BOSTON — Giancarlo Stanton never got that start in left field at Fenway Park.
After not playing the field since the 2019 playoffs, the Yankees said before the series that Stanton was likely to see time in left against the Red Sox this weekend. But those plans changed, Aaron Boone said Sunday, when Chris Gittens landed on the injured list with a sprained right ankle after tripping over his bat on Saturday.
Gittens, Boone said, would have been the DH Sunday against left-hander Martin Perez, with Stanton in left.
The Yankees say they still intend to use Stanton in left when they visit Miami this week, since there’s no DH in the National League park.
“I think he’s prepared to do it and has been preparing himself for it,’’ Boone said prior to Sunday’s 5-4 loss. “So I expect it to happen next week in Miami now.”
Stanton’s struggles against Boston continued, as he struck out twice Sunday — including in the seventh, when the Yankees loaded the bases with one out against Perez.
Josh Taylor — another lefty — came in to face Stanton, who whiffed again.
He entered with a .426 OPS versus the Red Sox this season, his worst against any team he’s faced more than three times and is 7-for-42 with a double, two RBIs, seven walks and 21 strikeouts in 13 games.
Putting Gittens on the IL opened up a roster spot for Gio Urshela, who returned from the COVID-19 IL and went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.
With Gittens out, DJ LeMahieu started at first base. Luke Voit remains out with left knee inflammation and Boone was unsure whether he’d be back this week, with the Yankees heading to Tampa Bay and Miami.
“I know Luke’s doing really well,’’ Boone said. “I know [Saturday] he was running and felt as good as he’s felt in a long time. We’re encouraged [by] where he’s at. Hopefully it’s not too much longer as he gets ramped up.”
Aaron Judge and Kyle Higashioka — both still on the COVID IL — arrived in Boston on Sunday and were set to travel with the team to Tampa on Sunday night. The pair are scheduled to go through a cardio exam and work out on Monday.
Gary Sanchez was also back in the lineup after leaving Friday’s loss and sitting on Saturday with back spasms.
Sanchez hit the second triple of his career and scored in the eighth, but also committed a passed ball on a strikeout that allowed Xander Bogaerts to reach base.
Gleyber Torres has a season-high eight-game hitting streak and stole his fourth base in three games, but was also picked off second base in the eighth.
After the Yankees went with Asher Wojciechowski instead of Deivi Garcia for a spot start last week, Garcia suffered through another poor outing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday, allowing three homers and four walks in just four innings.
The Yankees will likely give Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon an extra day of rest before their next starts, with Jordan Montgomery going Tuesday at Tampa Bay, followed possibly by Nestor Cortes Jr. on Wednesday and Cole on Thursday, according to Boone.