PHOENIX — DJ LeMahieu and Gio Urshela were not in Aaron Boone’s lineup Tuesday night against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field, but the Yankees manager said the infielders were available if needed.
“They would be options, Gio a little more so, but both would certainly be pinch-hitting options,’’ Boone said before the Yankees’ 3-1 loss, in which Urshela grounded out as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.
LeMahieu fouled a ball off his right knee Friday night in San Francisco. He remained in the game and played nine innings Saturday. But Sunday the pain increased to the point where the second baseman was removed in the third inning. X-rays were negative and an MRI exam Monday showed no structural damage.
Urshela was hit on the left hand by a pitch in the fifth inning Sunday and taken out of the game. X-rays didn’t reveal a break, and he didn’t have an MRI exam.
According to Boone, the test results have the club feeling good about LeMahieu, who took swings in the cage and jogged Tuesday.
“He may not be in there [Wednesday], but [with] the off day behind it, [I] feel pretty good that it is hopefully a couple of days,’’ Boone said.
As for Urshela, Boone said he might be able to play third Wednesday.
“Possibly, we will see how today goes. He hit and that went well and he will take ground balls,’’ Boone said. “We will see how that goes.’’
Boone started Thairo Estrada at second for LeMahieu and Tyler Wade at third for Urshela.
Because the test results for both were positive, Boone said the injured list wasn’t an option for LeMahieu or Estrada.
Having led off in 742 big-league games, Brett Gardner is used to being the first Yankee in the batter’s box. Lately, however, Boone has used him lower in the order.
In the six games before Tuesday, Gardner had started five and had not hit leadoff. Four times he batted third and once sixth. Gardner, who went 1-for-4, was back in the leadoff spot because LeMahieu was held.
As for Gardner hitting in the middle of the order, those are spots usually reserved for Stanton, Didi Gregorius, Andujar and Gleyber Torres when the Yankees have a full complement of players — which they don’t these days.
“I don’t mind it. It is kind of fun. I don’t change what I am trying to do or necessarily my approach,’’ Gardner said when asked his feelings on moving around in the order. “Whatever the team needs from all of us, no matter what the role is on any given day. For the last week and half or so we have been playing pretty good baseball.’’
Luke Voit extended his on-base streak to 40 games with a first-inning walk. It is the longest active streak in the majors and the second longest by a Yankee since the start of 2005. Mark Teixeira’s 42-game streak is tops.
Since the start of the 2018 season, the Yankees have hit 10 grand slams, tying them with the Astros for the fourth most in that span. The Red Sox, Reds and Indians each have 11.
