Rafael Soriano (Neil Miller)
The Yankees had so much faith in Rafael Soriano’s ability to take over the closer’s role after Mariano Rivera went down with a knee injury, they gave David Robertson the job.
But since taking over after Robertson faltered, Soriano has been nearly perfect.
He pitched another spotless ninth yesterday in a 5-3 win over the Angels and has 22 saves in 23 chances this season.
”It’s hard to say where we’d be without him,” manager Joe Girardi said.
They probably wouldn’t be in first place, anyway.
“Once you lose Mo, there’s concern,” Girardi said. “The pressure you feel can’t be easy.”
But it’s pressure on which Soriano obviously thrives, because he has looked like a different pitcher after struggling in the seventh-inning role in his first year-plus playing with the Yankees.
“If you pitch the seventh, you don’t have the same feeling,” Girardi said. “So I’m not surprised [by the difference].”
Neither are Soriano’s teammates.
“He’s been big,” Robinson Cano said of Soriano, who has given up just two earned runs in his last 22 2/3 innings. “To go from the seventh to the closer role is amazing.”
* CC Sabathia said he felt fine yesterday after Friday’s 30-pitch simulated game and will throw another bullpen session today. If all goes as planned, the left-hander will start Tuesday against the Blue Jays in his return from the disabled list with a strained groin.
“I haven’t had any setbacks,” Sabathia said. “I should be ready to go.”
* Joba Chamberlain pitched two scoreless innings in his second rehab appearance with the Gulf Coast League Yankees yesterday. The righty struck out two against the GCL Blue Jays as he continued his comeback from last year’s Tommy John surgery and a right ankle dislocation.
He could be back in The Bronx in early August. He allowed only one baserunner, on an error.
* Russell Martin had his best game in weeks on Friday night, but Girardi didn’t hesitate to give him yesterday off, anyway. Girardi typically rests Martin on day games after night games and yesterday was no different, even after Martin delivered the game-winning hit and threw out three base-runners in Friday night’s victory to open the second half of the season.
* Cano extended his hitting streak to 17 games. … Mark Trumbo didn’t homer for the Angels in yesterday’s loss. He had hit home runs in each of his previous five games against the Yankees.