WATCH: Why Yankees’ Didi Gregorius is back sooner than expected

Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius (torn right wrist cartilage) returned to the lineup sooner than expected for Friday’s game against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.

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BOSTON — Yankees manager Aaron Boone and head trainer Steve Donohue huddled together on the flight from Tampa Bay to here Thursday night.

The subject: Didi Gregorius. The verdict: He was healthy enough to play.

So, Boon put him in the lineup for Friday against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, the start of their final series of the year.

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Gregorius had been nursing torn right wrist cartilage he suffered sliding home in an extra-innings win over the Orioles on Saturday.

A cortisone shot, rest, and some workouts later, the 28-year-old shortstop was ready to go, Boone said.

“Because we felt from the start it was very much up in the air, the original diagnosis. Once he got the cortisone shot — don’t quote me on 50-50 — but you knew it wasn’t certain. To see how he responded right away, the first day, the second day … I think obviously you guys felt all the optimism, certainly from Didi, from us, and how he was responding. I knew it was going well, but I just wanted to make sure that we weren’t getting ahead of ourselves.

“I knew Wednesday was an important day in seeing the doctor and letting it go swing-wise, he was able to do that, bounces back Thursday, looked great on the field, his groundballs, his throwing, the way the ball is coming off the bat and all that. Talking to Didi, how he was feeling, we knew it was time. Just still kind of holding our breath as we got to that point.”

With Gregorius back, the Yankees were able to field what looked very much like the lineup they will likely use for the American League Wild Card Game against the A’s next Wednesday.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.