ANAHEIM, Calif — Clint Frazier was limping noticeably when walking to the dugout after striking out in the 14th inning of Monday night’s Yankees victory but vowed to be in the lineup Tuesday night.
Nevertheless, Aaron Boone decided that with the Yankees in a stretch of 13 games in 13 days it was a good idea to keep Frazier on the bench at the start of the game even though the manager said he wouldn’t hesitate to use the outfielder if the situation surfaced.
“He is available and I wouldn’t hesitate to use him in any spot,’’ Boone said of Frazier who rolled the left ankle getting back into second base on Monday night after doubling to lead off the 12th inning. “Precaution and again, being in the middle of 13 in a row and him getting nicked up (Monday night). The temptation was to obviously run him out there but a day off probably made sense.’’
Frazier wasn’t needed in a 7-5 victory.
Frazier said he believed he could have posted in left field if asked.
“I am good. I guess I am going to take a day, but they told me if there is a situation in the game I would be the first one to come in,’’ Frazier said before Tuesday night’s game. “If I was in that lineup I could play.’’
Infielder Tyler Wade replaced Frazier in left field and made a leaping catch at the wall to end the first. Wade has started eight games at second, one at short and entered last Saturday’s game in right field when Aaron Judge departed with an oblique muscle problem.
Frazier has helped the Yankees absorb the loss of Giancarlo Stanton, Didi Gregorius, Aaron Hicks, Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge by hitting .355 (11-for-31) in six of seven games since April 16. He had homered in two of the last three games.
“Obviously, massive production swinging the bat and getting on base,’’ Boone said of Frazier who has six homers and 17 RBIs. “His speed on the bases has been a factor. He has gotten a lot of big hits in big spots. He has been huge for us.’’
Luke Voit’s first-inning homer Tuesday night extended his consecutive games on-base streak to 34 games. That is the majors’ longest active on-base streak and the second longest with the Yankees since 2011. Derek Jeter had a 36-game streak stretching from 2012 to 2013.
Voit, who hit two homers, has a 10-game hitting streak, which is the longest by a Yankee this year.