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ARLINGTON, Texas – The Yankees did not have a hard roster decision to make after all for who goes when Aaron Judge comes back.

Austin Slater, making just his second start with the Yankees since being acquired at the trade deadline, left Monday’s game in the top of the first inning with left hamstring tightness after running out a ground ball.

Slater was placed on the IL after the Yankees’ brutal 8-5 loss to the Rangers at Globe Life Field on Monday to make room for the returning Judge.

The righty-hitting outfielder will undergo an MRI exam to determine how long he will be out.

“I feel pretty devastated, to be honest,” Slater said. “This is especially a night where I feel like I could have helped the team in a lot of different ways. Definitely not how I wanted to start off my tenure here. The goal now is to get healthy quick and get back on the field.”

Slater was in the lineup against Rangers left-hander Patrick Corbin — the reason the Yankees acquired him from the White Sox, as he entered the night with an .825 OPS against lefties this season.

Slater began to bust it down the line when he smoked a grounder to the shortstop, wanting to beat out a potential double play, but then pulled up shortly before touching first as he grabbed at his left hamstring.

He had a brief conversation with a trainer before walking off the field, replaced by pinch-runner Jasson Domínguez.

Slater, who was starting in left field, could be headed for the injured list, which opened a roster spot for Judge to make his expected return from the IL on Tuesday.