ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — With the amount of injuries the Yankees have suffered this season it wasn’t easy to believe third baseman Gio Urshela avoided a serious left hand problem when he was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning in the Yankees’ 2-1, 12-inning loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night.
Nevertheless, Aaron Boone didn’t believe Urshela was seriously hurt and didn’t rule the slick-fielder out of Wednesday night’s game after the X-rays were negative. Nor did Urshela, who went 0-for-2 and left the game in the seventh, believe it was serious and thought he will play Wednesday night.
“I think this one is nothing bad,’’ said Urshela, who is hitless in 18 at-bats and didn’t have a compression wrap on the hand in the clubhouse.
Boone was initially concerned because Diego Castillo’s 95-mph fastball drilled Urshela on the back of the hand.
“You see him get hit like that, it squared him pretty good,’’ Boone said. “Definitely a little nervous when that happens. Just checking with him it doesn’t seem too swollen. He should be all right.’’
Boone was asked if he would give Urshela time off and the manager said that wasn’t the case.
“Not necessarily. Certainly if he is having an issue with it, then yes. At this point I don’t necessarily look at it that he is automatically down,’’ Boone said. “We will check on him, but I don’t anticipate it an automatic down.’’