It has now been almost four full weeks since Mark Teixeira was last an everyday player for the Yankees. He fouled that pitch off his shin on August 17th, and aside from a few innings at first base on August 25th and a pinch-hitting appearance on August 26th, Teixeira has not played since. In hindsight, playing on the 25th and 26th should not have happened. But it did and there’s nothing anyone can do about it now.
The injury, specially a bone bruise in Teixeira’s shin with some associated nerve inflammation, has not improved much if at all over these last three weeks and change. Teixeira is still on crutches — he was walking around the clubhouse with just one crutch yesterday, not two, so I guess that’s progress? — and unable to put weight on his injured right leg. Right now, he remains in wait and see mode.
“I can’t walk without pain yet so that’s kind of the first step. My leg just doesn’t really work right now,” said Teixeira to reporters yesterday afternoon. He has not yet put any weight on the leg and certainly hasn’t resumed any sort of baseball activities. Teixeira is due to have tests today just as a check-up, to make sure things are progressing as they should. So far they haven’t, and that a big problem for the Yankees.
Greg Bird has stepped in at first base and been very good at times and rough at others. He’s hitting .241/.319/.458 (112 wRC+) while striking out a ton (30.9%) in 94 plate appearances, which is fine. For a rookie thrust into an everyday job in the middle of a pennant race, that’s pretty awesome. Bird’s defense has not been good, which was expected, and it’s a huge step down from Teixeira. That was inevitable. Teixeira has few peers defensively.
All things considered, Bird has stepped into a difficult situation and done a fine job. Very commendable. But he’s not Teixeira. Not even close, and the Yankees are in a much worse position now than they were with Teixeira four weeks ago. And given the lack of progress, it looks as though they’ll continue to be without Teixeira for a while. Brian Cashman recently admitted he was worried his first baseman would miss the rest of the season and unless today’s tests show substantial progress, it’s looking more and more likely Bird will be the first baseman down the stretch.
“We tried to push it the first time and knew it wasn’t ready. So we have to figure out how much healing’s occurred and when I can push it again,” added Teixeira. “In my mind, I’m playing. I’m still 100 percent (certain). I’m coming back, in my mind. That’s the way I have to go about it.”
The season ends three weeks and two days from today, which means not getting Teixeira back is becoming more and more of a reality. It’s not just a matter of getting the okay from the doctors then jumping back into the lineup. He’ll first have to shake off the rust and get his timing back before helping the Yankees in a meaningful way. It sucks, Teixeira was the team’s MVP before getting hurt, and each day that passes without much progress means they may not get him back at all this year.
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