For the second time in four games, the Yankees have an injury concern involving their center fielder.
After Harrison Bader strained his hamstring on Monday in Seattle and landed on the IL, Greg Allen suffered a right hip flexor in the Yankees’ 8-4 loss to the Dodgers on Friday.
Allen said it “grabbed on me” while striking out in the third inning, but he felt it again on a check-swing in the fifth inning.
That drew a mid-at-bat visit from manager Aaron Boone and a trainer, but Allen remained in the game before being pinch-hit for by Willie Calhoun in the eighth inning.
It’s possible Allen’s injury will require an IL stint, but the Yankees said they would know more on Saturday.
“You never know with these things, especially when it comes to soft tissue,” said Allen, whose speed and defense largely depend on his legs. “Hopefully it’s nothing major. Just gotta take care of it and go from there.”
Oswald Peraza has been on fire at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, entering Friday with 10 home runs in his last 14 games, batting .371 with a 1.296 OPS in the process. He went 1-for-4 in SWB’s 6-3 loss to Lehigh Valley.
The red-hot stretch has come since he sprained his ankle with the Yankees, needed an IL stint and then got optioned to SWB.
“Os is doing great,” Boone said. “I got that sense even from the end of spring training: his focus has been really strong.”
Boone did not think Peraza’s outburst would put any additional pressure on Volpe, who entered Friday batting just .194 with eight home runs and a .631 OPS.
He went 0-for-4 in the loss.
“Anthony and Os both support each other and know that each guy is gonna be a really good player in this league for a long time,” Boone said. “So no, I don’t think there’s any of that.”
Boone said Oswaldo Cabrera handled his demotion to Triple-A on Wednesday night “really well.”
The scuffling utilityman was optioned to make room for Josh Donaldson after batting .195 with a .538 OPS in 50 games.
“I think it’ll be good for him right now to go down and just take a step back,” Boone said. “Even though he deals with things so well and has such a good head on his shoulders and plays with a maturity, I do think he was pressing a little bit.
“Hopefully he can go down there and get some regular at-bats, get settled, work on some things and certainly be back in the mix. He’s a big part of what we’re doing here.”
Carlos Rodon threw another bullpen session on Friday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, simulating the equivalent of two innings.
Jonathan Loaisiga, who underwent surgery on May 2 to remove a bone spur from his right elbow, is still shut down, but the Yankees are hoping he can begin a throwing program next week.
Aaron Judge was named the American League Player of the Month on Friday, despite beginning May on the injured list.
The Yankees slugger came back with a vengeance, hitting .342 (26-for-76) with a 1.356 OPS, 12 home runs, 25 RBIs, five doubles, one stolen base and 23 runs in 21 games.
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