New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon is slated for more testing on his ailing back on Thursday, manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday
Rodon has yet to pitch this season after straining his forearm during spring training. Now it's the back tightness.
"Hopefully, we'll have a better idea in a couple of days," Boone said before the Yankees played the Cleveland Guardians
Rodon, 30, signed a six-year, $162 million contract with the Yankees in December. He was an All-Star with the Chicago White Sox in 2021 and the San Francisco Giants last season
For all of his career numbers -- 56-46 record, 3.60 ERA in 152 games (147 starts) -- Rodon has been injured often in eight years. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019.
He's not the only Yankee on the mend. Boone said right-hander Luis Severino, who sustained a low-grade lat strain in spring training and has not played this season, will begin a rehab assignment on Thursday in Tampa, Fla.
Left-hander Nestor Cortes' next start will be pushed back to Monday at home against the Oakland Athletics because he was ill with strep throat a couple of days ago, Boone said -- adding that he is fine now.
Slugger Giancarlo Stanton, 33, is on the injured list with a strained left hamstring.
The outfielder is "doing well, but nothing imminent," Boone said, noting that Stanton has started running work outside and has been hitting "for a while."
Stanton is batting .269 with four homers, 11 RBIs, three doubles and a .558 slugging percentage over 13 games.
Right-hander Tommy Kahnle has been on the 60-day IL and not appeared in a game because of bicep tendinitis. Boone said Kahnle, 33, likely will have a bullpen session on Thursday and then the team will try to determine when he could pitch again in a game.
--Field Level Media