Cashman: Rivera complication doesn’t affect 2013 return
NEW YORK – The Yankees will not elaborate on a complication found Monday after examination of Mariano Rivera’s right knee, but general manager Brian Cashman said that it is not anything that would impact the closer’s ability to pitch in the 2013 season.
“I have no comment on that, but you can certainly ask Mo about that [Wednesday] when he arrives [at Yankee Stadium],” Cashman said, adding, “It doesn’t affect next year at all. It doesn’t affect anything about next year.”
Rivera, 42, tore the anterior cruciate ligament as well as the meniscus in his right knee last Thursday at Kauffman Stadium while attempting to field a line drive in batting practice.
He was seen by team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad as well as Dr. Russell Warren and Dr. David Altchek on Monday, all of whom concurred with the diagnosis of the torn ACL and meniscus given on Thursday in Kansas City.
Rivera is expected to have season-ending surgery when the swelling on his knee dissipates, which could take two to three weeks. Cashman described Rivera as being “in good spirits,” but said that he is ruling out any return to the mound in 2012.
“All the reports I got, it’s all about next year,” Cashman said. “What he’s got is correctable. At a date yet to be scheduled, they’ll have surgery and fix it, he’ll go through the rehab process and we’ll have the player next year.”
Updated: Swisher to have MRI on left hamstring
Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher was removed from Sunday’s game against the Tigers with a tight left hamstring and will undergo a precautionary MRI.
Swisher worked a walk in the third inning against Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer and was seen grabbing at the back of his left leg. Manager Joe Girardi wasted little time sending Swisher to the clubhouse, inserting Andruw Jones as a pinch-runner.
Bullpen candidate Cabral to have X-rays, MRI
Yankees left-hander Cesar Cabral left George M. Steinbrenner Field with his arm in a sling and will have both an MRI and an X-ray performed after reporting pain in his left elbow.
Cabral, who had been a strong candidate to break camp in the club’s bullpen, pitched a scoreless sixth inning against the Phillies on Friday. He completed the frame before telling anyone of the injury.
“That’s the dangerous thing about this time of year; that’s the true danger,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “Everyone’s trying to make a team.
“It’s what you dream about as a little kid, what you do all the work for. He was in a lot of pain. He’s got two tests tomorrow, an MRI and an X-ray. It doesn’t sound great.”
Girardi said that Cabral “had a pretty good chance” of making the Yankees roster as a second left-handed reliever behind Boone Logan.
The 24-year-old had compiled a 1.59 ERA in 10 appearances spanning 11 1/3 innings, allowing 12 hits while walking two and striking out 12. The Yankees may now take Clay Rapada for that role instead.
“He’s really down and he’s concerned,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said of Cabral. “This has been a real bad day.”
- By the way, Girardi mentioned George Kontos has a blister. That completes today’s injury roundup.
Joba has surgery on dislocated ankle; could be out for season
Via MLB.com’s Adam Berry in Tampa:
TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees right-hander Joba Chamberlain underwent surgery Thursday night for an open dislocation in his right ankle, general manager Brian Cashman said Friday morning.
Chamberlain, working his way back from Tommy John surgery, was rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital on Thursday night and will remain there for “at least a number of days,” Cashman said.
Cashman was not aware of all the details of Chamberlain’s injury but described it as “very significant.” He said it occurred some time Thursday while Chamberlain was out in the Tampa area with his son and believed the incident involved Chamberlain jumping on a trampoline.
Cashman couldn’t say how long the injury will keep Chamberlain off the field. When asked if it was a career-threatening situation, Cashman replied, “I’d like to say no.”
“I feel bad because I know how much he loves this game, and I know how much he was looking forward to coming back ahead of schedule,” Cashman said. “This is just an unfortunate accident that’s clearly derailed that. What more does this mean? I don’t know.”
Yankees manager Joe Girardi visited Chamberlain in the hospital Friday morning, and Cashman said he would visit him later Friday, after Chamberlain undergoes and MRI and CT scan.
Swisher: “I don’t like coming off the field”
Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher was forced to exit Tuesday’s Grapefruit League game against the Pirates with tightness in his right groin.
The injury is on the opposite side of the groin from the tightness that had kept Swisher out of the lineup last week. Tuesday marked Swisher’s first game back in action, but he had to leave for a pinch-runner after a third-inning at-bat, legging out a run-scoring infield grounder that was ruled an error.
“It’s frustrating, man,” Swisher said. “I don’t like getting hurt, banged up and missing days, but I’d rather be missing them now than during the season.”
Swisher said that head athletic trainer Steve Donohue told him flexibility may be an issue, and he expected to make some modifications to his program in the weight room after coming into Spring Training having remodeled his body by training with football players in the Los Angeles area.
Swisher said he did not expect to be sent for an MRI on Tuesday, though he had been sent for tests after the initial groin injury. Manager Joe Girardi took no chances, immediately pulling him for pinch-runner Justin Maxwell.
“I don’t like coming off the field,” Swisher said. “It’s not my style.”
Swisher leaves with groin tightness
Nick Swisher left tonight’s game against the Pirates with tightness in his right groin. He had been out of the lineup previously with a left groin injury.
Swisher is in the trainers room receiving treatment. We’ll have reaction when he comes out.
Jeter will sit until Friday with sore calf
Derek Jeter’s sore left calf will keep him out of the Yankees lineup until Friday. Manager Joe Girardi said that if this were the regular season, Jeter would likely be playing tonight against the Pirates, but they’ll give him the extra time to rest.
This also saves Jeter two long bus rides to Port Charlotte, Fla. tomorrow (Rays) and Fort Myers, Fla. (Red Sox) on Thursday.
Nick Swisher (groin), Russell Martin (groin) and Robinson Cano (bruised left hand) are all in the lineup tonight against Pittsburgh.
Freddy Garcia (bruised right hand) threw a bullpen and everything went well, Girardi said, but it’s too soon to tell if a start on Friday is realistic. David Robertson also threw a bullpen and could be pitching live batting practice later this week.
The Yankees have sent right-handers George Kontos, D.J. Mitchell and David Phelps, plus infielder Brandon Laird, to the Minors.
Cano’s X-rays negative; Girardi says “he’ll be fine”
SARASOTA, Fla. – If there is one concern that would shatter what has largely been an encouraging spring for the Yankees thus far, it would be any sort of lingering injury for Robinson Cano.
The Yankees held their breath on Sunday when Cano was drilled in the left hand by a pitch from the Orioles’ Troy Patton, but X-rays taken were negative after Cano exited the Grapefruit League contest at Ed Smith Stadium.
“The X-rays were negative, so he’ll be fine,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who called the injury a contusion. “You worry about guys getting hit, especially in the hand – it’s so dangerous. … It’s not broken, so it’s sore.”
Girardi said that Cano was hit on the meaty part of his left hand, below the pinky finger. He was batting in the sixth inning against the left-hander Patton when he swung at a pitch that clipped his hand, ruled a strikeout by first base umpire Tim Welke.
Cano doubled over in apparent pain and was immediately seen on the field by head athletic trainer Steve Donohue. Cano made no effort to go to first base, instead led into the third-base dugout.
Cano left the stadium while New York and Baltimore completed the game, with his hand heavily iced, according to Girardi. The manager said that he does not expect Cano to have a lengthy absence from the lineup.
“We’ll see how he is Tuesday, but I don’t imagine it’ll be long,” Girardi said.
Earlier this spring, the Yankees lost infielder Eduardo Nunez for nearly two weeks of Grapefruit League games on a similar hit-by-pitch. Nunez was hit in his right hand in a March 5 exhibition against the Phillies and, despite negative results on an X-ray and CT scan, felt continued discomfort in his hand until returning to action on Saturday against the Astros.
The 29-year-old Cano batted .302 with 28 home runs, 118 RBIs in 159 games for New York last season, setting a career high in RBIs and ranking second in the Major Leagues with 81 extra-base hits.
Cano leaves game after being hit by pitch
SARASOTA, Fla. – Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano left Sunday’s Grapefruit League exhibition against the Orioles after being hit on the left hand by a pitch.
Cano was batting in the sixth inning at Ed Smith Stadium against Baltimore left-hander Troy Patton when he swung at a pitch that clipped his hand, ruled a strikeout by first base umpire Tim Welke.
Cano doubled over in apparent pain and was immediately seen on the field by head athletic trainer Steve Donohue, who helped the slugger into the third-base dugout.
The 29-year-old Cano batted .302 with 28 home runs and 118 RBIs in 159 games for New York last season, setting a career high in RBIs and ranking second in the Major Leagues with 81 extra-base hits.
Jeter, Martin scratched from Yankees lineup
TAMPA, Fla. — Derek Jeter has a sore left calf and will not play until Tuesday, manager Joe Girardi said this morning. Jeter went through a full workout yesterday but Girardi got a call as the team was returning from Viera, Fla. about the injury. Jeter has been instructed not to do anything on the field today.
The calf is not the same as the one Jeter injured last June, stalling his pursuit of the 3,000 hit milestone.
“He said it was stiff, tender,” Girardi said. “I remember what happened last year, even though that was a different calf. We’re just being cautious.”
Jeter always fights to stay in the lineup during the regular season, but Girardi said that isn’t as much the case during the spring.
“I tried to prep him before I told him that he wasn’t going to probably play until Tuesday,” Girardi said. “I said, ‘Remember what happened last year.’ I think he understands that it’s Spring Training.”
Russell Martin was also scheduled to catch seven or eight innings today against the Nationals but has soreness in his left groin. Girardi said that he wasn’t sure when Martin would catch again.
Girardi added that Nick Swisher’s left groin was feeling better, but said he would rest him at least another day as a precaution.
“We’re getting a little nicked up right now,” Girardi said.
Bryan Hoch
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