February 24, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson (14) reacts after he was hit in the fore arm by a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The Red Sox and their fans know this song chapter and verse. Boston set a record last year for the most cumulative days on the DL of any team in MLB history (1,774). It was devastating and persistent. Injuries didn’t make the difference in Boston’s disastrous season by they certainly didn’t help.
Today the New York Yankees learned to sing that ugly tune. Curtis Granderson was drilled by a pitch from Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ while batting in the bottom of the first inning. The injury was initially diagnosed as a bruised forearm. X-Rays taken after Granderson was pulled from the game revealed the fracture, which Yankees team doctor Daniel Murphy estimated will keep Granderson out of the lineup for the next 10 weeks.
The Yankees were experimenting this spring with a platoon situation between Granderson and right fielder Brett Gardner, who will likely move to center field full time with Granderson on the DL into the early weeks of the regular season. Like the Red Sox, the Yanks are a bit thin in the outfield. With Granderson out non-roster invitees Matt Diaz and Juan Rivera will certainly get more playing time as Gardner moves to center field.