The depleted Yankees outfield might get a huge boost by the end of next week. That’s when center fielder Curtis Granderson could return from a left groin strain that has kept him out since May 1.
“I am going to DH (Saturday) and play center field the next day,’’ said Granderson, who left the Yankees after batting practice to join Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A).
Granderson’s first game will be in Louisville. Asked how many rehab games he would require to be ready, he said, “Four, possibly.’’
SWB plays four games in Louisville before an off day Wednesday.
Joe Girardi said he wasn’t sure how many games his Opening Day center fielder would need, but for the first time since Granderson suffered the injury running the bases against the White Sox at Yankee Stadium, there is a definitive timetable.
“We hope to get him sometime next week if everything goes well,’’ Girardi said before the Subway Series opener against the Mets at Citi Field. “He will play five or six days with some DH in there, too.’’
Granderson worked on the field this afternoon, doing agility drills, taking fly balls, back-pedaling and running the bases.
“Everything felt good today,’’ said Granderson, who hit .313 (15-for-48) across the first 13 games of the season and went on the shelf hitting .225 (18-for-80) in 23 games.
Because Girardi had Brett Gardner to shift from left to center, Marcus Thames to play left against lefties, and switch-hitting Randy Winn to face righties, the Yankees initially had coverage for Granderson’s absence.
However, right fielder Nick Swisher recently missed three games with a bothersome left biceps, and Thames suffered a twisted left ankle stepping on a bat and has been out of the lineup the past two games.