NEW YORK – Lefty Ryan Yarbrough is dealing with a right oblique strain, causing some shuffling at the back end of the Yankees’ rotation.
Right-hander Allan Winans will be called up to start Monday night’s series opener at Cincinnati, and Marcus Stroman might soon be in play.
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On the injured list since April 12 due to a left knee strain, Stroman is scheduled to make another minor league rehab start Tuesday, with pitch count of around 70.
From there, Stroman should “be in the mix’’ as a rotation option, said Yankees manager Aaron Boone before Sunday’s series finale against the Baltimore Orioles.
JT Brubaker is also a potential option as a starter, built up in the 70-80 pitch range, but the right-hander is currently in a long relief role.
Lefty reliever Jayvien Sandridge was recalled Sunday as Yarbrough was placed on the 15-day injury list retroactive to last Thursday.
Yarbrough has been dealing with oblique soreness following his last two starts, but the discomfort he experienced following Wednesday’s start was enough to send him for an MRI.
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It’s a low-grade strain, according to Boone, and “hopefully not something that keeps him down from throwing’’ for too long of a period.
With a 3.90 ERA over 16 appearances (8 starts), Yarbrough, 33, has boosted a rotation that lost Gerrit Cole (elbow surgery) and Luis Gil (lat strain) before the season began, and with Stroman making just three starts before his injury.
Gil has resumed throwing to live batters but probably isn’t a rotation option until after the All-Star break, and the Yankees will be deeply involved in the pitching market before the July 31 MLB trade deadline.
Winans, 29, has “been tremendous’’ at Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, said Boone, posting a 7-0 record and a sensational 0.90 ERA in 11 games (9 starts), with 59 strikeouts in 50 innings and a 1.040 WHIP.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: What Ryan Yarbrough’s injury means for the Yankees’ rotation