Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira will not return this season after tests showed that he has a fracture in his right shin, GM Brian Cashman told reporters including Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). It’s expected that he’ll require three months to recover, Jack Curry of the YES Network adds on Twitter, meaning that he should be ready to go for the spring.
The loss of the 35-year-old puts a dent in New York’s efforts to keep pace with the Blue Jays in the AL East. He had rebounded from two straight marginal seasons with an excellent .255/.357/.548 batting line and 31 home runs in 462 plate appearances. The switch hitter has been out since fouling a ball off of his shin on August 17th, but it seems the significance of the injury was only just detected.
Replacing that level of production is nearly impossible, of course, but 22-year-old Greg Bird has been solid in his first 94 big league plate appearances. Bird, who hits from the left side, owns a .241/.319/.458 slash with five long balls. He has been relied upon heavily in Teixeira’s absence, appearing in every single game since the veteran went down.
While Bird figures to hold down the position in the long run, assuming he can build upon a promising start to his major league career, the Yanks will no doubt give Teixeira every opportunity to retake the position next spring. Next year will be the last of the eight-year, $180MM deal he signed before the 2009 season. New York owes him $22.5MM for the 2016 campaign. Both players could conceivably share time in the field, with the other taking swings from the DH slot, though veterans Carlos Beltran and (especially) Alex Rodriguez factor heavily in that role.
Sad to hear, he’s really struggled with his health in recent years and looked to be a lock for AL comeback player of the year.
Imainge Arod gets comeback player of the year. Now that’d be a travesty. Hopefully they give it to Fielder
Why? He has better numbers than Fielder.
Why, because of PED’s? Bet you weren’t complaining when David Ortiz got the WS MVP in 2013
What a self-serving and inaccurate comparison. ARod is a multiple-time PED offender, and made history as the only player to be suspended for an entire season. Meanwhile, Ortiz has never been suspended for PEDs for a single game, and the only claim a detractor can make is that a list known to contain false positives contained his name over a decade ago. Nice try though. ARod is in a league of all his own.
“Ortiz has never been suspended for PEDs for a single game,”
Oh, okay. No suspension = innocence. Bonds, Clemens, McGwire, and pretty much everyone else, will disagree with that.
There is No evidence that Ortiz’s test was a false positive. It is still Unknown what he tested for. Was it steroids or something illegal. Maybe, maybe not.
I do agree A-Rod is in a league of his own and I am not comparing the 2. But my point still stands.
Not sure what Ortiz has to do with Arod. As previously stated it is a very poor comparison. You are going to put guys like Bagwell and Piazza on the same level as Arod too? Behind Bonds and McGwire, Arod is the face of steroids. I have no idea how anyone can actually root for Arod, in my eyes hes the most arrogant and least likable athlete in any sport. I went to Yankee stadium earlier in the season and he received standing ovations from fans which I thought was disgusting but hey the Giants fans did the same thing for Bonds years ago. Also Fielder overcame an actual injury not a suspension for breaking the rules. The only numbers Arod has that are better than Fielder’s are homeruns and power related stats like SLG and OPS.
“Not sure what Ortiz has to do with Arod.”
Well, I heard they are good friends
“You are going to put guys like Bagwell and Piazza on the same level as Arod too? ”
Nope, they never failed any test at all.
“Behind Bonds and McGwire, Arod is the face of steroids”
You’re probably correct, along maybe with Clemens, Manny, etc.
If I may ask, is Brewer fans cheering for Braun (and yes, they do) just as shocking or disturbing to you as Yankee fans cheering A-Rod?
And Both where on the Juice ! Bagwell went from 184 lbs 14 /15 Home Runs Guy to 218 lbs and 47 HRs. Pizza is even a Bigger Disgrace, 62nd Round Player to One Greatest Hitting Catchers. You have Better odds of wining the New York Lottery than what this Cheater did and got away with,. Both Made Millions off of Cheating and Poor Guys like Shoeless Joe Jackson get banned for Life from Baseball for cheating in Seven Games.
Got to Love this Place America, Land of Hypocrisy and Greed !
“Pizza is even a Bigger Disgrace, 62nd Round Player to One Greatest Hitting Catchers. You have Better odds of wining the New York Lottery than what this Cheater did and got away with,.”
While it’s true that Piazza was selected in the 62nd round, the narrative that he came out of nowhere and that scouts didn’t see his potential is just not true:
http://www.amazinavenue.com/2014/1/9/5290422/mets-mike-piazza-steroids-hall-of-fame-backne
When will Yankees fans realize that nobody else in the league is going to offer any kind of praise to that lying cheat?
Nowhere did I say he should be praised
True, Ortiz , Big liar and Cheat too !
This undoubtedly sucks, there’s no getting around that. What makes it more troubling is that the fracture was missed in the first place and he actually went back out there for a game. The swelling must have been pretty bad for it to not have been concluded to be the result in the first place, but it happens I guess. Luckily enough, Bird has been as good as the team could have hoped to this point. He won’t match Tex’s production, especially defensively, but he’s done well enough and he gets a real shot to show what he can do in meaningful baseball.
Bummer for the Yankees, Teixeira was having a great season. Yankees look smart now not making a big trade. Greg Bird has been doing great.
He looks like Jared from Subway, so its probably a good thing he’s out of the limelight for awhile.
I don’t think they look alike at all. Maybe that’s just me though.
I’ve always like him. Too bad he’s built cheap.