The Yankees can use all the outfield help they can get after losing Aaron Hicks to wrist surgery, and Aaron Boone hopes to have Clint Frazier back very soon, even as early as Saturday afternoon in a spot off the bench if needed.
Boone told reporters before Saturday’s game against the White Sox that Frazier, who has been battling neck soreness and is out of the starting lineup for the fifth straight game, saw team doctors again and believes Frazier could be available in a pinch hit role, though he elected to keep him out of the starting lineup for one more day.
“Just waiting, and some other people earning some opportunities as well, but I expect Clint to be a player today,” Boone said.
Darren O’Day was seen in the Yankee Stadium outfield on Saturday, but not because the Yanks have become so thin with their outfield depth that the lefty reliever is being asked to change positions. O’Day, who has been out since May 1 with a right rotator cuff sprain, began the first day of his throwing program to work his way back into a dominant Yankee bullpen, but Boone expects it can be another month before O’Day returns.
“It’s still a ways away,” Boone said. “It’s been three or four weeks since he was shut down, so it’s going to take around that much time to build him back up…hopefully some time in June, but we’re in the early stages of a throwing program, so we’ll see how things unfold.”
Luis Severino threw another simulated game earlier this week, which Boone said went very well, and the righty could see game action soon in a rehab assignment as he closes in on his return from Tommy John surgery.
“He threw another sim game the other day, I think it was Wednesday…but the reports were glowing,” Boone said. “Velocity, shape of the slider, all of those things.”
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