Add Nova, Robertson To Growing List Of Ailing Yankees
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- It's amazing the Yankees could even field a team at this point.
Ivan Nova, David Robertson, Clay Rapada and Raul Ibanez are all battling various new ailments, nicks and injuries.
Not that the rest of the roster is completely healthy. Mark Teixeira has been hampered by severely inflamed airways, though it was his tiebreaking two-run home run in the seventh inning that put the Yankees on top for good. He could be seen struggling to catch his breath in the dugout after circling the bases in Monday night's win over Baltimore.
Nova left the start in the sixth inning with a sprained and bruised right foot and ankle after coming off the mound to chase down a tapper toward the first-base side. X-rays were negative and the 25-year-old's next start is in question.
"On that last play I twisted it," he said. "I don't want to miss any starts. Hopefully, it will feel better. It is a little (swollen) right now."
Nova also absorbed a Nick Markakis line drive off the top of the same foot in the third inning.
Rapada relieved Nova and promptly left the game with a viral infection. David Phelps then entered and recorded his first major-league win. Rafael Soriano got the save, as reliever David Robertson wasn't one of the six pitchers used by New York.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi later revealed the team had been operating without Robertson due to soreness in his left side. The fill-in closer will likely undergo an MRI on Tuesday morning.
"We thought it might be a couple of days, but he still felt it today, so we're not taking any chances," said Girardi.
Also, Raul Ibanez left in the ninth inning after being drilled by a pitch on the elbow. He actually had stitch marks on the point of impact, but said he should be fine to play Tuesday.
The Yankees have battled injuries all season long, some of them major. Star closer Mariano Rivera and starter Michael Pineda are out for the season, and speedy outfielder Brett Gardner is still on the disabled list after recently suffering a setback to his strained right elbow.
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