Bombers go ahead, make Clint’s day
WASHINGTON — Clint Frazier was thrilled to be back with the Yankees after his concussion ordeal. Frazier even suggested he felt happier about his promotion on Tuesday than he did when he got called up for his first big-league game last season.
“It altered every part of my day, not just baseball, but my outside living situation,” Frazier said. “It was tough to battle back because I didn’t know where the finish line was going to be. There were days I woke up and was like, ‘Is it going to end or is it not?’”
Frazier’s stay with the Bombers, though, could be brief. The Yankees have gone with 13 pitchers and a three-man bench. But moving over to an NL ballpark for this two-game series against the Nationals, they wanted more depth. Frazier was hitting .362 with Triple-A Scranton at the time of the promotion. David Hale was designated for assignment to make room for Frazier on the roster.
“We’ve gone all year so far with the extra pitching to try to protect our starters,” Brian Cashman said. “I think that’s probably in our best interest, so it could be a short-term situation.”
The Yankees will be back playing AL games starting Friday in Kansas City.
MIGGY’S JOB TO LOSE
Cashman said the strength of the Yankee roster is the reason they elected to keep Miguel Andujar at third and Brandon Drury at Triple-A Scranton. Drury has been out since April 7 due to migraines and blurred vision. He will see Dr. Gil Chimes today.
“He’s a major leaguer currently having to be assigned to Triple-A just given the fact that we have a pretty strong roster right now,” Cashman said of Drury. “I guess stay tuned. I know he’s hungry. He feels the best he’s felt in a long time.”
Andujar has performed well in Drury’s place. He came into Tuesday night hitting .282 with three homers and 14 RBI.
“He’s absolutely an option for us right now,” Aaron Boone said of Drury. “We would have no hesitation bringing him up. Couple the fact with how we’ve been playing and Andujar’s role in all that, we just felt like this what we needed to do right now.”
BRYCE WON’T BITE
Bryce Harper wanted no part of discussing his future — possibly as a member of the Yankees. Harper is a free agent at season’s end. It seems unlikely the Bombers could fit him in with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton already on the roster. But they could always make moves in the offseason. “I’m a National now,” Harper said . ... Mashairo Tanaka hit eighth, with Gleyber Torres hitting ninth . ... Didi Gregorius, 1 for his last 38 coming in, was dropped to fifth in the order.