After Hideki Matsui was sent to the disabled list with a left knee injury June 22, it seemed like his season had a good chance of being over.
But despite some rough patches during the nearly two months he spent rehabbing the knee, Matsui made it back into the Yankees lineup earlier this week, and will try to help the Bombers get things turned around starting tonight in Baltimore (7:05, My9, WCBS).
“There was some uncertainty whether I was going to be able to come back, so to be able to be here, I’m definitely happy,” Matsui told MLB.com through an interpreter Monday.
Matsui was the lone bright spot in the Yankees’ 14-3 drubbing at the hands of Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays last night, hitting a three-run homer in the seventh inning to provide the Bombers’ entire offensive production.
Injuries to Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain, along with the ineffectiveness of Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes, have given the Yankees fits all year long. But the loss of Matsui over the past two months arguably had as big an impact.
When he went down in June, Matsui was hitting .317 with seven homers and 34 RBIs.
“He’s been a big part of the lineup over the years here,” Joe Girardi told MLB.com. “His at-bats are always good and he’s a professional hitter. You don’t worry about left-handers or right-handers against him. He makes your lineup deeper and we look forward to him staying healthy for the last month-and-a-half here.”
After struggling in his first attempt to come back from the knee troubles in June, Matsui kept rehabbing – and avoided surgery – in the hopes of getting back and helping the Yankees fight their way back into the playoffs this season.
“I still wanted to contribute and be a strength of this team,” Matsui told MLB.com. “I want to be part of helping this team win a championship. There was part of me that believed I could still make it back. That controlled my decision.”
Tonight’s Pitching Matchup:
Yankees RHP Mike Mussina (16-7, 3.35 ERA) The former Oriole has had relatively good success against his old club throughout his career, with a lifetime record of 10-8 against Baltimore. It’s been a different story this year, however; Mussina is 0-2 with an 11.12 ERA in 2008 against the Orioles. He’ll hope to continue his recent success tonight; he is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his past three starts.
Orioles RHP Radhames Liz (4-3, 7.47 ERA) The No. 2 prospect in Baltimore’s system entering 2008, according to Baseball America, Liz has struggled a bit in his first extended action in the major leagues. Over his past three starts, Liz is 1-2 with an 11.20 ERA. He will be making his first start against the Bombers this year, but in 4 1/3 innings against the Yankees last year, Liz allowed one run on three hits, striking out five and walking two.