The Aaron Judge problem Yankees still can't escape - New York Post

BOSTON — If you want to stress over Aaron Judge going 1-for-20 in four games against the Red Sox, don’t expect Aaron Boone to join you.

Judge’s lone hit in the series was a double Friday night, and he didn’t drive in a run.

“It’s good to score nine runs when our best player doesn’t have a big night for us,’’ Boone said after the Yankees’ 9-6 win Sunday night at Fenway Park.

The Yankees avoided a sweep by the Red Sox, but Judge struck out three times and didn’t get the ball out of the infield in his other two at-bats.

“It’s baseball, it’s been a long trip,’’ Boone said. “He didn’t get any knocks tonight and I am not worried about it at all. [Saturday] he smoked a couple of balls and smoked a couple of balls the day before.”

DJ LeMahieu said the tight groin that kept him out of Saturday’s loss to the Red Sox was improved Sunday, but Boone opted to keep the AL’s leading hitter on the bench.

“I feel much better,’’ LeMahieu said. “I don’t feel I will play guarded.’’

LeMahieu answered, “hope so’’ when asked if he would return to the lineup Tuesday against Arizona at Yankee Stadium.

“We are optimistic we can avoid an IL situation with this,” said Boone. “We will keep evaluating it every 24 hours.”

With the .332 hitter out, Boone started Gio Urshela at third, Gleyber Torres at second and Luke Voit at first Sunday. The manager said he also felt fortunate that Urshela’s injury — he turned his right ankle Saturday night — wasn’t serious. The third baseman had a pair of doubles Sunday.

“Hopefully, we dodged a bullet there,’’ Boone said.

To cover themselves, the Yankees recalled Tyler Wade from Triple-A Scranton/Wlkes-Barre when they put CC Sabathia (knee) on the injured list.

“He has been swinging the bat well for the last couple of months,’’ Boone said of Wade, who hit .358 (38-for-106) from June 28 to July 27 and was batting .292 in 87 Triple-A games. In 20 big-league games this season, Wade, who said he was playing mostly short and second at SWB, hit .204 (10-for-49).

With Monday and Thursday dark on their schedule the Yankees have an opportunity to get some rest for their beleaguered starting rotation. Beginning Friday, however, the workload increases.

“Coming out of the second off day I think there are 19 [games] in 17 [days],’’ said Boone, whose club has doubleheaders at home against the Red Sox on Saturday and the Orioles on Aug. 12. “It will become quite the grind again.’’

Boone said he misspoke Saturday when he said Dellin Betances (right shoulder impingement, lat strain) would move to the mound, in his rehab process, ahead of Luis Severino. (lat strain). Sunday, he reversed that.

“He will be after [Severino]. As when that will be it will probably be in the next couple of weeks,’’ Boone said. “[Severino] was building up when we shut Dellin down. I would say [Severino] hits the mound before Dellin.’’

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