Last year, the New York Yankees experienced the highest number of injuries to the most players in recent baseball history. Thirty-nine injuries to 30 separate players during the season. This year, in a season that is roughly one third as long, the Yankees have already had a long list of injuries totaling nearly a dozen players, a rate that is actually higher than last season.
Enter the COVID-19 virus. Compared to many MLB teams, the New York Yankees have been nearly untouched by the horrid virus. At the start of summer camp, DJ LeMahieu and Louis Cessa reported to camp late due to positive tests for the virus, they had mild cases and were back with the team before the start of the regular season.
As the season started Yankee closer Aroldis Chapman tested positive. He was away from the team for three weeks. In his absence setup man, the previous Baltimore Oriole closer, Zack Britton did an excellent job, saving all eight of his opportunities, making the loss of Chapman not impactful for the Yankees. But now Britton is injured.
It should be made clear that the Yankees do not have any active cases of the COVID-19 virus. Nevertheless, they are impacted by it. The New York Mets last week had one player and a staff member test positive for the virus. While awaiting additional tests the Yankees Mets subway series, this weekend was postponed. MLB uses the term postponed, but with half of the season nearly completed, the operative word is canceled, as it is doubtful that these games will be made up, in a season that is mandated to end by September 27.
Getting back to the injuries, the New York Yankees started out the season with James Paxton having back surgery, which was supposed to cause him to miss the first several months of the season. Aaron Judge showed up at spring training in Tampa with a fractured rib and collapsed lung, which took weeks to diagnose correctly. He too might have missed one or two months. Luis Severino had elbow problems that caused him to have Tommy John surgery and was slated to miss the entire season.
Add to those injuries, Giancarlo Stanton had a cranky calf injury and Gary Sanchez had a sore back. Then the full impact of the coronavirus was realized, and MLB shut down spring training for all MLB teams to prevent the spread of the virus. In a short cited stroke of good luck, it did allow the injured players to get healthy and be able to start the imposed 60 games shortened season, with the exception Luis Severino.
The first few weeks of the season, health-wise things went pretty well for the Yankees and their new health staff. If you recall the New York Yankees cleaned house and replaced nearly everyone in the health department, to prevent a reoccurrence of the 2019 health debacle. Then the injuries started to show up. In the third week of the season, Giancarlo Stanton got a grade one calf strain running the bases at Tropicana Field. After the return to Yankee Stadium slugger, Aaron Judge developed a calf strain that he seemed to attribute to the Tropicana field as well.
Then it started, the Yankee players seemed to have new injuries almost daily, that brings us to the present when manager Aaron Boone has to adjust the pitching rotation and lineup on a daily basis just to complete a game.
After spending dearly, the Yankees in the offseason went after the biggest prize in baseball, a pitcher that could take them to their 28th World Championship. They spent $324 million over nine years to bring Gerrit Cole into the Yankee fold. With his acquisition, the Yankees supposedly had the most powerful starting rotation in baseball. Then the loss of Luis Severino happened. But even with that loss, they were still in good shape.
Although not on the IL, late in summer camp, Masahiro Tanaka was hit in the head by a comebacker and went under concussion protocol. After four starts he has yet to go deep into any game. He is 0-1 with an elevated ERA of 4.60, and only 13 strikeouts in 4 games started. This leaves Tanaka, suspect, for some type of lingering injury.
In another speculative problem is J.A. Happ, who went 7-0 in the second half of 2018, he doesn’t seem to be able to get out of his own way. He in only three games has an ERA of 6.39, able to only get six strikeouts in three games. Something is obviously wrong here. He has had a skull fracture, left arm inflammation, and bicep problems in the past. One has to wonder if something is wrong, causing his pitching prowess to completely collapse. It should also be mentioned that James Paxton’s pitching velocity is down several miles per hour from last season. It is most likely due to his offseason back surgery.
Here’s a look at the present injury woes for the Yankees:
Luis Severino: Tommy John surgery, out for the season.
Giancarlo Stanton: Grade one hamstring injury, probable return 2-3 weeks.
Aaron Judge: Grade one calf strain, should be back with the team early next week.
Tommy Kahnle: One of the most important cogs in the bullpen, Tommy John surgery, out until next summer.
DJ LeMahieu: DJ is the Yankee’s most prolific hitter, bruised thumb, not expected to return for two weeks.
Zack Britton: The Yankees setup man, received a hamstring injury in a game against the Rays and put on the 10 IL. Hamstring injuries usually take more than 10 days to heal.
Gleyber Torres: The Yankees only shortstop Gleyber Torres, hamstring and quad injuries, out several for several weeks.
James Paxton: Already suffering from reduced velocity, now diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain of the left forearm flexor that will keep him from starting for at least two weeks.
Luis Avilan: Important reliever, shoulder inflammation, now on 10 IL, maybe much longer.
Kyle Higashioka:Â Primary backup catcher, oblique strain, return unknown.
The catching situation has been exacerbated by the recent retirement of Chis Iannetta. Chris was to be sent down, but the 37-year-old decided to take retirement instead. Now with Higgy on the IL that leaves only Erik Kratz as a backup catcher. With primary catcher Gary Sanchez and his injury history, the Yankees will most likely have to make a move to get another backup catcher.
All of these injuries are more problematic than last season, for there are only less than five weeks left to the season. If the New York Yankees are going to be in the postseason this year, these players must be healthy. And yet there may be more injuries forthcoming. The Yankees may have to be active in the next nine days, before the trade deadline to strengthen pitching, both starting and the bullpen (Ottavino completely ineffective). They also need help at short and for a backup catcher.