Jameson Taillon, who went 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA in five July starts, will take the ball Wednesday hoping to provide some stability to a rotation that is now without Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery due to COVID-19.
The right-hander, coming back from his second Tommy John surgery in 2019, has turned his season around since his ERA peaked at 5.74 when he gave up four runs in a third of an inning against the Phillies on June 12.
“I kind of told myself, ‘I worked too hard to not be good. I worked too hard to just be mediocre or be struggling and not helping the team,’” said Taillon before the Yankees’ 13-1 blowout win over the Orioles on Tuesday night at the Stadium. “It’s a cool honor, but now I feel like I need to continue being that guy going forward just for where we’re at.”
Taillon, who was named July’s American League Pitcher of the Month, pointed to adjusting his pitch mix as key: throwing his two-seam fastball more, his curveball harder and more aggressively and his four-seam fastball down and away to righties more.
First baseman Luke Voit (left knee inflammation) started a rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 1-for-3 with a home run and a strikeout while playing seven innings.
Right-hander Luis Severino (Tommy John surgery) also began his second rehab assignment — the first one in June was cut short by a groin strain — throwing 2 ¹/₃ innings for Double-A Somerset. He gave up two runs (on a two-run homer by Orioles top prospect Adley Rutschman) on two hits and a walk while striking out four and throwing 43 pitches.
Gil was sent back to SWB after the game. … Gio Urshela was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Aug. 1, with a left hamstring strain.
The Yankees claimed OF Jonathan Davis off waivers from the Blue Jays. … Reliever Sal Romano was claimed off waivers by the Brewers.
