Mark Teixeira fouled a ball off his right leg in mid-August and hasn't been the same since. He underwent a number of MRIs and X-rays, all of which revealed only a bone bruise, but the latest tests showed a much more serious injury.
New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters earlier today that Teixeira will miss the remainder of the 2015 season due to a fracture in his right leg. The team confirmed it on their Twitter account shortly after.
Mark Teixeira will miss the remainder of the season. The latest MRI revealed a fracture.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 11, 2015
Brian Cashman just announced MRI revealed Mark Teixeira has a fracture and is out for the year.
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) September 11, 2015
Cashman just told reporters at Stadium that Teixeira is done for the season. The latest MRI showed a fracture. Recovery time is 3 months.
— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) September 11, 2015
Latest tests show fracture in Teixeira's leg. He's done for the season.
— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) September 11, 2015
Earlier today Jon Heyman of CBS Sports wrote, "The Yankees are mystified about the bruise suffered by Mark Teixeira (right shin) that doesn't seem to be healing (he was on crutches at the Stadium Thursday). They've done multiple X-rays and MRIs and still find nothing but a bruise, though they intend to keep testing."
Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com reported yesterday that Teixeira was going in for more tests.
Cashman was also unsure of Teixeira's status for the remainder of the season when he told reporters, "I do wonder if he'll return." It was reported this week that the Yankees were growing fearful of Teixeira missing the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs, which is now the case.
Tex returned to form this year after experiencing injury-shortened campaigns from 2012-2014. The 35-year-old was batting .255/.357/.548 with 57 runs scored, 31 home runs and 79 RBIs in 111 games before today's news.
However, New York has seen production out of rookie Greg Bird, who has been filling in nicely for Teixeira ever since the injury. The likelihood of Bird making the postseason roster has now increased exponentially because the Yankees do not have another definitive first baseman on the roster.
Bird, 22, is batting .241/.319/.458 with 15 runs scored, 5 home runs and 17 RBIs in 24 games since getting the call from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He also has yet to make an error in almost 200 innings at first base.
The Yankees will host the Toronto Blue Jays in a crucial four-game series this weekend that could decide the fate of the AL East.
