Paul Goldschmidt was only available in an emergency in Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Blue Jays, according to Aaron Boone, as the first baseman continues to deal with the effects of the low-grade right-knee sprain he suffered Aug. 12.
At the time, Goldchmidt avoided the IL, and the injury kept the first baseman out of the lineup for three games.
Goldchmidt has since undergone more tests on the knee, although Boone said the Yankees still don’t believe the injury is serious.
But the 37-year-old has slumped a bit at the plate since the knee scare, with just four extra-base hits, all doubles, in his 15 games following his return.
And even though the Yankees wanted to use more left-handed hitters against Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt on Saturday, Goldschmidt is 4-for-9 with a double and homer against him in his career.
Without Goldschmidt, Ben Rice got the start and went 1-for-4 with a single.
And Goldschmidt wasn’t used as a pinch-hitter or defensive replacement late in the game.
Jasson Domínguez was in the lineup Saturday in his first start in a week.
Boone pointed to Domínguez’s success against Bassitt — he’s now 7-for-11 against the righty — but prior to his appearance Saturday, Domínguez had been mostly an afterthought.
And with the Yankees outfield situation already complicated by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton’s situation, with the two of them likely splitting right field and DH duties for the foreseeable future as Judge deals with a flexor strain in his right elbow, it’s not clear how Domínguez finds more playing time, especially as he continues to fail to impress defensively in left field.
He delivered an RBI single off Bassitt in the second inning, and walked and scored in the sixth before being removed for defense to start the seventh, as José Caballero entered and played right field, and Cody Bellinger shifted from right to left.
While the switch-hitting Domínguez is still solid from the left side of the plate, when the lefty-swinging Bellinger is in left and Trent Grisham in center, either Stanton or Judge figures to be in right and at DH, respectively.
The return of Austin Slater from a hamstring strain also crowds the outfield, although he’s more of a defensive replacement and hits well against lefties.
Despite the lack of playing time, Boone said Domínguez would still be a factor down the stretch.
“Jasson has had real good year and played a lot, but his role probably changes now a little bit down the stretch with the reality of our outfield situation,’’ Boone said. “But there’s still an important role to be had for him. Also, things can change on a dime.”
Cam Schlittler’s terrific start to his MLB career took a step back in Friday’s loss to Toronto, with the rookie right-hander knocked out in the second inning, having given up four runs, the most he’d allowed in any of his 10 outings.
But after Schlittler and Boone expressed confidence Friday that his stuff was good and he only had to make some small adjustments in order to finish hitters off after getting ahead in counts against the potent Toronto lineup, pitching coach Matt Blake agreed Saturday.
“He just couldn’t finish guys off, but he was getting ahead and attacking,’’ Blake said of Schlittler’s approach against the Blue Jays. “It’s not like he was far off. I thought he threw pretty well and his stuff was good. [The Blue Jays are] just tough.”
Still, this will be the first time the 24-year-old will have to bounce back from a non-competitive start.
“I think he’s equipped to handle it,’’ Blake said. “We’ll see how his work is over the next few days.”
The Yankees had a moment of silence before the game for Davey Johnson, who, in addition to managing the Mets, went against the Yankees on numerous occasions while at the helm in Baltimore.
Johnson passed away at 82.
