Carlos Beltran was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup after he told manager Joe Girardi his bothersome right elbow had acted up again, giving the punchless Yankees offense one less weapon.
Beltran has been battling a bone spur for much of the season and he received his third cortisone shot on the area.
Girardi called the injury “day-to-day” and Beltran said he hoped to be back in the lineup Friday, but it’s an issue that likely won’t go away until he has surgery after the season.
“I felt it on a couple of swings [Tuesday],” Beltran said. “There was one pitch away where I reached for it. I had been feeling pain once in a while. [Tuesday] was very sharp.”
Though Beltran only recently returned to playing right field, both he and Girardi didn’t think the injury was caused by throwing.
“He didn’t have a lot of action in the outfield,” Girardi said before the Yankees’ 5-2 loss to the Astros at the Stadium. “He didn’t really have to make any throws.”
Nevertheless, Girardi said he was unsure if the injury would impact his ability to play defense.
“It’s too early to tell,” Girardi said.
Of course, Beltran has been woefully unproductive of late, with just one hit in 28 at-bats in his previous eight games.
But Girardi said he didn’t think his slump was related to the injury.
“He felt it other times and it went away,” Girardi said. “He said from time to time he’ll get a sensation in there and it goes away. He said today he woke up and he felt something still, which has not been the case [before].”
If the Yankees are going to get help in the lineup, it’s not expected to come from Cuban import Rusney Castillo.
Though the Yankees held a private workout for the 27-year-old, who can play second base and the outfield, they are not believed to be as high on him as some other teams. Castillo is narrowing his choices in order to sign with a team and be able to get to the majors before Sept. 1, so he’s eligible for the postseason.
David Phelps, out with right-elbow inflammation, played catch, and Girardi said he would head to the bullpen when healthy.
“It won’t obviously happen overnight,” Girardi said.
Stephen Drew hadn’t played the previous two games, but homered and made a nice play at shortstop.
Before the game, Girardi said he wasn’t concerned by Drew’s disastrous performance since joining the Yankees on Aug. 1.
“His average maybe is not [good], but he’s had some production,” Girardi said.
But since driving in four runs in his third game with his new team, Drew had fallen off a cliff at the plate.
In 44 plate appearances, Drew has just six hits, three RBIs and two walks.