ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Andrew Benintendi suffered a broken hook to the hamate bone in his right wrist, which will require surgery and could keep him out for the rest of the season.
The outfielder will meet with doctors in New York on Monday, but seemed resigned to his fate after the Yankees beat the Rays 2-1 on Sunday.
“I’ll probably need surgery and I’ll get it done as soon as possible,” said Benintendi, who injured the wrist on a swing Friday night.
He suffered a similar injury while playing in college, leaving him somewhat confused about how it occurred again, since the bone is removed during surgery.
With a six to eight week recovery process, it seems unlikely he’ll be able to return, but Benintendi didn’t rule it out.
“I want to get back for the latter part of the season and the playoffs,” Benintendi said. “It’s too soon to say right now.”
Andrew Benintendi needs surgery on his injured wrist. APHe made it clear there is pain, but it’s not something he can play through.
“It’s unfortunate,” Benintendi said.
Without the lefty-swinging left fielder they acquired from the Royals in July, Aaron Judge will wind up playing more center field, with Oswaldo Cabrera seeing time in right.
And Aaron Hicks will continue to get some playing time.
Benintendi had also provided some production from the left side of the plate in an offense that has become too reliant on Judge, especially with Anthony Rizzo out with a back injury.
Another veteran left-handed bat, Matt Carpenter, is out indefinitely with a fractured left foot.
So instead of having three solid lefties with playoff experience heading into the stretch run and into the playoffs, the Yankees now have serious questions about all of them.
Against right-handed opener Shawn Armstrong on Sunday, Boone went with rookie Cabrera to hit third, taking advantage of the switch hitter’s ability to hit lefty.
Cabrera delivered a key sacrifice fly to score Judge with the Yankees’ second run in the top of the seventh.
But Benintendi’s prolonged absence will place even more importance on inexperienced players like Cabrera, as well as the slumping Hicks, also a switch hitter.
