CLINT STONE

Returning Frazier shows what he’s made of as Yanks rock Braves

Clint Frazier celebrates with third-base coach Phil Nevin after homering in his first at-bat since spending two-plus weeks at the Yankees’ alternate site. Frazier, playing right field as Aaron Judge sat with lower-body tightness, finished 3-for-4 with a double in a 6-3 win over the Braves.

No matter how high Aaron Boone is on Clint Frazier, there is no way the Yankees improved their lineup Wednesday night when the manager didn’t have Aaron Judge healthy enough to face the Braves.

After leaving Tuesday night’s 9-6 win over the Braves in the sixth inning, when the Yankees led by five runs, Boone said Judge was OK following the victory.

But Judge wasn’t in the lineup Wednesday for the Yankees’ 6-3 victory over the

Braves due to lower-body tightness. Instead, Frazier was in right field and hitting eighth. Luke Voit (2-for-5 with an RBI) hit in Judge’s No. 2 spot. Boone went with the right-handed hitting Frazier, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, over the lefty-swinging Mike Tauchman versus Braves right-hander Huascar Ynoa.

“Essentially what is going on with Aaron is I made a quick decision in the game just based on how I felt he was moving around and coming off a series in which he was on the turf,’’ Boone said of the Yankees playing four games in three days on the fake grass at Tropicana Field. Judge played all four games in right. “I made a decision to get him out of there and see where we were as we evaluated him after the game. He wanted to play [Wednesday] and I made the decision to hold him out today knowing we have an off day [Thursday]. He is just dealing with lower-body tightness that we are hoping to get out ahead of and prevent an injury moving forward.’’

Asked to delve further into the lowerbody tightness, Boone identified some body parts.

“All over the lower body where he is dealing with some rigors, the hips and down into the hamstrings and calves,’’ Boone said. “I think it is a result of the four games of pound in gin three days down in Tampa .’’

With Giancarlo Stanton going on the injured list with a left hamstring injury, suffered in Saturday’s game against the Rays, the Yankees’ lineup, which has multiple dead bats, can’t afford to be without Judge for an extended period of time. Entering Wednesday night’s action, Judge led the majors with nine homes and was tied for the RBI lead with 20.

Watching Judge move around the outfield with a little bit of caution Wednesday was enough for Boone to pull Judge.

Asked if Judge would be ready for Friday night’s game against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, Boone said, “I hope so, but in a lot of ways that is a long way from now. Let’s get through today. [Thursday] will be valuable, able to get treated and get some rest but we will see where we are at.’’