Ellsbury To Return No Earlier Than Friday

Mar 2, 2014; Dunedin, FL, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (22) runs to first base during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Florida Auto Exchange Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

One of the primary concerns Yankee fans had when the team handed free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury a 7-year, $153 million dollar contract was his ability to remain healthy over the life of the contract. Perhaps some eyebrows are already being raised, as Ellsbury sat out again Tuesday against his former Boston Red Sox teammates with a slight injury to his right calf.

Ellsbury suffered the injury Saturday, but has been unclear with the media or the team exactly how he injury the leg. While it was expected that he would only be out a couple of days, manager Joe Girardi doesn’t want to take any chances with his center fielder:

"The one thing is, you want to make sure guys are completely healthy before they come back, so I don’t really have a day. He felt something in his calf and I think everyone involved thinks the best thing is to be cautious and make sure that it’s healed."

Ellsbury hasn’t been completely shut down, as he made niceties with several of his former Red Sox teammates prior to the two team’s matchup on Tuesday, he took batting practice in an indoor cage before the start of the game, one in which the Yankees easily handled their rivals 8-1. Ellsbury has been hesitant to discuss the injury, stating: “Walking around, I feel fine. … We just want it 100 percent.”

Prior to being allowed back into game action, Ellsbury will have to be able to run and hit pain-free, and then wait and see for a couple of days to avoid any type of set backs. Girardi and the Yankees do not want this injury to linger, especially with the start of the regular season less than two weeks away. If all goes according to plan, Girardi would like Ellsbury to rest continue resting the injured calf while the team is on the road the next two days, and perhaps have him return to the lineup on Friday when the team comes home to host the Pittsburgh Pirates.