DUNEDIN, Florida – If you look closely, it looks like the Yankees are using a platoon in the left field, as a change in the Blue Jays’ pitching plans put Clint Frazier back on the bench for Wednesday’s 5-4 loss at TD Ballpark.
After Frazier broke out on Tuesday from 0 to 17, he was not in line after Toronto scratched Ross Stripling on the right with a forearm injury and replaced him with TJ Zeuch.
Although Zeuch is also straight, he’s much tougher with right-handed beats than Stripling, so Aaron Boone went with Brett Gardner.
The manager said he “wants another left-hander there.”
But that comes after Frazier spent both weekend games in Tampa Bay on the right.
“[Frazier] it rakes and will rake, ”Boone said. “But we have a very good player [Gardner], also.”
Gardner went 0-for-3 with a walk.
The manager was unwilling to look too closely at what could be seen as a platoon.
“Let’s make more judgments about these things when we have two or two months of work,” said Boone, who called Wednesday’s game “unique” with Stripling’s late scratch.
He showed “really different skill sets” for Stripling and Zeuch.
“It’s more about that,” Boone said. “Bottom line, [Gardner] will play a lot, whether he sees in the center [or] start on the left. I like the way he plays. They will both end up playing a lot. [Frazier] will be a very good player for us this year. ”
Gleyber Torres returned on Wednesday after missing Tuesday’s game with a blocked ring finger, which he suffered by sinking in first base on Monday.
Torres said his finger had improved, although he still felt “a little pain.”
But Torres said he managed to find a way to grab the bat without putting too much pressure on his finger.
Pitching coach Matt Blake said the Yankees are deciding another starting pitcher to open a three-game series against the Rays in the Bronx on Friday, scoring Deivi Garcia, Michael King or a bullpen as chances. But Garcia launched a mock game on the alternative site on Wednesday, and the Yankees bullpen was taxed due to early starts. King fired six shutouts in relief for Domingo German in his only appearance with the Yankees this season. Jordan Montgomery is scheduled to go on Saturday with Gerrit Cole on Sunday.