BALTIMORE — Giancarlo Stanton was held out of the lineup for a second straight game Sunday in the Yankees’ 6-0 win over the Orioles, as Aaron Boone looks to get the slugger back into form, noting that he seemed to be “exhausted” heading into the All-Star break.
Boone and Stanton wouldn’t define any specific issue, but Stanton said they were trying to prevent any injuries that would require him to miss extended time.
Stanton, who was in the lineup for the nightcap of Thursday’s doubleheader in Houston and Friday’s series opener in Baltimore, said he was “beat up, overall, but I’m fine.”
Since returning from the All-Star Game, though, Stanton is 0-for-10 with seven strikeouts.
After Monday’s off day, Stanton is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday at Citi Field against the Mets, likely in the outfield.
“I feel the time [off] gives him a little bit of a reset that serves him well,’’ Boone said. “I don’t want to push him through something now. … I think it’s wise to take a couple days right now and get him back to the wrecking machine he is.”
Boone didn’t rule out Tommy John surgery for Michael King, who is back in New York for further evaluation for the fractured right elbow he suffered throwing a pitch on Friday.
“It’s probably a possibility, but we don’t know,’’ Boone said.
The right-hander will certainly need season-ending surgery to repair the fracture in the elbow, but Boone said they are still trying to determine if his ligaments are intact.
“We don’t know the extent of that,’’ Boone said when asked if there was ligament damage.
The difference would be significant, as King could return as soon as spring training if only the fracture needs to be repaired.
Tommy John surgery, though, would jeopardize all of 2023.
With King out, Ron Marinaccio was returned from his rehab assignment following his injured list stint with right shoulder inflammation.
Shane Greene, who gave up a two-run homer on Saturday in his first appearance with the Yankees since 2014, was designated for assignment.
Clarke Schmidt was added to the bullpen after being stretched out as a starter at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and made an immediate impact Sunday, pitching three shutout innings for his first career save.
Wandy Peralta, who has been dealing with a minor back injury, was also available out of the pen.
Aaron Hicks suffered a cramp in his left hamstring in Sunday’s heat. It first happened during his at-bat in the eighth and he stayed in the game after a visit from Boone and the training staff, but it came back in his ninth-inning plate appearance, when he singled and was removed for pinch-runner Josh Donaldson.
Hicks said he would be able to play Tuesday against the Mets.
Gleyber Torres had an adventurous day, dropping a ball in left field when the Yankees used a four-man outfield with Adley Rutschman at the plate in the second. He was also thrown out at third when he tried to trick right fielder Trey Mancini into thinking he’d stop at second on Hicks’ single in the fourth. Boone said he was OK with the aggressive play, considering the situation in the game; the Yankees were up 3-0.
Joey Gallo was booed after his eighth-inning strikeout to end an 0-for-4 afternoon. … Isiah Kiner-Falefa extended his hitting streak to 12 games, matching DJ LeMahieu for a team season-high.