The Injury Bug Takes a Chunk

Injuries are a part of baseball; no team gets through six months and 162 games with just 25 players. But the flurry of injuries that hit the Yankees during the Grapefruit League has turned into an avalanche. Monday, two of the team's biggest bats wound up on the I-L.

Miguel Andujar's season hangs in the balance after being diagnosed with a slightly torn labrum. While the team hopes that rest followed by careful rehab puts their 3rd baseman on track to return in May, this plan does not come with a guarantee. The runner-up for the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year award worked hard over the winter and in camp to upgrade his erratic throwing and uncertain first step on defense. Then Sunday, he jammed his right shoulder sliding back into 3rd base to avoid being picked off. Now his season could be over after just three games. While the Yanks avoided getting involved in the Manny Machado derby, Brian Cashman's biggest outside free agent signing now comes into the spotlight -- DJ Lemahieu, expected to become the Bronx's counterpart of Ben Zobrist, moves into the everyday lineup.

Giancarlo Stanton is also gone for at least the first half of April after being hurt Sunday. Blame an awkward swing for a strained left bicep that puts the Miami exile on the shelf. The prognosis is not as gloomy -- but Stanton will still likely miss the Yankees first series with the Red Sox two weeks from now.

Andujar and Stanton bring more starpower to the worst place possible -- the Injury List. They join essential Yankees Luis Severino, Dellin Betances, Didi Gregorius and Aaron Hicks. Add it up: a half dozen players... say it again, A Half Dozen Players Aaron Boone was counting on are nursing significant injuries. And the season is only five days old.

Paging Marcus Welby!!!!

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