Yankees injury update: Pitcher’s arm injury raises alarm, 2 forced to IL

LOS ANGELES —The Yankees entered Saturday’s game against the Dodgers in the midst of a road trip that had produced mixed results thus far. With two wins and two losses, the team had reached the two-thirds mark of their journey. Additionally, they welcomed back three players from the injured list and made three new additions to their roster.

Unfortunately, Friday’s game proved to be a challenging night for the Yankees. They suffered a defeat, losing 8-4 at Dodger Stadium, and also had two more players succumb to injuries. After the game, it was discovered that center fielder Greg Allen had suffered a hip injury. The following day, Allen was experiencing significant soreness, leading to his placement on the 10-day injured list.

In addition to Allen’s injury, the Yankees encountered another injury during Friday’s game at Dodger Stadium. Reliever Ryan Weber had to cut short his appearance due to a forearm/elbow problem. The severity of Weber’s injury is uncertain but it is potentially a serious issue.

Weber expressed his concern about his injury, stating, “Something is barking.” He acknowledged that there are two possible outcomes, with the hope that it will only require a couple of weeks of rest. However, he also mentioned the possibility of a more serious situation, such as Tommy John surgery. Despite the potential severity of the injury, Weber stated that he is not currently thinking about those possibilities.

In order to have a complete roster for the remaining two games of their road trip, the Yankees swiftly brought in left-handed reliever Nick Ramirez and called back Oswaldo Cabrera from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Both players were sent down to Triple-A during the team’s off day on Thursday. They then traveled from Newark to Los Angeles on Saturday morning, crossing the country, after not participating in Scranton’s away game in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Friday night.

Cabrera shared that it had been a long day already but he was happy to be back.

Greg Allen in 2021 while he was playing for the Yankees.

The Yankees will have to wait until early next week to determine the duration of Allen’s absence. After Sunday’s game, he will accompany the team back to New York and undergo testing on Monday’s off day to assess the extent of his injury. He had an MRI Saturday.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed empathy towards the affected player when injuries occur, acknowledging that it is an unfortunate aspect of the game. The team’s priority is to ensure that the injured individuals receive optimal medical attention and support in order to facilitate their recovery and return to the field.

“Anytime it happens, you feel for the individual,” Boone said. “Unfortunately, it’s part of (baseball). We’ll try to get them the best care and get them back.”

In a span of five days, the Yankees experienced three injuries. The first occurred when starting center fielder Harrison Bader strained his hamstring while running out an infield single last Monday in Seattle. Consequently, he was placed on the 10-day injured list the following day.

On Thursday, the Yankees made a significant move by activating three players from the injured list, and each of them contributed to Friday night’s game, despite the team’s loss. Third baseman Josh Donaldson showcased his power with two home runs, designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton also hit a home run, and reliever Tommy Kahnle, despite struggling with control, managed to pitch a scoreless inning in his first appearance of the season.

Yankees relief pitcher Ryan Weber throws in Toronto on May 18, 2023. — Toronto Sun

Following Kahnle’s performance, Weber took over in the bottom of the sixth inning with the Yankees trailing 7-2. He gave up a solo home run to Mookie Betts in the sixth inning, but he didn’t experience any health issues during that inning. However, in the following inning, Weber started feeling discomfort in his elbow and forearm just before he retired Miguel Vargas on a groundout to complete a perfect seventh inning.

Weber explained that he realized something was amiss when he threw a slider at Rojas during the game. At that moment, he knew there was an issue and decided to approach Boone about it. Weber expressed his concern, stating that he didn’t feel capable of competing with the discomfort he was experiencing and felt it was necessary to speak up.

Weber is feeling disappointed. Despite being called up from Triple-A multiple times in the past season and once this year, the 32-year-old pitcher always manages to perform well. Since his most recent call-up on May 11, Weber showcased his versatility by excelling in various roles. He recorded a record of 1-0 with a 3.14 ERA and even secured one save in eight appearances, leaving a positive impact.

Weber expressed his disappointment at the situation, mentioning how he had been used in a versatile role, recording a win, a hold, and a save within a week while pitching effectively. He felt that he was finally finding his stride, but now he feels frustrated by the setback.

What do you think? Leave your comment below.