Yankees Place Greg Bird On Disabled List With Ankle Injury
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Greg Bird is headed to the disabled list.
The Yankees announced Tuesday afternoon they have placed the slumping first baseman on the 10-day DL with a right ankle bruise.
Bird initially hurt his ankle late in spring training. An MRI on Tuesday showed the injury has not healed much, WFAN's Sweeny Murti reported.
This is the injury that's been bugging Bird since the end of spring training. https://t.co/D5I4sR225N
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) May 2, 2017
Returning this season after missing all of last year with a shoulder injury, Bird has struggled mightily, batting .100 with one homer and three RBIs. In his last nine games, he is 2-for-31 (.065).
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Chris Carter, last season's co-home run champ in the National League with the Brewers, will take over at first base. He is batting .211 with one homer and six RBIs this season.
Utility man Rob Refsnyder has been recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Bird's spot on the roster. Refsnyder started 21 games at first base last season.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are taking a couple of days to decide whether to place center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury on the DL after he bruised his left elbow crashing into the wall while making a catch Monday night against the Blue Jays, Murti reported.
Also, catcher Gary Sanchez, who suffered a right biceps strain in the fifth game of the season, will begin his minor league rehab assignment Tuesday night at Triple-A. He is set to catch Tuesday and serve as designated hitter Thursday before the Yankees determine whether he is ready to return.