Yanks hope Edwin's oblique strain is minor

DETROIT -- As the Yankees begin to envision a postseason push that includes Luis Severino, Giancarlo Stanton and Dellin Betances, they must also consider that their drive toward October may not feature Edwin Encarnación.

The slugger was forced to exit Thursday's 10-4 win in Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Tigers due to a left oblique strain, the team announced. Encarnacion will return to New York for further testing.

"We're hoping we kind of got ahead of it, but we'll just have to see," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "He felt it in his first at-bat. My understanding was he was fine swinging. He was just getting it when he was coughing or whatever. We hope it's minor and we got ahead of it, but we won't know until we get him checked out."

Encarnacion hit a two-run homer, his 34th, in the third inning on Thursday. He was examined on the field by Boone and head athletic trainer Steve Donohue after working a fifth-inning walk, then was lifted for pinch-hitter Mike Ford when his spot in the batting order came around again in the seventh.

The 36-year-old hit four homers with 10 RBIs in eight games since returning from the injured list for a right wrist fracture.

"His at-bats, his presence in our lineup is huge," Boone said. "I don't want to start speculating when we don't know what it is and hoping it's minor. I think it goes without saying how big of a presence he is in the middle of our order."

Acquired from the Mariners in June, Encarnacion is batting .244/.344/.531 with 18 doubles, 34 homers and 86 RBIs in 109 games this season, including 12 homers and 35 RBIs in 43 games with the Yankees.

The 36-year-old hit four homers with 10 RBIs in eight games since returning from the injured list for a right wrist fracture.

Acquired from the Mariners in June, Encarnacion is batting .244/.344/.531 with 18 doubles, 34 homers and 86 RBIs in 109 games this season, including 12 homers and 35 RBIs in 43 games with the Yankees.