The oft-injured Mark Teixeira is once again in danger of spending a lengthy period of time sidelined.
Teixeira tore cartilage in his right knee and was placed on the DL Friday, and general manager Brian Cashman admitted that season-ending surgery may be needed.
“The initial effort is going to try to be to treat it conservatively with rest, probably involving injections, and then see how he responds to that,” general manager Brian Cashman said Saturday, via Chad Jennings of the Journal News. “If that doesn’t work, then you’re looking at a surgical procedure. If that’s the case, then his season is probably done.”
Teixeira hasn’t played close to a full season since he appeared in 156 games in 2011. Since then, he’s been on and off the field, missing nearly all of the 2013 season. To add to those woes, he hasn’t even been good when on the field, hitting just .230 and slugging .443 since the start of the 2012 season. It’s not even one specific part of his body that’s been injury prone, though the knee has been a fairly consistent trouble spot. In 2015, it was a leg fracture. In 2013, it was wrist problems. Teixeira himself has admitted to being overpaid, and he’s right. The good news for the Yankees is that Teixeira’s $180 million deal ends after the 2016 season, and they’ll be able to get that albatross off the payroll.
