Frustrated Teixeira lands on 15-day disabled list
TORONTO -- The Yankees placed Mark Teixeira on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with a strained right hamstring, and after being limited to 15 games last season because of injuries, the veteran first baseman is beyond frustrated by his recent luck.
"I wanted to break everything in this clubhouse last night when I came in here, but I respect the Blue Jays organization more than that," Teixeira said. "It was really frustrating. I felt like I did everything this offseason and this spring to get my body in position to play all season. Sometimes things happen. It's part of sports."
Teixeira, who turns 34 later this month, felt the hamstring grab while chasing a foul ball in the second inning of New York's 4-2 victory over the Blue Jays on Friday. He will undergo an MRI on Monday in New York to determine the severity of the strain, but it was apparent that he would not be able to avoid the DL.
"We don't think it's a bad strain," manager Joe Girardi said. "Obviously, we'll have a test on Monday when he gets back, but we just felt it was in the best interest of him and us to put him on the DL. That way he doesn't keep testing it and make it worse."
The Yankees recalled catcher Austin Romine from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Teixeira's place on the active roster. Girardi said that in Teixeira's absence, Kelly Johnson will be used as the everyday first baseman.
"I'm comfortable with him really anywhere, because I think he's shown that he's adaptable -- playing third, second, left, came up as a shortstop," Girardi said. "I don't expect him to be Mark Teixeira and know all the ins and outs, but he'll figure it out."
Beyond Johnson, the Yankees do not have a clear-cut backup option. Girardi mentioned Dean Anna, Francisco Cervelli and Yangervis Solarte as possible options at first base while saying that he does not see Brian McCann or Alfonso Soriano playing first base at this time.
Teixeira also strained his right hamstring during Game 4 of the 2010 American League Championship Series, an injury that effectively ended his season. He said that strain, a Grade 2, was much more severe; he was on crutches for four days and needed about five weeks for a full recovery.
Teixeira, who was walking with only a slight limp on Saturday morning, hopes to be able to return in the minimum 15 days. He also hopes to use this time to further strengthen his surgically repaired right wrist.
"I was very blessed the first 10 years of my career to only land on the DL a couple of times, missing a few games here and there," he said. "The last year and change have not been fun, but just a bump in the road, hopefully. We have a long season and we have a lot of great players in this clubhouse, and hopefully, I'll be rejoining them in two weeks."