When Gerrit Cole could make next Yankees start after sudden scratch
PHILADELPHIA — After being scratched from his start Tuesday due to body fatigue, Gerrit Cole could start Sunday, according to pitching coach Matt Blake.
Cole played catch Wednesday prior to the Yankees’ series finale against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park and reported no issues.
He is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday and if all goes well, should be able to take the mound against the Blue Jays in The Bronx.
Cole missed most of the first half of the season after suffering elbow inflammation during spring training.
The Yankees didn’t make any additions to their rotation at Tuesday’s deadline, so they will be relying on Cole to return to his Cy Young form down the stretch after an inconsistent first seven outings.
After it seemed Nestor Cortes might be involved in some of the Yankees’ maneuvering at the trade deadline, the lefty ended up staying in The Bronx and gave up three runs in 5 ¹/₃ innings in Wednesday’s 6-5 win over the Phillies.
Cortes said he was able to keep the speculation out of his mind — for the most part.
“I guess I was hoping I was still gonna be on this team kept me going,’’ Cortes said. “Whether I left or stayed, I had to make a start very soon.”
And it culminated Tuesday when the deadline passed and he wasn’t involved in any moves.
“It was a whole lot of nothing,’’ Cortes said. “My name was being thrown around. Nothing stuck and I’m happy it didn’t.”
There is still no timetable for Anthony Rizzo’s return from a fractured forearm and Cashman said the team is pleased with Ben Rice’s performance at first base.
“I like what Ben Rice has done,” GM Brian Cashman said. “I feel like he’s a threat at the plate. First base isn’t his primary position and he’s learning the position on the run.”
Cashman said the prices at this year’s deadline were steeper than in previous years.
“It seems like it was pretty astronomical this particular run,” Cashman said of the price tags to make deals. “That’s how it felt. Seeing some of the swaps, it felt pretty high.”
And while only being assured of two more months of Juan Soto before he can hit free agency during the offseason “didn’t affect” how Cashman approached the deadline — although the pursuit of Soto once he hits the open market did.
“The only thing it would affect is if you imported something significantly that would level your next year’s payroll in such a way that … would make it harder to play on free agents next winter,’’ Cashman said.
Hal Steinbrenner said earlier this year the team’s current payroll is “unsustainable,” so the Yankees will likely have to cut back elsewhere if Soto stays.
Jasson Dominguez has been back for less than a week at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after being sidelined with an oblique strain and Cashman said there are no plans to call him up.
“He’s a legitimate force when he’s healthy and all the rust is knocked off,’’ Cashman said. “We like what we have currently [on the roster]. It’d be nice to know that he’s sitting there if we need it.”
Gleyber Torres survived another trade deadline in The Bronx and led off Wednesday against a left-hander, something Boone said he would do often. … Giancarlo Stanton’s second-inning single was measured at 120 mph, tied for the hardest-hit ball of the season. He’s done it twice and Pittsburgh’s O’Neil Cruz three times.
After the game, Ron Marinaccio was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, as Enyel De Los Santos should be able to join the Yankees when they open their homestand Friday.
The Yankees placed J.D. Davis on outright waivers, The Post’s Jon Heyman reported Wednesday. He will become a free agent if he goes unclaimed.
— Additional reporting by Greg Joyce