CHICAGO -- The first domino has fallen in the wake of the Edwin Encarnacion trade as the Yankees optioned outfielder Clint Frazier to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre after Sunday’s 10-3 win over the White Sox. The move creates space on the 25-man roster for Encarnacion, who will join the team when it returns to New York and be available for Monday's series opener against the Rays.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow. It’s never fun, especially with the way I thought I contributed to the team this year,” Frazier said. “Guess I’m facing reality right now.”

Frazier, 24, has played well this season and has been one of the team’s most consistent bats while Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge have been out with injury for extended periods of time.

“Very [difficult],” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s played a big role on a winning team and that doesn’t necessarily stop now. This is where we’re at with our roster situation. Obviously, tough news to deliver, but hopefully he can make the most of it and use it to get better at his craft.”

Frazier is hitting .283/.330/.513 with 11 homers and an .843 OPS in 53 games for the Yankees this season. He went 1-for-5 with a strikeout on Sunday.