Greg Bird won’t be the Yankees’ answer at first base.
With Luke Voit potentially out for six weeks with a sports hernia, the Yankees have an opening at first base. DJ LeMahieu, who would seemingly fill in at the position in his absence, has missed the last two games with a tight groin. Edwin Encarnacion will make his ninth start at first base against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, with a majority of his starts coming at DH.
Bird, who has played 186 games for the Yankees at first base and DH, would have given the Yankees another option, but he is not even doing baseball activities, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday.
Bird was transferred to the 60-day IL with a left plantar fascia tear in May. A once-promising prospect, Bird has hit just .211 with 32 home runs and 98 RBIs during his time in the majors.
The Yankees recalled infielder Breyvic Valera from the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. He was hitting .328 with 11 home runs, 36 RBIs and a .933 OPS in 65 games this season. Valera played one game with the Yankees this season, and went 1-for-3 at the plate while playing second base