Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees’ lineup Friday night against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, but a right shoulder issue led Aaron Boone to using him as the DH instead of in right field.
“Judge, maybe a little bit,’’ Boone said when asked if the shoulder played a part in keeping Judge out of the outfield. “Decided today, certainly he could have played the field, but felt like let’s get him back in the DH role. I felt like that made good sense [Friday]. I feel like he is doing OK.’’
Judge had no problem swinging the bat in the Yankees’ 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays Friday night when he homered in the fourth and doubled in the eighth.
Judge laid out attempting to make a catch on Wednesday night and didn’t play Thursday night when the Yankees clinched the AL East title with a 9-1 win over the Angels at the Stadium.
Judge has homered in 13 of 27 games entering Friday night’s action after not homering in 13 games from Aug. 5-18.
Clint Frazier, who went 1-for-4 with a homer Thursday night, started a second straight game in right field. It was Frazier’s 30th start this season in right field. He went 0-for-3 and is in a 4-for-28 (.143) funk.
Giancarlo Stanton started in left on Wednesday and was the DH Thursday but not in the lineup Friday night.
“He will be back on the field [Saturday],’’ Boone said of Stanton, who went 1-for-3 with a double on Wednesday when he came off the injured list and hitless in three at-bats Thursday when he struck out twice and drew a walk. “Whether it is six, seven, I don’t know how many innings yet. Probably be similar to the other day where three at-bats and we will work it from there. But he came out of these two games really well and encouraged where he is at physically.’’ Stanton was out from June 26 to Wednesday with a sprained right knee ligament.
Boone is confident Edwin Encarnacion will participate in the final week of the regular season.
“I expect him to play for us on the road trip,’’ said Boone, whose club opens a two-game trip against the Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla. on Tuesday night and closes the season with three games next weekend in Arlington, Tx. against the Rangers.
Boone said that Encarnacion took dry swings Thursday and the hope is that the first baseman/DH can increase the workload on Saturday. Encarnacion has been out since suffering a strained left oblique muscle on Sept. 12.
Boone said catcher Gary Sanchez, who has been out since Sept. 10 with a strained left groin, isn’t as close to returning as Encarnacion.
“Gary is probably a little further behind [Encarnacion], but we remain optimistic he will be ready for the postseason,’’ Boone said.
Luke Voit’s slump continued Friday night when he struck out in all four at-bats. In the last five games Voit is 0-for-18 and has struck out eight times.