Rob Grabowski
After a long grueling road trip in which the New York Yankees went 4-6, the Yanks are heading back to New York to face the Los Angeles Dodgers. The road trip started out well, taking three out of four from the Seattle Mariners, but things went downhill from there. The Yanks proceeded to get swept by the Oakland Athletics and losing two out of three to the Los Angeles Angels.
Worse, the two Yankees who came back from the disabled list most recently, Kevin Youkilis and Mark Teixeira, could be headed back onto the DL. Youkilis reinjured his back, putting him on the 15-day DL, and Yankees GM Brian Cashman said the team cannot count on his return. “Back issues usually don’t get better. They can, but they’re debilitating and hard to get a handle on. It’s definitely a concern. As of right now, I’m not planning on him returning until they tell me I can plan on him,” Cashman said Monday.
Cashman also said he is thinking about putting Teixeira on the 15-day DL, but has not made a final decision as of yet. Tex will not be able to play in the coming week after getting a cortisone shot in his inflamed right wrist. Tex got an MRI on his wrist but it came back negative. He just didn’t feel like his swing had enough oomph after the injury took place.
As the Dodgers come into town and these two players not being available, no matter how much they were struggling, and they absolutely were. Their presence will still be missed. Players like Lyle Overbay and Jayson Nix will have to step up in their absence to try and push runs across the plate as the Yankees return home.
