The New York Yankees have been without Jacoby Ellsbury since he injured his right knee on May 19th.
Ellsbury is setting his sights on a return to the Bombers lineup at the end of June, completing the estimated six weeks it was anticipated he would be missed. The next step will be to hit and work out in the field.
Yankees Insider: Alex Rodriguez will sit in his hometown; plus Ellsbury, Nova and Stanton. http://t.co/WDQ2vGROQw
— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) June 15, 2015
The Yankees have gone 12-9 since Ellsbury went on the disabled list. However, Ellsbury is optimistic he can return to the big league club before June 30th.
The center fielder hit .324/.412/.372 before injuring his knee. Getting him back in the lineup is huge for a Yankee team that has been inconsistent offensively, especially with Ellsbury not at the top of the order.
It has been a long comeback for Ellsbury because he puts so much stress on his legs in his everyday play. Ellsbury is known for his speed and plays his game with his legs, whether that is stealing bases or making great catches in the outfield.
An Ellsbury return will help a team in a tight race atop the American League East and will give them more depth in the outfield. The Yankees have used a couple of rookies in place of Ellsbury. Ramon Flores and Mason Williams have both done a very good job filling in while Chris Young continues to struggle offensively.
