Yankees' Harrison Bader on latest IL stint: 'I'll be ready soon'
New York Yankees' Harrison Bader advances to third base on a throwing error by Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh after stealing second base during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, May 29, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Credit: Lindsey Wasson
SEATTLE — Harrison Bader doesn’t expect his stint on the injured list to be a long one.
But the centerfielder, placed on the IL Tuesday with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, wasn’t putting any timetables on a return, either.
“I’m not thinking anything, I’m just going day by day,” Bader said Wednesday afternoon after going through some light agility work in the outfield before that night’s game against the Mariners. “I’ll be ready soon. I don’t have a timetable.”
Speaking Tuesday, Aaron Boone said he anticipated the outfielder being out at least “a couple of weeks.”
Bader, who missed the season’s first month with an oblique injury, suffered the hamstring strain beating out an infield single in the third inning of Monday night’s 10-4 victory.
“It happened as soon as I hit the base,” Bader said, speaking for the first time since the injury. “Tried to beat out the ball. When I hit the base, I guess the impact kind of just grabbed [it] a little bit.”
The 28-year-old, hitting .267 with six homers and an .806 OPS in 26 games, said it was “definitely” a positive from his perspective being able to be on the field in any capacity Wednesday.
“Moving around, stuff like that, daily activities are a lot easier [today] than they were yesterday and the day before,” Bader said. “It’ll pass, but it’s frustrating.”
Return of the Rizz
Anthony Rizzo, out since Monday with a stiff neck, went through early work on the field several hours before Wednesday night’s game. The session that included batting practice and taking grounders. The first baseman was not in the lineup but Aaron Boone said he would be available off the bench Wednesday and that his expectation was for Rizzo to be in the lineup Friday night at Dodger Stadium for the start of the three-game series against the Dodgers.
Speaking of returns
Boone did not rule out the injured Josh Donaldson, Giancarlo Stanton and Tommy Kahnle all rejoining the club before Friday’s series opener in Los Angeles.
“It’s definitely in play,” Boone said.
