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Miguel Andujar's return to the field will be short-lived.
Following a left knee bruise by Gio Urshela Wednesday night, Andujar made his second start at third base Thursday after returning to the Yankees from a tear in the labrum of his right shoulder. However, Urshela has made significant improvement, and is expected to return to the lineup Friday against the Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Even though Andujar is likely to slide back to where hitter when Urshela returns, manager Aaron Boone was hopeful the rare start to third would help rebuild the confidence of last year's American League Rookie of the Year runner-up, who entered Thursday hitless in 13 straight at-bats.
"He's such a good player, so he's one of those guys we want to get rolling and hopefully [this is] the start of that, "Boone said. "Hopefully he can go out and start building some momentum into his season, which has obviously been interrupted."
Just three games into the season, Andujar suffered the shoulder injury, keeping him out for more than a month. Since returning, the 24-year-old has failed to showcase even a semblance of brilliance he routinely displayed during his rookie year.
Andujar, who hit .294 with 27 homers, 92 RBIs and 47 doubles last year, went 2-for-19 in his first five games since returning, and entered Thursday's game against the Mariners without an extra-base hit on the season.
"He's just not there yet, but he's hit a number of balls on the button," Boone said following Wednesday's loss. "Where did it go probably 105 [mph] off the bat where he really smoked it. He just missed a home run down the line.
"He's not really locked in like when he's moving really fast. He'll get there. There's no doubt in my mind. He's that good of a hitter. But he has just got through this little stretch where he's finding his way, and he will. "
Reclaiming the starting point at third will be more challenging.
Urshela is batting .346 with two home runs, the 27-year-old is unlikely to maintain its incredible offensive pace, having entered this year a .225 hitter in 167 career games. But the Colombia native was strong, could keep Urshela at third for some time.
During a healthy and confident-infused first season, Andujar finished with the fourth-most errors (15) in the majors. On Thursday, the struggling sophomore took the field for the first time Saturday, when Andujar committed two throwing errors in his first game following the shoulder injury.
"I think he was ready to go then," Boone said. "I think there is something to be said about you, a lot of things that are going to happen to you. 're capable of making. "
What Andujar is capable of in the field is still unclear.
"I think it's important that he builds on [this] … even going back to last year where it was obviously discussed, I thought he made really good strides for a guy that when you look back at his season, "Boone said.
"I thought he had a lot of defensive improvements. Now, the shoulder setback, that obviously broke his work and some of the things he was doing. … It's important that he trusts in that, because he's certainly capable of it. "
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