Yankees Greg Bird Expected to Miss the Entire Season

REPORT: Yankees rookie Gregory Bird expected to miss the entire season following shoulder surgery

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Yankees first base prospect Gregory Bird is expected to miss the entire 2016 season following shoulder surgery, which he’s scheduled to undergo tomorrow morning.

The 23-year old originally hurt his right shoulder last May while playing in the minors, and he felt the discomfort reoccur again this offseason. He was later diagnosed with a torn labrum.

Last season he over exceeding expectations when he slashed .261/.343/.529 with an .871 OPS and hit 11 home runs and 31 RBI for the Yankees in 157-at bats while filling in for the injured Mark Teixeira.

Even though Bird was projected to start the season down in the minors, this is devastating news for the New York Yankees. Not only was Gregory Bird first in line should the injury-prone Teixeira go down, but this also puts a dent in his major league ETA.

Bird was supposed to takeover the reigns as the every-day Yankees first baseman in 2017 when Teixeira’s contract is finally off the books. Now this untimely injury will likely push him back a year, which will leave the Yankees scrambling for a first baseman next off-season.

Also, a torn labrum creates grounds for medical complications that could further setback Bird’s rehabilitation as well as his future as a major leaguer.

This is probably the worst possible news the Yankees can receive as they are just weeks away from starting Spring Training.