Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
It's every manager's worst nightmare: Early in spring training, one of your every-day players (or starting pitchers) gets seriously injured in an utterly meaningless exhibition game. And that's exactly what happened Sunday afternoon when, in the very first inning of the New York Yankees' first home spring-training game, Toronto's J.A. Happ hit Yankees left fielder Curtis Granderson with a fastball. Granderson left the game immediately, and X-rays later revealed a fractured forearm and Granderson's expected to be out of action for 10 weeks. That is, he isn't expected back in the lineup until sometime in May.
There was already a competition in the Yankees' camp for the fourth-outfielder slot, but that might now turn into a competition for regular left-field duties, featuring Matt Diaz, Juan Rivera, and Jayson Nix. Unfortunately, all three bat right-handed. Same for Eduardo Nuñez, who was supposed to be working as Derek Jeter's backup this spring, but might now be pressed into outfield chores. What the Yankees could really use right now is a left-handed-hitting outfielder. But they just don't have anybody on the 40-man roster who's ready for the majors.
For more about this and everything else Yankees, please visit SB Nation's Pinstriped Bible.


There are 4 Comments. Load Now.
Shortcuts to mastering the comment thread. Use wisely.
C - Next Comment
X - Mark as Read
R - Reply
Z - Mark Read & Next
Shift + C - Previous
Shift + A - Mark All Read
Comment Settings
Live comment alert: Hide it!
Comments for this post are closed.