MLB

Yankees RF Swisher injures hamstring

With their starting pitchers routinely getting battered around, the Yankees could use all the help they can get in the outfield — so Nick Swisher’s departure from yesterday’s 6-2 win over the Tigers with a strained left hamstring isn’t what they needed.

The right fielder will be out “more than a few days,” according to manager Joe Girardi, but he won’t be put on the disabled list at this point. Swisher looked to have injured himself after a swing during an at-bat in the third inning, and he left the game following his walk in that same at-bat.

“We’ll see how he progresses the next few days,” Girardi said.

Brett Gardner is already on the shelf with a right elbow strain and not eligible to return until Thursday, so the Yankees could be shorthanded in the outfield.

“Right now, we’re not doing anything,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “In the short term, I could call up Melky Mesa [from Double-A Trenton] for defense.”

Yesterday, Andruw Jones replaced Swisher in the lineup, with Raul Ibanez moving from left to right. But having both veterans (or Eduardo Nunez) playing the outfield would make life difficult for center fielder Curtis Granderson.

“We’ll try to get through it,” Girardi said of the loss of Swisher, who has a team-high 23 RBIs. “We’ll know more [today].”

Additional reporting by George A. King III