Yankees’ Andrew Benintendi ‘still open-minded’ about geting vaccinated

ST. LOUIS — Andrew Benintendi said his vaccination status has not changed since his trade to the Yankees.

“I’m still open-minded about it,” Benintendi, who has still not been vaccinated against COVID-19, said Saturday at Busch Stadium before the Yankees’ 1-0 loss to the Cardinals.

The Yankees acquired Benintendi last month with “eyes wide open” about the outfielder not having gotten the vaccine, general manager Brian Cashman said after the trade deadline.

The team remains optimistic Benintendi will get vaccinated in time to join the team for a series in Toronto from Sept. 26-28. In order for that to happen, he’ll have to be fully vaccinated two weeks before the trip.

Benintendi is just 2-for-25 as a Yankee after he popped out as a pinch-hitter for Tim Locastro with the tying run on base in the eighth inning Saturday.

Anthony Rizzo missed a second straight game with lower back tightness, although the first baseman said there was some improvement.

“It feels a lot better,’’ Rizzo said.

Rizzo added he thinks it’s unlikely he will play Sunday after he felt a grab in his back prior to the game Friday night.

Rizzo missed four games last month because of a similar issue and has said he has been dealing with back spasms throughout his career.

Manager Aaron Boone said Saturday he doesn’t expect Rizzo to be out for four games this time, but also didn’t rule it out.

Another concern is the fact that though Rizzo said last month he typically deals with this issue once a season, it has occurred twice in a month.

“Whenever it happens it’s always a concern,’’ Rizzo said. “It’s frustrating not playing, but just let it run its course … and do what I need to do to get it better.”

After the loss Saturday, Boone said Frankie Montas had arrived in St. Louis. The right-hander is scheduled to make his Yankees debut Sunday against the Cardinals. Montas, after his acquisition from the Athletics, was placed on the bereavement list due to the death of his wife’s mother.

Montas has been throwing at home in Arizona, but Boone acknowledged it was odd to not have laid eyes on a starter so close to his first start.

“We’ll get [Jose] Trevino with him and do what we’ve got to do,” Boone said. “We’re in as good a spot as we can without having him here.”

Boone added Montas, who will be making his third start since returning from a shoulder issue, isn’t fully built up. And since he hasn’t pitched since July 26, Boone said he wouldn’t let his pitch count get as high as it was in his final outing with Oakland, when he threw 78 pitches.

Ron Marinaccio, who pitched two-thirds of an inning Saturday, was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room for Montas on the roster.

Joe Torre was introduced before the game and got an ovation from the crowd. The Cardinals held Joe Torre bobblehead night during the Yankees’ first visit to St. Louis since 2014.

Giancarlo Stanton is jogging and taking swings in his comeback from ankle tendinitis. After hinting Stanton may be back at some point during the series in Boston next weekend, Boone said there was no definitive timeline for his return from the injured list.

After saying Aroldis Chapman would have pitched the ninth inning of the game Friday night if the Yankees had kept their one-run lead, Boone said he envisioned several relievers having the ability to close, along with Clay Holmes, who has faltered lately. Chapman pitched the ninth inning Saturday without incident.

Lou Trivino, picked up along with Montas from Oakland last week, is also in the conversation, given his experience in the role. But Boone said he didn’t want to rush him into the situation.