Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |
Miguel Andujar swung a bat on Friday for the first time since doctors diagnosed him with a torn labrum earlier this month, and declared himself a fully healthy hitter. The problem with his injured shoulder is that it prevents him from making the throw from third to first base.
Here's a suggestion for the terribly depleted Yankees: Throw a band-aid on this makeshift lineup, and use Andujar as a DH or first baseman in the short term in order to get his bat back.
Asked if that was a possibility, manager Aaron Boone told SNY that the Yankees weren't there yet.
"I think we've got to feel like he's capable of throwing," Boone said.
So Andujar won't return until he can play third?
Boone paused for a moment before saying, "Now, if we're in a situation where .. " before cutting himself off and adding, "We haven't begun to have even started that conversation."
The Yankee injuries are well-documented. Giancarlo Stanton is improving but not back yet. Didi Gregorius is likely out for most of the season. Troy Tulowitzki appears to be drifting into Jacoby Ellsbury-land.
Aaron Hicks hasn't started playing rehab games yet. And Gary Sanchez hopes his "mild" calf strain will only cost him 10 days, but calves are notoriously slow to heal.
It's not like Andujar could be ready immediately. He took dry swings only on Friday, meaning he did not hit a ball. But he came out of it extremely confident that the injury does not impact his swing, and Boone concurred.
It's also not like the Yanks are in need of a 1B/DH type. But they do miss Andujar's bat -- Friday's lineup included Gio Urshela, Austin Romine and Greg Bird, or 33 percent easy outs. Kyle Higashioka will get at-bats this weekend, too.
In other words, it might be worth brainstorming a way to get Andujar in there while he figures out his throwing situation, and decides whether he needs surgery.