Every spring training injuries mount for the Yankees, and the 2024 off-season has been no different. With Gerrit Cole already expected to miss several months, the Yankees are also dealing with injuries in the infield, notably to DJ LeMahieu, who will start the year on the injured list.
Yankees Pick Up Another Injury
On Monday, Yankees depth outfielder Oscar Gonzalez fouled a ball off his face, leading to an orbital fracture and sending him to the hospital down in Mexico. The Yankees had previously announced that Gonzalez was treated for a right eye contusion, but further testing indicated a fracture, so Gonzalez will be out for the next few months.
After being jammed inside, the ball bounced off the handle of the bat, flying right into Gonzalez’s face, an unfortunate result and another disappointing injury.
This spring, the 26-year-old had played 20 games, hitting an impressive .326/.367/.522, including one homer and seven RBIs, with a 136 wRC+.
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Having previously featured with the Cleveland Guardians over the past few seasons, Gonzalez has some value. With two minor league options, the Yankees will likely stash him in Triple-A.
Manager Aaron Boone had previously announced that Gonzalez was being sent down to the minors and didn’t make the active roster, which was expected given the reinforcements the team brought in this off-season to support the outfield.