Yankees Face Setbacks with Player Injuries
CHICAGO – The Yankees have been on a bit of a rough patch recently, and unfortunately, it’s not the good kind.
On Monday, manager Aaron Boone revealed that Cody Bellinger has a Grade 2 strain in his left hamstring, which is likely to keep him sidelined for about four to six weeks.
This news comes as another blow to a Yankees lineup already missing Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, both of whom have uncertain timelines for their returns. It certainly highlights the urgency for the team to look for reinforcements before next Monday’s trade deadline.
“We’ve really lost some key players,” Boone said, just as the clouds began to clear before the series opener against the White Sox—both literally and figuratively. “But, you know, that’s part of the game. The season doesn’t wait for anyone, and it opens doors for others to step up and grow. We genuinely believe we have talented players ready to perform well.”
“So, we just have to ride out this storm, and I’m confident we can do that,” he added.
Before Bellinger’s injury, the Yankees were struggling offensively—even when he had been finding his stride after a tough slump, he got injured while hitting a double against the Phillies on Saturday night.
There’s really no replacement for an All-Star left fielder like Bellinger, who is typically known for being a five-tool player capable in various aspects of the game.
Max Schumann was slated to start in left field for the second consecutive game on Monday, both against left-handed pitchers. In contrast, Spencer Jones is expected to take the lead in most games against right-handed pitchers, having started in center field on Monday to give Trent Grisham—who’s been out since three weeks ago with a hamstring strain—a day off.
Interestingly, Judge and Stanton are traveling with the team, though neither is close to making a return. Judge is still healing from a stress fracture in his right rib and waiting to be cleared for baseball activities. Meanwhile, Stanton is dealing with a second strain in his right calf; he’s reportedly running but progressing slowly and hasn’t reached base yet.
