‘Pretty good’ for Aroldis Chapman, but Yankees look for more

Aroldis Chapman threw off the main pitching mound at Yankee Stadium about 3 ½ hours before Tuesday night’s game against the Rays, after which he gave reporters a positive self-report.

“Pretty good out there, pretty good,” he said through a translator. “No discomfort at all. Pretty good.”

The Yankees placed the relief pitcher on the 15-day injured list on May 24, citing left Achilles tendinitis.

After his session – during which he bounced some pitches and did not seem to be throwing at peak velocity – he also tested himself with three sprints to first base to see if he could cover a ground ball to the first baseman effectively.

He was watched closely by, among others, pitching coach Matt Blake near the mound and bullpen coach Mike Harkey near the plate.

Earlier, he shagged a fly ball in the outfield, then engaged in an extended period of long tossing on the warning track.

Chapman said the next step is a bullpen session, then presumably facing live batters.

The 34-year-old lefthander last pitched on May 22 against the White Sox, when he gave up two ninth-inning runs while recording only one out in a 3-1 loss.

Overall, he is 0-2 this season with a 3.86 ERA in 17 games, with 15 strikeouts in 14 innings and nine saves.

But lately he had been on a downward trajectory. He has allowed at least one earned run in five consecutive appearances after allowing none in his first 12 this season.

It seems likely that when Chapman does return, it will be as a setup man initially and not in his familiar closer role.

Clay Holmes had five saves during Chapman’s absence entering Tuesday night’s game and had nine overall this season.

Entering the Rays series, Holmes had not allowed a run in 26 consecutive appearances dating to April 9 and had a 28-inning scoreless streak, tied for the longest in the major leagues this season.

Holmes’ scoreless streak was the longest for a Yankees pitcher since Mariano Rivera went 30 2/3 scoreless innings in 1999.

Chapman’s three-year, $48-million contract is due to expire at the end of this season, so his future with the Yankees is uncertain, at best.

Asked whether the Achilles problem contributed to his recent struggles on the mound, Chapman said, “It can be tough, but you have to understand that being a professional athlete, you have to deal with things like that sometimes.

“Everybody wants to play the game. Everybody wants to compete. You understand that’s your job, to be out there competing, and sometimes you’ve got to deal with things like that.

“You’ve got to buckle up, toughen up and try to do the best you can out there. The good thing is we’re trying to put this behind us right now. Like I said, feeling good and moving forward to get back in there.”

Manager Aaron Boone watched part of Chapman’s throwing session, which lasted about 15 minutes.

“Good to see him back out there,” Boone said. “I think he looks good. He looks healthy . . . I’ll get with Chappy and Matt and see what we’ve got and hopefully the next step will be to start to face some live hitters.”

Jonathan Loaisiga, another reliever, went on the injured list a day after Chapman did, in his case with right shoulder inflammation.

Boone said Loaisiga threw both Monday and Tuesday and is “doing well.”

Yet another injured pitcher, Domingo German, also is making progress, according to Boone. He was placed on the 60-day injured list in March with a right shoulder injury.

Boone said German is to throw three live innings on Wednesday.