Clint Frazier was scheduled to sit against Chris Sale in the Yankees’ series-opener with the Red Sox before Thursday’s game was rained out in The Bronx, with Aaron Boone saying the outfielder was due for a day off.
It seemed strange timing, though, with the lefty Sale scheduled to be on the mound and Brett Gardner in the lineup.
Yet with Aaron Hicks healthy again, Aaron Judge progressing in his recovery from a strained oblique and the team hopeful Giancarlo Stanton is on the road to recovery, Frazier could soon be the odd man out in an outfield that has been beset by injuries all year.
Frazier’s rough play in right field hasn’t made his situation any clearer.
He was on the field early Thursday, taking extra fly balls.
Despite the rough defense and the fact he has options remaining — he can be sent down to the minors, unlike Cameron Maybin — Frazier said he isn’t terribly concerned about his short-term future.
“Not yet,’’ Frazier said. “I think I’ve put myself in a good position to get more playing time here. I’m not saying full-time, but I think there’s a role here for me. Whatever happens, happens.”
Frazier also disagrees with the premise he will become a spare part.
“I’ve heard every year I’m gonna get traded,’’ Frazier said. “It hasn’t happened yet.’’
Regardless, whenever Judge or Stanton comes back, there likely will be a reckoning for Frazier, who has bounced back from his ugly start following his return from the injured list, where he sat with a sprained left ankle.
After hitting .163 in his first 14 games off the IL, Frazier is hitting .333 with two homers in his past seven games.
Boone said Thursday that Stanton, who has missed most of the season with injuries to his left biceps, left shoulder and — most recently — left calf, is “getting close” to returning.
“He ran [Wednesday],’’ Boone said. “He did some sprints, hit in the cage and threw [Thursday]. So he’s getting close where he will really ramp up baseball activities and start to get live at-bats. He is not there yet but getting close to that.’’
As for Judge, the right fielder said Thursday he felt like he hadn’t “missed a day” because of the oblique injury that has sidelined him since April 20.
“There is no pain and no problem,’’ Judge said. “I am letting it go. The last couple of days, I’m getting back to a normal routine and getting the rhythm down again.’’
For now, though, Frazier will get playing time in right field, where he has had an especially rough stretch lately.
“I don’t feel uncomfortable out there,’’ Frazier said of right field, where observers have wondered whether the concussion he suffered when he collided with the wall during spring training last year continues to make him hesitant when he approaches the wall now.
“Stuff just keeps happening,” Frazier said of his defensive issues. “When it rains, it pours. I’m progressing in the right direction.”
He insisted his fielding hasn’t been as bad as it seems.
“The numbers behind the scenes on defense are better than they’ve ever been,’’ Frazier said. “The results aren’t where I want them to be, but I’m gonna get them to where they should be. I know I’ve got the athleticism, the speed, arm-strength and talent to do it. I’m just in kind of a slump out there and I’ll get out of it.”
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