YANKEES-RED SOX
Judge back, Betts sits
NEW YORK -- Aaron Judge returned to the New York Yankees lineup while Mookie Betts sat out Tuesday's night's game.
The delay allowed Judge to break into manager Aaron Boone's lineup for the first time since breaking his right wrist on July 26. Boone slotted Judge to bat second and play right field, but only because the game was moved back six hours because of rain to gave him and the front office a few extra hours to evaluate Judge.
"We want to start that clock of getting in there and playing and getting him those ABs," Boone said. "So he can find that timing sooner rather than later. Physically he's good to go."
Manager Alex Cora wrote Betts in as his center fielder as of 9 a.m., even after the AL MVP contender injured his left side Sunday. But then the conditions turned soggy.
"He's doing OK," Cora said. "The weather kind of like pushed me to not play him."
YANKEES
Sheffield placed on roster
NEW YORK -- Left-hander Justus Sheffield was put on the roster by the New York Yankees and could make his major league debut this week.
The 22-year-old Sheffield was 6-4 with a 2.56 ERA in 15 starts and five relief appearances for Triple-A Scranton Wilkes/Barre this year after going 1-2 with a 2.25 ERA in five starts for Double-A Trenton. New York moved him to the bullpen in late August as preparation for a possible callup as a reliever.
"I know that early on it was kind of rocky just because getting the routine down was a little hard," Sheffield said of the bullpen move. "But I'm feeling comfortable."
Sheffield was selected by Cleveland with the 31st overall pick in the 2014 amateur draft and was acquired by the Yankees in the July 2016 trade that sent left-hander Andrew Miller to the Indians.
ROCKIES
Story hopeful of return
LOS ANGELES — Colorado shortstop Trevor Story has inflammation in his right elbow, but there’s no structural damage and the Rockies are hopeful he can return to the lineup in a few days. The All-Star shortstop tweaked his elbow on a throw in the first inning of an 8-2 loss to the Dodgers on Monday night and aggravated it on a swing in the fourth.
Rockies manager Bud Black said tests on Tuesday produced “good results.” He says Story has soreness around his joint, but his ligament appears to be in good shape.
Black said Story experiences some stress when he swings and throws, but if the inflammation goes down he should be playing again in a few days.
Colorado began Tuesday a half-game behind the National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
Story this year became the first shortstop in major league history with at least 40 doubles, 30 home runs and 25 steals in a season.
INDIANS
Bauer throws to hitters
CLEVELAND -- Trevor Bauer threw to hitters for the first time since breaking his right leg last month and hopes to be back on the mound for Cleveland in time for the postseason.
The right-hander pitched three simulated innings of about 17-to-19 pitches per inning and jokingly told manager Terry Francona he was available against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
"I'm glad he feels that way," Francona said. "I don't think that's going to happen, but it's nice to hear him say that."
Bauer is 12-6 with a 2.22 ERA in 25 starts. He has been sidelined since he was struck on the lower leg by a line drive off the bat of Chicago's Jose Abreu on Aug. 11.
WHITE SOX
Abreu out with injured thigh
CLEVELAND -- Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu will miss Chicago's three-game series against the Cleveland Indians because of an infection in his right thigh.
Abreu was hospitalized in Cleveland on Tuesday, where he had the infection "cleaned up," manager Rick Renteria said. The team will provide an update on Abreu on Friday in Chicago, the manager said.
Abreu is hitting .265 with 22 home runs and 78 RBI in 128 games. He spent three weeks on the disabled list (Aug. 22-Sept. 9) after undergoing surgery to repair a testicular torsion. He was activated on Sept. 10 and is hitless in his last 20 at-bats.
METS
Tebow expects to be back
PHILADELPHIA -- The New York Mets are expecting outfielder Tim Tebow back in 2019 for a third season of professional baseball, assistant general manager John Ricco said, adding that the former NFL quarterback -- and current ESPN college football analyst -- hasn't given the organization any reason to believe otherwise.
Tebow's 2018 ended in late July, when a broken hamate bone in his right hand required surgery. But prior to that, Tebow, 31, seemed to be coming into his own with Double-A Binghamton, hitting .317 with a .348 OBP and .429 slugging percentage in June and July.
"I'm sure that's his last impression of himself," Ricco said. "I'd be surprised if he didn't want to continue."
Since signing with the Mets two years ago, Tebow has steadily climbed the minor-league ladder, performing better against higher levels of competition and even playing in the Eastern League All-Star Game in July. He still struck out too much (34.6 percent of his plate appearances) and didn't walk enough (7.4 percent) in 2018, but showed increased power and contact skills.
Tebow finished with underwhelming numbers: .273/.336/.399, six home runs, 36 RBI in 84 games.
Sports on 09/19/2018