#Yankees’ Corey Kluber not talking return as rehab continues

Corey Kluber is a month into his throwing program, without an end in sight — at least not one that he was willing to share publicly.

The right-hander, who has been sidelined since suffering a right shoulder strain on May 25, continued to throw on flat ground Sunday but has only built up to 90 feet as his slow comeback attempt continues.

“I don’t really have [a target date to return],” Kluber said before the Yankees’ doubleheader against the Mets, his first comments since the diagnosis. “I’m trying to do the best I can to take it a day at a time and not look too far ahead. I think that allows me the best chance to give everything I have to that day, to do everything that day to the best of my ability without trying to look too far into the future.”

Kluber has been throwing at 90 feet for a week, he said. But asked when he might extend out to 120 feet — which is typically the last hurdle before getting on a mound for a rehabbing pitcher — Kluber answered, “When they tell me to.”

GM Brian Cashman has targeted September for Kluber’s return. For now, the veteran, who was limited to just eight starts between 2019 and 2020 because of injuries, is practicing patience.

“You want to be out there on the field with your team, competing with your teammates — not watching, [which is] kind of a helpless feeling,” Kluber said. “But at the same time, you take a step back and realize when there’s something wrong, you gotta address it so that hopefully it doesn’t keep popping up.”

---

Zack Britton (hamstring strain) won’t be activated when first eligible on Tuesday. Instead, he will throw a second bullpen session Tuesday — he threw his first on Saturday — before the Yankees decide his next step, though manager Aaron Boone said he would “probably not” need a rehab assignment.

“Encouraged about where he’s at,” Boone said.

Luis Severino (groin strain, Tommy John rehab), who also threw a bullpen session Saturday, will throw another this week, potentially at Double-A Somerset while the Yankees are on the road.

“Then start to think about [facing] hitters or when we want to get him into a game and start up his rehab again,” Boone said. “It just depends if we go a couple more bullpens, do we go bullpen and then live [batting practice]? We’ll see how that shakes out.”

---

Tim Locastro started Game 1 in left field, his first start for the Yankees since they acquired him in a trade from the Diamondbacks on Thursday. The upstate New York native went 0-for-1 with a sacrifice fly, which gave the Yankees a 4-1 lead in what turned into a 10-5 loss.

While Brett Gardner was in center field, Boone said the two would be “a little bit interchangeable,” with Locastro seeing plenty of time against lefties.

---

Wandy Peralta (lower back strain) was activated off the injured list and added to the Yankees’ roster as the 27th man for the doubleheader.