Jake Bird’s tumultuous time with the Yankees hit another bump Monday night, as the right-hander gave up a three-run homer to Mike Trout and was then optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following an 11-10 win over the Angels in The Bronx.
Bird, who struggled after being acquired from Colorado prior to last year’s trade deadline, got off to a promising start this season, with four straight scoreless appearances.
But he gave up three runs in a loss to Miami on April 5 and then allowed the first homer by a Yankees reliever this season when Trout took him deep to tie the game in the sixth.
Boone said the Yankees were “a little short” in the bullpen Monday, as they planned on staying away from Brent Headrick and Ryan Yarbrough.
“It was a tough night for him, but I thought he made a lot of really good pitches,” Boone said. “A couple of mistakes they really put charges into to get back in the game. He had a hard time finishing off a couple of at-bats.”
Camilo Doval also allowed a homer to Trout, as the Yankees look to get him to be a consistent setup man for David Bednar.
Anthony Volpe was cleared to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday.
Boone said Volpe likely would play four games this week for Double-A Somerset. In his first couple of games, Volpe would play just three to five innings as the Yankees build him up “kind of like spring training,” Boone said.
After the week, the Yankees would reassess Volpe, who is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
Cade Winquest, the Rule 5 draft pick who did not appear in a game before he was designated for assignment, was officially returned to the Cardinals. … Facing a lefty in Yusei Kikuchi, Boone opted to start Paul Goldschmidt at first and sit Ben Rice, who is trying to prove he can hit southpaws but began this year with a .522 OPS against lefties and 1.431 against righties.
Boone also stuck with Randal Grichuk in left field. A lefty killer in recent years, Grichuk began this season 0-for-12 with six strikeouts.
“Erratic playing time,” Boone said. “What’s he got nine at-bats, 10 at-bats? He’s swung through some pitches. He’s also smoked a ball up the middle that they made a great play on. He’s hit a ball to the wall in center.
“He’s a good hitter.”
