Around the Empire: Yankees news - 6/20/22

Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News: Isiah Kiner-Falefa was noticeably absent from Sunday's lineup, which became especially odd when he was not called upon to pinch run in the ninth inning. After the game, it was revealed that IKF is dealing with a sore hamstring and was unavailable yesterday. It’s unclear whether Kiner-Falefa will be forced to miss any time going forward due to the injury, but he doesn’t seem all that worried about its severity.

Randy Miller | NJ.com: It’s no secret that the Yankees pitching rotation (Sunday notwithstanding) has been stellar this year. In fact, they’ve been so good that one of the topics that has frequently come up in our discussions is how many of the starting pitchers will be in Los Angeles representing the Yankees during the All-Star Game. In a post-game scrum on Saturday, Aaron Boone was asked whether Jameson Taillon should be pitching in the All-Star Game and, well, it appears that Boone seems to be on the same page as a lot of us fans, as he also believes that all five starters are All-Star Game-worthy. It’s likely not going to happen, but it’s fun to speculate!

Dan Martin | NY Post: Updates on the injury front haven’t been particularly frequent lately, but it appears as though the Yankees are set to get a look at a trio of pitchers who have been on the shelf for some time now when they begin their three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays today. Aroldis Chapman is scheduled to throw another live bullpen for the team, while Jonathan Loáisiga will begin a throwing program and Domingo Germán is slated to throw a rehab game, though the specific date for that appearance is still to be confirmed. Let’s hope these guys are able to get healthy and back on the field sooner rather than later.

Randy Miller | NJ.com: Father’s Day may have come and gone, but the stories are still rolling in and y’all know I’m a sucker for the emotional ones. Randy Miller, in his second appearance in this news roundup, has told the story of Nestor Cortes’s father and his long and arduous trek from Cuba to America. At the age of 23, Nestor Cortes Sr. was imprisoned in a Cuban jail for attempted defection. He was eventually released and, after a visa lottery was instituted, beat the odds and was given his chance to come to America. Once he landed in the States, he was eventually able to find work as a forklift driver, making just $4.25 per hour. I’m not going to spoil the rest of Cortes’s story because it truly is a remarkable story of perseverance, but do yourself a favor and read this one, then maybe call your dad or shoot them a text if you’re able to and haven’t done so in a little while.