Rodón available despite blister; Judge remains in 3-hole

NEW YORK -- Carlos Rodón was dealing with a blister on his pitching hand during his Game 2 World Series start against the Dodgers on Saturday night, but the Yankees considered the issue “manageable,” manager Aaron Boone said on Monday.

Television cameras showed Rodón looking at his left hand during the third inning, also displaying small streaks of blood wiped across the left leg of his uniform pants.

Relying heavily on his fastball, Rodón surrendered three homers in his 3 1/3-inning outing, including blasts to Teoscar Hernández and Freddie Freeman in the third inning.

“We were paying attention to it, but the trainers and Carlos felt like it was manageable and he was in an OK spot,” Boone said.

Boone said that he believes Rodón will be ready for Game 6 on Friday night, should the Yankees force the World Series back to Los Angeles.

“I don’t think [Rodón would be unavailable], but I hope not,” Boone said.

Judge stays where he is
Aaron Judge will remain the Yankees’ No. 3 hitter despite his offensive struggles, Boone said before the Dodgers took a 3-0 Series lead with a 4-2 victory in Game 3. Judge is 1-for-12 with one walk and seven strikeouts through three games in the Fall Classic.

“That's our guy, and there's pressure in the Series, whatever spot you're hitting,” Boone said. “He's our guy, and [we are] confident he'll get it going.”

Boone said that he was encouraged by Judge’s at-bat against Blake Treinen in Game 1, acknowledging that the slugger’s mechanics looked “a little off” in Game 2, when he went hitless with three strikeouts.

“He’s going to break out at some point,” Boone said. “Moving forward in his career, he’s going to have great series too. There’s no doubt in my mind. A little bit of it is just baseball.”

Trevi’s time
Austin Wells’ recent offensive struggles prompted Boone to start Jose Trevino behind the plate in Game 3, marking Trevino’s second start of the postseason and his first in the World Series.

“Austin, it’s really hard to take him out from behind the plate, as well as he’s doing back there,” Boone said. “It’s been a tough stretch for him offensively, so I just feel like it’s a game [for him] to watch and get a little more balance in the lineup. Maybe it means a better leverage at-bat for him later in the game.”

Wells -- who pinch-hit for Trevino in the seventh and went 0-for-2 in Game 3 -- is 4-for-43 (.093) this postseason, with one home run, three RBIs, three walks and 19 strikeouts.

Trevino made his World Series debut as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of Game 2, flying out against Dodgers left-hander Alex Vesia. Boone said that at-bat did not factor significantly into his decision to start Trevino.

“Being able to put on this uniform and perform in a World Series game, this is every kid's dream come true,” said Trevino, who went 0-for-2 before Wells replaced him.

No short story
There is no scenario in which the Yankees would start Gerrit Cole on short rest in Tuesday’s Game 4, Boone said, adding that he is locked in to giving Luis Gil the ball.

“That is not something I want to do with Gerrit this year, with what he’s been through,” Boone said.

Cole’s season debut was delayed until June 19 due to right elbow inflammation. He threw 88 pitches over six-plus innings in his Game 1 outing at Los Angeles, taking a no-decision in the Yankees’ 6-3, 10-inning loss.

Boone said that he felt the time was right to take out Cole, saying that he seemed “done” after an eight-pitch at-bat against Hernández resulted in a single.

Gil will be pitching to save the Yankees’ season. It’s an assignment that the rookie right-hander said he is prepared to embrace.

• Dodgers lineup a tough test for walk-prone Gil

“I think the experience that I've gotten from watching and participating is just how to control the emotions out there,” Gil said through an interpreter. “There's a lot going on, but at the same time, you just have to take it pitch by pitch and batter by batter.”