Encarnacion has wrist fracture, becomes latest Yankee to hit IL

Here we go again. The Yankees have lost another key piece of the offense. Edwin Encarnacion fractured his right wrist after getting hit by a slider in the eighth inning, the team announced after a 9-2 win over the Red Sox in the opener of a split doubleheader at the Stadium.

He was placed on the 10-day injured list. First baseman Mike Ford was recalled from

Triple-A Scranton.

Encarnacion started at DH Saturday, but has filled in at first while Luke Voit recovers from a sports hernia.

Between Voit’s injury and Didi Gregorius’ ailing wrist, infielder Breyic Valera was called up from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre to provided added depth to the Yankees infield.

Encarnacion is batting .223 with nine homers and 25 RBI in 35 games after a June trade with the Mariners.

GLEYBER DAY

At 22, Gleyber Torres continues to prove he can carry a team on the shortlist of World Series contenders. The morning after the star shortstop’s big night, Aaron Boone raved about his young infielder’s maturity — not just game-breaking grand slams against the Red Sox, though he’d surely take a few more of those, but what Boone described multiple times as “the little things.”

“He wants to be great at this game, and he’s doing all the little things that contribute to this,” Boone said, praising his young infielder for the “maturity and calmness to his game.”

Boone shared his excitement about Torres’ desire to use the “little things we’ve always challenged him with” to grow his game. Torres is hitting .288/.355/.505, all improvements from his rookie year.

Again, Boone stressed, it’s the “little things that separate the good from the great players.”

Fortunately, his manager believes Torres cares about the margins just as much as he does. “It’s important to him, and it shows.”

DIDI GETTING BETTER

Boone is “encouraged” by Didi Gregorious’ improvement as he works through his recent hand injury. Boone felt confident he would avoid the IL. Gregorius took grounders from short in before the second game of the twinbill.

HICKS HURTING

Aaron Hicks suffered an injury to his throwing elbow on a relay to third. He will undergo an MRI Sunday.

“I made a strong throw and just felt a painful feeling in my arm after that,” said Hicks. “I’ve never had elbow problems so I don’t really know where to start.”

“Anything with the elbow always makes you nervous but I’m going to stay positive right now.”