ST. PETERSBURG — Andrew Benintendi was diagnosed with a broken hook of the hamate bone. The Yankees left fielder is not ready to rule out a comeback before the end of the season, but the typical rehab for baseball players with this is at least three to four weeks of immobilization before baseball activities are allowed.

“I mean, when I went through this (in college) it was right around a couple of weeks. We’ll see what happens obviously, I want to get back out there, get back in time for the latter part of the season and then hopefully the playoffs,” Benintendi said of his previous hamate bone surgery. “So, it’s all too early to say right now, obviously. So I’ll know more tomorrow when I’ve talked to doctors.”

Benintendi said he wasn’t sure what the immediate remedy would be, but it will likely be surgery at some point. He had the surgery his freshman year in college, which usually removes the hamate bone. That has created some confusion.

“I don’t really know much about bones or anything like that. So I’m just listening to what they’re telling me. Yeah, I didn’t know you could grow your bone or whatever it may be,” Benintendi said. “So. Yeah, it is what it is. It’s unfortunate.”

The hamate bone is one of the seven small carpal bones in the wrist. The hook of the bone is the pointy protrusion that is usually broken. It can happen suddenly with a hard swing and sudden stop or stress fractures can form over time with repeated swings. The normal procedure is surgery to remove it and then immobilization.

“The recovery is different for everyone,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It doesn’t necessarily rule him out (for the rest of the season).”

Since the Yankees acquired him from the Royals at the trade deadline, Benintendi is hitting .239/.318/.381 with a .698 OPS, two home runs, eight doubles and a triple.

RIZZO RESTS

Anthony Rizzo has responded well to the epidural he received Thursday in California to help with the back pain that has been nagging him this season. The first baseman was on what the Yankees hope is his final day of rest back in New York and they expect him to start ramping him up to play again.

“That’s the hope, starting (Monday), “Boone said.

Rizzo could be doing baseball activities for the next two days and they hope to potentially have him back in the lineup on Wednesday.

Boone reiterated there is no consideration to put Rizzo on the injured list.

In the 19 games since Rizzo missed five games with the issue, he is hitting .212/.394/.691 with three home runs. Overall this season, Rizzo is hitting .225/.339/.493 with an .832 OPS and 30 home runs.

BRITTON BOUNCES BACK

In his first game appearance since he left his rehab appearance on August 27, Zack Britton pitched a 1-2-3 inning for the Tampa Tarpon Saturday night. He threw 12 pitches, nine for strikes and struck out two.

Most importantly, the veteran lefty who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, bounced back fine.

“I know after last night, yeah. He was doing well,” Boone said.

In other reliever rehab news, Scott Effross, the right-handed side armer the Yankees acquired from the Cubs, is throwing on flat ground and expected to throw a bullpen at the end of the week.

FOCUSED ON FRUSTRATION

Aaron Boone was ejected in the fifth inning of Sunday’s win, arguing a catcher’s interference call. It was Boone’s major-league leading seventh ejection and a new career high for him.

Aside from the Yankees going 4-6 on this road trip, Boone was frustrated because he had lost his challenge on an earlier call. The Yankees thought that Rays catcher Christian Bethancourt had caught a DJ LeMahieu pop up off the netting behind home plate. The replay showed he did not. When Kyle Higashioka was called for catcher’s interference, which the replay showed, Boone went out and argued with home plate umpire Vic Carapazza and was tossed.

“We ended up challenging but then obviously couldn’t challenge the non catcher’s interference. So there was some frustration there but yeah. We had a pretty good angle from the bench. I did not see it in the net, but coaches right next to me are angled.”

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