PHOENIX — The New York Yankees held rookie outfielder Spencer Jones out of Saturday’s lineup against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a sore left foot and heel, adding another name to an injury list that already includes slugger Aaron Judge.
Jones said the injury stemmed from playing on the artificial turf at Chase Field Friday night after jamming his heel earlier in the week during a series in Minnesota.
“Just a little banged up,” Jones said before Saturday’s game. “Playing on turf is different, hard on the feet.”
Manager Aaron Boone downplayed the injury, saying he nearly kept Jones in the lineup anyway before opting to start José Caballero in center field for the second time this season.
“Just felt like especially being on the turf here, he kind of jammed that heel in Minnesota and being on the turf [Friday], so I think it’s just a day-to-day kind of thing,” Boone said. “I even view him as available tonight.”
Boone also chose to leave Cody Bellinger in left field rather than shift him to center, citing the physical toll of the turf.
“I considered moving him to center, but Belli’s grinding too and the turf here kind of beats you up,” Boone said. “There’s some scenarios where I would move him to center. Tonight, just being on the turf and as much as he’s been through this year, I didn’t want to move him.”
The Yankees officially placed Judge on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right calf strain. To fill the roster spot, the team called up infielder Max Schuemann rather than outfielder Jasson Domínguez, prioritizing defensive versatility as the postseason approaches.
“Adding his versatility to our bench makes some sense,” Boone said. “And then obviously some different roster complications moving forward with the playoffs around the corner.”
Schuemann’s time in the majors could be short. Infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. may return from the injured list as soon as Tuesday, when the Yankees open a series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. If Schuemann is sent back to Triple-A to make room, he would be ineligible for recall for 10 days unless he were again replacing an injured player — a restriction that would effectively rule him out for the American League wild-card series. That roster math may explain why Domínguez, a switch-hitter who offers pinch-running value but has struggled defensively in the outfield, was passed over for the call-up this time.
The Arizona trip also brought a reunion with former Yankee Jonathan Loáisiga, who signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks and has stayed healthy for a full season for the first time in his career. Entering Saturday, the right-hander had pitched in a career-high 64 games with a 2.32 ERA after years of injury trouble during his eight seasons in New York.
“Been through a lot of battles over the years with Jonny,” Boone said. “It’ll be great to see him. Hopefully we can ding him a little bit here. I know he’s had a really strong year, which I’m excited about for him. He’s such a talented guy that for him, it’s always been about just being healthy. So the fact that he’s gone out there and had a largely healthy season, I’m not surprised at the success he’s had.”
The Diamondbacks also marked the 25th anniversary of their 2001 World Series championship team Saturday, which beat the Yankees in seven games.
