The Yankees blew a chance to sweep the Astros on Thursday, but were left holding their breath for what would be a much bigger loss.
Gio Urshela left the 7-4 loss in the eighth inning with a knee injury and underwent a postgame MRI to determine its extent.
“He was stable when they put him through the different knee tests and stuff inside here, but we’ll know more in the next couple hours,” manager Aaron Boone said.
Earlier in the eighth inning, Urshela had made a diving stop on a ground ball to third base by Aledmys Diaz, though he bounced the throw to first and Mike Ford couldn’t knock it down. He exited two batters later, replaced by Tyler Wade, while Boone made a pitching change following Jose Altuve’s game-winning, three-run home run.
“He’s not sure if it was on the dive or when he rolled the throw,” Boone said. “It obviously stiffened up on him pretty good.”
Shortstop Gleyber Torres said Urshela told him his knee “didn’t feel right,” but Torres was hoping it was “just a little thing.”
Urshela, who went 2-for-3 with a walk, has been one of the Yankees’ most consistent bats while adding his typically strong defense. He also flashed his hustle Thursday, turning a ground ball to center field into a double in the fifth inning by catching the Astros off guard.
“Gio’s obviously a big part of what we do, so hopefully it’s nothing too serious,” Boone said.
Before Thursday, the series had already cost the Yankees an infielder after second baseman Rougned Odor left Tuesday’s game with a left knee sprain from a collision at home plate. Odor was placed on the injured list Wednesday and remains day-to-day, according to Boone.
Gio Urshela walks back to the dugout after injuring himself on a play in the 8th inning. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post“I don’t have an exact timetable because it’s one of those things that’ll be symptomatic as far as his ramp-up,” Boone said. “So as the symptoms start to dissipate and go away a little bit, he’ll start to ramp up. I don’t think it’s going to be a long thing still.”
Boone hoped the same for Urshela, who was pulled from a game on April 21 with lower-back tightness, but only missed one game as a result. Since then, the Yankees have continued to lean on him defensively at third base.
“Sometimes I feel like I take him for granted a little bit over there,” Boone said. “He’s made some really good plays here these last few days — kind of looked really easy, too. … So Gio’s been excellent.”
