SEATTLE — Miguel Andujar’s miserable season continued Thursday, as he sat out with soreness in his left hand and wrist, according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
Boone said Andujar felt the discomfort during his final at-bat in Tuesday’s victory, when he had a pair of hits.
He underwent an X-ray and an MRI exam and the Yankees were waiting for the results, although Boone said Andujar “felt a lot better” Thursday and was able to take some swings.
Andujar spent time on the IL earlier this year with carpal tunnel syndrome in his right hand and wrist.
After starting the season on the IL, Andujar spent time at the alternate site and with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before being recalled on May 13.
It’s mostly been a struggle at the plate this year, although Andujar has shown enough offensively that he had overtaken Clint Frazier as the starting left fielder, but he is poor on defense.
Without Andujar — as well as Frazier, out with what the Yankees are calling vertigo — on Thursday, newly acquired Tim Locastro started in left, with Brett Gardner in center.
The Yankees are still waiting for test results on Frazier.
Zack Britton threw to hitters before Thursday’s game and said his left hamstring strain felt fine. He could be a consideration for the upcoming series in Houston or the Yankees may opt to let him sit through the All-Star break and come back against the Red Sox after the break. Britton’s primary concern remains his left elbow, on which he had surgery in spring training and he’s still building that up.
The former closer has also talked to the struggling Aroldis Chapman.
“He’s one of the better closers of our generation and he knows what he needs to do,’’ Britton said. “He’s too good not to figure out. … If we want to win anything, we’re gonna need Chapman at peak form.”
Boone went to Chad Green to close out Wednesday’s win with Chapman in the midst of a terrible stretch, but said he would have used Chapman if a save situation materialized on Thursday to stay away from the heavily worked Green and Jonathan Loaisiga.
He considered getting Chapman some work in Thursday’s loss, but used the struggling Justin Wilson and Peralta instead.
July has not been Gary Sanchez’s month.
The catcher fell to 0-for-18 in his past five games with three walks and eight strikeouts. Boone, though, said Sanchez’s struggles are not similar to the ones he’s had the past two seasons and his at-bats have still been good.
“It’s different,’’ Boone said after the Yankees’ 4-0 loss to the Mariners. “He hasn’t gotten a hit in a few days, but it’s different than how we’ve seen him struggle over the past couple years. He probably had our best at-bats today. He’s in such a better place.”
Luis Severino threw a bullpen session on Wednesday which went well, according to Boone. His comeback from Tommy John surgery has been slowed by the strained groin he suffered during his second rehab start.