Latest sign banged-up Yankees are getting a bit desperate

Yankees manager Aaron Boone did something he’d rather not in order to deal with an injury and to give a key player rest for Saturday’s game against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium.

NEW YORK — A day after the double-whammy of neck pain and illness kept him out of action, Neil Walker was set to start in right field for the first time in his career, in the latest sign of how desperate things are getting for the banged-up Yankees.

“We kind of have a need right now and we need to be able to move guys around,” manager Aaron Boone told reporters before a game with the Rangers at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

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Walker was sent to right field, where he’s played twice this season, because the Yankees’ outfield battered and weary.

Regular right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, battling left leg tightness, was slated to start his seventh of 11 games at designated hitter.

Boone wanted to keep Stanton off his feet but in the lineup. He also wanted to give an off day to center fielder Aaron Hicks, who had started 16 straight games, including both ends of a July 28 doubleheader.

So that meant dropping the light-hitting Shane Robinson in center field. Brett Gardner was to go to his customary left field.

The Yankees are seriously banged up, particularly in the outfield.

Aaron Judge (fractured wrist) isn’t expected back for at least a couple of weeks. Clint Frazier continues to suffer from post-concussion symptoms and migraines at the team’s training facility in Tampa. They traded away Billy McKinney to the Blue Jays at the trade deadline.

The Yankees also have slugging catcher Gary Sanchez (groin strain) on the disabled list.

As for Walker, who’s hitting .333 with four homers in his last 21 games, Boone said the team would keep an eye on his neck.

“We’ll have to just keep monitoring,” Boone said. “Talking with him this morning on his way in, felt like he was better, and getting his work today. We’ll keep monitoring for a couple hours but hoping he should be OK.”

“But that’s part of it. You’re going to go through spots in the season where it’s tough and it’s a little difficult and you’re banged up a little bit and that’s part of 162. It usually inevitable that you face a little bit of adversity in that way. Fortunately, our guys have some versatility and need to show off the versatility.”

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