The injury bug has bitten the Yankees once again.
The team placed Greg Bird on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a left plantar fascia tear. The Yankees called up Mike Ford from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Bird's roster spot. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told the New York Post that Bird will be in a walking boot for the next two weeks before being reevaluated.
Bird, who broke camp with the team after a strong Spring Training, had not been making the most of his opportunity in the big leagues. Following a solo homer on Opening Day, which accounted for his lone RBI through 10 games and 35 at-bats, Bird managed five more hits -- all singles.
Cashman tells me Bird will be in a walking boot for 2 weeks and evaluated after that #Yankees
- Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) April 16, 2019
The 26-year-old has an injury-riddled past. He missed all of 2016 after suffering a torn labrum. In 2017, he missed a solid chunk of time with a right ankle bruise that ultimately required surgery, causing him to miss 103 games that year. Last year, Bird underwent ankle surgery that kept him out until late May.
It's another injury the Yankees will have to overcome. Luis Severino, the team's presumed ace, will likely be out until the summer with a lat injury. Key lineup pieces Giancarlo Stanton and Miguel Andujar have also already missed considerable time, and Aaron Hicks' balky back has held him out since Spring Training. That's not to mention additional injuries to Dellin Betances (shoulder) and Gary Sanchez (calf).
Ford, 26, is a Belle Mead, New Jersey, native who is raking for the RailRiders this season. Over 10 games, he's clubbed five homers and is batting .410/.467/.897 with 14 RBI and four walks.
