Yanks optimistic DJ, Gio avoided serious injury

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Yankees are enjoying a winning West Coast trip despite their overwhelming spate of injuries, and despite sending two infielders to the X-ray machine during Sunday's 11-5 victory over the Giants, they believe that their good fortune may have continued.

DJ LeMahieu (right knee) and Gio Urshela (left hand) were relieved to learn that their X-rays had come back negative, allowing the players to celebrate New York's series sweep of San Francisco. LeMahieu was diagnosed with inflammation and will have an MRI on Monday in Arizona.

"That’s the story of the season, besides winning a bunch of games lately," LeMahieu said. "A lot of guys are out, so it’s frustrating."

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that he believes LeMahieu's injury will prove to be a deep bruise, sustained when LeMahieu fouled a ball off himself in Friday's series opener. Urshela was hit by an 88.5 mph Nick Vincent cutter in the fifth inning on Sunday and is considered day to day.

"The off-day [on Monday] is coming at a good time for us," Boone said. "Hopefully, we avoided some serious injuries."

LeMahieu had been receiving treatment on the knee, but it did not keep him out of the lineup. After singling and flying out in two at-bats on Sunday, LeMahieu left the field gingerly after the bottom of the second inning and was replaced by rookie Thairo Estrada.

"It kept getting more and more painful as the game went on," said LeMahieu, who expects to play on Tuesday against the D-backs.

Urshela was enjoying another solid performance at third base, having singled in two at-bats with a run scored when he was hit on the top of the left hand by Vincent's pitch. In obvious discomfort as he walked to first base, Urshela was replaced by Cameron Maybin as a pinch-runner.

"Once I got hit, because of the pain and the sensation you have, you automatically think the worst," Urshela said through an interpreter. "But, eventually, I was able to move my fingers and got movement back and took a deep breath there."

The Yankees have a Major League-leading 13 players on the injured list.

"We've got good players in that room, and they all continue to step up and really embrace this thing," Boone said. "Even today, we've got two guys we got to take out for injuries. They’ve really taken to the 'next man up.' They are coming in focused, they are coming in ready and all doing their job really well. I'm proud of how they have rallied around one another."