So much for the Yankees’ perfect spring.
Didi Gregorius, their starting shortstop, is shut down with a right (throwing) shoulder injury he incurred playing for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. He returned to Tampa from Los Angeles on Monday and will undergo further tests Tuesday, leaving the Yankees holding their breath while they wait for the results.
“That’s a big loss,’’ Joe Girardi said. “We saw the strides he took last year. We’ll know a lot more [Tuesday].’’
It looks as if backup Ronald Torreyes could be the Yankees’ Opening Day shortstop. Starlin Castro could move back to short from second base, too.
The Yankees are saying if Gregorius is on the shelf, they will still start shortstop phenom Gleyber Torres, 20, at Double-A Trenton while Tyler Wade, 22, who has not played higher than Double-A, is being groomed to be a utility player.
Girardi dropped the news Monday morning at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches before the Yankees played the Nationals.
“He had stiffness in his arm, so we had an MRI out in L.A.,’’ Girardi said. “He has a hematoma of his subscapularis muscle. Because we haven’t seen him, we don’t know exactly what it means. He is going to have more tests [Tuesday]. He’s flying back [Monday].
“The doctor was really encouraged by his strength, but we felt we’re going to cover ourselves. He’s going to have more tests [Tuesday].’’
The subscapularis is the strongest of the four rotator-cuff muscles, and such an injury could happen as result of being hit or diving and landing on the shoulder.
Paul Cagle, a shoulder surgeon at the Icahn School of Medicine and Mount Sinai West, explained, “A hematoma could signify an underlying injury such as tendinitis, bursitis to a rotator-cuff tear.
“The injury doesn’t always require surgical intervention. Tendinitis and bursitis rarely require surgical intervention. A partial tear doesn’t always mean surgery. A full tear would require a couple of months of rehabilitation.
“An injury in that area is common among throwing athletes. The fact that it was reported he had good strength in the area is a good sign but you have to wait until he completes the evaluation.’’
Said general manager Brian Cashman, “They had speculated that it was a lat strain, but it wasn’t a lat. We’ll do further testing to see what we are dealing with. I’ll wait to determine what we are dealing with.’’
Gregorius, 27, had a .276/.304/.447 slash line with 20 home runs and 70 RBIs in 2016 in a breakout second season with the Yankees.
The Yankees lost Mark Teixeira to a severe wrist injury during the WBC in 2013. The Netherlands, minus Gregorius, played Puerto Rico on Monday night at Dodger Stadium.
“I talked to him Sunday morning, and knew he was going to get an MRI,’’ Girardi said. “We’ll keep our fingers crossed. He hasn’t been in our company for three weeks.’’
The backup shortstop is Torreyes, and he started Monday in the Yankees’ 9-3 win over the Nationals. Wade, 22, spent last season at Double-A and is highly regarded for his versatility. Torres has never played above A-ball, but has been impressive this spring, batting .464 over 18 games.
“I’ll look at anybody,’’ Girardi said.
Girardi added the best-case scenario is for Gregorius to be back Opening Day, but keep in mind when Teixeira hurt his wrist in the 2013 WBC, the initial reports said he would be out two weeks. He played 15 games that season.