New York Yankee Melky Cabrera May Miss 4 Games with Bad Shoulder
NEW YORK (AP) -- New York Yankees center fielder Melky Cabrera missed Wednesday night's game against the Texas Rangers with a strained right shoulder, and could be out through the weekend.
Cabrera exited Tuesday night's game against Texas after running into the wall while trying to make a catch in the first inning. He had a long run on a drive by Ian Kinsler that went for a triple.
Cabrera missed the ball, took a couple of stumbling strides, then smacked into the padded wall, hitting his arms and his right shoulder. He immediately grabbed his shoulder before tracking the ball down and throwing it back to the infield.
Manager Joe Girardi and a trainer ran out to check on Cabrera, who walked off the field and was replaced by Brett Gardner.
Cabrera had an MRI exam Wednesday that was negative. Girardi said Cabrera wouldn't be in Wednesday night's lineup, with Gardner starting in center.
Girardi said Cabrera could be out until Monday night's series finale against the Indians.
``We're going to call it day to day. but it's probably going to be more than a day or two,'' Girardi said. ``I don't necessarily think it will be a DL thing, getting to the end of the weekend in Cleveland or Monday, that would be really good.''
Cabrera has hit safely in 29 of his last 32 starts in which he has made a plate appearance, and is batting .333 with five homers and 20 RBIs in his starts over that stretch.
In another Yankees health issue, right-hander Brian Bruney learned he has no structural damage in his ailing right elbow during a visit to Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. earlier on Wednesday.
Bruney was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Monday, retroactive to May 2, after experiencing elbow discomfort from a throwing session. Bruney has made two trips to the DL this season with the elbow problem, and he wanted to be checked out by Andrews, one of the nation's top orthopedists.
Girardi said Bruney has a flexor muscle strain and that whatever pain he still has stems from that. He will rest before starting a throwing program.
``He has a little strain in his muscle, but the ligament is fine,'' Girardi said after Wednesday night's game. ``He'll get a little time off and we'll get back to work with him.''
When healthy, Bruney has been effective in the eighth-inning slot for the Yankees with a 2-0 record and 3.00 ERA in 10 appearances.
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