As reported here last week, Mark Teixeira has had a setback in his recovery from the wrist tendon sheath injury he suffered at the World Baseball Classic. Today we have learned just how large that setback is, as the Yankees have lost their starting first baseman for the remainder of the season, as Teixeira will need to have surgery done on his wrist.
The Yankees released the following statement:
“After a recent MRI with dye contrast was performed on Mark Teixeira’s right wrist, New York Yankees Team Physician, Dr. Christopher Ahmad, along with Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser and two other New York-based hand specialists (Dr. Michelle Carlson from the Hospital for Special Surgery and Dr. Keith Raskin from NYU) confirmed that the sheath has not adequately healed. Surgery has been recommended to repair the tear on the tendon sheath of his wrist.”
Teixeira had only 63 plate appearances for the Yankees this season. In 15 games Teixeira hit just .151 with a .609 OPS; soreness in his wrist led to him being put back on the shelf and these further tests. With a contract at $22.5 million per season that works out to $280,000 per ineffective plate appearance for the 33-year-old Teixeira.
The injury is said to be similar to the one that cost Jose Bautista most of the second half of the 2012 MLB season.
With Kevin Youkilis, Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter, and Alex Rodriguez also still on the shelf, and Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay unable to keep up their hot starts, don’t be surprised to see the Yankees explore trade options for Teixeira’s replacement in the lineup.
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