Surging New York Yankees place closer Aroldis Chapman on injured list with left elbow inflammation

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Saturday, August 7, 2021

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees placed closer Aroldis Chapman on the 10-day injured list Saturday because of inflammation in his left elbow.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Chapman experienced a little inflammation last weekend in Miami but an MRI came back clean. Boone said it will be a few days of no throwing for the hard-throwing lefty.

Jonathan Loaisiga pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save to close out Saturday's 5-4 win over Seattle.

Chapman didn't get into the game Friday night when the Yankees used nine pitchers in a 3-2, 11-inning win over the Mariners. On Thursday, he threw 30 pitches and put two on before retiring Seattle's Mitch Haniger on a warning-track fly ball for his 23rd save in 27 chances.

Chapman is 5-3 with a 3.63 ERA in 43 appearances this season. He lost his closer's job after allowing three runs on July 4 in the first game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets and had a 10.80 ERA in 15 appearances before returning to closing on July 20 against Philadelphia.

Since regaining his closer's job, the 33-year-old Chapman has converted seven straight saves and has a 1.13 ERA in eight appearances.

To replace Chapman on the roster, Nick Nelson was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In four stints for the Yankees, Nelson is 0-2 with a 9.45 ERA in 10 appearances, including two starts.

The Yankees won the first three games of the four-game set with Seattle, have won five in a row, and eight of the past 10. At 61-49, the Yankees are 12 games over .500 for the first time this season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.