NEW YORK (WFAN) -- When the pain in Greg Bird's right ankle became too much to bear, the Yankees first baseman grew visibly upset, manager Aaron Boone said.
Talking to WFAN's "The Afternoon Drive" on Tuesday, Boone said that because the Yankees were playing split-squad games Saturday, he wasn't around when Bird's ankle flared up on him, forcing bench coach Josh Bard to scratch him from the lineup.
But Boone was told Bird was having a hard time coping with the possibility that he might be headed for another extended stay on the disabled list, a fear that was realized this week when he underwent surgery to remove a small broken spur in the ankle. Bird is expected to miss six to eight weeks.
"When he came into the office and couldn't go, I think he was pretty emotional and I think clearly frustrated because of obviously his history and him really wanting to go out and prove (he's) the kind of player we believe that he is," said Boone, whose Yankees open the regular season Thursday at Toronto. "And for that to get put on hold, I think there was just some frustration, probably a lot of questions in his mind."
Last season, Bird missed the better part of four months with a right ankle injury that also required surgery -- to remove the os trigonum, an extra bone. He also missed the entire 2016 season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
Boone said Bird was in better spirits and optimistic about his future when he spoke to him Monday.
When asked if it was possible Bird had been hiding the issue during spring training, Boone didn't rule it out, but said only Bird could speak to that.
"Did he have something in there throughout the spring maybe?" the first-year manager said. "I think it's possible, but, again, there was no treatment and maybe just something he was trying to work through."
Although losing Bird's powerful bat is a setback for the Yankees, Boone said he's not panicking. He said he's confident in Tyler Austin and Neil Walker as fill-ins.
"We've got Tyler Austin there, who's had his own injury history over the course of his young career but had a very healthy spring training," Boone said. "We feel like he's in a good place and a really good option for us depending on the matchup.
Walker has predominantly played second base throughout his decade-long career, but he showed in Monday night's exhibition finale that he has a feel for first base when he dug three balls out of the dirt.
"Those are really good plays," Boone said. "(And) we know what kind of hitter we're going to get."
Boone added that he'll play the matchups at first base and second base, where Walker and Tyler Wade will split time.
To listen to the interview, click on the audio player above.
