Yankees Notebook: Harrison Bader out with oblique strain, Isiah Kiner-Falefa homers in win over Tigers

The injury bug has made an early appearance in the Yankees’ clubhouse.

A day after it was announced that Carlos Rodon would begin the season on the injured list due to a forearm strain, manager Aaron Boone came back to reporters on Friday with more bad news.

Harrison Bader will be out “some time,” with a strained left oblique, Aaron Boone told reporters on Friday. The center fielder was removed from Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals after feeling discomfort in the area.

[ What do the Yankees have in Harrison Bader? ]

Boone did not give a specific timeline for the 28-year-old’s return, however, he estimated a four-to-six-week recovery period as the normal timeframe for this injury.

“He’s got a great mindset — do all I need to do to get back,” Boone said Thursday. “He’s in a really good frame of mind. That’s just who he is…

“[Bader] is one of the game’s great defenders out in center field. Obviously, he brings an athleticism on the offensive side. We all saw what he did in the postseason with the bat. He’s a big part of our team. Even though this may delay that a little bit, he’s still going to be a huge part of the team this year on a long-term basis. We’re confident of that, too.”

The gold glove center fielder came over to the Bronx last season in a trade deadline with the Cardinals in exchange for Jordan Montgomery. The 28-year-old arrived in a walking boot as he was in the midst of his recovery from plantar fasciitis and didn’t make his club debut until Sept. 20 as Aaron Judge filled the void in center field for 78 games during his MVP 2022 season. Judge is a candidate to answer the call again.

“[Judge] could be [a candidate], depending on how long it is, and maybe not even how long it is,” Boone said. “But if it makes the most sense to move him over there on a short-term basis, I would say that’s at least possible.”

It hasn’t been an ideal few days on the injury front for the Bombers.

The incumbent in the Yankees’ shortstop competition broke out on Friday afternoon in the clubs’ 4-3 Grapefruit League victory. Isiah Kiner-Falefa homered 392 feet to right field during his 2-for-3 afternoon.

The 27-year-old also had a change of scenery as he was playing second base for the first time this spring as the Yanks continue to test their infielders’ versatility with Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe playing second base as well at different points this spring.

[ Yankees can’t afford to hope Isiah Kiner-Falefa magically gets better ]

Kiner-Falefa had gotten off to a slow start in the battle to keep his job as his overall numbers on the spring — 3-for-14 (.214) — have been underwhelming.

Volpe has been the leader in the statistical clubhouse as the 21-year-old has went 6-for-20 (.300) with a homer, two doubles and three stolen bases. Peraza is 3-for-12 (.250) including a double in Thursday’s game against the Red Sox.

[ Aaron Judge praises top prospect Anthony Volpe: ‘If you’re the best player…you should be up helping the New York Yankees’ ]

The Bombers will have a split-squad day on Saturday with two 1:05 p.m. starts. The club will take on the Phillies at George M Steinbrenner Field and send another group to LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla. to face off against the Pirates.