Yankees injury bug bites Giancarlo Stanton; placed on IL

The start of the 2019 season hasn’t been very kind to the Yankees. Losing two out of three games to the Orioles culminated in Giancarlo Stanton hitting the 10-day injured list with a left biceps strain.

Losing the first series of the regular season to the Orioles, a team that won 47 games in 2018 and will struggle to win many more this year is bad enough. But having to place Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton on the 10-day IL with a left biceps strain after only three games stings.

With that, the Yanks announced Clint Frazier will take Stanton’s place on the 25-man roster.

Despite the injury, Stanton played all nine innings in Sunday’s loss, going 0-for-2 with three walks and two strikeouts. Stanton was 2-for-8 with seven free passes on the young season (.600 OBP).

With pitchers Luis Severino, C.C. Sabathia, Dellin Betances, Jordan Montgomery — infielder Didi Gregorius, and outfielders Aaron Hicks, Jacoby Ellsbury and now Stanton all on the shelf, the Yankees depth and fortitude will be put to the test, much earlier than anyone could have expected.

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Although career minor leaguer Mike Tauchman broke camp with the big league team, Stanton’s absence opens up a spot for Frazier, who struggled mightily during Spring Training: .143/.228/.245 with three doubles, eight RBIs and 15 strikeouts in 45 at-bats.

Though no one seems to know how or when Stanton sustained the injury, it’ll be interesting to see how long the former MVP is out of action — and how cautious the club will be with an injury that can often linger if not carefully monitored.

Stanton, who avoided the disabled list, aka injured list over the past two seasons, has never before dealt with a bicep injury during his 10-year major league career.

As for what Aaron Boone’s Yankee lineup could potentially look like for at least the next 10 days:

1. CF: Brett Gardner
2. RF: Aaron Judge
3. C: Gary Sanchez
4. DH: Luke Voit
5. 1B: Greg Bird
6. 3B: Miguel Andujar
7. 2B: Gleyber Torres
8. SS: Troy Tulowitzki
9. LF: Clint Frazier