TORONTO _ The Yankees, already running low on outfielders, lost another one Saturday afternoon.
And maybe a relief pitcher, too.
Rookie left fielder Billy McKinney, called up Friday to replace the injured Aaron Hicks, injured his left shoulder while crashing into the wall Saturday as he tried to chase down a first-inning drive by Josh Donaldson.
And so it was another injury _ not Tyler Austin's two monstrous homers and not even a horrendous eighth inning by Dellin Betances _ that took news-of-the-day status in a 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays that handed the Yankees their first loss of the season.
Betances allowed a leadoff homer in the eighth by former Yankees infielder Yangervis Solarte and then saw Kevin Pillar steal second, third and home in the inning as Toronto broke a 3-3 tie. By then, though, the Yankees had lost at least one player and possibly two.
Though X-rays were negative, McKinney was diagnosed with a left shoulder AC sprain, making a stint on the disabled list likely. And as if the Yankees needed more bad news in that department, right-hander Adam Warren was knocked from the game in the sixth when he took a comebacker off his right ankle area.
If McKinney and Warren go on the DL, they will join outfielders Hicks (right intercostal muscle strain), Jacoby Ellsbury (right oblique strain) and Clint Frazier (concussion) along with first baseman Greg Bird (right ankle surgery).
Ellsbury, rehabbing in Tampa, is not eligible to come off the DL until Thursday, and it's not a certainty that he'll be ready then. The Yankees have no more outfielders remaining on their 40-man roster. Among those on the 25-man roster with outfield experience are Tyler Wade, Brandon Drury, Tyler Austin and Ronald Torreyes.
The dearth of centerfielders prompted Aaron Boone to give Aaron Judge his first major-league start in center on Saturday. He wanted to give Brett Gardner a day off, but that lasted less than an inning.
After CC Sabathia retired Steve Pearce to start the bottom of the first, Donaldson launched a 2-and-1 fastball to left-center. McKinney, raced back and jumped, leaning with the left side of his body, toward the wall. The left side of his head and left shoulder appeared to hit the wall, and the rookie crumpled to the ground as Donaldson pulled into second with a double.
Boone and trainer Steve Donohue checked on McKinney, who had staggered to one knee, and left him in the game. But after Justin Smoak's RBI single to left a batter later, Boone pulled McKinney, replacing him with Gardner. Judge stayed in center, where he had no issues.
Sabathia allowed two runs (one earned) and five hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out four.
Austin's two-run homer into the second deck in left tied it at 2 in the
fifth.
After Warren walked Pillar with one out in the sixth, Aledmys Diaz smashed a comebacker off the pitcher's right ankle area. Although he was smiling when Boone and Donohue talked to him, Warren left the game and was replaced by righty Jonathan Holder, and Luke Maile's RBI single made it 3-2.
But Austin took it to Jays starter Marco Estrada again, hitting another drive into the second deck in left with two outs in the seventh to tie it at 3-3.
Betances, who pitched a scoreless seventh, then saw things blow up in the eighth. Solarte torched a 97-mph fastball into the second deck in center to make it 4-3 and Pillar singled with one out. Pillar stole second with two outs, and after Maile walked, they pulled a double steal to put runners on second and third. When Betances didn't look at him, Pillar broke for home. Betances stepped off the rubber and fired home, but his uncatchable throw went to the backstop, making it 5-3.
Roberto Osuna pitched a scoreless bottom half for the save.
