Get used to seeing Stanton in outfield

MIAMI — Giancarlo Stanton has not played in the outfield on consecutive days since Sept. 27-28, 2019.

In his pregame Zoom on Saturday, manager Aaron Boone revealed that the Yankees would roll with the same defensive lineup that they did on Friday, meaning left field belongs to Stanton again. It’s an encouraging sign for sure, both from Stanton’s health standpoint and a lineup flexibility standpoint once the team is out of a National League park. It also leaves the question of why it took so long for the move to finally happen, given that Stanton has been healthy for a while now and the Yankees had been giving an outfield spot to Brett Gardner, Greg Allen or Estevan Florial on most nights.

“He came in feeling good today,” Boone said of his regular DH. “I thought he looked really good out there yesterday. I thought he looked very comfortable.” Stanton played 5.2 innings in left field of Miami’s spacious ballpark on Friday, making four putouts before getting subbed out in a double switch.

“Hopefully this becomes a part of going forward,” Boone said in reference to Stanton playing regular defense. “He can get out there and spell some guys.”

Gio, DJ not starting: The Yankees’ revival of Friday night’s lineup means that Gio Urshela and DJ LeMahieu are once again starting Saturday’s game on the bench. Urshela has experienced hamstring tightness since coming off the COVID-19 injured list. He’s considered day-to-day. Along with LeMahieu, who has a touch of soreness in his triceps, Urshela is being handled with safety gloves.

“Gio did some more running outside today. He looked a little bit better today. He’s not ready to start yet.” Boone did readily acknowledge that Urshela could pinch hit on Saturday just like he did on Friday.

LeMahieu was forced off the bench on Friday when Gleyber Torres was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. LeMahieu recorded a single in his only at-bat but presumably would not factor into Saturday’s game unless he’s needed in the later innings.

Clarke Schmidt rehab: Pitching prospect Clarke Schmidt has moved his rehab assignment up to Low-A.

The 25-year-old former first-round pick is working his way back from a strain in the common extensor tendon of his throwing elbow. In May, Yankees senior director of player development Kevin Reese said that he envisioned Schmidt being ready to “help us at some point this year in the big leagues”, where he made his debut last year and

pitched in three games.