Around the Empire: Yankees news - 6/29/22

NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: Clay Holmes has been one of, if not the best relief pitcher in baseball this season. He’s assumed the closer role ever since Aroldis Chapman has missed more than a month due to injury. However, the hard-throwing lefty is scheduled to return to the team soon.

Will Holmes remain the pitcher in the ninth, or will Chapman be back in his normal role? Does Holmes have a preference? “There’s some ways to look at it,” he said. “They know how to use us the best and I think we all kind of trust that, whatever that looks like. Whether that’s the seventh, eighth, ninth. I’ve got full confidence that as long as I’m doing my job in those innings, we’re going to help the team win.”

NY Post | Jared Greenspan: Nestor Cortes owns a 5.68 ERA over his last four starts. What’s the biggest issue for the lefty right now? He says it’s his command. “The biggest hurdle right now is commanding my pitches,” Cortes said. “Maybe the first 12 starts, my command is pretty much there every time. And now, I’ve struggled a little bit more with my command.”

MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams: The Yankees designated Manny Bañuelos for assignment on Tuesday afternoon in order to create a roster spot for spot starter JP Sears. The lefty finally made it to the bigs for the Yanks after being a top prospect for the team more than a decade ago. In 8.1 innings in pinstripes this year, ManBan had a 2.16 ERA with eight strikeouts and seven hits allowed.

As a follow-up, after Sears’ excellent start against the A’s, he was optioned back to Triple-A. Manager Aaron Boone said that while Aroldis Chapman’s rehab assignment is done, he won’t be activated today, so as of now, it’s unclear what the Yankees will do with their last roster spot this afternoon.

NY Daily News | Kristie Ackert: Back on April 2nd, Albert Abreu was dealt to the Texas Rangers in a fateful trade for Jose Trevino. Now, just two months later, Abreu is back on the Yankees and pitching in the Bronx again, and this time, it’s with more confidence.

“When the news came that I was gonna come back and join the team again ... it felt like hope, like I was getting hope again,” Abreu said. “I had lost my confidence and just walking into the Stadium, walking through the doors, I felt a rush of energy and positive energy. And it just let me know that this is where I belong. I felt like a different person right there just walking in this clubhouse.”