Paul Goldschmidts Yankees lineup return looming with Opening Day goal intact

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees from spring training TAMPA – Paul Goldschmidt was not in the Yankees lineup Friday as originally hoped, but he is still not concerned.The veteran first baseman said Friday morning he expects to return to game action on Saturday, which would be his first time in the lineup since being removed from Monday’s game after two at-bats with back soreness.“We just talked about maybe giving it another day,” Goldschmidt said before working out at Steinbrenner Field.“My back is basically 100 percent, or very, very close to it.

So we decided if I was going to play three games before Opening Day, we could just go play the weekend and then one of those next two instead of tonight and one over the weekend.So just switch it up a little bit, but nothing’s changed.

Still feels good.”The 37-year-old Goldschmidt reiterated that he has no concerns about his availability for Opening Day next Thursday and that if this were the regular season, it would not be stopping him.“I’ll be honest, spring training when there’s maybe – I wouldn’t call it an injury – something that’s a little sore, something that is weird during the regular season, your mind’s just like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna play,’” Goldschmidt said.“But when you know you’re preparing for something in the future, it is a little different trying to gauge how aggressive do you be with it.

But I think we’re taking a little bit more conservative approach. “But I also think the work I’m going to get in, maybe I didn’t play one game I maybe would have played and I was still able to get at-bats [Thursday in live batting practice].I’m going to get some today.

Just continue to build for opening day and the whole regular season.”Goldschmidt, coming off a down year with the Cardinals, has hit .313 with a 1.076 OPS in 32 at-bats this spring.Clarke Schmid...