UPDATE: The latest news is not great for Eovaldi or the Yanks.
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The New York Yankees are running into some critical problems at the worst time. First they lost Michael Pineda for a month (July 24-August 26) due to a forearm strain and then CC Sabathia hit the disabled list with a knee injury. Now Nathan Eovaldi will miss time after his latest MRI results.
On Monday, Sweeny Murti of WFAN radio reported Eovaldi would be shut down for two weeks with inflammation in his right elbow and the Yankees confirmed the news later in the day. According to Grace Raynor of MLB.com, Eovaldi was examined by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad before undergoing the MRI that revealed his injury.
It's unknown when Eovaldi began experiencing discomfort in his elbow and it's unclear if he'll be able to pitch the rest of the regular season or in the playoffs.
"Manager Joe Girardi has held off naming his official starters for the Toronto series and declined to reveal why when asked by a reporter about what circumstances could make him change the anticipated rotation," Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com writes.
However, Sabathia will return from the DL on Wednesday and he'll slide back into the rotation. The Yankees also have rookie starter Bryan Mitchell available in case they need someone else to make a start. Eovaldi was scheduled to start the first game of the team's upcoming series against the Blue Jays, but it looks like it'll now be Luis Severino followed by Ivan Nova and Pineda.
Eovaldi, 25, hadn't been the club's best starter, but he had been pitching consistently since the end of the June. The right-hander is 9-1 with a 3.43 ERA in 14 starts since June 20 after a rough start to his debut season with the Yankees.
Eovaldi is 14-3 (second in MLB in win pct.) with a 4.20 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 121 strikeouts in 27 starts (154 1/3 innings).
The upcoming series against Toronto could decide the Yankees' fate in the AL East.