Derek Jeter’s return to the Yankees lasted all of seven innings.
The shortstop was shut down at least through the All-Star break after an MRI exam yesterday revealed a Grade 1 quadriceps strain in his right leg and a stint on the disabled list hasn’t been ruled out.
After finally recovering from a twice-broken left ankle, Jeter was unexpectedly called up a day earlier than expected for Thursday’s matinee in The Bronx. General manager Brian Cashman admitted the short turnaround could have had an impact on the new injury.
“It’s possible,” said Cashman, who initially expected Jeter to play a fifth rehab game for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Thursday night before Travis Hafner suffered a foot injury Wednesday.
“It’s open for questions,” Cashman said before last night’s 2-0 victory over the Twins. “It was my call to move him up based on what occurred in our game. I thought it was a safe harbor because it was a DH situation.”
It wasn’t.
Jeter was forced to run out four ground balls and felt tightness trying to beat out the third one before jogging to first in his final plate appearance.
“It’s not something that entered my mind in any way, that he could actually blow a tire running the bases or stretching things out,” Cashman said. “The first two at-bats he had, certainly a lot of excess energy went into trying to beat those balls out. Stuff happens and it did.”
PHOTOS: JETER RETURNS TO YANKEES LINEUP
The Yankees are hoping the injury heals well enough before their second half opens Friday in Boston that Jeter is able to play. If not, the DL stint will be back-dated to yesterday, making him eligible to return on July 27.
“It’s frustrating,” Jeter said in a statement. “I don’t know what else you want me to say. I worked hard to get to the point of rejoining the team [Thursday]. It’s not how you draw it up, but hopefully I’ll be back out there soon and help this team win some games.”
Injuries have become a regular part of Jeter’s game these days. After going down with a fractured ankle in Game 1 of the ALCS in October, Jeter suffered a second fracture to the ankle during spring training, discovered in April.
Now, he’s out again, something that could serve as a warning sign for the Yankees going forward, since they have been counting on the return not only of Jeter, but also Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson.
Cashman chooses not to think that way.
“I hope not, because when they’re healthy, they’re getting plugged in,” Cashman said. “And we’ll be willing to sink or swim with them.”
The GM said he would continue to look at the trade market for offensive upgrades, but he’s not ready to rule any of the veterans out.
“We really do look forward to getting those guys back when they’re healthy,” Cashman said. “We’re better off with those options — if they’re here — than the alternatives.”
It’s becoming less and less likely, though, the Yankees will ever be fully whole this season. If that’s the case, they will have to rely on fill-ins for the foreseeable future.
“I think it’s something we’ve gotten used to this year,” Cashman said.
Cashman also said he was confident Jeter’s age didn’t play a role in the newest setback.
“I don’t want to say Father Time is knocking on his door and reminding him as much as it’s… he really is coming back from something significant,” Cashman said of the 39-year-old shortstop. “I did have a comfort level asking him to come from Scranton after a night game to New York the next day for a day game. I had a comfort level that he would be fine. But if it wasn’t fine, that’s my responsibility.”
Here we go again…
A look at Derek Jeter’s recent injury history:
Oct. 13, 2012: Jeter fractures his left ankle trying to reach a ball in the Yankees’ Game 1 ALCS loss to the Tigers.
March 9, 2013: In his first game action since fracturing the ankle, Jeter takes at-bats as a designated hitter in spring training.
March 19: Scratched from the starting lineup with a sore ankle, Jeter receives anti-inflammatory injections.
April 18: GM Brian Cashman announces Jeter will be out until around the All-Star break because of a new fracture in his left ankle.
July 7: Jeter plays rehab game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
July 11: In season debut with Yankees, Jeter gets a hit in first at-bat, but leaves game early with a right quadriceps strain.