DENVER -- The Yankees enjoyed a rare off-day on Monday after a marathon stretch of 40 games in 41 days, but somehow the rest didn't agree with Carlos Beltran, who was scratched from Tuesday's lineup after waking up with a swollen left knee.
Following the Yanks' 13-10 loss to the Rockies, manager Joe Girardi said that Beltran had the knee drained during Tuesday's game. Beltran is unlikely to play on Wednesday, but Girardi said his hope is to have Beltran back for Thursday's series opener against the Twins at Target Field.
Prior to the game, Beltran shrugged and laughed when asked how he managed to hurt the knee. He said that he felt fine after the Yankees' 4-1 loss to the Tigers on Sunday and on the flight to Colorado, and did not do anything that would have aggravated his situation while awaiting Tuesday's series opener at Coors Field.
"I didn't do anything, man," Beltran said. "I laid in bed for like four hours, I didn't do anything. Went to eat, walked back maybe five blocks and went back to bed."
Aaron Hicks started in right field on Tuesday in place of the 39-year-old Beltran, who is batting .277 with 16 homers and 44 RBIs in 62 games.
"It's a little worrisome," Girardi said. "The one thing you don't want it to become is a chronic thing. We haven't really had any problems with that knee. The right one, he wears the big brace."
Beltran was reminded that, during the club's recent series against the Rays at Tropicana Field, he boasted that he has not had to ice his knees in years.
"Exactly. You're right," Beltran said. "The one that always gives me problems is the right one. The left one has always been good to me. Maybe I talked too soon."