Cody Bellinger misses Yankees win with back issue in latest injury concern

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.PITTSBURGH — Another new Yankee is dealing with a back issue. Cody Bellinger was out of the Yankees lineup Friday against the Pirates because of a stiff back that popped up during Thursday’s game. “Not something I want to mess with,” manager Aaron Boone said Friday afternoon before a 9-4 win at PNC Park.

“I don’t think it’s anything too big.” The outfielder felt “a little” better after Thursday’s win over the Diamondbacks, Boone said, but then after a flight and getting to the team hotel around 2:30 a.m.Friday, the Yankees decided to play it safe.

Bellinger also reported feeling “a little” better Friday morning, and Boone expected him to be available off the bench, though the Yankees did not need him. “I just felt like, ‘Let’s give it a day to try to calm it down,’ ” Boone said. Paul Goldschmidt, who joined Bellinger as the main addition to the Yankees’ lineup this season, also dealt with a back issue late in camp but took a few days off, and it has not been an issue since. With Bellinger out of the lineup, Trent Grisham was back in center field for a second straight game. In an all-too-familiar development, Scott Effross is hurt again. The reliever had a setback while rehabbing his hamstring strain, putting him in a holding pattern instead of advancing to face hitters and getting closer to being an option for the Yankees. Effross initially hurt his hamstring on his first pitch of a Feb.25 Grapefruit League game.

He had entered camp feeling good after a long road back from Tommy John and back surgeries but now is back in the trainer’s room. Adam Ottavino’s reunion with the Yankees was a short one, as the Yankees designated the veteran reliever for assignment Friday to make room for Devin Williams returning from the paternity list. Ottavino had signed with the Yankees on T...