HOUSTON — One of the Yankees’ most dominant relievers this season landed on the COVID-19 injured list Saturday afternoon.
Aaron Boone would not say if putting Jonathan Loaisiga on the list resulted from a positive test or exposure to someone who might have tested positive.
“Just health and safety protocols,” Boone said of Loaisiga, who has a 2.11 ERA and two saves in 36 games. “So we’ll leave it at that for now with him.”
Asked how Loaisiga was feeling, Boone said: “He’s good. Feels good.”
The Yankees recalled righties Albert Abreu and Brooks Kriske on Saturday (Miguel Andujar was put on the regular injured list with a left wrist strain) as corresponding roster moves.
Speaking of Miggy . . .
Andujar had been dealing with soreness in his left wrist since his last at-bat Tuesday night against the Mariners.
“I felt like a tingling sensation here,” Andujar said through his interpreter, pointing to the top of his left hand in the wrist area. “And then the next day there was some swelling in the hand.”
Andujar dealt with something similar in his right hand during spring training, an injury that kept him sidelined for several weeks. Andujar, hitting .253 with six homers and a .667 OPS in 45 games, said that injury felt far more significant. He believes he has a good chance of returning Thursday when the Yankees start the second half against the Red Sox at the Stadium.
“That’s the plan,” Andujar said. “I’ve been getting progressively better every day since that game [Tuesday]. Because of the way I feel right now, I can see myself swinging not too far away.”
More Nestor on tap
Boone said he isn’t sure how the Yankees will roll out their rotation to start the second half, but he added that Nestor Cortes Jr. will be a part of it.
“We’ll just see how we line it up, but Nestor would certainly factor in there,” Boone said.
Cortes lowered his season ERA to 1.09 in nine games (two starts) this season after starting and allowing two hits in 4 2/3 scoreless innings in the Yankees’ 4-0 victory over the Astros on Friday.
No clarity (still) on Frazier
Though vertigo still is listed as the official reason Clint Frazier is on the IL, Boone said all of the testing he has undergone during the last week-plus has “ruled out” that issue.
Frazier left the Yankees’ June 30 game against the Angels because of dizziness.
“Most of the tests that we’ve received have been good news,” Boone said. “They’re working through some vision things. [Seeing a] neurological ophthalmologist, kind of checking with his contacts, his fit for glasses and things like that. So I know they’re going through a lot of vision things now this week that has been a big focus. But I don’t have a sense other than that . . . I know he’s resting comfortably at home, but still [having] some vision issues.”
