New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez was removed from Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays with left oblique stiffness. It is uncertain when he will return to action.
Continue for updates.
Rodriguez Out vs. Rangers
Monday, April 25
Marly Rivera of ESPN reported that Rodriguez will not be in the lineup against Texas on Monday.
Rodriguez Undergoes MRI
Sunday, April 24
Daniel Popper of the New York Daily News reported that the results of Rodriguez’s MRI came back negative.
Girardi Comments on Rodriguez’s Injury
Sunday, April 24
“Yeah, I worry,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters. “Hopefully whatever it is is really, really minor.”
Rodriguez Bounced Back in 2015 After Suspension
After missing the 2014 season because of a performance-enhancing drug suspension, Rodriguez wielded impressive power in his return to the Bronx. The 40-year-old posted a slash line of .250/.356/.486 while driving in 86 runs and slamming 33 home runs.
When he bashed his 30th home run on Sept. 8 of last season, A-Rod tied Hank Aaron for the most seasons (15) in MLB history with at least 30 dingers.
This season, however, Rodriguez has gotten off to a slow start and is batting .145 with two home runs and six RBI.
And while that production may not justify the $21 million he will earn in 2016 and 2017 before one of the most infamous contracts in baseball history expires, he’s proved to be serviceable in several other ways.
“He is a veteran presence in the clubhouse that likes to take the new players and young players under his wing,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on the Baseball Tonight podcast, per NJ Advance Media’s Joe Giglio. “He’s really an extra coach. He helped speed up the adjustment process of guys adjusting to New York. He’s impactful in that way.”
The Yankees offense could suffer without Rodriguez, but a lineup with table-setters Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner and power bats like Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann and Mark Teixeira is already struggling. New York entered Sunday ranked 17th in the majors with 4.06 runs per game after it finished second last season with 4.72 runs per contest.
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