PITTSBURGH — For a second straight game, Cody Bellinger was out of the Yankees lineup on Saturday.
But the outfielder, whose back first tightened up on him during Thursday’s game, said he has dealt with this before and it has typically been a “few-day thing.”
He was feeling enough improvement that he took swings in the cage on Saturday morning.
Cody Bellinger was not in the starting lineup on Saturday for the Yankees. Robert Sabo for NY Post“It’s feeling good, responded well,” Bellinger said at PNC Park before the Yankees’ 10-4 win over the Pirates. “I just took some swings, so I feel really good where I’m at right now.”-
Bellinger described the issue as some lack of alignment in his back that was creating tightness around his belt line.
The 29-year-old was available off the bench and said returning to the lineup on Sunday was a possibility. In the meantime, he was continuing to get treatment, soft-tissue work and doing core exercises.
“[I have to] do a better job of preventing it in the future,” Bellinger said. “Maybe the cold [triggered it]. Tough to really say the exact reason. Just felt it tighten up a little bit. But I like where I’m at right now.”
Manager Aaron Boone was optimistic that he could have Bellinger back in the lineup for Sunday’s series finale.
Cody Bellinger said the back issue is not a new problem. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST“I know there’s been incremental improvement the last couple days,” Boone said. “Hopefully available in some way today and hopefully back in there [Sunday].”
Clarke Schmidt began a rehab assignment Saturday, which the Yankees hope lasts just two games.
The right-hander, who was slowed in camp by a back issue and then shoulder fatigue, threw 52 pitches across 3 ¹/₃ one-hit innings while striking out seven for Double-A Somerset.
If he bounces back well, Schmidt will make one more rehab start before being activated off the injured list April 15 or 16.
As for who he would replace in the rotation?
“That’s about, hopefully, 10-11 days away [from having to make that decision],” Boone said.
Nearly a year removed from UCL surgery, Jonathan Loáisigaremains on track to return to the Yankees by late May or early June.
The reliever threw a bullpen session with Somerset on Saturday and is “not too far off” from starting to face hitters.
“He’s doing really well,” Boone said. “His rehab’s gone really, really well. Even when I was watching his pens in February, it was [him]. It was electric.”
Giancarlo Stanton(left and right elbow epicondylitis) is feeling “significantly better,” Boone said, while continuing to ramp up his hitting progression.
Oswald Perazagot his first start of the season Saturday, playing third base and batting eighth against lefty Bailey Falter.
He went 2-for-4.
