Yankees shuffling rotation to get Gerrit Cole another start before break

BOSTON — The Yankees will make a slight adjustment to their rotation heading into the All-Star break, with Gerrit Cole jumping ahead of Luis Severino. 

So Cole will start Tuesday against the Reds in The Bronx and Severino will go Wednesday. 

The move will allow Cole to make the final start of the first half for the Yankees and provide some extra rest for Severino, who — along with Nestor Cortes — will likely see his starts and innings manipulated a bit in the second half, since both are on pace to pitch much more than they have in recent seasons. 

With Cole slotted for Sunday against the Red Sox in The Bronx, the right-hander may not pitch in the All-Star Game on July 19 at Dodger Stadium. 

Once the Yankees come out of the break with a doubleheader in Houston on July 21, Aaron Boone said he doesn’t think they’ll need a fifth starter thanks to an off day after the first five games. 

Domingo German said he felt ready to pitch for the Yankees after his Saturday rehab start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but Boone said the team has yet to determine what the right-hander’s next step will be. 

German’s velocity was down from where it was prior to the injury, hitting 91 mph consistently, which is a few ticks lower than usual, but Boone said it’s not a concern. 

“He had his command and looked sharp,” Boone said of the video of German’s outing. 

German has been sidelined since the spring with right shoulder impingement, but said he felt healthy since beginning to throw live batting practices in Tampa during spring training. 

It’s unclear how the Yankees would use German if he were on the staff, although they have shown a willingness to send left-hander JP Sears back to SWB, which would make room for German if they opt to put him on the roster. 

Jonathan Loaisiga’s first rehab appearance since hitting the IL with right shoulder inflammation went well, Boone said. 

Loaisiga pitched an inning for Low-A Tampa and “looked really good,” according to Boone. 

He is expected to pitch next for SWB on Tuesday, with a return to the Yankees’ bullpen possible before the All-Star break. 

They’ll hope for better results from Loaisiga this time around, since he has given up 13 earned runs in 16 ²/₃ innings this season and has a 1.560 WHIP, numbers that are far worse than what he put up a year ago. 

Ron Marinaccio, out with right shoulder inflammation, played catch on Saturday, which Boone said went better than the right-hander had anticipated. 

The 27-year-old has emerged as an important part of the bullpen — especially since being recalled from SWB for a second time. 

In his past 13 appearances, Marinaccio allowed just one hit in 15 ¹/₃ scoreless innings before hitting the IL. 

Despite allowing a run and a pair of walks, Boone said he was “really encouraged” by Aroldis Chapman’s outing, when he came in to pitch the sixth inning of the 11-6 loss to Boston on Sunday at Fenway Park. 

Boone said Chapman’s fastball, which topped out at 101 mph, was better and he was “beat by bloops.” 

It followed two straight scoreless outings against the Pirates. 

Matt Carpenter started at DH on Sunday and hit his 10th homer in his 77th plate appearance after hitting seven in his previous 418 plate appearances, while Joey Gallo was out of the lineup again versus a right-hander. Gallo is 3-for-38 with a triple, a homer, nine walks and 19 strikeouts in 47 plate appearances in his last 14 games.