BOSTON -- With a challenging pair of left-handed pitchers set to stand 60 feet and six inches away this week, the Yankees added right-handed-hitting outfielder Shane Robinson to their Major League roster prior to Tuesday's contest against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Manager Aaron Boone said that with Boston scheduled to pitch Chris Sale and David Price in the first two games of the rivalry matchup, the Yankees preferred the 33-year-old Robinson over infielder/outfielder Jace Peterson, who was designated for assignment.
When a player's contract is designated for assignment -- often abbreviated "DFA" -- that player is immediately removed from his club's 40-man roster. Within seven days of the transaction (had been 10 days under the 2012-16 Collective Bargaining Agreement), the player can either be traded or placed on irrevocable outright waivers.
"I was kind of looking at this with the Sale matchup as a chance to get another righty bat in there," Boone said. "With Robinson, he gives us a premium defender in the outfield as well. I think for these next couple of days it makes the most sense."
Boone expressed hope that Aaron Hicks will rejoin the roster before the Yankees depart Boston. Hicks is beginning a Minor League rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he was scheduled to play five innings on Tuesday and nine innings on Wednesday, then could be in the big league lineup on Thursday against Rick Porcello.
Robinson appeared in 20 games for the Angels in 2017, batting .194/.257/.194 with one RBI. He hit .250/.341/.278 with two runs scored and seven RBIs in 22 games in Spring Training with the Yankees.
Peterson, 27, collected three hits in nine at-bats for the Yankees. He is a .234/.320/.331 career hitter with 15 homers and 98 RBIs in five seasons at the big league level.
"We've been banged up, obviously," Boone said. "We've dealt with an injury situation where we've had some guys go down that has created a little bit of a challenge for us. There's nothing to sound off the alarm that doesn't make me think we're going to be a really good club, especially once we do get to full strength."
Monster patrol
Giancarlo Stanton's sixth career start in left field saw the reigning National League MVP assigned to play in front of Fenway Park's Green Monster, with the learning curve of tackling the 37-foot wall increased after rain that washed out batting practice for both clubs.
"Not being able to get out there for batting practice today, get a look at it in that way, I think it creates its own challenges," Boone said. "I think over the long haul it's probably a little easier once you get the little nooks down, how to read things, because there's less real estate obviously to cover. But they can be a little tricky when you're coming in and doing it for the first time."
Stanton arrived in Boston coming off a 3-for-28 homestand during which he experienced the first pair of five-strikeout games in his career. Boone said that he believes Stanton is working to correct a timing issue at the plate.
"For a guy like Giancarlo, he's going to have weeks where he gets a little out of whack and it doesn't necessarily look great," Boone said. "Once he finds that feeling, from a timing standpoint with his toe-tap -- when he gets that really synced up, I think he takes off."
Injury report
Brandon Drury (severe migraines) had numerous tests performed on Monday in New York. Boone said that the Yankees have "gotten some good news on some of the results, but there's a number of results that will probably take a couple of days to trickle in."
Jacoby Ellsbury (left hip soreness) had a cortisone shot on Monday. Boone said that Ellsbury could ramp up baseball activities on Friday.
Gary Sanchez (right calf cramps) returned to the lineup on Tuesday, serving as the designated hitter after missing two games. Sanchez told Boone that he is ready to catch if needed.