ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Outside of not going deep into the first two big league starts of his career and occasional bouts of wildness, Jonathan Loaisiga has been OK filling in for Masahiro Tanaka.
Having never pitched above Double-A, the 23-year-old Loaisiga is 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA and has struck out 10 batters in 8 ²/₃ innings while displaying a live fastball.
Nevertheless, the sooner Tanaka returns to the No. 2 spot in the rotation behind Luis Severino and in front of CC Sabathia, the better off the Yankees will be.
And based on how Tanaka said he felt following a workout early Saturday afternoon before the Yankees lost 4-0 to the Rays at Tropicana Field, the veteran right-hander is getting closer to coming off the disabled list, where has been since June 9 with a pair of strained hamstrings.
“I think I am taking the right steps, moving in the right direction,’’ said Tanaka, who threw off flat ground for a third straight day and participated in agility drills that included high-step running and backpedaling.
Tanaka left a game on June 8 against the Mets at Citi Field after feeling discomfort in the hamstrings after tagging up at third base and scoring on an Aaron Judge fly to right. He was placed on the 10-day DL the following day. When he comes off the shelf will depend on what happens with two bullpen sessions — the first of which will be Sunday morning — and a simulated game. It’s not out of the question he might require a minor league rehab stint before rejoining the big league club.
While Tanaka said he still feels discomfort in his hamstrings, there is no doubt improvement has been made.
“It’s absolutely better,’’ said Tanaka, who is 7-2 with a 4.58 ERA in 13 starts. “If you look back two weeks ago, there is no way I would be able to move the way I did today.’’
Since all the work players do when on the DL is geared toward getting them back on the big league roster, Tanaka was asked if he had a date in mind for when he will see major league hitters.
“No, not yet. I think we need to take the steps,’’ Tanaka said. “Getting into the bullpen for the first time and see how that feels and the other plans leading up to a game. It’s a gradual step and something we are taking day-by-day.’’
Only a setback Saturday would have knocked Tanaka out of Sunday’s bullpen session — and it didn’t.
“If everything goes well, probably again Tuesday, Wednesday and some kind of [simulated] game probably on Friday and see from there,’’ Aaron Boone said of Tanaka’s schedule.
Based on his two starts, there is no reason the Yankees won’t stay with Loaisiga as long as Tanaka is out. Loaisiga is scheduled to open a three-game series in Philadelphia on Monday.
The Yankees didn’t hit a home run Saturday. It was the 15th time this year they were homerless. The 4-0 loss was the second time they were shut out. The Mets beat them, 2-0, on June 10 at Citi Field.
Blake Snell said he was informed a couple of days ago that he wasn’t going to start Sunday against the Yankees when the Rays will turn to a cast of relievers to get them through nine innings for the second straight game.
The Yankees had a feeling the lefty wasn’t going to start before Boone’s office phone chirped Saturday and Rays manager Kevin Cash was on the line.
“He gave us the heads-up that Snell wasn’t pitching. It was a professional courtesy this morning,’’ Boone said.
Instead of Snell, the Rays will start right-hander Matt Andriese, who has appeared in 20 games this year, but only has started twice.
Snell, who will instead start Monday, faced the Yankees in The Bronx on June 14 when he gave up four runs and five hits (two homers) in five innings of a 4-3 Yankees victory. Not pitching Snell against the Yankees twice in nine days may have played into the Rays’ thinking.
Since hours are spent analyzing which lineup to use against a scheduled starter, Boone was asked what challenges are presented when the Rays go with a parade of relievers.
“I look at it that we are in a pretty rough stretch with consecutive games where I am trying to give a guy an occasional day off,’’ Boone said. “For me that is how the planning goes and you do the best you can with people in mind. You can’t obsess with it. We feel pretty good about the guys we roll out there.’’
Counting Saturday’s game, the Yankees had played 12 straight tilts of a 16-game stretch in 16 days.
Boone didn’t start Gleyber Torres on Saturday. Neil Walker was in the lineup at second base went 0-for-3.
The Rays moving from the left-handed Snell to right-hander Andriese as the starter Sunday could cost Clint Frazier a start in left field. Boone said Frazier was a possibility to play left against Snell, but the manager might opt to keep Brett Gardner in left against Andriese.
Miguel Andujar arrived in the big leagues with a reputation of being a better hitter than defender, and that has largely held true nearly three months into the third baseman’s rookie season. Yet, the glove and arm have been better than advertised.
“When I started watching video of him this winter, I certainly felt there was a ways to go for him but I certainly thought he can do this,’’ Boone said of Andujar, who started Saturday with four errors and led the Yankees’ regulars with a .289 batting average to go with 10 homers and 32 RBIs. “I would say at this point he has surpassed those expectations.’’