PITTSBURGH — New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger is dealing with a familiar back injury, though he doesn’t “know how to really explain it.”
He pointed to an area near his lower back and upper right hip.
“Just a little unaligned that creates a little bit of tightness,” he told reporters Saturday.
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Bellinger said he’s dealt with it “multiple times” before and knows that it’s “a few-day thing.”
“(I’ll) do a better job of preventing it in the future,” he said.
Bellinger didn’t play in the Yankees’ 9-4 win Friday over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park and was not in the starting lineup for Saturday afternoon’s matchup. Manager Aaron Boone said the expectation was that Bellinger would be available as a pinch hitter if necessary. Bellinger said he thought he might be available, but he wasn’t sure.
The outfielder said that he had been receiving treatment and that he took swings in the batting cage on Saturday.
“It’s feeling good,” he said. “Responded well.”
Bellinger said that “it was a possibility, absolutely” that he would play Sunday. The Yankees then begin a series in Detroit versus the Tigers on Monday.
“Maybe the cold,” Bellinger said when asked what caused the injury. “Tough to really say the exact reason. Just felt it tighten up a little bit.”
“I know there’s been incremental improvement the last couple of days,” Boone said Saturday. “Hopefully available in some way today and hopefully back in there tomorrow.”
Bellinger had his .238 (5-for-21) with a home run and six RBIs through his first six games, all in the outfield.
With Bellinger out, reserve Trent Grisham moved into the lineup at center field.
The Yankees are already missing almost a full team — 11 players — to the injured list. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (tennis elbows) doesn’t have a timetable for his return, though Boone said Saturday that Stanton was feeling “significantly better” as he continues to hit against pitching machines. DJ LeMahieu (calf strain) has been doing baseball activities.
There was, however, some good injury news for the Yankees.
Starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (back, shoulder) threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out seven with one walk and one hit for Double-A Somerset on Saturday. Boone said Schmidt will require one more minor-league start before he comes off the IL.
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Boone also said that reliever Jonathan Loaisiga (elbow surgery) threw a bullpen session at Double-A Somerset on Saturday. The manager said it’s “still very much in play” that Loaisiga will return to the majors by mid-May or early June.
“He’s doing really well,” Boone said. “Really has been. His rehab has gone really, really, really well. When I was watching his (bullpens sessions) in February, it was Lo. He was electric.”
Reliever Scott Effross (hamstring) also has continued throwing, Boone said.
(Photo: Wendell Cruz / Imagn Images)
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