PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — If Greg Bird’s visit to Dr. Martin O’Malley on Monday in Manhattan results in a diagnosis that forces the first baseman to miss more than a few days, the Yankees believe they have enough depth to compensate for the loss.
However, they have their fingers firmly crossed that O’Malley finds nothing more than the inflammation that surfaced on Saturday’s CT scan and MRI.
“He’ll see the doctor that performed the surgery on him [last July]. We’ll know more at that point. At least a little bit optimistic, based on the pictures, but [Monday] should tell us a lot as far as what it is time-wise,” Aaron Boone said before the Yankees’ final exhibition game in Florida on Sunday, an 11-1 loss to the Rays. “Hopefully we’ll get some good answers [Monday].’’
Boone was encouraged the tests didn’t reveal structural damage to the left-handed-hitting first baseman.
“I guess all things considered [Sunday], we felt like it was good,’’ Boone said of Bird, who was scratched from Saturday’s game against the Braves in Lake Buena Vista due to soreness.
Asked if there is a chance Bird will be able to play Opening Day, which is Thursday in Toronto, Boone referred to what O’Malley says Monday.
“I don’t know. I think [Monday] we’ll have that answer,’’ said Boone, who could go from telling the right-handed hitting Tyler Austin on March 21 he was being sent to the minors to writing his name into the Opening Day lineup against Blue Jays lefty J.A. Happ.
In Austin and switch-hitter Neil Walker, Boone believes there is enough to cover for Bird should O’Malley find more than the original tests unearthed.
“I think we’ll be fine, no matter what it is. We feel very good about the guys. If it’s Tyler that needs to step in there, obviously bringing Neil Walker in gives you flexibility,’’ Boone said.
As for who would hit third, where Bird is slated to bat between Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, Boone could move Stanton up a spot and hit Gary Sanchez fourth against Happ. With the Blue Jays following with three right-handers, Boone could use lefty-swinging Didi Gregorius.
“I feel comfortable at first. I have worked my butt off over there and I feel good,’’ said Austin, who has played 199 games (167 starts) at first base in professional baseball.
Walker, 32, has played 17 games (eight starts) at first base in the big leagues. All of them were last year with the Mets and Brewers.
“I feel prepared. I played quite a bit [there] at the end of last year. Obviously more than anything you don’t like to hear about whatever the situation is with Greg. Hopefully the results are positive and he doesn’t miss any time,’’ Walker said.
Bird, 25, missed all of 2016 with shoulder surgery and played in just 48 games in 2017 due to a right foot problem that required surgery in July. If healthy, the Yankees believe Bird has the potential to be a big part of a lineup expected to punish pitchers nightly.
“We feel like him being able to go out there on an everyday basis is the only thing keeping him from being a premium-type player,’’ Boone said. “I’m sure he was trying to grind through something. Hopefully it’s a short-term thing and it’s just a little bump in the road.’’
Hope is all the Yankees have until O’Malley examines Bird.
“Hopefully we get a clearer picture of the what and the why and all that when he meets with the doctor,’’ Boone said. “Hopefully it’s a short-term thing and we can be proactive as far as kind of avoiding this going forward and staying ahead of things as much and as best we can. We’ll kind of wait to hear where we are at [Monday]. I think we’ll have a nice picture of it.’’