DETROIT — Juan Miranda and Jonathan Albaladejo were in baseball limbo at the Yankees team hotel, Alfredo Aceves went on the DL, and Greg Golson was in uniform for a 2-0 loss to the Tigers in the opening game of a day/night doubleheader against the Tigers at Comerica Park this afternoon.
Feeling a need for an extra outfielder, the club opted for Golson as the player to replace Aceves, who landed on the shelf with what he described as a bulging disc in his lower back.
Miranda, whose arrival was slated for Tuesday night but delayed by the same rain that washed out that game, is expected to be activated and get a serious look as the DH against right-handed pitchers with Nick Johnson on the DL.
However, that move wasn’t made for the second game when Derek Jeter, who is in a 4-for-35 (.114) slide, was the DH against right-hander Jeremy Bonderman.
“We have been short outfielders and we felt we were covered pitching wise,’’ Girardi said of adding Golson instead of a pitcher for Aceves. “With this doubleheader we wanted to make sure all our bases are covered.’’
This is Golson’s second big league stint. In 25 games at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the speedster batted .242 (23-for-95).
Albaladejo has rebounded from a morbid spring training and was insurance in case Girardi had to burn his bullpen in the first game. He didn’t; Javier Vazquez provided seven innings and Boone Logan worked the eighth. Albaladejo was 1-1 with a 1.76 ERA in 14 relief appearances for SWB.
Miranda could be activated for tomorrow’s game against right-hander Justin Verlander with infielder Kevin Russo likely to be sent to SWB (Triple-A).
Left-handed swinging Miranda batted .260 (25-for-96) with five homers and 15 RBIs for SWB in 28 games.
As for Aceves, he is on the DL at least until May 24, a scheduled off day.
“Backs are tricky, you never know,’’ Girardi said. “It could be a week, it could be a couple of days, it could be a couple of weeks. You just don’t know.’’
Possibly reducing the sting of losing the very effective Aceves is the chance that right-handed reliever Chan Ho Park could be come off the DL this weekend. Park, who has been out since April 16 with a strained right hamstring, worked an inning in an extended spring training game today in Florida against the Blue Jays.
He allowed a hit, no runs, fanned three and threw nine more pitches after the inning ended. Park is slated to work again Friday and a decision to activate him will be made afterward.
