Yankees Injury News: Mark Teixeira back on the mend

The New York Yankees lineup will once again be without Mark Teixeira, one of its key members, for at least 10-14 days as a MRI scan showed irritation in his left calf after he returned to the field this past Saturday. Teixeira more than likely did the damage while running out a soft grounder and diving into first base to try and prevent a double play. This was the annual ‘Jerry Meals Blows a Call Day‘, so the hustling effort was all for naught.

Mark Teixeira’s return was short lived as he is going to miss the next 10-14 days after re-irritating his left calf strain. (Image: Joy R. Absalon-US PRESSWIRE)

Now the Yankees, who seemed to be on the verge of getting their lineup whole again (or as complete as it can be without Brett Gardner), will have to figure out how to get through at least 9 games without Teixeira should he make it back on the short end of the time frame. The positive news is that he will not miss the remainder of the season which was a thought before the examination conducted by Yankees team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad. If Teixeira is able to get back on the field in two weeks from Monday (giving him the full 14 days) he’ll miss 12 more games. He has already missed 20 games between the calf and a wrist injury he suffered earlier in the summer.

Teixeira said felt the calf when he was playing that day, but certainly it was made worse when he busted it down the line with the game on the line. Expect the Yankees to take as much time as they can so that if they are able to reach the postseason, Teixeira is in the lineup and 100% this time.

"“I’ll just make sure that it’s better than 80%,” Teixeira said. “Again, it’s not going to be 100%, we know that. We just know that I have to make sure I can do a little more.”"

Nick Swisher will likely pick up most of the slack at first base just as he did for a better part of Teixeira’s 10 games off the field the first time Tex dealt with the calf injury. Swisher is in the middle of a 0-for-28 spell, so hopefully yesterdays off day helped him clear his head. The Yankees need the production Swisher was providing up to the point the slump began in order to offset Teixeira’s missing bat.

Pettitte getting closer to a return

Andy Pettitte threw 40-45 pitches in a simulated game on Saturday and could throw another 60 or so pitches between today and Thursday. He was scheduled to see doctors yesterday to evaluate his healing fractured fibula. Pettitte’s return is important as the Yankees rotation is arguably its weakest link at the moment with the offense looking like it may be turning the corner. The Yankees would certainly like to have Pettitte on the mound during a playoff series instead of the slew of other options beyond CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda.

Mesa to be recalled

The Yankees also announced that they will recall outfielder Melky Mesa from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before today’s game. In a total of 494 plate appearances, about 3/4 of which came at Double-A Trenton, Mesa produced a line of .264/.325/.480 with 26 doubles, 23 home runs and 67 RBI. He will provide some added depth to the Yankees bench for the remainder of the season.