MLB

Carlos Beltran relieved to have escaped major damage

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Considering how seemingly every MRI exam taken a year ago delivered devastating news and the tube discovered muscle strains inside Mark Teixeira and David Robertson early this season, the Yankees considered the latest two MRIs being clean as a stroke of good fortunate.

“I am lucky,’’ said Carlos Beltran, who underwent MRIs on the left shoulder and right wrist following Thursday night’s 10-2 win over the Rays at Tropicana Field. “This could have been real bad.’’

Running full speed after a fly ball off Desmond Jenning’s bat into the right-field corner in the third inning, Beltran ran into the short fence in foul territory without breaking stride. His knee hit the fence and vaulted him into an area where he landed on the shoulder and wrist.

Beltran said he didn’t look for the fence because he didn’t want to lose track of the ball in Tropicana Field’s gray ceiling.

Even though the MRIs were negative, the switch-hitting Beltran wasn’t in Friday night’s lineup against Rays lefty Erik Bedard when the Yankees attempted to stretch a winning streak to six games.

“Nothing broke, just sore,’’ said Beltran, who was replaced in right field by Ichiro Suzuki. “The [left] knee is fine.’’

Girardi watched the right fielder and No. 3 hitter vanish from the playing field, and knowing Beltran was going full speed caused the manager some angst.

“He didn’t have a chance to brace himself,’’ said Girardi, who removed Beltran from the game in the eighth inning. “The news we got [Friday], we are pretty lucky. We are really thrilled. The MRIs were all good and it’s good news.’’

Beltran spent Friday receiving treatment and is looking forward to playing Saturday night, though that might be a little too soon.

“Hopefully, [Saturday] I feel better and I will be in the lineup,’’ Beltran said.

Considering how valuable Beltran is to the Yankees’ lineup, some thought he might have been better served easing up before putting a 36-year-old body through a fierce collision with a wall.

“If I had a chance to do it again I would have [let up], but when that ball was hit, I thought I had a chance to catch it,’’ said Beltran, who is hitting .298 with four homers and nine RBIs in 15 games. “I didn’t want to take my eyes off the baseball because of the roof. All of a sudden I was all over the place.’’

With Beltran on the ground, the Tropicana security staff did very little to assist the fallen outfielder.

“The security guys didn’t help me get up,’’ Beltran said when asked if anybody gave him a warning he was close to the fence.

Beltran didn’t take batting practice on the field prior to Friday night’s game. He did hint at possibly hitting in the cage. But Girardi said Beltran wasn’t an option for the game.

“We don’t want him to be out for a long period of time,’’ Girardi said. “[Thursday] I was quite sure he would be sore [Friday].’’

Considering Girardi had Ichiro, who is batting .370 (10-for-27), to replace Beltran, it makes sense to believe Beltran could miss Saturday’s game as well to make sure the shoulder and wrist wouldn’t be affected by too much action too soon. And to be real safe the Yankees could rest Beltran until they open a three-game series against the Red Sox in Fenway Park Tuesday night.

Whatever way it shakes out, the Yankees were pleased an MRI didn’t shatter their season like the tests did a year ago.