Yankees GM Cashman: 'I do wonder' if Mark Teixeira returns this season
New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Tuesday that first baseman Mark Teixeira (leg) and outfielder Brett Gardner (shoulder) have received injections for their injuries, reports MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, and that he does not know if Teixeira will be healthy enough to play again this season. Cashman also said that righthander Nathan Eovaldi, who is currently dealing with right elbow inflammation, will not pitch again in the regular season.
Teixeira, who has nerve issues in his right leg, is still on crutches and received two injections to “calm [the] nerve issues.” Cashman is unsure if he will return this year, according to Hoch. Teixeira initially sustained a bone bruise on Aug. 17 after fouling a ball off of his shin. He started at first base on Aug. 25 but was unable to play the next day; last week, he was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 27. Teixeira has hit .255 with 31 home runs and 79 RBIs in 111 games this season.
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Gardner has been dealing with a jammed shoulder after crashing into a wall to make a catch and received one injection to “calm things down.” He has hit .267 with 13 home runs in 127 games and sat out the Yankees’ series-opening win over Baltimore on Monday.
On Monday, Eovaldi was scratched from his scheduled start this weekend due to inflammation in his right elbow. According to Cashman, he will be shut down for the next two weeks before starting a two-week throwing program, which means he will miss the rest of the regular season. Cashman did not, however, rule out Eovaldi pitching in the playoffs. To replace Eovaldi in the rotation, Cashman announced that reliever Adam Warren will be stretched out to start, with reliever Bryan Mitchell as another option.
The Yankees entered Tuesday within a half game of the Blue Jays for first place in the AL East.
– Rohan Nadkarni