NEW YORK -- Although most may not have noticed anything wrong with second baseman Gleyber Torres during his career-high three-hit night Monday, manager Aaron Boone said the rookie was dealing with stiffness in his right hip flexor.
"I noticed a little bit [during the game Monday] and he said something," Boone said. "He went up during the game and got some extra stretching and stuff, but I was kind of excited that he came in feeling as good as he did today."
According to Boone, Torres felt much better when he arrived at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, but the previous night's flare-up was still enough to keep the infielder out of the starting lineup in the Yankees' 8-5 victory over the Braves on Tuesday. He entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning.
Dealing with this stiffness is not something new for the infielder, as that has flared up on and off for years, according to Boone. Because of that, the Yankees skipper said his second baseman's hip is not something to be concerned about.
"It's kind of a precaution," Boone said of his decision to keep Torres out of the starting lineup. "But no, I think it's something that he maintains pretty well. ... Good news is he came in today feeling really well, so I think he'll go through his normal stuff and certainly be available [Tuesday night]."
Comeback trail
Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka will make a rehab start in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. Tanaka was placed on the 10-day disabled list June 9 with mild strains in both hamstrings after suffering the injury running the bases in a game at Citi Field.
"We want to see him get after it with his fastball," Boone said. "Just kind of maintain stuff and get through healthy, getting through that next level of 65, 70, 75 pitches where he's able to carry his stuff through it."
The righty said he feels good enough to skip his brief rehab assignment and rejoin the team in New York on Wednesday, but he respects the coaching staff's decision to send him to Scranton.
"I think they have in mind building me up stronger," Tanaka said through an interpreter. "I think they're looking at the bigger picture of keeping me healthy longer, like deeper into the season, so I'm OK with that."
If his rehab start goes as expected, it is likely that Tanaka will be back in the Yankees' rotation for the team's series in Baltimore that begins Monday.
"Hopefully it's something that three, four, five weeks down benefits him over the long run," Boone said. "Just kind of taking a step back and resting the arm a little bit and resting the body a little bit. ... When he's pitching well, he's obviously a huge part of our rotation. I think we're all really excited to get him back, and him coming back just moves some other guys around and kind of builds up our depth so that we're covered in a lot of different scenarios."
This date in Yankees history
July 3, 1923: In the bottom of the 15th inning, Babe Ruth homered off Washington's George Mogridge to give the Yankees a 2-1 win, marking the first walk-off homer in Yankee Stadium history.