Gleyber Torres’ injury has proven serious enough to warrant testing and a day off, but not serious enough that the Yankees are concerned he will miss much time.
After he was pulled from Thursday’s loss after five innings with tightness in his right groin, Torres was sent for an MRI exam Friday that came back clean, Aaron Boone said.
The manager called Torres “day to day,” but later said he could have used Torres off the bench if needed.
“I would expect him back this weekend,” Boone said before the Yankees lost, 8-1, to the Braves in The Bronx.
Torres, who had played in all the Yankees’ first 77 games, missed his first in a campaign that is especially important for the to-be free agent.
The second baseman has had a poor and streaky campaign that began awfully — with just a .550 OPS through the end of April — before returning to the solid hitter he has been in past seasons, with a .742 OPS with six home runs from May 1 to June 13.
Before the injury, though, he had fallen into a 1-for-17 funk.
Without Torres, Boone started Oswaldo Cabrera at second base and played DJ LeMahieu at third. Cabrera went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
Also absent from the starting lineup was Alex Verdugo, who was “a little bit banged-up,” Boone said, after crashing into the center-field wall in making a remarkable grab Wednesday.
The fact the Yankees were facing tough lefty Chris Sale made the decision easier.
“I’ve been kind of wanting to get him one [day off],” Boone said of Verdugo, who was replaced by Jahmai Jones in left field. Jones tripled and scored the team’s only run but also booted a ball in the outfield.
Ron Marinaccio, who was sent down after Thursday’s loss because the Yankees needed a fresh arm, has been optioned three times this season.
Players only can be optioned five times per season. After that, a player could be exposed to waivers.
Boone said Marinaccio handled the demotion “like a pro, [but] he’s not thrilled about it obviously.”
Infielder Jon Berti (left calf strain) could begin a rehab assignment “hopefully in a few more weeks,” Boone said.
Berti is not eligible to return from the 60-day injured list until the end of July but is “moving in a good direction,” Boone said.
Giancarlo Stanton (1-for-3) has hit safely in a season-high nine straight games, batting .371 over the stretch.
Phil Bickford recorded the final two outs, one a strikeout, in his Yankees debut.