ARLINGTON, Texas — Not surprisingly, Aaron Boone feared the worst when he saw Gio Urshela limping around after making a play in the fourth inning on Sunday against the Rangers.
The manager didn’t notice what happened to Urshela, but his mind immediately went to a potential calf or muscle injury.
Urshela was instead diagnosed with a mild left ankle sprain. He left the game and was seen by doctors at Globe Life Park, but didn’t undergo any tests and none were scheduled for when the Yankees got back to New York.
And the third baseman insisted he’d be in the lineup for Game 1 of the ALDS against the Twins on Friday in The Bronx.
“I’ll be ready,’’ Urshela said after the Yankees ended their regular season with a 6-1 loss.
Like Boone, Urshela wasn’t sure how he suffered the injury after he made a nice play on the grounder by Nick Solak.
Urshela was pulled after a brief visit from trainer Steve Donohue and Boone, although the manager said if more had been on the line in Sunday’s game, Urshela could have remained on the field.
He was replaced by Tyler Wade.
Still, it’s another injury for the Yankees to keep an eye on as the playoffs approach.
They’re already hoping to get Edwin Encarnacion back in time from a strained oblique and just saw the return of Gary Sanchez from a groin injury.
Urshela missed Wednesday’s game against Tampa Bay after being drilled on the left hand Tuesday. X-rays following that scare were negative, but Urshela has been banged up plenty this season.
“I’m still here,’’ Urshela said with a smile.
Prior to the game, GM Brian Cashman called Urshela “the biggest example of them all” when he was listing the unexpected contributions the Yankees have gotten from players filling in throughout the season.
“He feels like he’s been a starter all year long, but he wasn’t,’’ Cashman said. “He had to fill in for the injured Miguel Andujar. And, man, he became an integral part of this entire journey.”
If the initial diagnosis proves incorrect and Urshela is out for a while, DJ LeMahieu could play third, but that could take away some of his versatility, since Boone said there was a chance LeMahieu could play first, second and third in the playoffs, just as he had in the regular season.
