BALTIMORE — Nick Swisher said something is now bothering him physically, but the Yankees right fielder refused to reveal what the problem is.
During the middle innings of yesterday’s 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards, YES cameras caught Swisher shaking his hand.
Swisher said it was not his hand that was the issue.
“I’m not going to tell you all,” he said.
Swisher exited the game in the eighth inning, but it was thought to be for defensive purposes because the Yankees were ahead 4-3, Swisher had just batted in the top of the inning and Chris Dickerson replaced him in right.
Manager Joe Girardi said after the game that Swisher was OK.
Asked if the injury affected him yesterday, Swisher replied, “Yes and no.”
Regarding his status tonight in Anaheim, he said, “I’ll be at the ballpark ready to go.”
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Dellin Betances, one of the Yankees’ top pitching prospects, will meet the team in Anaheim.
Betances, who attended Grand Street Campus High School in Brooklyn, will not necessarily make his major league debut in the season’s final weeks, but the Yankees like the idea of exposing him to big league life.
It’s a method of preparing an elite prospect for the majors, so it’s more familiar to him when he arrives for good.
Betances, a 23-year-old right-hander, went a combined 4-9 with a 3.70 ERA in 25 starts in Double- and Triple-A this season.
Because of 11 September callups, the Yankees have a 36-man roster. No major league team has a bigger one. The Nationals also have 36.
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The Yankees had won Ivan Nova‘s last 12 starts before yesterday’s loss. Nova, who allowed three runs, five hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings, received a no-decision.
He hasn’t lost since June 3.
“I didn’t throw strikes [yesterday],” he said, referring to his 57-40 strike-to-ball ratio.
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No update on how long the Yankees will keep using a six-man rotation.
“We really haven’t talked about it,” Girardi said.
Bartolo Colon, who went to Anaheim ahead of the team, pitches tonight. CC Sabathia goes tomorrow, and Freddy Garcia is on the hill Sunday.
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The Yankees will play a day-night doubleheader with the Rays on Sept. 21 in The Bronx to make up a postponed Aug. 14 game.
Fans who had paid tickets for Aug. 14 can use them for either the rescheduled game (the 7 p.m. nightcap) or any game this year or next year.
— Additional reporting
by Joel Sherman