A disastrous Spring Training just got worse for the Bronx Bombers.
The New York Yankees will enter the new Major League Baseball season with a significantly depleted lineup. Long term injuries to key players like Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, and Mark Teixeira have the Yankees in an unusually vulnerable position and according to the Associated Press, their captain Derek Jeter, who is still recovering from a broken ankle, will not be ready for Opening Day.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman says injured shortstop Derek Jeter probably won’t be ready for opening day.
Cashman said Sunday it’s “more likely than not” Jeter will start the regular season on the disabled list because of ankle soreness.
Cashman says the Yankees’ captain was a little sore Sunday, one day after getting four at-bats as the designated hitter in a minor league exhibition game.
The 38-year-old Jeter received an anti-inflammatory injection Wednesday. He had surgery for a broken left ankle last October. Cashman says Jeter will not play in a minor league game for at least the next couple days.
The Yankees are in a world of hurt right now. They had an underwhelming off-season by their standards, opting not to sign any big names in free agency in an effort to stay under their payroll target of $189 million for next season. They’ll have to rely heavily on their pitching rotation for results early in the season.
The AL East is the strongest and most unforgiving division in baseball, so don’t be surprised if the Bombers are knocked out of the playoff race early, but then again don’t be surprised if their championship pedigree overcomes these obstacles.