SAN FRANCISCO — Cody Poteet is now two-for-two on delivering in spot starts.
The Yankees may need that to continue for at least a few more weeks.
Called up from Triple-A to replace the injured Clarke Schmidt, Poteet delivered five solid innings Saturday night to help the Yankees beat the Giants 7-3 at Oracle Park.
Poteet limited the Giants to just three runs (two earned) on three hits and one walk while striking out six.
“Sad to see [Schmidt] go down, such an incredible pitcher and was rolling just like the rest of the staff right now,” Poteet said. “But I’m not looking too far ahead, just taking it a day at a time and trying to get better each day and enjoy being around so many great players.”
Poteet had been on the injured list at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with a blister, which opened back up again “a little bit” on Saturday, he said, though the right-hander did not seem worried.
“Nothing too concerning,” he said. “I’ve been dealing with that for a little bit. Normal. Something I’ve dealt with in the past, so should be good.”
The Yankees likely will lean on Poteet — who threw six strong innings against the Guardians in April — until Gerrit Cole is ready to return from the IL, which could come by the end of the month.
“Overall, I thought he pitched with a lot of confidence, I thought he was on the attack,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I thought he did a good job with his four-seam and his two-seam. Gave us what we needed.”
DJ LeMahieu came into Saturday with only a pair of hits through his first three games of the season.
But just about everything else has looked encouraging for the Yankees’ veteran infielder after he missed the first two months of the season with a non-displaced foot fracture.
“I’m really excited about how he looks,” Boone said before LeMahieu went 1-for-4 in a 7-3 win over the Giants on Saturday. “I thought good at-bats each and every day. I felt like watching him run down the line and move, he’s moving well. So really encouraged with where he’s at physically.”
In his first game back Tuesday, LeMahieu smoked three balls with nothing to show for it.
He then picked up his first hit Wednesday on a ground ball that hit Anthony Rizzo running to third (which may have been intentional by Rizzo to break up a double play), but then got a more legitimate one Thursday on a hard ground ball to right field that keyed a five-run rally.
More impressive were the three walks he drew, which came on nine, eight and nine pitches, respectively, looking like the professional, tough at-bats that LeMahieu consistently gives when healthy.
Boone played LeMahieu at third base his first two games, at first base for Rizzo on Thursday and then gave him the day off Friday as he continues to build up his workload.
Sunday marks the 20th and final day of Jasson Dominguez’s rehab assignment clock.
But barring a surprise, it will not mark his final day in the minor leagues.
Dominguez played his 13th rehab game Saturday — the ninth with Double-A Somerset — but just two of those games have included playing in the field as he continues his comeback from Tommy John surgery.
The 21-year-old outfielder just started mixing in playing defense Wednesday, and the expectation is he will continue to get more work there when his rehab clock expires and the Yankees option him to the minors.
Plus, of course, there is no path for him to get regular playing time with the Yankees at the moment.
That being said, his rehab assignment has gone well to date.
Dominguez homered Saturday for the fourth time in the past six games.
“I think it’s gone really well,” Boone said Saturday. “It’s been in line, really, with how the whole rehab process for him has gone. There haven’t really been many hiccups along the way, it’s been smooth. He’s in great shape. The buildup has gone well.”
The Yankees had Omar Minaya, a senior advisor to general manager Brian Cashman, in Somerset the past few days and he spent time with Dominguez before reporting back to Boone on Saturday morning.
“[Dominguez] is in a really good frame of mind, he’s playing well and excited about his progress,” Boone said.
Gerrit Cole (elbow nerve inflammation) is likely to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday, though the Yankees have not yet finalized that or for which affiliate he will pitch.
Nick Burdi (right hip inflammation) recently received a PRP injection and is still just rehabbing.
Scott Effross (Tommy John surgery/back surgery) is getting closer to a rehab assignment after building momentum in his bullpen sessions over the past month.
But fellow reliever Lou Trivino (UCL surgery) has still not resumed throwing after being shut down in early May because of elbow inflammation.
The Yankees optioned reliever Cody Morris back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room on the roster for Poteet, who was called up to start Saturday’s game in place of the injured Clarke Schmidt.
Morris, acquired from the Guardians for Estevan Florial in the offseason, has had two stints with the Yankees this season but has not pitched in either one of them.
After hitting a double off left-hander Taylor Rogers on Friday night — his first extra-base hit since May 12 and his first extra-base hit off a lefty all season — Rizzo earned some bragging rights by scoring from second on a passed ball.
Gleyber Torres was on third and came in to score, but catcher Patrick Bailey’s throw to Rogers at the plate squirted away, allowing Rizzo to keep running around third and score.
”That was pretty cool,” Rizzo said. “That’s definitely something I’ll make sure the guys hear about throughout the year.”
