It has taken five games, but Mark Teixeira says he’s finally feeling better after being diagnosed a with a Grade 1 strain in his left lat Monday. That’s the good news, the bad news it’s going to be out at least a few more games according to manager Joe Girardi. Brendan Kuty of NJ.com reported prior to the game Teixeira was feeling better. “I feel good with where I am,” and hopes he can start swinging at bat, “I’d hate to speculate and be disappointed in myself. So we’ll see how it feels.”
But Girardi said in his post game presser that he hasn’t started full baseball activities yet, just some exercises. He just didn’t think he’d be ready at least for a few more games, meaning the rest of the weekend. “I don’t think that’s probably realistic,” Girardi said. “Because he’s going to have to take some BP first. He is getting better. That’s the good thing.”
If that’s the case and reevaluated Monday, sounds like at least for now he’s going to avoid another DL stint. Not sure if they will give Tex an MRI prior to leaving for Texas on Sunday, but my guess is Girardi will want to be 100℅ certain before penciling him in any lineups. He will have missed a total of seven games by Monday, but at this point it’s worth giving him a few extra days.
If for any reason he’s not cleared by then and there’s a need to place him DL, it would be retroactive to Monday July 21. You just don’t want him to start one or two games, then the pain comes back and have to sit him once again. It’s been a nagging injury for him since the road trip in Oakland back on June 13. He had been batting .124 with just one RBI and zero home runs over his last seven games.
