BOSTON — Since coming to the Yankees on July 26, no one in the majors has hit more homers or driven in more runs than Alfonso Soriano.
His production is the kind of thing the Yankees need if they want to keep playing after they finish the regular season in Houston on Sept. 29.
Which is why the sprained right thumb he suffered diving for a ball in Baltimore and caused him to be scratched shortly before Saturday’s 5-1 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park could be so damaging.
“It’s no good when you have to take him out of the lineup,” manager Joe Girardi said. “There is some concern.’’
The Yankees said the left fielder is day-to-day and his status for Sunday night’s series finale against the Red Sox is unknown.
Nor is it known exactly why the injury was worse Saturday than it had been the previous two days. X-rays taken on the thumb were negative
“[Saturday] was the worst I’ve felt it,” said Soriano, who woke up with the thumb more sore than it had been Friday, preventing him from taking batting practice.
“I just went to the [batting] cage and took a couple of swings,” Soriano said. “[Friday], when I swung, it was no problem. [Saturday] was more painful.”
Girardi said he knew Soriano had banged up his thumb Thursday, but wasn’t told he would have to go without the slugger until less than an hour before Saturday’s game began. He opted to put Alex Rodriguez in Soriano’s cleanup spot, with the struggling Ichiro Suzuki being inserted into the lineup.
Because the Yankees can’t afford to sacrifice any games to rest Soriano — or anyone else — Girardi said he would use Soriano Sunday night if he is tells him he’s OK to play, rather than rest him before Monday’s off day. That goes for Alex Rodriguez and his balky left hamstring, as well.
“If they say they’re able, I’m going to play them,” Girardi said. “I think you have to because you can’t take for granted a game and not put your best team out there. You can’t do that this time of year.”
Soriano, who has 15 homers and knocked in 47 runs in 46 games since coming back to The Bronx, said he hoped he would be able to get back on the field Sunday against right-hander Clay Buchholz.
“I’m not worried,” Soriano said when asked if he was concerned he might be out for a while.
Soriano said he understands the predicament the Yankees find themselves in.
“There’s only two weeks left,” Soriano said. “I want to keep playing to help the team win.”
As for the injury itself, Soriano said he believed he may have aggravated it while diving into second base on a stolen base attempt Friday and spent all of Saturday’s game icing the finger.
“We all know what he can do,” Robinson Cano said. “You have to play with what you’ve got, but it hurts — especially against a left-hander.”