NEW YORK -- On another day of bad news for the banged-up Yankees, New York said left-hander James Paxton had a setback in his return from a strained left flexor tendon.
Manager Aaron Boone revealed the news as New York's homestand opener against Baltimore was postponed because of a forecast for rain and was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader Friday starting at 4:05 p.m.
Gerrit Cole and Masahiro Tanaka are scheduled to start Friday for the Yankees, who have lost 15 of their last 21 games and entered Thursday third in AL East at 22-21, just 1 1/2 games ahead of the Orioles (20-22) .
Paxton has not pitched since Aug. 20 and is running out of time to return. If the Yankees reach the playoffs and Paxton is unable to return as a starter, rookie Deivi Garcia likely would challenge left-handers J.A. Happ and Jordan Montgomery to follow Cole and Tanaka in the rotation. The 21-year-old right-hander debuted Aug. 30 and is 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA in three starts.
New York also is missing right fielder Aaron Judge, (right calf strain), designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (left hamstring strain) and third baseman Gio Urshela (right elbow bone spur) along with pitchers Luis Severino and Tommy Kahnle (Tommy John surgery), and pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga (unspecified medical condition).
