Mark Teixeira clearly enjoyed himself talking about Mets reliever Hansel Robles after Wednesday night’s victory.
And that was before he learned that the Mets reliever — while giving his version of the verbal kerfuffle in the seventh inning that revolved around his belief that Teixeira was stealing signs — had suggested that Teixeira “play baseball as a man.”
Teixeira, who did not start Thursday night’s game because of a bruised left shin — the result of being hit by Steven Matz’s fastball the night before — did not re-engage. But he did laugh. Hard.
“I had too much fun last night to even get back into that,” Teixeira said. “I’m going to leave it. You know it’s like to drop a mic. You drop the mic. I’m walking off on that one.”
His left shin, meanwhile, needed an extra day of treatment. Joe Girardi said that even if he felt there was a spot to use Teixeira Thursday night, his inclination was to stay away from him.
“It’s pretty sore today, so we’re going to give it a day,” said Teixeira, whose three-run homer off Matz on Wednesday night broke a 3-3 tie and preceded the pitch that hit him. “We’re going to do a whole bunch of treatment, but it’s still pretty sore.”
Severino back in rotation
Three standout relief appearances by Luis Severino were enough to convince the Yankees that the 22-year-old is ready to rejoin the rotation.
Girardi said Severino, who earned the victory Wednesday night by allowing an unearned run and one hit in 4 1⁄3 innings after replacing Chad Green, will start Tuesday in Boston.
The Yankees’ hope is that Severino, who lost his spot after starting the year 0-6 with a 7.46 ERA, has rediscovered the form that helped him go 5-3 with a 2.89 ERA after a call-up last August. “I feel better,” Severino said. “My slider is better.”
Barbato up
Righthander Johnny Barbato, who starred in spring training and won a bullpen spot but struggled shortly after the season started, was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Thursday. Green was sent down.
..... - Newsday