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NEW YORK — Zack Britton‘s aspirations to be part of the Yankees‘ postseason roster may have taken yet another hit Friday night after the veteran reliever, who returned last week from Tommy John surgery, was removed from New York’s 2-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles with left arm fatigue after throwing a run-scoring wild pitch in the sixth inning.

Yankees starter Domingo German walked his first two batters in the sixth and retired Ryan Mountcastle on a groundout; Britton relieved and walked Gunnar Henderson, then threw a pitch to pinch-hitter Jesus Aguilar that went to the backstop, and he failed to cover the plate. Britton was replaced by Ron Marinaccio. Under baseball’s rules, a pitcher must face three batters or complete a half-inning, but he can be replaced earlier if hurt.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the game that Britton’s elbow checked out fine and that hopefully it’s “nothing too serious.”

Britton went through a taxing rehab in his attempt to come back less than a year after underdoing left elbow reconstruction surgery. The Yankees activated Britton from the 60-day injured list on Sept. 22, the same day they placed left-hander Wandy Peralta on the 15-day IL with back tightness. Britton, 34, underwent Tommy John surgery on Sept. 9, 2021. Modern-day Tommy John surgery usually requires a 14-16 month rehab process.

“The reason why I kind of pushed things was because I wanted to pitch this year for this team and help them win,” Britton said last week while addressing his motivation for returning this year, the last option on his contract. “There’s no benefit for me, personally, other than the fact that maybe I can have an impact on a World Series championship team. It’s really the only goal for me at this stage of my career.”

Britton has been ineffective since being activated off the injured list, pitching only ⅔ of an inning across three games with a 13.50 ERA, facing nine batters and retiring only one. After pitching to a 5.89 ERA in 22 appearances in 2021, Britton, who has commanded a $14 million salary while on the IL this season, said he wanted to truly feel like a contributor, particularly because the veteran left-hander of 12 MLB seasons between Baltimore and New York does not have a World Series ring.

It was already a remote possibility that Britton would make the Yankees’ postseason roster. There is a numbers-crunch in the Yankees’ bullpen, as teams can carry a maximum of 13 pitchers on their 26-man postseason rosters, with no league-mandated minimum.

New York has already secured the No. 2 seed in the American League and a wild-card round bye.

The Yankees currently have two relievers nearing a return from injury who have been contributors all season. Peralta, who has been a high-leverage option all season, is expected to throw a bullpen session this weekend and might be an option for the Yankees during their last regular-season series, a four-game set against the Texas Rangers in Arlington that begins Monday.

Miguel Castro, who rejoined the team Friday, is also on track to make his way back from a 60-day stint on the IL with a right shoulder strain. It is a similar case for fellow right-handed reliever Albert Abreu, who is close to being fully recovered from right elbow inflammation.

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Former White Sox pitcher, world champ Jenks dies

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Former White Sox pitcher, world champ Jenks dies

Bobby Jenks, a two-time All-Star pitcher for the Chicago White Sox who was on the roster when the franchise won the 2005 World Series, died Friday in Sintra, Portugal, the team announced.

Jenks, 44, who had been diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer, this year, spent six seasons with the White Sox from 2005 to 2010 and also played for the Boston Red Sox in 2011. The reliever finished his major league career with a 16-20 record, 3.53 ERA and 173 saves.

“We have lost an iconic member of the White Sox family today,” White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “None of us will ever forget that ninth inning of Game 4 in Houston, all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organization during his time in Chicago. He and his family knew cancer would be his toughest battle, and he will be missed as a husband, father, friend and teammate. He will forever hold a special place in all our hearts.”

After Jenks moved to Portugal last year, he was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. That eventually spread into blood clots in his lungs, prompting further testing. He was later diagnosed with adenocarcinoma and began undergoing radiation.

In February, as Jenks was being treated for the illness, the White Sox posted “We stand with you, Bobby” on Instagram, adding in the post that the club was “thinking of Bobby as he is being treated.”

In 2005, as the White Sox ended an 88-year drought en route to the World Series title, Jenks appeared in six postseason games. Chicago went 11-1 in the playoffs, and he earned saves in series-clinching wins in Game 3 of the ALDS at Boston, and Game 4 of the World Series against the Houston Astros.

In 2006, Jenks saved 41 games, and the following year, he posted 40 saves. He also retired 41 consecutive batters in 2007, matching a record for a reliever.

“You play for the love of the game, the joy of it,” Jenks said in his last interview with SoxTV last year. “It’s what I love to do. I [was] playing to be a world champion, and that’s what I wanted to do from the time I picked up a baseball.”

A native of Mission Hills, California, Jenks appeared in 19 games for the Red Sox and was originally drafted by the then-Anaheim Angels in the fifth round of the 2000 draft.

Jenks is survived by his wife, Eleni Tzitzivacos, their two children, Zeno and Kate, and his four children from a prior marriage, Cuma, Nolan, Rylan and Jackson.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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In search of infield options, Yanks add Candelario

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In search of infield options, Yanks add Candelario

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees, digging for options to bolster their infield, have signed third baseman Jeimer Candelario to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the affiliate announced Saturday.

Candelario, 31, was released by the Cincinnati Reds on June 23, halfway through a three-year, $45 million contract he signed before the start of last season. The decision was made after Candelario posted a .707 OPS in 2024 and batted .113 with a .410 OPS in 22 games for the Reds before going on the injured list in April with a back injury.

The performance was poor enough for Cincinnati to cut him in a move that Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall described as a sunk cost.

For the Yankees, signing Candelario is a low-cost flier on a player who recorded an .807 OPS just two seasons ago as they seek to find a third baseman to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second base, his natural position.

Candelario is the second veteran infielder the Yankees have signed to a minor league contract in the past three days; they agreed to terms with Nicky Lopez on Thursday.

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Dodgers’ Snell pitches to hitters, ‘looked good’

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Dodgers' Snell pitches to hitters, 'looked good'

LOS ANGELES — Pitchers Blake Snell and Blake Treinen are progressing toward a return for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Snell and Treinen each faced hitters Saturday, and Snell pitched two innings. Each could begin a rehab assignment after the All-Star break.

The 32-year-old Snell has pitched in two games for the Dodgers following his five-year, $182 million free agent deal after spending last season with the San Francisco Giants and three before that with the San Diego Padres. He is a two-time Cy Young Award winner.

“(Snell) looked good. He looked really good,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I don’t know what the velo was but the ball was coming out really well. He used his entire pitch mix. I thought the delivery was clean, sharp, so really positive day.”

The Dodgers’ starting rotation has been injury-prone this season but is starting to get a boost from Shohei Ohtani, the two-way superstar who is working as an opener in his return from elbow surgery.

Treinen is looking to get back to his role in the back end of the bullpen. He threw one inning Saturday.

“Blake Treinen I thought was really good as well,” Roberts said. “Both those guys should be ready at some point in time shortly after the All-Star break.”

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