Deivi excited to start at Pedro's former home

When Deivi García reported to big league camp this spring, the touted Yankees prospect requested a belt with No. 45 on it. The number was unavailable to be worn on a jersey, having been issued to ace Gerrit Cole, but it was the rookie’s small way of paying homage to his pitching idol.

Growing up in the Dominican Republic, García greatly admired Pedro Martínez, who enjoyed some of his best seasons as a member of the Red Sox. That history promises to be on García’s mind as he brings that belt to the Fenway Park mound on Sunday afternoon, receiving his formal introduction to the game’s most storied rivalry (live at 1:07 p.m. ET on MLB.TV).

“He’s a legend here,” García said through an interpreter. “A lot of exciting games here in this stadium. My dad even told me about all of those great games and everything going on. He told me to go out there and do the best you can for your team.”

Martínez reached out to García following his first Major League victory on Sept. 9 against the Blue Jays, when the hurlers shared a brief conversation. Martínez also raved about García’s performance on Twitter, lauding the 21-year-old’s mound presence as “outstanding.”

When they next have a chance to chat, García said he will not be shy with the three-time Cy Young Award winner, who was a 2015 inductee to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

“I have so many different questions I would love to ask him, especially about how do you plan, execute and carry that plan into a game,” García said. “There’s so many different questions I would love to ask.”

García has pitched his way into serious consideration as a postseason starter, according to manager Aaron Boone. García is 2-1 with a 3.28 ERA through four Major League starts, tallying 24 strikeouts against four walks and 20 hits in 24 2/3 innings.

“He hasn’t walked a lot of guys, and for the most part he’s dictating counts,” Boone said. “When you can do that, you can use your stuff exactly how you want. The biggest thing is that he has come up and pounded the strike zone.”

Further review
Aroldis Chapman’s appeal of a three-game suspension could require a second hearing, thus delaying any served games until the 2021 season, Boone said on Friday.

Chapman participated in a hearing during Monday’s off-day in New York. Boone said his understanding was there could be “more information to be inserted” into Chapman’s case, with additional voices yet to be heard.

The left-hander received a three-game suspension and a fine after throwing a pitch near the head of the Rays’ Mike Brosseau on Sept. 1 at Yankee Stadium, which Chapman has said was not intentional. Boone and Rays manager Kevin Cash received one-game suspensions, and those were served on Sept. 2.

Razzle dazzle
Gio Urshela completed a sensational play in the eighth inning of Friday’s 6-5, 12-inning victory over the Red Sox, ranging into foul territory to field a Christian Arroyo grounder and whipping a throw across his body for the final out of the inning.

Urshela’s teammates in the visiting dugout had a great view of the play, after which someone yelled loudly, “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“Yeah, they always say something -- a lot of good stuff about the play I made,” Urshela said. “It made me feel happy. I’m glad I did that play. I thought it was foul, but even on close plays, I still throw the ball to first.”

Bombers bits
The Yankees will start Cole on Tuesday and right-hander Masahiro Tanaka on Wednesday against the Blue Jays as they align their potential playoff rotation. Boone said right-hander Michael King could start Monday’s game at Buffalo, N.Y.

This date in Yankees history
Sept. 19, 2011: Mariano Rivera tossed a perfect ninth inning to seal a 6-4 victory over the Twins at Yankee Stadium, recording his 602nd regular-season save to surpass Trevor Hoffman (601) for the most in Major League history. Rivera went on to conclude his career with 652 regular-season saves, plus 42 more in the postseason, also a record.