Trio of injured Yanks making steady progress
NEW YORK -- Yankees manager Joe Girardi didn't have a specific timeline on Tuesday regarding the return of Brendan Ryan, Jacoby Ellsbury and Ivan Nova, but he did indicate that the three are continuing to make steady progress.
Nova began his rehab assignment on Monday in Tampa, Fla., and threw 75 pitches over 4 2/3 innings. Girardi thinks he could be Triple-A bound soon.
"I really haven't got a whole lot of reports. I was watching a little bit of it. He had the 12 ground-ball outs, which is good," Girardi said. "We'll bump him up again the next time. From what I understand, he's going to pitch in Triple-A I believe the next time. [Pitching coach] Larry [Rothschild] hasn't had a chance to talk to the coaches down there. I'll get a better report as the day goes on, I'm sure."
In four starts with the Yankees in 2014 before his surgery, Nova was 2-2 with an 8.27 ERA.
Ryan, who is still playing in rehab games, strained his right calf during Spring Training. Ellsbury sustained a right knee sprain on May 19.
"Every day it's increasing slowly," Girardi said of Ellsbury. "But it's not to the point where you would say, 'I have a date when he's going to go on a rehab.'"