An earthquake didn’t stop the New York Yankees’ and Yankee excitement for today’s home opener. New York City and the rest of the tri-state area experienced an earthquake, which registered 4.8 on the Richter scale. Around the city, New Yorkers asked each other if they felt anything. Most did and were shaken (no pun intended). On video, shortstop Gleyber Torres took batting practice during the earthquake.
The earthquake didn’t faze him, and he continued his regularly scheduled program without a pause. It’s a microcosm of the early season for the Yankees. Unfazed despite the noise. And there’s more noise in the Bronx.
The Yankees put reliever Jonathan Loaisaga on the 60 Day-IL with a right flexor strain. The team called up Dennis Santana from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre earlier this morning to fill in the spot left by Loaisaga.
Loaisaga felt something on Wednesday after an appearance against the Arizona Diamondbacks where he threw 13 pitches with one strikeout. He underwent an MRI on Thursday.
“It was a couple pitches before he finished his outing the other day. At the time he didn’t really think it was that big a deal,” New York Yankees Manager Aaron Boone told reporters. “Finished that inning, said something, and then after the game getting with him, I don’t think he was too concerned about it. But obviously, it is concerning.”
During his career as a Yankee, Loaisaga’s displayed a 3.44 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, and less than one home run per nine innings.
But injuries have impeded his road regularly. Loaisaga took two trips to the IL last year with elbow inflammation and had surgery to remove bone spurs in his elbow.
In better news, Marcus Stroman took the hill today in his first start as a New York Yankee. It’s also the Long Island Native’s first Opening Day/Home Opening start of his career. Stroman’s family attended Yankee and Mets games when he was a kid.
“Definitely beyond excited to pitch in front of my few family and friends I have there,” Stroman told reporters. “To grow up in New York watching the Yankees and to be able to pitch a home opener in my career, I’m just very thankful and, honestly, grateful. It’s a moment that I feel like I’ll never forget.”
After a stint in Queens, Stroman finds himself in the Bronx. The kid who never picked a side between the Yankees and the Mets will now have pitched for both teams.
