Yankees add Donaldson, Loiasiga to long IL list
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Marly RiveraESPN Writer
BALTIMORE — The New York Yankees‘ injury woes continued Saturday with third baseman Josh Donaldson and reliever Jonathan Loáisiga both landing on the injured list.
Donaldson, 37, was placed on the 10-day IL with a right hamstring strain, while Loáisiga is headed to the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation. Both injury list placements are retroactive to April 6.
Donaldson’s move was anticipated since he was removed in the second inning of the Yankees’ win over Philadelphia on Wednesday. Manager Aaron Boone said Friday that the team would be conservative in handling the mild right leg injury of the former league MVP.
“Don’t feel like it’s too serious, but enough in there that it would probably knock him down for four or five days,” Boone said Friday. “Looks like it’s probably shorter than [the 10-day IL], but probably err on the side of caution in this month of April.”
The Yankees did not deem it necessary to bring up an infielder in his absence, with versatile infielder DJ LeMahieu to get the bulk of the reps at third base, Boone said. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Oswaldo Cabrera, both infielders-turned-outfielders, are also capable of playing third.
The Yankees decided instead to call up spring training invitee and former Texas Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun. As regular-season rosters were defined, Boone mentioned that sending Calhoun to the minors had been a very difficult decision for the team.
Calhoun’s call-up further complicates Aaron Hicks‘ role with the club. The embattled outfielder, who is owed $30 million over the next three years, has gotten limited playing time. His role might get even murkier when outfielder Harrison Bader (oblique) returns from injury.
Loáisiga became the third member of the bullpen to hit the injured list, joining Lou Trivino (elbow sprain) and Tommy Kahnle (biceps tendinitis).
Kahnle’s injury in early March was expected to be a mild one, but a setback has led to the right-hander, who signed to a two-year, $11.5 million free agent deal, being put on the 60-day IL as part of Saturday’s injury report. Kahnle will no longer be eligible for an April return.
Loáisiga’s injury, as well as Kahnle’s setback, could open the door for reliever Greg Weissert to return to the majors. According to Boone, Weissert was another one of those tough decisions made as rosters were defined ahead of Opening Day, with the Yankees’ skipper stating that the right-hander would be “an important part” of the team this year.
The Yankees have been affected by injuries early, mostly on the pitching front as the team opened the season with three-fifths of the projected starting rotation on the IL: Carlos Rodon (forearm strain), Luis Severino (low-grade right lat strain) and Frankie Montas (shoulder surgery).
Boone said Severino is inching closer to starting his throwing progression, with the right-hander expected to throw a bullpen Sunday. Rodon will likely throw live batting practice Monday. Rodon and Severino are expected to rejoin the rotation at some point in April or May, although there is no definitive timeline.
The Yankees also announced that rookie Jhony Brito, who made his major league debut Sunday before being sent back to the minors, was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Brito is the scheduled starter for Saturday’s game against the Orioles.
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Jake Trotter, ESPN Senior Writer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan star tight end Colston Loveland has been ruled out of Saturday’s game against No. 11 USC with an undisclosed injury.
Loveland suffered an apparent shoulder injury in last weekend’s win over Arkansas State. Michigan coach Sherrone Moore hasn’t specified the nature of the injury.
A preseason All-American, Loveland leads the Wolverines with 19 catches for 187 yards; no other Michigan pass catcher has more than nine receptions.
The No. 18 Wolverines also changed starting quarterbacks this week, moving from Davis Warren to Alex Orji. Warren had thrown six interceptions in three games, including three last weekend. He threw two picks in a 31-12 loss to Texas on Sept. 7.
Orji has only seven career passing attempts but has rushed for 58 yards in a relief role this season.
Moore said this week that he wants to see Orji “take the reins” of the Michigan offense with his opportunity.
“Excited for him,” Moore said. “I know he’s chomping at the bit.”
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Jeff Passan, ESPN
The Washington Nationals demoted All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams to the minor leagues after he stayed out all night at a Chicago-area casino, leaving only hours before a Friday day game against the Chicago Cubs, sources told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.
The 23-year-old Abrams led off for the Nationals and went 0 for 3 with a walk and strikeout in Friday’s game, which started at 1 p.m. CT. He was informed of the demotion Friday night, sources said. He will be sent to West Palm Beach, home of the Nationals’ minor league complex.
Because Abrams has been with Washington for the entirety of the season, the demotion will not affect his service time. Players earn a full year of service with 172 days on the major league roster, and Abrams already has exceeded that threshold.
Abrams could, however, file a grievance through the Major League Baseball Players Association to fight for lost pay if he believes the demotion unjust. He would lose around $30,000 of his $752,000 salary for missing the season’s final week. Abrams will be arbitration-eligible this winter, entering the system for the first of four times as a Super 2.
Acquired as one of the centerpieces of the Juan Soto trade two years ago, Abrams parlayed a breakout first-half into an All-Star selection, hitting .268/.343/.489 with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases over the Nationals’ first 89 games. He struggled significantly in the second half, slashing .203/.260/.326, and Abrams’ defense has been a weakness throughout the season.
Still, the Nationals did not intend to send him to the minor leagues until they learned of his time spent at the casino, which was first reported Friday by CHGO.
“I just want it to be known it wasn’t performance-based,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters Saturday. “It’s an internal issue. I’m not going to give specifics.”
CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson defensive end Peter Woods will not play for the 21st-ranked Tigers against NC State on Saturday because of a leg injury.
The team announced Woods’ status about 90 minutes before kickoff. Woods, 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, got hurt two weeks ago on a chop block below the knee in a 66-20 victory over App State. Woods came back in briefly after getting checked then missed the second half.
The Tigers were off last weekend.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has said Woods’ playing status was day-to-day. Swinney said Woods had not missed a practice. But Woods came out to the field for warmups in sneakers and sweatpants while other defensive linemen went through drills.
Woods leads the Tigers with 2½ tackles for loss.
Third-year sophomore Jahiem Lawson is listed as Woods’ backup on the depth chart.
NC State will be without starting quarterback Grayson McCall, who was hurt last week in a win over Louisiana Tech. Freshman CJ Bailey started for the Wolfpack.
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