The perception the Yankees have grown weary of Clint Frazier was done any favors this week when they opted to call up Mike Tauchman for the London series when Giancarlo Stanton was placed on the IL.

Tauchman has struggled with his bat at the major-league level, whereas Frazier has thrived, but GM Brian Cashman insisted that Tauchman's defense was ultimately the deciding factor.

Frazier believes that was the right decision.

"I mean that's kind of what I thought it was," Frazier told Mark Fischer of The Post on Friday. "In the back of my head, I'm thinking, 'Yeah my bat can make a difference in that lineup at times.' But then it's like, there's so much depth up there right now, defense might be more important than offense [right now] so they're going to put up enough runs, so it's a good decision."

Frazier defense was a liability in his 53 games with the Yankees this season. It came to a head after he declined to speak with reporters following a messy game in right field against the Red Sox in early June.

Since being optioned back down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in mid-June, Frazier has made his defense a focal point, which has included playing some center field -- a position he said he feels more comfortable in.

He credits work he's done with RailRiders coach Julio Borbon, who is also helping him mentally, too.

"He is helping me with certain kind of conversations to help me go through whatever I'm going through," Frazier said.

The 24-year-old slugger has also been the subject of trade rumors as the July 31 trade deadline nears and the Yankees seek out another starting pitcher. He tries to tune that stuff out and explains that is part of the reason he deleted his Instagram following his demotion to Triple-A.

"I got off Instagram because I just don't want people to reach me," he said. "I don't want to be reached. I just wanted to go off the grid and do my thing."

The Yankees expect Stanton to remain on the IL until August, though, and Frazier is hopeful that he gets the call back up to the Bombers at some point after they return from their London series.

"I feel pretty good about my chances after that London series," he said. "If I get going at the plate and continue to go out there and just play solid defense, don't have any mistakes out there and just keep going forward."

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