Jacoby Ellsbury out Saturday; hopes to return before season ends

Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was not in the Yankees' starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Blue Jays, and he said before the game he hopes he can return before the end of the regular season.

Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was not in the Yankees' starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Blue Jays, and he said before the game he hopes he can return before the end of the regular season, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

The Yankees have eight games remaining this season.

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Ellsbury injured his hamstring running out a grounder in the fourth inning of Friday's 5-3 win over Toronto. He stayed in the game to run the bases, but manager Joe Girardi pulled him before the fifth inning.

An MRI on Friday night revealed a mild right hamstring strain.

"I'm going to do everything I can to be back as soon as possible, but today I'm just basically going to do as much treatment as possible to see how it responds," Ellsbury said on Saturday.

The 31-year-old, who signed a seven-year, $153 million deal with the Yankees in the offseason, is hitting .271 with 16 homers and a team-leading 70 RBIs this season. He's played 149 games, the third most in his eight-year career.

The Yankees (79-74) entered the day 4 1/2 games out of the second AL wild card.

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Jacoby Ellsbury (hamstring) said he is hopeful of returning to the lineup before the regular season ends.

— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) September 20, 2014

- Chris Mascaro