Around the Empire: Yankees news - 8/29/18

NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: Didi Gregorius has been on the disabled list with a bruised heel since August 21st, but he offered a positive update about his status this week. Didi reports that his visit on Monday with Yankees team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad went well. Gregorius added that he could probably play as soon as he’s eligible to come off the 10-day DL, but didn’t know if the Yankees would want him to play in minor-league rehab games first. Now that’s good news!

MLB.com | Mike Lupica: American League MVP runner-up Aaron Judge got hit on the right wrist with a pitch on July 26th, and he hasn’t played since. After waiting a month to become pain-free before he begins to swing a bat again, Judge just reported that his pain-level has only decreased from a “five” to a “four.” Lupica asserts that the surging Yankees can only get so far without Judge. The Yankees right fielder also received high encomium from Orioles manager Buck Showalter:

”[Judge] gets them back to their identity, who they are and who they think they can be,” Showalter said on Tuesday. “He completes them.”

NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: The Yankees signed speedster Quintin Berry to a minor-league deal and sent him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 33-year-old outfielder is 29-for-33 in steal attempts at the major-league level over parts of five seasons. It looks like the Bombers got their pinch-runner for the home stretch of the pennant chase.

NJ.com | Randy Miller: Justus Sheffield has made two relief appearances since being moved to the bullpen in preparation of him joining the big-league club when rosters expand on September 1st. Sheffield isn’t currently on the 40-man roster, but he can be added easily by taking a postseason eligibility spot away from a Yankees pitcher who has been on the 60-day disabled list at least 60 days. The Yanks have two who meet that criteria, Ben Heller and Jordan Montgomery. Scouts did not provide a glowing report about Sheffield, but Yankees manager Aaron Boone was more upbeat:

”He’s had two bullpen outings now where he’s gone a couple of innings (and) they’ve been OK,” Boone said Tuesday. “I think we want to see him get at least another one down there.”

MLB Cut 4 | Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman: MLB’s Cut 4 team sat down with former Yankee Alex Rodriguez to “get a glimpse into the everyday experience of A-Rod.” What’s the first thing he does when he wakes up in the morning? What piece of advice does he have for young entrepreneurs? Which former Yankee teammates would have the best chance at working at A-Rod Corp?

Didi’s Victory Tweet