News » The 35-year-old Pence plans to play winter

The New York Yankees are getting healthy.And that makes manager Aaron Boone happy.Shortstop Didi Gregorius was activated off the 10-day disabled list Friday and played for the first time since suffering a left heel contusion in an Aug. 19 collision with Toronto first baseman Kendrys Morales. Article continues below ...Gregorius didn’t start but came on as a defensive substitute in the bottom of the sixth inning and likely will start in Saturday’s game against the host Seattle Mariners.“We’ll ease Didi back in Pat Neshek Jersey , not having played any rehab games,” Boone said. “The hope will be to get him in at some point (Friday). And if everything goes well, probably start him (Saturday) — not necessarily the whole game — and kind of build him back in that way. With September, we have the bodies that we can get other guys in there and not be up against it.”Boone stressed the importance of having Gregorius back, both offensively and defensively.“He’s a left-handed hitter and being able to hit him in different spots throughout the middle of the order, he balances us out,” Boone said. “He’s so steady for us at shortstop. The intangible things he does as far as leading our infield and always has his eye in the dugout, knows where to be. He’s kind of like a quarterback out there at shortstop.”Just as importantly, outfielder Aaron Judge participated in on-field drills Friday for the first time since suffering a fractured right wrist July 26.Judge hit balls off a tee before taking some underhand tosses from hitting coach Marcus Thomas.“This is what we’ve been waiting for this whole time, for that pain to get out of there, for him to be able to really swing,” Boone said. “I think he’s starting to get at least a little bit excited about how he’s feeling when he’s swinging the bat. The ball is coming off real nice. Just positive steps for Aaron.”That next step will be batting practice, then some simulated games. Judge has said he hopes to be playing in games within the next two weeks.“Hopefully, now the progression is one that moves now, now that he’s to this point where he can do everything http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-lenny-dykstra-jersey ,” Boone said. “Now it’s just a matter of getting back up to baseball speed, building that stamina and then obviously graduating to live pitching, to seeing an actual pitcher.”Yankees right-hander Lance Lynn (8-10, 5.10 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday against Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez (8-13, 5.55). Lynn will be facing Seattle for the first time; Hernandez is 10-7 with a 3.00 ERA in 22 career starts against the Yankees. Hernandez won his only start against New York this season, giving up two runs (one earned) in five innings.The Mariners, who are trying to stay in the American League’s wild-card race behind the Yankees and Oakland, also got some good news on the injury front Friday, as left-hander Marco Gonzales threw 35 pitches off the mound.Mariners manager Scott Servais said Gonzales, who has been on the disabled list with a strained cervical muscle in his neck, will be activated in time to start Tuesday against San Diego.Gonzales was 12-5 before going 0-4 with a 10.35 ERA in four August starts.“I want to see the same guy we saw in June and July,” Servais said. “He was cruising. He does feel fine physically and is throwing all his pitches in the bullpen. He probably won’t go as long. First time out, you’re probably looking at 75 pitches or something like that. Again, we just want to see him healthy, executing pitches and feeling good about things.”Meanwhile the Mariners will try to rebound from getting shut out and being held to three hits in its seventh loss in 11 games. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The way the last two seasons have gone for the San Francisco Giants Rhys Hoskins Jersey , those three World Series titles in 2010, ’12 and ’14 seem so long ago for manager Bruce Bochy’s club.The Giants finished 73-89 following a season during which the biggest names — Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, Johnny Cueto, Brandon Belt — were all injured at some point. They traded Andrew McCutchen to the Yankees in late August amid all the disabled list stints.San Francisco struggled to score runs and went a majors-worst 5-21 in September but improved on its last-place 2017 finish of 64-98 by nine wins during a second straight season in which pitchers Bumgarner and Cueto were sidelined for long stretches, and reliable right-hander Jeff Samardzija got hurt, too.Cueto had Tommy John surgery in August, Posey underwent season-ending hip surgery later that month then first baseman Belt underwent season-ending right knee surgery in September.“We’ve been one of those lineups that needed all hands on deck,” said Brian Sabean, the executive vice president of baseball operations. He didn’t want to speak about how the roster might shape up this winter until new hires are made in the front office.Change is coming. A new general manager is set to be hired to replace Bobby Evans, who will be reassigned after he was dismissed last week.President and CEO Larry Baer said preliminary conversations have begun.“We don’t know who that person is now. But he’s the guy who’ll be making decisions,” Bochy said. “I understand that. Whatever he wants to do, whether on the field, my job is to make it work. I think it’s wait-and-see what we do there.”Here are some things to take from the Giants’ second straight losing season:MADBUM’S FUTUREThe first big blow came when Bumgarner broke the pinkie on his pitching hand when he was hit by a line drive from Kansas City’s Whit Merrifield in his final spring training start. The 2014 World Series MVP had surgery to insert pins into the finger.“Really what’s unfortunate is when he got hurt in spring training,” Bochy said. “I think he’s come back and he’s thrown some really nice games.”Bumgarner is considered one of the Giants’ hardest workers http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-carlos-santana-jersey , but his return isn’t a guarantee.In April 2012, Bumgarner signed a $35.56 million, six-year deal through 2017 that included $12 million club options for the 2018 and ’19 seasons.“I don’t know that there’s anything to address just yet,” Bumgarner said after his final start Friday. “We’ll see what happens or what don’t happen. I don’t really know.”Bochy expects his ace to return to top form next season.“No doubt in my mind,” Bochy said.The lefty ace missed nearly three months last year following a dirt bike accident during an off day in Colorado.FINAL WEEKEND BUST NOT A BOOSTBochy hoped a strong showing in the final weekend would provide his group with a boost heading into the offseason.Instead, it was a bust — a 15-0 defeat to the Dodgers on the final day.Still, Bochy noted: “With what we’ve been through and even though we’re a little nicked up and missing some pieces right now, they know they can play with anybody.”PENCE’S FAREWELLOutfielder Hunter Pence is unlikely to return to San Francisco after 6 1/2 seasons in the Bay Area as a fan favorite. He had his farewell day during Sunday’s loss, waving and tipping his clap for multiple standing ovations throughout the game.The 35-year-old Pence plans to play winter ball and reinvent himself with the hopes of playing in 2019.“I still love it and I’m still healthy,” he said.RODRIGUEZ SHINESRookie Dereck Rodriguez (6-4) was a bright spot for a pitching staff that had to overcome struggles by the offense.He was winless over his final seven starts since defeating the Pirates on Aug. 12. Rodriguez’s 2.81 ERA with a minimum of 100 innings pitched ranks lowest in San Francisco history for rookies.The Giants lost his last seven outings and nine of 11.STRICKLAND’S PUNCHGiants closer Hunter Strickland broke his pitching hand punching a door in frustration after blowing the save in a 5-4 June defeat to the Marlins and then required surgery. He never was the same when he returned.IMPROVED FINISHA year ago, San Francisco finished last in the NL West at 64-98, just missing the franchise’s first 100-loss season since 1985.The Giants improved by nine wins despite all the injuries.“It’s not as bad as the perception let’s say of this last 25 games. When you’re virtually having to roll out — I hate to say — a split-squad lineup against playoff teams, that’s what our roster ended up being because of all the attrition,” Sabean said.