The Yankees’ third-base situation remains in flux, as Isiah Kiner-Falefa started there in Tuesday’s 8-4 win over Baltimore in The Bronx, with Josh Donaldson and DJ LeMahieu on the bench.
Donaldson didn’t start despite good numbers against Baltimore right-hander Kyle Gibson.
After the game, Aaron Boone said Donaldson was OK physically.
LeMahieu, also struggling, entered as a pinch hitter in the seventh when he was sent up for Jake Bauers. He nearly delivered an RBI hit, but it landed foul and ended up walking in the at-bat.
LeMahieu has slumped for over a month, with a .446 OPS dating back to May 28.
Before the game, Boone said he may move LeMahieu down in the order until he rights himself at the plate.
Boone said Kiner-Falefa, who moved from third base to left field once LeMahieu hit for Bauers, could see more time at third, but the manager also values Kiner-Falefa’s versatility.
“We’ll see,’’ Boone said. “[Kiner-Falefa] has played really well at a lot of different positions and played a lot of outfield. It’s just a good brand of baseball: good at-bats and he brings a speed element to the game. We’ll see [where he plays] as we move forward.
“He’s earned himself a lot of playing time.”
Kiner-Falefa had a double and a sacrifice fly on Tuesday and is 13-for-32 with nine runs, two doubles, two homers and eight RBIs over his past 11 games.
Clarke Schmidt tossed four shutout innings before he allowed three runs in the fifth, thanks to a pair of Baltimore homers.
Still, he has a 2.85 ERA over his last nine starts as builds a case to stay in the rotation once Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes return from the injured list.
Schmidt has pitched better against lefties of late, which he attributes in part to being allowed to remain a starter despite his early troubles versus left-handed hitters.
Schmidt has time to remain a starter.
Even though Rodon is scheduled to make his debut for the Yankees on Friday, Cortes is further away as he comes back from a strained rotator cuff.
Cortes said he came out of his Monday bullpen session fine and is scheduled to throw a 30-pitch session on Thursday. He expects to have a few sessions of live BP before beginning a rehab assignment.
“They want to build me up so I don’t miss any more time for the rest of the season,’’ Cortes said. “They don’t want to rush me back. It’s similar to spring training, but not as long.”
Cortes said he felt he might have come back before he was ready after injuring his hamstring during the spring in an effort to be on the Opening Day roster.
“That was a learning experience,’’ Cortes said. “I wanted to be there as a player on Opening Day because I don’t know how many I’m gonna get, but in the long run, maybe I shouldn’t have come back that soon and built up more.”
Harrison Bader was drilled in the right hand by a Kyle Gibson pitch in the fourth inning and remained in the game.
He later doubled to help seal the win in the seventh.
“I think he’s fine,’’ Boone said after the game. … Tommy Kahnle tossed a scoreless eighth and has not been scored upon this season. He last allowed a run on Sept. 24.
