing his way back from Tommy John surgery and is hopeful of pitching for the Yankees at least by late in the season and maybe sooner. The two-time All-Star’s next step will be throwing a bullpen on Tuesday. He’s been rehabbing in Tampa and visited the Yankees clubhouse prior to Thursday’s game.

Update from manager Aaron Boone: “We’ll have him throw his bullpen and then see where he’s at, but he’s doing really well. He’s really encouraged about how it’s going.”

* * *

AROLDIS CHAPMAN, LHP

Injury: Left Achilles tendinitis.

Status: 15-day injured list since May 24.

Missed games: 3.

The latest: Chapman has a shot of returning when he’s first eligible on June 8 or shortly thereafter because his Achilles already was improving when the Yankees opted to put him on the IL.

* * *

JOSH DONALDSON, 3B

Injury: COVID symptoms.

Status: Covid IL.

Missed games: 4

The latest: The Yankees aren’t ruling out Donaldson flying to Tampa and returning at some point this weekend. He’s tested negative for COVID and started feeling better after getting fluids and medicine through an IV on Wednesday.

Update from Boone: “He’s back at home. I texted with him briefly. His body feels better. I know he’s still coughing a lot, but it sounds like he’s doing a lot better. We’ll huddle up and see where we’re at as far as getting him out here or if he needs more time.”

* * *

DOMINGO GERMAN, RHP

Injury: Right shoulder impingement syndrome.

Status: 60-day injured list since March 18.

Missed games: 44

Update: German is getting close to beginning a minor-league rehab assignment, Boone said on Thursday. Depending on the health of the Yankees’ other relievers, German could end up in their bullpen or being optioned to Triple-A once he’s deemed ready to come off the IL (probably in June).

* * *

CHAD GREEN, RHP

Injury: Right flexor tear.

Status: 15-day injured list since March 21.

Missed games: 6.

The latest: Green will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery next week.

* * *

AARON HICKS, CF

Injury: Right hamstring tightness.

Status: Day to day.

Missed games: 1

The latest: Hicks first experienced tightness running the bases during Wednesday’s game and it was still enough of an issue that he was scratched from Thursday’s lineup. After the game, Hicks said he was improving and hopeful of starting Friday night.

Post-game update from Hicks: “I felt it a little bit (Wednesday) during the game. It got tight on me and I wasn’t able to move around and then I woke up (Thursday) morning and it still felt tight. We did some treatment to get ready for (Thursday’s) game and it just wasn’t cooperating. I definitely feel I’ll be able to be in there (Friday).”

* * *

DJ LEMAHIEU, INF

Injury: Right wrist discomfort.

Status: Day to day.

Missed games: 3

The latest: The cortisone shot that LeMahieu received on Tuesday started working Thursday night and he was able to take pain-free swings in the cage during the Yankees’ game. This positive development could make LeMahieu an option for Friday’s game. Regardless, it’s looking like LeMahieu will be able to avoid the injured list.

Post-game update from LeMahieu: “I’ve been testing it all day. (The IL) crossed my mind (Thursday afternoon). I don’t want to get too excited, but it definitely felt better as the day has gone on. I think that cortisone just finally took.”

* * *

JONATHAN LOAISIGA, RHP

Injury: Right shoulder inflammation.

Status: 15-day injured list since May 25 (retro to May 23).

Missed games: 2.

The latest: The Yankees are hoping two weeks on the IL will flush out the inflammation, which probably is at least partly responsible for Loaisiga running up a 7.02 ERA in 18 outings after being a team-low 2.17 last year over 57 outings.

Update from Boone: “Similar to what he dealt with last year, probably not as severe. It feels like it’s probably something that as a precaution we need to be smart here and take a couple of weeks and hopefully that’s all it is.”

* * *

TIM LOCASTRO, OF

Injury: Left lat strain.

Status: 10-day injured list since May 8.

Missed games: 19.

The latest: Locastro has fully recovered and probably will be off the injured list at some point next week. The Yankees still have to decide on whether they want Locastro to play in minor-league rehab games before returning or getting him some at-bats in live BP. He’s with the Yankees this weekend doing baseball activities.

Update from Boone: He told me (Thursday), ‘I’m ready.’”

* * *

STEPHEN RIDINGS, RHP

Injury: Right shoulder impingement.

Status: 60-day injured list since April 5.

Missed games: 44.

The latest: Ridings has been “making progress:” after dealing with soreness for a couple months, Boone reported in early May.

BEN RORTVEDT, C

Injury: Partially torn meniscus in left knee.

Status: 60-day injured list since April 7.

Missed games: 44.

The latest: Rortvedt underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on May 17. Best case, he’ll return sometime this summer. The injury occurred while he was on a rehab assignment with Low-A Tampa. Traded to the Yankees early into spring training, he joined the club with an oblique strain that had him on the IL to start the season.

* * *

GIANCARLO STANTON, OF/DH

Injury: Right ankle inflammation.

Status: 10-day injured list since May 25.

Missed games: 2.

The latest: Stanton is expected back when he’s first eligible on June 2. His injury was first called right calf strain, then changed to ankle inflammation.

Update from Boone: “I just feel like this is something that’s going to be short and feel like we should knock it out and not mess with it. So hopefully he got out in front of it a little bit and hopefully it’s just 10 days.”

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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.

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