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MLB

Gittens Sidelined, Sweeney Joins RiverDogs for Final Push

Hodson becomes newest pitcher, 63rd different player to suit up for Charleston this season
By Matt Dean
August 27, 2016

HICKORY, NC - The New York Yankees have announced that 1B Chris Gittens has been placed on the 7-day disabled list as 1B Kane Sweeny gets the call up to Class A Charleston in a pair of infield moves on Saturday. In an move, RHP Erik Swanson was transferred to the Gulf Coast League Yankees East with RHP Chase Hodson taking his place on the roster with a call up from the GCL.

With less than two weeks now remaining in the regular season, Hodson will become the 63rd player to suit up for the RiverDogs this season with Charleston now just two back from tying the franchise record for the most turnover in a season.

Gittens, the RiverDogs' everyday first baseman since Opening Day, was removed from Friday night's game in Hickory after a diving stop before being removed with a lower body injury. The Sherman, TX native was hitting .253/.359/.478 with 21 homers that ranks second in the South Atlantic League while driving in a team-high 70 runs. With nine games remaining in the regular season, Gittens is four home runs shy of Charleston's single-season franchise record and three shy of the league leader, Jose Pujols, who has 24 long balls for Lakewood.

Taking Gittens' spot on the roster is Sweeney, 23, who spent a brief 15 game stint with the RiverDogs in mid-July, hitting .283 (15-53) with two home runs and nine RBI before being recalled to Staten Island. The Millstadt, IL native's biggest moment with Charleston came on the road in Hagerstown where he homered twice, including the only RiverDogs grand slam of the season as part of a 3-for-5, 5 RBI day on July 26 at Hagerstown.

Originally drafted by the Yankees in the 29th round out of Morehead State University in 2015, Sweeney began his career with the Pulaski Yankees in 2015 where he had one of the best seasons of any hitter in the Appalachian League. The lefty slugger hit an impressive .320 with six home runs and 37 RBI to finish second in the Appalachian League in OPS (.999). Sweeney reached base safely in 40 of 45 games and showed impressive plate discipline with a 16 percent walk rate. He finished ranking second in the league in on-base percentage (.437) and slugging (.562) while ranking fourth in batting average.

Also joining Charleston for the stretch run, Hodson gets the call up from the GCL where the Richmond, TX native accrued a 2-0 record with a 0.89 ERA while piling up 29 Ks in 12 innings of work to begin his career with the Yankees organization. The 24-year-old righty picked up two saves while posting 5.8 SO/BB ratio. Hodson also posted a pair of scoreless outings with High-A Tampa across three plus innings of work before getting the call to the Lowcountry.

Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Yankees this past June, Hodson bounced around four different schools in his collegiate career, playing two seasons in the community college ranks before transferring to the University of Miami where he did not make an appearance. The Richmond native moved back to his home state to pitch for Texas State his final year of eligibility in 2016 where he went 4-2 with a 3.11 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 37.2 innings of work with the Bobcats that included scoreless relief outings against the Texas Longhorns and Washington State.

With their retooled roster, the RiverDogs continue their three-game road trip in Hickory, sending former Rangers prospect RHP Nick Green (2-0, 0.75) to face RHP Emerson Martinez (0-4, 3.60) in game two of the three-game tilt with the first pitch set for 7 pm from L.P. Frans Stadium. The game will be broadcast on WTMA 1250 AM and streaming online at riverdogs.com. Pregame coverage starts at 6:30 pm. Charleston returns home for their final homestand of the year from August 30-September 1 taking on the Hagerstown Suns in a potential SAL Championship Series preview.

Ticket information for the RiverDogs homestand and any of the remaining home games can be secured by contacting the box office at (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com. Tickets for Game Two of the SAL Divisional Series on Friday, September, 9 at 7:05pm are now available.  Those that can't make it to the park can follow every pitch of the RiverDogs season on WTMA 1250 AM and streaming online at riverdogs.com.

 

 

--RIVERDOGS--