#Yankees’ Mike Ford thrives in first crack at replacing Giancarlo Stanton

“#Yankees’ Mike Ford thrives in first crack at replacing Giancarlo Stanton”

Mike Ford isn’t Giancarlo Stanton on many levels.

Yet, it was the left-handed hitting Ford getting the first crack at replacing the right-handed hitting Stanton as Aaron Boone’s designated hitter Tuesday night against the Braves at Yankee Stadium.

Stanton was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday with a strained left hamstring he suffered running the bases Saturday against the Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.

“Obviously losing G is a big down for our team, but I am pretty confident in myself and hopefully get more regular at-bats, get to string some things together,” Ford said before going 2-for-4 and driving in three runs with two doubles in the Yankees’ 9-6 win. “Once I was getting regular at-bats last year I seemed to settle in so it is an opportunity for me but obviously a big loss. I hope I can fill the void.”

In his first seven games this season, Ford hit .167 (3-for-18) with a homer and four RBIs.

As for Stanton, Boone described the strain as a Grade 1-plus and said the DH could be out three-to-four weeks.

“That timeline seems about right, but we are in the early days here so it’s kind of recovery, treatment kind of week,” Boone said. “We will have a better idea where we are by the end of the week, how he is responding and when he is allowed to start ramping up from a baseball standpoint.”

Yankees Mike Ford Giancarlo Stanton — Mike Ford hitting a two-run double in the third inning of Tuesday’s win.Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Given a chance to play last year when Luke Voit was injured, Ford produced to the point that Boone has said multiple times the former Princeton first baseman/pitcher could be a productive big-league hitter.

From Aug. 4 to Sept. 29 last season, Ford appeared in 39 games (27 starts) and hit .274 (31-for-113) with 11 homers, 23 RBIs and a .953 OPS.

Boone was aware of a report Tuesday that MLB is talking about setting up bubbles for the postseason.

“I haven’t communicated with anyone, coaches or front office,’’ Boone said. “I think it’s probably smart to have everything on the table moving forward. It’s part of the due diligence MLB has to probably take on.”

When Boone met with the media via Zoom on Tuesday he hadn’t received a report on how Aroldis Chapman did facing hitters at the alternate site in Scranton.

“I know he is doing well so we will evaluate after each and every [session] but I don’t have a date for you,’’ Boone said of when he might expect the lefty closer to return from the COVID-19 IL.

According to Boone, backup catcher Kyle Higashioka’s MRI of his strained right oblique muscle was encouraging.

“The MRI looked pretty good which is good news. He still has the symptoms that go along with the oblique injury so hoping it is not something serious,’’ Boone said of Higashioka, who went on the 10-day IL Saturday. “He still won’t be doing any baseball activities for a handful of days.”

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With MLB suspending Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron for 20 games and A’s outfielder Ramon Laureano for six and fining each for their part in a bench-clearing incident Sunday, and the Indians putting starting pitchers Zach Plesac and Mike Clevinger on the restricted list for going out in Chicago on Sunday night, Boone was asked about reminding his players, and even coaches, about being diligent about following the protocols designed to keep players away from each other.

“All these things that come up, are subtle or a hit-you-over-the-head reminder how serious things are and how important it is that protocols get followed,’’ Boone said. “Obviously the on-field incidents that MLB is trying to avoid at all costs, so when there are there are going to be serious consequences. These are all reminders of how fragile this can be right now. How mindful you have to be about all your actions.”

Masahiro Tanaka makes his third start of the season Wednesday night against the Braves, and the Yankees will gladly accept a repeat of the right-handers last outing when he provided five shutout innings in a 1-0 loss to the Rays on Saturday. Tanaka, who threw 59 pitches, didn’t get tagged with a tough loss.

“The stuff looks great. He is throwing the ball really well. The splitter has been good, the life on the fastball has been excellent, the slider has been good,’’ Boone said. “I feel he has been incredibly sharp right now and the stuff is coming out good.’’

Tanaka got a late start to the season after suffering a concussion on July 4, when a batted ball by Stanton hit the pitcher in the head.

“I feel pretty built up, physically I feel fine,” said Tanaka, who threw 51 pitches in his first outing on Aug. 1. “As for how deep I will go in [Wednesday’s] game, I don’t think there is much of a drastic increase in the number of pitches I will be able to get. But within that given pitch amount I am going to go out there and do my best.”

On Aug. 6 the Yankees signed right-hander Nick Tropeano to a major league contract. Two days later he was designated for assignment. Tuesday he was claimed on waivers by the Pirates.