SAN FRANCISCO — Cameron Maybin was playing in Triple-A, but he followed the injury saga of the Yankees knowing they needed outfielders with Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton and Clint Frazier on the injured list.
So when the Yankees sent cash to the Indians for Maybin on Thursday and told him to report to the big league club, the 32-year-old was elated and hoping to help.
“I am extremely excited to be with a storied franchise,’’ Maybin said late Thursday night after the Yankees dropped an 11-5 decision to the Angels in Anaheim in which he did not play. “I hope I can provide a spark. I know they have had a tough time with injuries.”
Try a brutal time with injuries. In addition to the outfielders, third baseman Miguel Andujar, reliever Dellin Betances, staff ace Luis Severino and shortstop Didi Gregorius are on the IL.
Until Thursday night’s loss, the Yankees were on a season-high six-game winning streak that was fueled by good starting pitching and Luke Voit’s hot bat.
Now the Yankees and Maybin are hoping his right-handed bat can produce against lefties. Maybin was in Aaron Boone’s lineup Friday night as his right fielder when the Giants started lefty Madison Bumgarner.
With the Giants having started lefty Madison Bumgarner on Friday night, Boone put the right-handed hitting Maybin in right field and hit him fifth in the Yankees’ 7-3 victory, where he was 1-for-4 with an RBI. The Giants are starting lefty Derek Holland on Saturday, so Maybin will likely start two straight games.
In parts of 12 big league seasons for nine teams, Maybin hit .256 against right-handers and .250 versus lefties. Last year in 129 games for the Marlins and Mariners, Maybin hit .249 with a .326 on-base percentage.
Though Maybin said he knew several of his new teammates, he was in spring training with the Giants this year and was cut late in camp.
“I made a lot of friends in spring training,” Maybin said of his brief stint with the Giants that was interrupted by a DUI arrest in early March in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Miguel Andujar didn’t get to test his right shoulder much in an extended spring training camp game Friday in Tampa, but he swung the bat well. After an extended spring training game against the Blue Jays was rained out, the Yankees split their camp into two teams.
Andujar played five innings at third, went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk in which he did limited throwing. Andujar is scheduled to DH on Saturday and Monday in extended spring training in Tampa, and possibly could rejoin the Yankees next week.
“I remain cautiously optimistic,” said Boone of his third baseman, who is on the IL with a labrum problem in his right shoulder.
Troy Tulowitzki played in a simulated game Friday in Tampa.
After an inconsistent 2018 season in which he had a 6.56 ERA in 24 games and pitched in 26 minor league games, Tommy Kahnle had not allowed a hit or a run in nine of his 10 appearances this year entering Friday night’s game against the Giants and had retired 17 of the last 18 batters he faced.
Luke Voit had reached base in 36 straight games going into Friday night’s game against the Giants, which was the longest active streak in the majors. Since the start of the 2005 season the streak is tied for the second-longest by a Yankee. Mark Teixeira reached base in 42 straight games from June 6 to July 26 in 2010. Voit is tied with Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui.
