Starlin Castro, Matt Holliday Close to Returning for Yankees

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: New York Yankees Starlin Castro and Matt Holliday (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: New York Yankees Starlin Castro and Matt Holliday (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
New York Yankees
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 11: New York Yankees Starlin Castro /

The Yankees are set to start the second half of the season, but they are in need of some major production. Starlin Castro and Matt Holiday are ready to help the team make a push after some time on the shelf.

Aside from poor starting and relief pitching, the Yankees’ recent skid can be contributed to the host of players they’ve lost due to injury.

Impact players such as Aaron Hicks, Matt Holliday and Starlin Castro have all gone on the disabled

More from New York Yankees

list over the course of the past few weeks, but Castro and Holliday are close to returning to the lineup and could be back as early as this weekend for what is set to be a crucial series in Boston.

Castro was put on the 10-day DL with hamstring injury against the Chicago White Sox while trying to beat out a ground ball, and was not available for the final three series of the season with Houston, Toronto and Milwaukee.

He did travel to Miami for the All-Star game and, according to nj.com, manager Joe Girardi expects his starting second baseman to play one or two rehab games in the minor leagues before potentially rejoining the team in Boston.

Next: Yankees Daily Trade Deadline Profile: Pat Neshek

Castro will begin his rehab assignment with the Trenton Thunder in Hartford, Connecticut, as reported by the Hartford Courant, and Yankee fans should feel confident that one of their team’s most productive offense weapons will be back in the lineup very soon.

Matt Holliday’s lengthy time on the DL (since June 25) has been the direct cause of a viral infection

More from Empire Writes Back

that left him feeling weak and zapped of energy.

He had to be sent back to New York while the Yankees were on their most recent road trip, but now appears to be close to getting back. Holliday has played in two games with Scranton Wilkes-Barre Monday night, and if all goes well, he could rejoin the Yankees in Boston for the start of the series on Friday.

Starlin Castro and Matt Holliday have been two of the most important components of a Yankee offense that has produced the third-highest run total in baseball this season. They’ve combined for 27 home runs, 92 RBI and 88 runs, and their return might just be what the Yankees need to break out of the slump they currently find themselves in.