Notebook
MLB Notebook – Week Three: 4/16/18
- On Monday outfielder Aaron Hicks began a rehab assignment with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A) and returned to the Yankees Major League lineup on Thursday. To make room for Hicks on the 25-man roster, New York designated Shane Robinson for assignment.
- A pair of minor leaguers were exchanged in a rare trade between the Yankees and Mets on Tuesday. L.J. Mazzilli, the son of former player and current Yankees front office member Lee Mazzilli, is headed to the Bronx for outfielder Kendall Coleman.
- On Tuesday, the New York Yankees designated Jace Peterson in favor of outfielder Shane Robinson, whose contract the organization selected in the corresponding move. Peterson cleared waivers and ultimately elected free agency instead of taking the assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
- The Baltimore Orioles designated left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes for assignment, whom the club selected in the 2017 Rule V Draft in Orlando, FL during the Winter Meetings in December. He was offered back to the Yankees for $50,000 and is now a member of the Yankees organization once again. Cortes made four appearances for the Orioles and was touched up for four earned runs in 4.2 innings of relief. He was assigned to Double-A Trenton.
- CC Sabathia played catch for the first time on since being placed on the disabled list on Tuesday at Fenway Park. He is progressing well and expects to come off the DL when eligible.
- The benches cleared twice on Wednesday, first, on a questionable Tyler Austin slide that resulted in Austin spiking Red Sox shortstop Brock Holt. In retaliation, Sox reliever Joe Kelly plunked Austin with a 97-mph fastball. Austin charged the mound and punches were thrown. Austin, Kelly, Phil Nevin, and Tommy Kahnle were all ejected.
- Suspensions and fines for Wednesday’s bawl were handed out. Kelly was suspended for six games, while Austin was for five. Nevin, Alex Cora, CC Sabathia, Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, and Marco Hernandez were all fined for an undisclosed amount.
- In somewhat non-related Yankees baseball news, former Yankee outfielder Johnny Damon was named as a participant on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” Season 26 cast list.
- Fresh off the DL, Aaron Hicks, became the first Yankee since Hank Bauer (1956) to have a multi-homer game with one being an inside-the-parker.
- Injured outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury was shut down again from his rehabilitation stint, this time for 72 hours due to receiving a cortisone shot in his injured right hip on Thursday.
- On Sunday the Yankees made two roster moves. Shane Robinson was outrighted to Triple-A, and Luis Cessa was optioned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as well. Cessa was scheduled to make a start in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader that ended up being postponed.
