New York Yankees second baseman Starlin Castro has not appeared in a game since Sept. 17 because of a hamstring injury, but manager Joe Girardi said he could take the field again this season, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Continue for updates.
Castro Rode Stationary Bike
Thursday, Sept. 22
Hoch noted Castro was on the bike on Wednesday.
According to the RotoWire staff (h/t CBS Sports), Castro “was diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain last weekend—the least severe type of strain, classified as ‘mild.’”
This is Castro’s first season with the Yankees after playing his initial six years at the MLB level with the Chicago Cubs. He is slashing .273/.304/.439 with 21 home runs and 69 RBI in 146 games and has provided a power surge for the Bronx Bombers considering his career-high home run total entering the 2016 campaign was 14 (2012 and 2014).
As of Thursday, the Yankees were 8.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the American League East but just 2.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for the final spot in the chase for the American League Wild Card Game.
The remainder of the schedule for the Yankees after Thursday’s game with the Tampa Bay Rays comes against postseason contenders in the Toronto Blue Jays, Red Sox and Orioles. The opportunity is there to make up ground in head-to-head showdowns, but New York could use Castro’s power in the middle of the infield.
It will likely turn toward Ronald Torreyes until Castro is ready to return. Torreyes has appeared in 61 games this year and is slashing .273/.324/.394 with one homer. The Yankees also have Donovan Solano, who is in his first year with Yankees after four seasons with the Miami Marlins. However, he has only appeared in three games in 2016 and is there more for depth purposes.
The Yankees can at least take solace knowing they have replacements available, but neither of them provide the presence in the order that Castro does on a daily basis.
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