Castro, Bird may return Friday

DETROIT — Greg Bird and Starlin Castro could be back in the Yankees’ lineup as soon as Friday in The Bronx after the two played in rehab games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday.

“All reports are good on Castro and Bird,” Joe Girardi said before the Yankees lost a wild 10-6 game to the Tigers at Comerica Park. “Anything’s possible. We’ll evaluate after [Thursday night], but we could very well see someone [Friday].”

Both players went deep for SWB against Rochester and have proven to be able to play back-to-back days in the field.

Depending on whether suspensions are handed down following the multiple bench-clearing fracases in Detroit on Thursday, the Yankees could have a need at catcher, since Gary Sanchez might not be available following his apparent punching of Miguel Cabrera.

Matt Holliday is still rehabbing his back injury with Single-A Tampa.

Aroldis Chapman pitched his second game in a non-closer role Thursday, forced into action after Tommy Kahnle was ejected for throwing behind Cabrera.

Before the game, Girardi said he was still trying to determine the best way to use Chapman, who pitched 1 ¹/3 innings in Boston as a setup man and then retired the only batter he faced Thursday.

“I’ll use him any time after the fifth, kind of what I’ve done with everyone else,” Girardi said in reference to other relievers Adam Warren, David Robertson and Dellin Betances.

Kahnle, who struck out all three batters he retired Thursday, had been struggling lately and Girardi blamed some of that on pitching in different situations.

“All year, he’s been in highpressure situations,” Girardi said.