Teixeira sidelined due to neck spasms
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NEW YORK -- Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is the latest star player to appear on the team's injury report, as the switch-hitter missed Tuesday's 10-7 win with neck spasms.
Teixeira is in a 4-for-37 (.108) slump with one RBI and no extra-base hits since April 27. He said that the issue first started to bother him during the Yankees' series against the Orioles in Baltimore last week, but Teixeira is hopeful that he will be able to play on Wednesday.
"I'm not going to use it as an excuse, because I haven't had a good month," Teixeira said. "It's one of those things, when you start altering your swing because of the neck, you want to take care of it. And that's what we're doing right now."
Teixeira did not take pregame batting practice on Tuesday. He is batting .202 (21-for-104) with three homers, 11 RBIs and 19 walks in 30 games.
"Your neck is fairly important in a swing, because you have to be able to turn your head, and sometimes players can't work the way they want to work because they're dealing with some stuff," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I think he's been patient. I don't think he's gotten fully on track this year, but I think he will."
The injury is the latest in a rash that has seen Jacoby Ellsbury not starting for a fourth straight game due to tightness in his right hip, which he sustained on an aggressive turn around third base.
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If Ellsbury is not able to resume sprinting at full speed by the end of the Kansas City series on Thursday, Girardi said that Ellsbury could be placed on the disabled list retroactively.
"I think with the position he plays, he has to be able to run. You don't want a center fielder that can't run," Girardi said.
The Yankees also remain optimistic that Alex Rodriguez (strained right hamstring) can return from his 15-day disabled list stint in the minimum amount of time. Rodriguez has run on a treadmill, but not yet on grass.
"He feels a lot better … walking around and some of the things that he's doing, but we've got to get him on the field," Girardi said.